Replaing Sprinkler System Valves

River Ramblings.....

    It’s always good to see the first day of school come each September. The buzz of activity was plenty evident when I walked into the new high school office location near the Ninth Avenue front entrance on Tuesday morning. Amber Knapper and Deb Beckler both smiled when I asked them how things were going. They seemed to be taking things pretty much in stride. I’m sure there was plenty of confusion among students and some parents, too, but they’ve seen all of that before. Their smiles are probably a relief to those confused students who have questions about classes, locations and fees of one sort or another.     Last Wednesday evening, the wow factor was huge. I was at the school to take some photos during the annual open house. There was a feeling of immediate relief when I walked into the YME high school near the cafeteria. While I was glad to be there, it was a real relief to see the school cleaned up and looking like it was ready for students after what was a very hectic summer of construction activity in the building. It was also a relief to just be in the building. It was hot and muggy outside but inside the building, it was very comfortable.     I walked around the hallways and visited some of the classrooms. There were comments everywhere about how bright and comfortable the building seemed. The new lighting and the impact of the new fresh air ventilation system was impossible to miss. There was an amazing difference from what I had seen just 10 days earlier when I stopped by to deliver Volleyball programs to the Community Ed. Office. Things had looked like they were in disarray. There was construction material and equipment everywhere and supplies were being moved into place wherever possible and where not possible, they were being stored in other places. The high school looked like it was a long way from being ready for students.

Sprinkler Repair - Fixing A Faulty Valve | Homily Magazine

As sprinkler repair experts, a common problem we see very quickly in dry climates is a faulty valve. This article describes how best to diagnose and repair a faulty valve by replacing a failed solenoid. Although electrical components are relatively reliable, a common point of failure is the solenoid. The reason for this is that a solenoid is both an electrical and mechanical device. A fixed wire coil surrounds a mechanical piston, and when an electrical current is applied to the coil, a temporary magnetic field is created which induces motion in the piston. This motion of the piston is used to mechanically open and close the water valve.

Here is a tip on how to diagnose a faulty solenoid. In dry climates, like the Dallas Metroplex, or during periods of little rain, one section or zone of a sprinkler system will look different to the other zones. Either the sprinklers in that zone will not switch on, or they will be on continuously. Solenoid failure has the symptom of a valve becoming inoperative, either remaining in the closed position, or remaining in the open position. Normally this will disable an entire sprinkler zone, so is usually easy to diagnose. This is a common sprinkler repair.

Replacement solenoids are available for most valves, and it is a relatively straightforward job to replace one. Here is a tip before starting the job: make sure you have identified the exact make and model of the valve, as there are many variations of solenoids which are incompatible. Check with your sprinkler repair company or hardware store that an exact replacement is available before starting work. The only tools required are a pair of wire cutters and a pair of pliers.

Important advice: ensure that the main water supply to the sprinkler system is turned off, as removing the solenoid means the valve will be fully open at that time, and water will shoot up through the solenoid body if not turned off. Tip: often the shutoff is either located near the main home supply, or next to the main valve box, so look in those two locations first. Once the water is turned off, assuming the faulty valve has been identified, the repair can begin. With a pair of wire cutters, cut the 2 wires going to the solenoid. It may be tempting to just disconnect the existing screw connectors which are near the valve, but these are often corroded and it is better to make a clean-cut.

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