Sprinkler Issue

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Lance Fletcher

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What would cause my sprinkler system not to turn on until the well pump kicks on? The pump is sitting at full pressure and I have to turn the hose on until the pumps kicks on and then the sprinklers will pop up and work fine through the whole cycle.

Thank you in advance.
 

Reach4

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What would cause my sprinkler system not to turn on until the well pump kicks on? The pump is sitting at full pressure and I have to turn the hose on until the pumps kicks on and then the sprinklers will pop up and work fine through the whole cycle.
A check valve between where the irrigation tees off and the pressure tank would do this. If you have a submersible pump, remove the innards from that check valve or remove the check valve. It does not do a useful function in a normally working submersible pump system. Often it does not hurt to be there, but this is one of the cases where it is a significant negative.

There is a check valve in or just above the pump.
 

Lance Fletcher

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Thank You I have anti siphon valve near the top of the submersible pump. Is that what I need to remove the check valve from?
 

Smooky

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Thank You I have anti siphon valve near the top of the submersible pump. Is that what I need to remove the check valve from?

No,I don't think so. As reach4 said it would be between the water line to the sprinkler and the pressure switch. It may be near the pressure tank.

Some pictures of your set up might help
 

Lance Fletcher

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Reach4

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I am thinking the water comes in from the well where the green arrow is. That thing pointed to by the orange arrow is is my candidate for the check valve. I am not familiar with such a check valve, but somebody with experience may have more info.

You would want to look for markings on that device, and/or post a close-up of that.
 
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Reach4

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Reach4 it looks like a blue handle on the top so might be a gate valve etc.
I see that now. Not a common place for a valve, I don't think.

Is that some sort of widening of the pipe just beyond the elbow? Could that be the check valve? Or is that just a shadow?
 

Lance Fletcher

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We just had our pump, bladder, and electrical box replaced since they were all bad and he said the copper line is the line into the house. The Valve is a handle to shut the water off completely to the house.
 

Reach4

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A valve shutting off the path from the pump to the pressure switch would cause the pump to deadhead continuously.

Your symptoms pretty much guarantee there is an unwanted check valve hiding somewhere.
 

WorthFlorida

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... I have to turn the hose on until the pumps kicks on and then the sprinklers will pop up and work fine through the whole cycle.

Check the irrigation valve for the first zone. Sediment does come out of the well and crud could be jamming up the diaphragm of the first zone valve. When the pump turns on there is a slight spike in the pressure that allows the valve to open. The diaphragm itself could be getting hard and it doesn't open as easily as it did. If you have more than one valve, turn on the irrigation system and at the time clock turn on the second zone to see if that zone pops up flowing water. If it does then its the valve for zone 1, if not then it is somewhere before the irrigation system.

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