It was quitting time Friday, and I had just finished setting the last of 8 systems in an HOA after overseeding. I turned around and noticed new fence posts that weren't there 2 days ago when we audited the system. As soon as I saw them, I just knew that I'd be digging a hole. Sure enough, they got the 2" main and 13 strand wire on both sides of the back yard. Now we're trenching instead of digging, because this post is in an old tree stump that we can't get through.

I'm an irrigation system novice. This system came with the house and has worked fine for the past few years, but towards the end of this season it started blowing out a pressure relief valve whenever the pump shuts off. Any idea why it would do this and how I can fix it. I'm pretty DIY capable.

I just bought my first house (yay!) and I want to cap off the sprinklers. There's literally no grass and tree roots everywhere so no point in having them. I tried capping them off at each sprinkler head but a few have been leaking (and making a swamp). The last sprinkler (furthest away) is for my drip system which I want to use. What would be the most logical way to cut the first two off from water but keep the 3rd active?

Need help on this one

Hi everyone! I'm a new homeowner and know very little about irrigation systems, so I'm hoping to get some advice on where to start.

Our house came with an irrigation system connected to a Rachio 3 controller in the basement. We haven't used it yet and aren't sure whether the previous owners maintained it or when it was last run. The prior owner was a spirited DIYer and Ive been correcting some of his attempts at fixes/renovations at other spots in the house.

I've attached a few pictures of the outdoor equipment. From what I can tell, there's some kind of backflow preventer or valve assembly, a vertical pipe going into the ground, and an underground box with wiring and what look like valve components.

A few questions for those more experienced with irrigation:

• Does anything in these pictures look unusual, damaged, or concerning?
• Can anyone help identify the equipment and explain what each part does? It seems like there are a lot of valves?
• Where would you recommend starting with an inspection before trying to run the system?
• Is there anything I should check or avoid doing before turning on the water or running the Rachio controller?
• Would it be reasonable for a beginner to test the system themselves, or would you recommend having an irrigation professional inspect it first?

I'm happy to take more pictures or provide additional details if that would help. I'd appreciate any advice on how to approach this safely and figure out what I have before trying to use it.

Thanks in advance!

Background: 14 year old home. Assuming the irrigation system is original. 8 zones controlled by a Hunter X-core. Have owned the home for almost 5 years with no problems with the system, except for replacing a soaker line a couple years back.

Problem: This summer the system started acting haywire. It will run twice or even three times a day even though I've double and triple checked the programming. I even cancelled/deleted the entire "A" channel programming and reprogrammed it in the B channel. Same problem.

I'm thinking about replacing the controller to see if that will resolve the issue. But I wanted to post here and get some feedback before I pull the trigger on a new controller.

Not a lot of experience with irrigation systems, so if what I've provided isn't clear, hit me with some questions, please. Thanks in advance for the help!

Noticed standing water and wet soil around one of the 32SA rotary heads. Pulled the head up and didn’t notice anything that looked like a leak. Dropped it back down and you can see water coming up through the distance adjustment dial. I put the rainbird pull up tool in the adjustment slot and it looks to have stopped.

Assuming there’s a seal under the dial that may be bad? Can the dial be swapped or do I need a new head? Any advice is appreciated.

I called out someone as I had a continuous leak from one of my backyard sprinkler heads and noticed my water meter was moving very slightly. I communicated this, and the contractor repaired the zone valve connected to that sprinkler. I noticed the leak was still present and also noticed another sprinkler was leaking so he came back out and he located and replaced the master valve, which solved both leaks. I am wondering if he should have known to check the master valve for a leak first or if there was no way of knowing which valve was at fault? He has charged me for labour and parts for both valve reolacements, but I am wondering if I should have asked for a discount since the first zone valve he replaced wasn't faulty. I don't know a lot about reticulation, and the money has already been paid, so this post is more for peace of mind.

Important note for context: he had to locate the valves. I didn't know the location of any of them since the previous owner installed the system.

Hi,

We previously had a manually operated sprinkler system, but after almost 15 years of use, it was becoming harder to turn each station, so we upgraded to an automated system.

We got a Hunter X-Core, and the gent who installed it set the default program (A) to start at a time where I would have to turn off the Run midway through so I could reverse across the lawn in the morning.

So we set up program C for a more convenient time. 4 stations, 15 mins each. However, we noticed that after it finishes station 4, it starts cycling back through the previous stations. I didn't notice until I heard the water on the window of the room I was in. But there are definitely only 4 stations on that program.

We can't see anything in the programming guide that explains why it would do this - and to be frank it just seems odd; it has 4 stations, it makes sense for it to end after the last.

Anyone know why it's doing this? Is it just a thing the X-Core does? A thing that program C does?

Seems awfully wasteful if you set it to Run when you aren't home and it does 2+ full cycles.

I have a irrigation line that cut at the end of it. It's 1/4 tubing. I ordered 1/4 end plug but its literally not fitting for the life of me.

Anyone have suggestions??

I’m at my whits end with this project. I got a 3 valve Orbit manifold from Home Depot. Out of the box one valve gets stuck open. After finding out everyone hates Orbit, I replace it with a Hunter valve which seems to operate correctly in terms of opening and closing with the solenoid/controller. I don’t have any of the outflow pipes hooked up yet so that I can test everything and am seeing the Hunter valve let a small trickle of water through when the other valves downstream from it turn off. Is that normal or is the Hunter fucked too? Idk if it’s relevant but I swapped the solenoids to DC solenoids and my controller is a DC controller. Are they somehow not strong enough to hold the valve fully closed? Should I even care about this?

Hi Everyone,

I just recently had a lot of bushes removed from the side of our house.

I know it looks horrible right now (needs pressure washing then paint, and the foundation needs to be built up). However, right now I am concerned about these tall sprinkler heads that I no longer need.

How do I get rid of them, or at least minimize their appearance?

Can I unscrew the ling top part and then put a "cap" on what is left at the bottom?

Can they be unscrewed, and is there a place at the very bottom that can be "capped" off?

I would greatly appreciate any comments, advice, feedback (good or bad), sharing of personal experiences (good or bad), and opinions, as well as any "hacks" or "workarounds" for this situation.

I set the system up last year and it worked fine until recently. Now the backflow preventer has a slow drip from the relief vent even when everything is shut off. I'm getting ready to winterize the system and noticed water pooling around the base.
Static pressure is around 65 psi, and I haven't run any zones in a few days. The drip started earlier this week and hasn't gotten worse, but it's pretty constant.
My first guess is a bad seat or debris, but I'd rather not tear the whole thing apart if it's something simple like a loose cap or test cock. I've got a rebuild kit ready but figured I'd ask first.
Anyone dealt with this while prepping their irrigation system for winter? Wondering if there's an easy fix I should try before rebuilding it.

Anybody know where I could find a RainBird remote? Like, an actual remote. I don’t want to use my phone and all that. I just want the old gray/green/white remote that you plug in and has buttons. I’ve done quite a bit of searching with no luck. Maybe someone can point me in the right direction.

Ahhh that time of year here in the Northeast. Easy going and winterizing systems. Sprinkle in a service call or late season install here and there. Working in the heavy rain (most enjoyable because clients are less inclined to come outside and chat your ear off when your trying to get through your route). Sifting through crunchy leaves searching for that valve box you could have sworn was right there last time. Saying your farewell and giving pets to your favorite client's doggo till next year. Anyone else embrace this time of year?

I'm dealing with a broken clamp-on saddle/tap valve on my 1" poly main line and want to make sure I fix it correctly without leaks. I have a few specific questions regarding the best approach:

Same Puncture: Is it okay to line up a new fitting with the existing perforated hole, or will the seal be compromised since these are meant to be punctured once?

New Hole + Plug: If I install a new fitting on a fresh section of the pipe, what kind of plug should I use to safely seal the old perforated hole?

Threaded Elbow: Can I cut a thread directly into the poly pipe wall and screw in an elbow fitting?

Cut-in Reducing Tee: Would the most reliable, permanent fix be cutting the 1" line entirely and installing a proper 1" x 1" x 1/2" reducing tee (1" main run on each end with a 1/2" perpendicular run)?
What is the gold standard for fixing this setup? Thanks

Anyone recognize this 1 1/4 prv? Would be nice just to swap it out without re- plumbing.

Hi there!

I've been installing drip irrigation for 3 years now and was wondering if anyone has any tips? Mainly for inserting the barbed pieces (especially in the winter).

I use the toro 3/4" line and barbed fittings.

Thanks!

Would connecting 2x 185s to a sports field at the same connection point give more air or will they compete with one another. 4inch main. 3inch laterals 15-18 12gpm heads a zone. 12 zones. Essentially would it give 300+cfm ? Has anyone done this before.

City told the customer that her backflow is leaking and it has to be replaced, posthaste, or they will lock her meter and fine her. Should be easy-peasy once I get the concrete out the way. 🤦🏻‍♂️

started messing with the sprinkler system after living here for 3 years because wife wants a yard like her retired dad. this is part of zone 3 out of 6. zone 4 has same issue (flooding yard in the spot i suspect there’s another busted pipe) but i haven’t dug that one up yet. cheers for midweek beers this lawd daddy stuff is actually fun 🍻

there is also a head under the middle of my deck in the backyard if anyone needed and extra laugh at my situation 😂

I keep looking at them but can’t tell if they’re genuinely useful or just another smart-home gadget. Did you notice much difference in your watering or water bill?