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  1. Joerg

    Programmed versus manual activation

    Or the solenoid plunger can't fully retract anymore because rust or crud has accumulated in the shaft. I'd take it off and look. Regards, Joerg.
  2. Joerg

    Blowing Controller Fuses

    Hooray, it works! Wish I could say that for my issue here (water hammer) but I'll get around to it soon. With a situation like this a good thing to ask yourself is how old are the other valves? Same vintage and model? Sometimes it may be worth to do preventive replacements on the others as...
  3. Joerg

    Blowing Controller Fuses

    Are you sure it was the right solenoid? Does the plunger and spring in it look the same as on the old one? Valve manufacturers seem to be a bit haphazard in that respect. For example, our old 100E brass valves came in at least two very different solenoid versions, yet both valves are called...
  4. Joerg

    Is there a good swimming pool forum somewhere?

    Well, HTH wants to sell chemicals. Shocking once a week is brutal, nobody really does that around here. I would imagine it could wreck the equipment over time. But yeah, we got a lot of ash and stuff blown in since the wildfires started. Got to go in again tonight, brush towards the deep end and...
  5. Joerg

    Is there a good swimming pool forum somewhere?

    Well, it was me who started the thread in that newsgroup :D However, it's a place where electronics guys hang out but pool pros wouldn't. Some folks have chemistry background, some own pools, but when it comes to an algae problem most of us just wing it. Worked all the time, but not this...
  6. Joerg

    Is there a good swimming pool forum somewhere?

    Since a long time www.poolforum.com is closed to new members. Registration is disabled, so I guess it's out. Does anyone know a good pool forum similar to this great plumbing forum? Right now I need to know what to do with a pool that clouds up with algae after lots of wildfires, despite...
  7. Joerg

    Blowing Controller Fuses

    That looks like a bad meter. I had a bad one as well, out of the five I bought. Just call Harborfreight. They sent me a new one free of charge and told me to throw the bad one away. Anyhow, connect zone 4 again but untie one solenoid wire at the valve. See if the fuse still blows. If not then...
  8. Joerg

    Blowing Controller Fuses

    Just one more hint, can save lots of digging time: If the meter shows you do have a cable short you can measure into the cable from the zone controller end and then again from the valve end. Make sure you really get a good contact from cable to probes. Might want to use pliers to gently press...
  9. Joerg

    Blowing Controller Fuses

    To measure loop resistance? Ok, plug the black probe cable into COM, the red into V-ohms-mA (the middle jack). Unplug supply of zone controller. Remove the wire for zone #4. Switch meter dial to the 200ohm range which is at the six o'clock position, turn yellow switch on. Hold probes together to...
  10. Joerg

    Station 5 & 6 keeps running

    One test method: Connect each valve individually to the 24V transformer, one by one. If they all work ok then your controller is fried. Regards, Joerg
  11. Joerg

    How to remove steel nipple from brass tee?

    Ok, thanks, guys. The torch method would be very scary here because these connections are often really close to or in between wooden beams. Metal shielding would work but it'll still be a white-knuckle job when you are on your back with the upper end of the crawl space just inches from the...
  12. Joerg

    How to remove steel nipple from brass tee?

    What are the tricks to remove a steel nipple that connects a brass tee to a brass shut-off valve without breaking it off? We've got those here and there. They all look solidly rusted in place for eternity but there comes a point where a valve needs to be changed out. I know, steel on...
  13. Joerg

    Water hammer: Can it damage stuff?

    Thanks. Unfortunately that might mean a whole new install down there because the guys left zero pipe lengths at the supply side. It's all tees, ells and such butted up against each other. Is there a PVC version of a hammer arrester? Regards, Joerg
  14. Joerg

    Tricking a valve in being on all the time?

    He means the plunger/spring assembly. When you unscrew the solenoid it'll almost fall into your hands. A piece of metal about 1/2" long and often hexagon shaped, with a spring clicked into a groove. Watch out that it doesn't fall into the grass, hard to find in there. Look at the 2nd picture...
  15. Joerg

    Blowing Controller Fuses

    But before you run to the HW store untie one solenoid connection at the valve and let the controller try to turn it on. If the fuse doesn't blow, yes, that would be a defective valve. As Jimbo said this is easy to fix. If it does blow you have a cable short. It can happen that a solenoid...
  16. Joerg

    Water hammer: Can it damage stuff?

    Did a search on this forum but all threads dealt with how to muffle water hammer, not whether it can do any harm. Long story short after installing a new irrigation valve I heard three bangs this morning when the new valve closed and the next (old) valve opened. They are all inline valves...
  17. Joerg

    Locating Zone Values

    Well, sometimes one has to just eat it. The contractors here put the valves under (!) the house so I had to hack a hole into the side of the house because the contortion-style crawl jobs were killing my lower back. They must have assembled it before the floors were laid, on the dirt, then pulled...
  18. Joerg

    Locating Zone Values

    This may or may not work. Has worked for me a few times: Plug a large dimmer-equipped lamp into the same outlet as the valve timer transformer. Set the lamp to about half dim. Take a portable AM radio, tune it to an empty frequency near the lower end, 500kHz-700kHz or so. Hold the radio near...
  19. Joerg

    How to stop PVC thread joints from leaking?

    Oops, ok, then I'll redo that job with Rector Seal. Also found that since the new valve is in there is water hammer when that turns off and the next one turns on. Dang! And here I thought it would be as Patrick said, pain goes away the minute you walk into the dentist's office. Regards, Joerg.
  20. Joerg

    How to stop PVC thread joints from leaking?

    Just one more question before I take it all apart: Someone said that very tiny leaks can plug themselves over time. If that is true how long would that normally take on joints done with teflon tape that leak maybe one drop every 15 seconds? Regards, Joerg.
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