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

I'm a sprinkler novice (bought a house a few years ago which had a spinkler system installed, my first ever). Over the last few years, I've had a sprinkler service both winterize *and* turn on the system in the spring - this year I want to at least turn the system on myself, since I think I ought to be able to at least do that!

I have a Febco 765-1 backflow device installed. My problem is this - when I turn on the main water feed to the sprinkler system from inside the house, water leaks from everywhere at the Febco unit. I don't think it's damaged, as it was professionaly winterized, but you never know. I did turn the water on full blast the very first time I tried this, I hope that didn't damage anything. Could someone tell me what position the valves and knobs are supposed to be in, and basically what the correct procedure is to turn this baby on each year?

I'll describe the valves/knobs I have - the main water feed comes from inside the house. Then I have what looks like a regular water spigot knob - that's currently closed. Then there's a valve along the pipe itself (it's currently parallel with the vertical pipe, I presume open?), then you come to the Febco device. Both of the little valves off to the left (the ones that you adjust with a flat head screwdriver) are parallel to the little horizontal pipes (I presume that's open?). Then after the Febco device, I have another valve along the pipe itself (also parallel with the pipe, this time horizontally, I presume that's open?). Then the pipe goes back down into the ground, and I presume to the rest of the sprinkler system.

Thanks in advance!

Thanks very much for the response mrwettech - when you say "Close the valve on the outlet side", do you mean close the thing that looks like a water spigot knob?

Thanks again in advance....

A picture is worth a thousand words... when you look at this image of the Febco unit:

http://www.sprinklerwarehouse.com/detail.aspx?ID=585

... I'm guessing that what I'm supposed to do is leave the blue valves open, and close the 2 test cocks that stick out to the right -- correct? And when you say "close the valve on the outlet side", again, I'm guessing that you mean something that isn't pictured here, which in my case looks like a regular garden hose spigot knob. Right?

Also, when I turn on the main water feed, does it matter if I turn it on full blast at first, or should I do it at a slow trickle? And should I close the 2 test cocks before I turn the water feed on, or after?

Thanks again, sorry for my newbie questions...

Thanks so much mrwettech for the detailed response. I will try it out today or tomorrow and report back if any problems. Again, thanks!!!!

OK, problem. When I slowly opened the lower ball valve, I did get water out of the top -- but it never stopped. I waited a good 4 or 5 minutes....

One thing I should mention is that prior to coming to this forum, I tried turning things on myself with no idea what i was doing. I turned the water on full blast; *all* of the valves and cocks were open at the time. Could I have damaged the Febco device by doing that?

What do I do/try now?

Thanks again...

Thanks. I slowly opened the valve, but to your point I probably didn't open it over the course of just a couple seconds - probably more like 5 or 6 seconds. What flow should I have the main cutoff inside the house at before I open the valve? I just had it on a bit more than a trickle...