Help ID Valves

[Cinic]

Hello,

My wife and I recently purchased a 12 year old house with an irrigation system that waters the front and back lawns and drips all the other associated landscape. 6 zones total, 2 for the rear lawn, 1 for the front lawn, and 3 for the drips. I have no idea where the valve for the front lawn is. I'll prolly bring someone out to find it if I can't find a hollow spot in the yard on my own.

The system has some issues and I plan on rebuilding/modernizing it when the weather cools off a bit. The main issue right now being leaky valves. One in particular is leaving an area of the yard nearly flooded. I need to get it fixed.

I'm looking for help identifying the valves so I can purchase the correct parts to fix the valve. Or, I'm looking for someone to tell me if it's a waste of time fixing and I should just replace them.

Some pics are attached. To the best of my knowledge, they appear to be 1" valves.

If I've left out any pertinent information, please ask.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

John

[Planter]

ORBIT? That would explain why the system has issues.

[Dirty Water]

Are the valves leaking from the valve itself, or are they leaking from the male adapers (the threaded fittings) on either side of it?

[bicmudpuppy]

Kind of hard to tell with the amount of dirt still on the valves, but they look like Hardie 204/205s. Is that a split metal plate under the screws?. By that I mean a two piece metal band acting as a washer under those screws? That valve is very re-buildable. I would recomend getting the parts from an irrigation supply, but diaphrams that would work are sold in hardware stores. The same diaphram an valve design is used in some of the orbit brands. Realizing your estimate that the system is 12 years old, that is not a bad run for a rubber diaphram. These diaphrams have a stainless steel washer under them on the seat. Make sure you get the washer out when you replace the diaphram. Good Luck.

[DanaMac]

Oh yeah, that's the old Hardie/Richdel. We rebuild them all the time. Hopefully you can find that valve or internal diaphragm for replacement. Home Depot or Lowes won't have them. Plumbing store that carries irrigation, or sprinkler supply house that may sell to home owners. Turn the water supply off, take the screws out of one and take the top, diaphragm, solenoid with you. CAREFULLY look at the valve as you take it apart so you get it back together properly. On the underside of the top is a small "tube" that sits down into the bottom, and the diaphragm has to lined up properly. Make sure that tube doesn't get pinched.

[Wet_Boots]

I'd guess that most 'weeping valve' leaks through the old Richdel R204 design are from the rubber seat washer's wear or displacement, and a new diaphragm assembly would cure the problem. A plastic 'bolt' that held the old assembly together can break, and those pieces may need to be fished out of the valve body. (The plastic part that used to break has been replaced with a metal one, and the valve is still sold as the Irritrol 205TF) The diaphragm assembly is part number 100232 (or 100232-H)

[Cinic]

Thanks for the help guys. As you could have guessed, the people at Lowes or Home Depot were of no help.

I took the pics to a local sprinkler supply store and the guy knew exactly what it was at first glance. Maybe they're really common here. Anyway, he sold me a new diaphragm and I had it apart, cleaned and re-assembled in about 20 mins. Works like a charm now.

Now if I could only find that valve for the front lawn.....

[SprinklerGuy]

I think I can help w/ that...I'm not in business in Arizona anymore...but the guy I sold out to is!

email me if you want
sprinklersolutions at msn dot com