Need advice to fix a leaking sprinkler valve


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Old 08-16-14, 03:55 PM
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Need advice to fix a leaking sprinkler valve

We have noticed a leaking sprinkler valve in front of our house.

It is an irrigation control valves with two parts, a diaphragm operated water control valve and a vacuum breaker.

Like shown here:

How do I fix a sprinkler valve that leaks instead of popping up the sprinkler heads? - Home Improvement Stack Exchange

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lawn-Geni...7034/100062989

The control valve has some tiny holes on the top, so water is coming out with good pressure.

We shut off the water main valve in the garage, so there is no water in the entire house now, but could not locate the water valve box on the ground.

Water is still running on the top of the sprinkler control valve.

There is no electric connection to the control valve.

(see attached pics)

My questions:

1-How can we stop the water to fix the control valve on the sprinkler?

2-Can we seal the tiny holes with plumber putty or caulking or something else that seals?

Thanks
 
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  #2  
Old 08-16-14, 04:42 PM
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I have no way of knowing where the sprinkler system shut-off may be but you should be able to trace the incoming water service piping until you see it leave the house. OR it might be buried in a fairly direct line from the valve assembly in question.

There is no electric connection to the control valve.
That black cylinder is the solenoid that actuates the diaphragm valve. If there are no wires connecting it then it doesn't work.

2-Can we seal the tiny holes with plumber putty or caulking or something else that seals?
Not really as they are necessary to vent the back side of the diaphragm. However, since it doesn't work anyway you have nothing to lose in trying. I think that I would suggest using "Red Hot" plastic plumbing cement after doing a thorough job of cleaning. Smear it all over the valve top and wait for an hour before turning the water back on. No guarantees.
 
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Old 08-16-14, 06:25 PM
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We found the main water valve and shut off the water.

Is there any way to replace just the top of the control valve instead of the whole thing?
 
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Old 08-16-14, 07:37 PM
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Maybe, the ones that I am familiar with have six screws around the perimeter. Maybe yours is one big threaded assembly. You will have to look closely. On the other hand, you may not be able to find parts for your particular valve or the parts may cost almost as much as a new valve.
 
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Old 08-19-14, 06:28 PM
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Can we disconnect the whole thing and get two caps for the pipes come out from the ground?

Lawn Genie 150 psi Anti-Siphon Valve with Flow Control-L7034 at The Home Depot

What type and size of caps do we need?
 
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Old 08-19-14, 10:58 PM
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Sure! You would probably only need to cap the water supply line but capping them both won't hurt. You will need to dig a hole big enough to work around the piping and then cut the pipes square, probably using a tubing cutter or plastic pipe cutter. Then assuming the piping is PVC (white) plastic you would then first use a PVC primer and then a PVC glue on both the pipe end and the cap. Wait at least an hour (longer is better) before turning the water on.

As for the size...I have no idea. Best to measure the cut pipe and then measure the caps at at the homecenter to get the proper size. If the pipes are not white plastic then you will need to use different glue or perhaps a threaded cap.
 
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Old 08-20-14, 06:43 PM
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Yes, When we disconnect the whole sprinkler valve they are two PVC pipes (white) coming out from the ground.

Can we just put two caps on them without digging a hole and cutting the pipes?
 
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Old 08-24-14, 12:21 PM
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Yes. Do you use other parts of this sprinkler system? If not then just turn off the main valve to the sprinkler and forget about it.
 
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Old 08-24-14, 01:15 PM
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Yes. Do you use other parts of this sprinkler system? If not then just turn off the main valve to the sprinkler and forget about it.
No, there is no landscaping at all. We don't use the sprinkler system.

Where is the main valve to the sprinkler?
 
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Old 08-24-14, 02:03 PM
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Is there any main valve just for the sprinkler system?

Where is it located?
 

Last edited by thxbest; 08-24-14 at 02:36 PM.
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Old 08-24-14, 10:38 PM
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Yes, there is a shut-off valve just for the sprinkler system but as I stated in post #2 I have no idea where YOURS might be located. You will just have to look for it. It IS possible it is in a lawn box and the box lid has been covered with bark or something.
 
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Old 08-25-14, 09:26 AM
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In what areas of the house should I look for it? near something??

Is the valve always installed in a box under the ground?
 
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Old 08-27-14, 03:38 PM
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We have found the irrigation main shut off box but there is no shut off valve in there.

See pics below.

Why they installed such a box when there is no valve in there?

How is it possible?
 
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Old 08-27-14, 04:00 PM
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Start digging. That box was probably put there for a reason. I would use a hand garden trowel and dig down to see what you find.
 
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Old 08-27-14, 04:10 PM
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What Pilot stated. The valve is probably just below the surface of that soil.
 
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Old 08-27-14, 05:25 PM
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Is that the main valve for sprinkler system?
 
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Old 08-27-14, 06:44 PM
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Possibly, dig out some dirt.
 
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Old 08-27-14, 07:20 PM
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Yes. It is the valve but there is no way to move it because it's so rusty.

What should be done to get it turned off?
 
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Old 08-28-14, 12:35 AM
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Keep digging, so far all I see is a pressure regulating valve. The shut-off valve is likely right of the dome-shaped pressure regulating valve that has a screw coming out of the top. You may need to dig outside the box as well.
 
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Old 08-31-14, 01:22 PM
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This is how it looks now. There is no shut off valve.

See pictures.
 
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Old 08-31-14, 02:52 PM
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That line goes in the house somewhere from the vacuum breaker.

That PRV goes to the zone valves... The main shut off is probably in the house....

There should be another box somewhere with the zone valves....

Find the water main in the home... meter? And take some pics...
 
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Old 09-02-14, 05:35 PM
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What is the thing (looks like a big PVC pipe in the ground) between control valve and PRV.

I took a pic of it.
See pics.
 
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Old 09-02-14, 06:36 PM
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This is the vacuum breaker and main solenoid for the sprinkler system...





This is the main shut off it looks like to me...



[ATTACH=CONFIG]37580[/ATTACH]


This is the PRV for the system...

 
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Old 09-03-14, 09:03 AM
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I meant this thing.
What is that?
 
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Old 09-03-14, 10:49 AM
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I meant this thing.
What is that?
Dont know.. Could be a clean out for sewer... Inspection port for septic... Access to some type of curb key for a water shut off... or an old drainage pipe for a rain gutter........
 
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Old 09-03-14, 11:07 AM
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This is the main shut off valve for the entire house but not for the sprinkler system.

It is located right behind the wall in garage near PRV that is outside the garage wall.

Where could be the main shut off valve for the sprinkler system?
 
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Old 09-03-14, 12:49 PM
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Dig down from here to the house and follow the pipe..



Remove this PVC if you can and dig down...

 
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Old 09-03-14, 01:13 PM
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Regarding to the photos, is it 100 percent that there MUST be a shut off valve for sprinkler system or is it more a 50-50 game? so maybe some houses do not have it?
 
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Old 09-03-14, 01:42 PM
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Are those PVC pipes to valve? If so and you just want to shut them down cut the pipes off just below valve and glue some PVC caps on them. Will have to shut water off in house until done.
 
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Old 09-03-14, 03:42 PM
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Has to have one... I would think thats what the PVC is for..

In nj they often come off the main underground. Just like you show, If the main in the home does not shut the water off to the sprinklers then it must be out there...

90% sure its under that PVC
 
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Old 09-04-14, 12:58 AM
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Mike, thxbest stated that turning off the main valve in the house also shut off the water to the sprinkler system so the shut-off for the sprinkler system has to be downstream of that main valve.

thxbest, is this house built on a slab? It is possible that the PVC pipe that you ask about is a casing that allows a "ground key" to be inserted to a buried shut-off valve and that over the years this casing has filled with dirt. You will have to excavate down to see if that is the case. Assuming that it IS a valve it could be a plug-type and almost impossible to move or it could be a multi-turn valve that also leaks.

More digging ahead, my friend.
 
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Old 09-04-14, 04:08 AM
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mike, thxbest stated that turning off the main valve in the house also shut off the water to the sprinkler system
this is the main shut off valve for the entire house but not for the sprinkler system.

if the main in the home does not shut the water off to the sprinklers then it must be out there...
90% sure its under that pvc

ok....?

...........................................................................................
 
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Old 09-08-14, 11:07 AM
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You guys are right.

The shut off valve for the sprinkler system is under the PVC casing.

We turned the valve off for the sprinkler system. The valve is still working fine, but it looks very rusty. (see picture)

Maybe that piece of PVC is not the best option because it will be filled with dirt over the years.

Question:

How can we protect the valve from further corrosion?
 
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Old 09-08-14, 01:58 PM
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It is only the handwheel that is corroding, not much to worry about there. I would cut the PCV squarely below the broken part and simply set an appropriately sized PVC cap. It the pipe is too low after cutting then glue on a coupler and and add a short piece of pipe to bring it above the surface of the ground and then add the cap. Since PVC gets brittle with sun exposure you might instead want to use a piece of concrete sewer tile. Make it tall enough to see when mowing. If you use PVC do not use a string trimmer around it or you will shatter it as has happened with the existing pipe.
 
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Old 09-08-14, 04:15 PM
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I would cut the PCV squarely below the broken part and simply set an appropriately sized PVC cap
The PVC is to low and not coming out above the surface of the ground.

Is that an issue when the PVC or something else that should protect the valve, stay underground or it should come out above the surface of the ground?
 
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Old 09-29-14, 11:25 AM
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After shutting off the sprinkler main valve for couple days, there is still water on the ground.

Why is that?
 
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Old 10-02-14, 01:12 PM
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Any idea why there is still water?
 
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Old 10-02-14, 07:53 PM
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The valve leaks. Get the shovel out and start digging.
 
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Old 10-02-14, 09:58 PM
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The valve leaks. Get the shovel out and start digging.
It's hard to replace the valve under the ground. Any other solution?
 
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Old 10-03-14, 12:16 AM
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Re-read the entire thread. Every time that an answer has been proposed YOU have found an excuse why you cannot do it.

I'm an old man with many medical problems but I could have replaced that valve, or eliminated the sprinkler system, in less time than it took to write this entire thread. Just do it or have someone come and do it for you. It isn't rocket science or open heart surgery. It DOES require you to get your hands dirty and expend a little physical energy.
 
 

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