hydraulic value locating

[extremecutter]

Have a hydraulic system that has a value that won't shut off. Try to locate it by the blue print, nothing is were the blueprint is layed out. Any ideas to locate. If the systems has value boxes, they aren't visable.

[1idejim]

Yes there is a method but it requires a valve locator.
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[Wet_Boots]

There might be a severed control line

[Sprinkus]

Metal detector might do it.
Can you tell where the ditch line is? Sometimes there are depressions where the ditches have settled and where the pits for the valves were dug.

[Waterlogged]

First look for depressions and ditches, like Sprinkus said.
Here, I've had good results noticing different grasses and weeds growing where the valve depressions are. Even after many years of growth, the spot looks different. Look for any anomalies.

I'd be interested to know what 1idejim's method is for locating hydraulic valves with a locator. I've heard of people who have pushed piano wire in the black tube and traced it. I have not done that.

What I have done is to "pot-hole" and count control tubes. For example, if you know that you have five zones and you dig up five tubes, you know that all the valves are all ahead of you. I like to find a halfway mark. Guess. Keep digging and when you find there are four tubes in the hole, you know one valve is behind you. Keep going.

Also, Wet_Boots mentioned a cut tube. Before you start digging I would look for any fence post, planting, phone lines or anything like that. And/or any new digging.

Happy hunting.

[Mdirrigation]

I use to work on them up to 10 years ago , they are so old and difficult to get parts for i tell the customer its time for a new system.

[extremecutter]

going back tomorrow. going to try looking for ditch lines. no digging or trenching lately. system was instead in 85.

[1idejim]

Originally Posted by Waterlogged

First look for depressions and ditches, like Sprinkus said.
Here, I've had good results noticing different grasses and weeds growing where the valve depressions are. Even after many years of growth, the spot looks different. Look for any anomalies.

I'd be interested to know what 1idejim's method is for locating hydraulic valves with a locator. I've heard of people who have pushed piano wire in the black tube and traced it. I have not done that.

What I have done is to "pot-hole" and count control tubes. For example, if you know that you have five zones and you dig up five tubes, you know that all the valves are all ahead of you. I like to find a halfway mark. Guess. Keep digging and when you find there are four tubes in the hole, you know one valve is behind you. Keep going.

Also, Wet_Boots mentioned a cut tube. Before you start digging I would look for any fence post, planting, phone lines or anything like that. And/or any new digging.

Happy hunting.

we discussed the method a couple years ago, i sent J from Mi the correct wire and they located a bunch of valves.
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[cjohn2000]

Dowsing rods. May sound nuts but I have had some luck. I made a pair about 12" long with 5" handles out of 14AWG copper. I would see if I could locate the general area of the zone then metal detect that area looking for the metal in the valve.

[1idejim]

Originally Posted by cjohn2000

Dowsing rods. May sound nuts but I have had some luck. I made a pair about 12" long with 5" handles out of 14AWG copper. I would see if I could locate the general area of the zone then metal detect that area looking for the metal in the valve.

irrigation valves use stainless steel metallic parts, ferro-magnetic locators won't work. Tresure locators which locate non-ferrous metals usually don't work do to the extremely small footprint of the parts and the depth/soils mass.
if you choose to a metal detector you fall into the "even a blinde pig gets a peach now and then" catagory. it's more lvck than not.
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