SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers

Working at my mom's house. The system was installed in 2002. The zone I'm working on is the front lawns and has 21 Toro Series 570 sprinklers. Over half of the heads don't pop up, even after being replaced. I intend to split it into two zones, with the new zone being for the lawn on the right in the pic.

My original plan was to cut out the existing manifold, add the new valve and patch the manifold back in. However, when I dug it out, this is what I found.

Any suggestions? Here are a few more pics to show more detail.


Also, any suggestions on how to find the existing crossover pipe between the two lawns? I looked at the corner closest to to manifold, and it wasn't there.

Thanks

Quoted from "mrfixit"

What a mess.
The whole thing needs to be redone.
You can't have anti-syphon valves below grade like that. They need to be above ground and 1 foot above the highest sprinkler head.
Does it freeze where your mom lives?
I would replace everything.
Are those new Lawn Genie valve adapters?
I notice the dripline doesn't have a filter on it.

So there's 21 heads on the same line. It must have worked at one time. If there's a problem with the valve or the seals on the old heads I can see where some of them wont pop up. If you replaced the 570's with the new 570's that could be why they don't pop up now. The spring in the new 570 is wayyy too strong. A Rainbird PUP tool wont even hold them up. You could try putting the old springs inside the new heads.
Do you get more pressure if you open the valve with the bleeder screw?

The only way to find where the pipe goes under the sidewalk is with a shovel. Just put the shovel in the ground and tap on the pvc pipe. Go easy. Follow the pipe with the shovel. You'll figure it.

It looks like there's enough wires to add another valve but you might want to make sure there's a spare that works.
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Me again. 21 heads is a lot of heads but not unheard of where I live. Are you sure there aren't two valves coming on at the same time?

The valves are above ground, bad angle for the pics. The bottom of the valves are at grade. They are in a raised flower bed, and are around a foot above the sprinklers ( they are to the left of the shovel in the first pic). It doesn't freeze here (Ventura, CA). Lows in the 40s and highs in the 70s is the norm.

I did replace the two valves last Oct.

I think there is a filter just below the valve for the drip line, though I'm not really sure what the thing is that is there. Look at the fourth pic. On that one, I don't see a good place to cut it out, as it looks like the PVC is all joints.

I think there's room on the main side to cut it out. I haven't completely dug out the outbound side of the main, as its behind that old iron valve.

I will try the old springs.

I figured that was going to be the answer to finding the pipe, was just hoping there was a better option.

Any suggestions on getting the new valve in with how the existing main is configured?

I'm not locked into keeping it like it is. Just don't know where to cut to make it right. Also don't want to have to shut off the water for more than a few hours. I think there's enough room to cut the main where is comes out from the 3" pipe they used as conduit. Do I reverse that T and make the connection the grey pipe on the other side after digging it out more? What about the drip line connections. I don't see anywhere on the PVC where I can cut it. Where should the filter be installed? Do I dump that whole manifold and start from scratch? Replace the existing valves? I was planning on using a Lawn Genie L7034. Should I get three more of them and go that route? I think there's room on the other side of the manifold to tie in to the existing line that is underneath that old iron pipe/valve that is there, just will require some more digging and working around that pipe. I'm very open for suggestions/recommendations. Also very appreciative of all your help so far.

Think I'm going to forward those pics to our contractor and have a discussion about his choice of subs for the irrigation work. This was done as part of a larger remodel project. Any idea why they would use the brass valves and then install the adapters in them?

So, did some more digging and here's what I discovered. The grey pipe that is higher up feeds a metal pipeline that goes to a spicket to the right of the valves, and goes off further right to ????. After the third valve (on the left) in the manifold, the pvc ends. I would attach a pic, but that didn't work so well last time. Here is the Dropbox URL: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ucmp6m0v8yuiwc3/Photo%20Jun%2019%2C%2011%2030%2044%20AM.jpg

What I'm thinking about doing now it cutting back the conduit that the main comes through in, so I can access the main before the first T fitting. I will cut the main there. I think if I install a T just past the other metal pipe, it will just clear to go straight up to feed the grey pipe. That will give me room to install the new valve where the existing patchwork of pvc is that currently connects to the grey pipe.

So, is the grey pipe used when your are transitioning from pvc to metal?

I intend to remove the manifold and completely rebuild it. I want to raise it up, and install a filter above grade, just below the valve for the drip system and then raise the other valves to the same height as the drip valve. I want to put the pressure regulator just below the filter. How does that sound?

I also tried the bleeder valve. That did result in a few more of the heads popping up. Also eliminated the chance of it being two valves coming on at the same time.