Dear visitor, welcome to SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers. If this is your first visit here, please read the Help. It explains how this page works. You must be registered before you can use all the page's features. Please use the registration form, to register here or read more information about the registration process. If you are already registered, please login here.
This post has been edited 1 times, last edit by "Central Irrigation" (Apr 15th 2013, 4:22pm)
Flow controls allow a system to be "optimized' in almost the same way your grandfather tuned the carburetor on his truck. With the valve open, you throttle down the flow control until you notice it is beginning to restrict the flow. Then you back out the control a half-turn. What this does is minimize the movement of the valve diaphragm. The less a valve diaphragm flexes, the longer it will last, and the more reliably it will perform.No, it does not add pressure to the spring. In fact it actually does the opposite. The flow control actually makes contact directly to the diaphragm, not through the spring. A flow control only limits how far a diaphragm can open, thus controlling how much water can can flow through the valve. There is a case that could be made that if using a flow control, the diaphragm would have less distance to travel in order to close. However, the diaphragm will only open as much as the flow dictates. So i guess i fail to see how a flow control would help.
Ha Ha! My 1975 Camaro had a carburetor too!Flow controls allow a system to be "optimized' in almost the same way your grandfather tuned the carburetor on his truck. With the valve open, you throttle down the flow control until you notice it is beginning to restrict the flow. Then you back out the control a half-turn. What this does is minimize the movement of the valve diaphragm. The less a valve diaphragm flexes, the longer it will last, and the more reliably it will perform.No, it does not add pressure to the spring. In fact it actually does the opposite. The flow control actually makes contact directly to the diaphragm, not through the spring. A flow control only limits how far a diaphragm can open, thus controlling how much water can can flow through the valve. There is a case that could be made that if using a flow control, the diaphragm would have less distance to travel in order to close. However, the diaphragm will only open as much as the flow dictates. So i guess i fail to see how a flow control would help.
This especially matters on systems with low flows. On a low-flow system, you might even leave the flow controls in a position where they are slightly restricting flow, because (for reasons involving hydraulics) valves so adjusted have more force helping them to close.
This post has been edited 1 times, last edit by "Central Irrigation" (Apr 15th 2013, 11:34pm)