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.
favorite backflow
in everyone line of work, what dose everyone use for backflow?
I use Febco or Wilikns - Double checks
Jimmy
Texas Lic. Irrigator
Landscape Irrigation Auditing & Management
Texas Lic. Backflow Tester
In the Houston area, the Febco Pressure Vacuum Breaker is the backflow device of choice. Wilkins 720A PVB seems to be the runner up.
SprinklerTalk.com
what are your prices on repair kits and service?
Jimmy
Texas Lic. Irrigator
Landscape Irrigation Auditing & Management
Texas Lic. Backflow Tester
Febco prices their repair parts pretty high. I've seen mailings from third-party vendors with their own bonnets and such for Febco. I like the Wilkins 720 PVB better than Febco. Not sure how many other brands still have brass bonnets, like the 720, and the older Watts (sold as Rainbird)
they still make the old rainbirds, i have a school district here that i have been replacing those.
Jimmy
Texas Lic. Irrigator
Landscape Irrigation Auditing & Management
Texas Lic. Backflow Tester
WILKINS WILKINS WILKINS WILKINS
YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT!!
Tyler Napier
Just so you all know febco is pure junk, you will have nothing but problems with these. I test backflow assemblies all the time and the fail rate is 70% of all febcos tested fail.
Figures don't lie. Liars figure.
Write that one down for a bumper sticker
Tyler Napier
if your talking about the RPZ and PVB then you are correct. I rarely have any trouble with the double checks.
Jimmy
Texas Lic. Irrigator
Landscape Irrigation Auditing & Management
Texas Lic. Backflow Tester
Even the 'indestructible' Rainbird PVB (old Watts model) would need a washer sooner or later.
There are really two diverging ways to look at backflow. One is the more rigorous pass/fail record when testing backflows, and the second is whether the device starts spewing water. In locales without any testing requirements, it's the "spews water" aspect that homeowners would worry about, since they aren't worried about testing.
Well, to those of you who have no testing requirements you should feel lucky. If you don't have to test the assemblies just take out the guts and internal parts and the backflow will never spew water. But remember the whole point of backflow is to protect the drinking water not worry about cheap prices on backflow parts.
Tyler Napier