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Thanks Mike. The system could have drains. As I dug around in the mud, I seemed I could almost touch where the leak was just outside the box. And it felt like there was some sort of plastic object there rather than just pipe heading for the next zone valve. I wouldn't think they would put a drain right next to the valve box because it has kept the valve box full of water and mud. (Maybe that is a normal place to put one?) I am not planning to dig up the ground this fall unless I get past a bunch...
Thanks for the support! Blew the 7 zones out today through the backflow preventer testcock. Worked fine. My compressor is just big enough to maintain around 55 to 60#. During the process, I found that there were good-sized air bubbles coming up through water that was in the 4-valve box. I figure that means water has been leaking from a connection in there 24/7, perhaps for months. And the pressure to all the zones must have been lower than normal. The leak is underground just outside the box. I'...
True. Very few female fittings. Most were for connecting flared copper tubing to male fittings. There were only a couple flared female fittings for adapting to a different type of thread. Perhaps I should try a plumbing place. I would think a hardware store wouldn't have the right fitting, but I'll check. I can't mess around too much longer. It was below freezing today.
I used a metal detector and found a zone valve in a 6" cylindrical box. 2 missing valves to go. I was actually looking for a buried port to use for blow out. No luck there. I bought two brass fittings and a 2' piece of 1/4" copper tubing to connect them together. One is a 1/4" female flare to 1/4" compression. And the other is a 1/4" female NPT to 1/4" compression. that seemed to be the best I could do. I am sure there is a less complicated way to connect the backflow preventer test cock to an p...
I'll look for a 1/4" female flare adapter today at Lowes. I think the threads look pretty good and the top flared surface looks smooth. I can't find any other blow out point. But her sod is in really good shape and it could have easily grown over a smaller access box - especially the 6" round type. I found one box that contains 4 valves and I had to cut away a lot of sod to get the lid off. Since there are seven zones, there are 3 valves that I haven't found, so I expect a blow out point could b...
I cleaned some of the mud off of the backflow preventer. I now know it is a Watts and the model number is something like: 007M3DC (QT?) 3/4" double check valve I believe. Perhaps you can tell more from the picture. It has the threaded shafts for the valve handles. But I wouldn't want to try to turn them. The downstream end is on the left. I am hoping I can loosen the test cock set screw on that end. I don't know whether I should try to loosen the set screw on the right to be able to blow air thr...
Hello WB. I should have been more clear. The sprinkler system I am about to winterize is my daughter's system. The system you and others helped me with was my system. I have winterized my system three times now without incident. But I have not yet worked on my daughter's system. This will be the first time and I am looking for guidance in the areas I outlined.
I am preparing to winterize my daughter's sprinkler system. It has been done by a professional in the past and she lives near Kansas City. The backflow preventer is mounted a foot below grade in a valve box, 3' from the main water meter in the front yard, and there is a valve between the meter and the BFP in the box. The BFP is mounted horizontally and is half covered in mud/dirt. It has not been removed in the winter. It has 4 test cocks that stand vertically and neither end of the BFP has a va...
The wife commented that she noticed the sprinklers didn't turn on today. They had been working fine since last July when you guys helped me design and install the system. It is a PC-300i with 2 ea. PCM-300 Series 3 Expansion Modules. Buttons and switch have no effect. Nothing I do picks up the valves. The ribbon cable is securely plugged in. I measure 27 VAC on the controller terminals, which is OK. I've followed the procedure to reset the unit. Display is still blank. I installed a new 9v batte...
I've heard of hydraulic cement but never knew what it was. And yes, it would be tricky since the 8" x 1 1/2" hole is not perfectly aligned with the 1" copper pipe going through as you can imagine. However, the pipe does make it through without touching the concrete albeit it does get close on one end. But to trowel the cement into that misaligned circular crevice in 10 minutes would take some luck. However, I'll look into it. I need to find out how fine it is. I haven't sealed it yet since I hav...
WB -- I haven't sealed around the pipe yet, but I also bought some Quickrete "Gray Concrete Crack Seal" that might last longer (?). It appears as though it would flow well around the pipe. The trick is to get it in the crack whereas Great Stuff has the long slender application tube. I don't suppose that is the stuff you used?
Got the 8" long 1 1/2" hole bored through the concrete foundation wall today. Took about 20 minutes to drill through. Drill motor only got away once. Luckily no one died and no bones were broken. I learned to stand far enough away so that when it does happen, the motor doesn't whack you in the head as it slows down. When I can again focus, I'm planning to use Great Stuff to seal the hole. The copper is about 1 1/8" OD. So that leaves 3/8" for pipe alignment and seal. I'm wondering whether Great ...
I've discovered that the outside diameter of schedule 40 and class 200 is the same... Also that the inside diameter of 1" poly is all the same, and that inside diameter of 1/2 funny pipe is the same and the spiral threaded fittings used on the funny pipe require no clamps.
Good, I'll go with Flow Control. Thanks WB, Frank
Does anyone know whether the Hunter PGV square top valve is more reliable at higher pressures than the Hunter PGV Jar top? Also... Does the "flow control" option make the valves less reliable? Thanks, Frank
I ordered $350 worth (only the first batch of stuff) of components from Sprinkler Warehouse last night including lots of barbed fittings for 1" poly and the 1/2" funny pipe. I plan to purchase the pipe locally. Will the barbed fittings I purchased be OK with the poly pipe I am buying? The inside diameter of the pipe is 1.049 inches. Not sure about the 1/2" pipe. I did order 100 of the 1" Murray crimp type stainless steel clamps. Just realized 1/2" clamps are not listed. Perhaps the funny pipe do...
I did buy a bottle of some crack seal at Lowes yesterday. I haven't looked at the viscosity but, it has a small angled spout, which you cut to a desired size. I am hoping that it will seal. I figure I will put some on the pipe before I slide it in and then force more sealant in around it. Perhaps I should bore a little larger hole to be able to push a small plastic tube in there and use it on the spout. My current copper line comes in below grade. Some sort of black sealant was used around it. t...
Thanks WB for the link to the Pack Joint Tee. It does look secure. It would seem that the longitudinal line wouldn't move anyway without the added clamps. But the stem connection might be made more secure with the added clamp. Thanks again! Frank
Thanks WB -- Situation is, my utility room is part way finished. Meaning I do have a couple of studded walls that I've insulated, sheetrocked, and painted, which I would like to leave alone. So it will be nicer to actually go out of the utility room through a concrete wall and end up under grade for just a bit.... then go right into the valve box which will be partially above grade grade. It will be awkward, but OK. Per your advice, I'll use copper type L inside and run that outside to the manif...
Hi there WB... I don't think anyone would want to do that. But the problem is... The main water line comes in about 4 foot down - I'm told - So some/ most(?) taps are made there. I have no plans to dig down to find out. But I was really just curious as to what the thing is and how it was made. I just couldn't find a picture of it. And I'm not real sure of the purpose of the clamps. I figure the clamps help keep the pipe from pulling out of the Tee. However, being under 4 foot of dirt, I would th...
