Fixed two leaks, but no water coming out.

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craniac

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Ok, I'm clueless and didn't winterize.

I replaced three burst drains coming off of two automatic valves.

Now when I turn the water on and cycle through the stations, no water is coming out of any of the stations.

I checked and the two valves are turned counterclockwise, and are getting water pressure, but no water is coming out of sprinkler heads at those stations or any others.


In addition, the tube that contains the sprinkler turn-on valve fills with water when the valve is open.

Apologies for my general cluelessness.
 

Verdeboy

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Have you tried manually opening all the valves? If some valves work and others don't, you can narrow things down a bit. If no water is coming out and all the valves are open you either have a mainline leak or a clog somewhere. Or you have the water turned off to your sprinkler system.
 

craniac

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Verdeboy said:
Have you tried manually opening all the valves? If some valves work and others don't, you can narrow things down a bit. If no water is coming out and all the valves are open you either have a mainline leak or a clog somewhere. Or you have the water turned off to your sprinkler system.

Yes, I manually opened two of the valves. They are getting water, too, as when I re-opened the main sprinker valve and removed one of the bleeder caps, water was gushing out. I think I'm over my head at this point and will bring someone in rather than dig up the entire system
 

craniac

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update:

On my two exposed valves I opened the needle valve/bleeder thing, and manually opened the valves, and they are working. They are also leaking out of the piece that you turn to open the valve.

Now I have to figure out where the rest of my valves are buried.

To add to the fun, the fiberoptic internet installer sliced through a pipe. And our phone line. Oooh!
 

craniac

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I paid my son (10) a dollar per valve to find my overgrown valve boxes. It only took him an hour of probing with the aerator tool. Cheaper than paying a pro!

None of my valve boxes work, except manually. So I am guessing we have a wiring problem.
 

Alectrician

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This won't help.....but it is funny as hell.


In the OLDEN days I used to install irrigation systems...my 1st real job.

I was testing an install and a section of heads didn't come on??????



I was carrying 3/4 couplings in my pocket, along with some loose change. Did you know a nickel fits nicely into a 3/4" coupling? In a pinch you could use it as a cap/plug.

I also occaisionally cut out a broken pipe and reinstalled it leaving the new piece on the ground next to me.


Hey...it was the 70's:cool:
 

ToolsRMe

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craniac said:
Ok, I'm clueless and didn't winterize.

I replaced three burst drains coming off of two automatic valves.

Now when I turn the water on and cycle through the stations, no water is coming out of any of the stations.

I checked and the two valves are turned counterclockwise, and are getting water pressure, but no water is coming out of sprinkler heads at those stations or any others.


In addition, the tube that contains the sprinkler turn-on valve fills with water when the valve is open.

Apologies for my general cluelessness.

On my system what had happened was that the gfi circuit breaker popped on the circuit going to the timer.

The timer was running off of batteries but the valves would not turn on. Needs more power than a 9V battery can supply.

Turn on the valve "manually" from the timer. Have someone near the valve in question and listen for a soft click. If you hear a click then it is likely not the valve but a problem further upstream of the clog ... like a complete blockage or (unlikely) a completely busted tube after the valve.
 

Kiril

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To add to the fun, the fiberoptic internet installer sliced through a pipe. And our phone line. Oooh!

You might want to see if he also cut through the sprinkler control wire. Wouldn't be the first time I have seen that happen.
 

ToolsRMe

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Kiril said:
You might want to see if he also cut through the sprinkler control wire. Wouldn't be the first time I have seen that happen.

On my controller, the LCD display would indicate "OFF" if any of the control wires to the valve are cut.
 

Mr_Pike

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Kiril said:
You might want to see if he also cut through the sprinkler control wire. Wouldn't be the first time I have seen that happen.


Ding Ding Ding.... Open the bleeders OK, clock won't turn them on, try to actuate the solenoid with 3 nine volt batteries hooked together in series.

If the valve opens, you have bad wire or clock.


What do you mean by "In addition, the tube that contains the sprinkler turn-on valve fills with water when the valve is open."
 

Mr_Pike

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:mad:
Kiril said:

I guess I should clarify for the post police. :rolleyes:

By Ding Ding Ding, I meant, "I think you found a winner"

If you open the bleeders, and the system functions OK, you need to test the current coming to the valves. You can rig a power source by connecting 3 nine volt batteries in series + to _ and then touching the wires from the valves to the remaining + and - terminals. This should actuate the valves.

You could also test the voltage at the terminals of the clock, one lead on the common one to the zone port. This should read somewhere around 24 V AC

Then test the same wires at the valve box to see if they are putting out the same current. If they do not, you probably have a wire cut, which finding without the correct tools will be tough.
 
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FiftytoOne

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You can also check the integrity of the wire going to the valve with an ohm meter and enough wire to reach from the valve box to the controller. Buy some 14g bell wire--its cheap. Get enought to reach from the valve to the controller.

Twist the bell wire(or other wire) to the power wire of the solenoid at the valve box. Bring the other end(of the bell wire) to the controller. Disconnect the zone wire from the controller. Place one probe of the ohm meter on the controller end of the wire running to the valve and one probe on the new wire connected to the power wire (solenoid) at the valve. You have now completed the circuit. It should read '0' meaning there is no resistance. If it doesn't, your wire has been cut.
 
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