Sprinklers...help
 

Hi guys -

I had shut off the sprinklers a week or so expecting rain. I tried to start them back up again today but they wouldn't attached is the type of we have in our back yard.

When I start them manually, it does the usual click sound (we have 12 stations so each station would click when it's their turn when working and then I could hear the water gush and the sprinklers would start). But after the click nothing happens..I first thought it could be the frost in Bay Area so waited little later after sunrise but still no luck.

It hasn't been that cold for it to stop working. Any suggestions? I did try to play with the twist ON and OFF (refer attachment) but no luck.

Looking for some guidance before I call someone and pay call out fee for something stupidly easy?

Thx in advance.

Re: Sprinklers...help
 

Might be a stuck solenoid? Check online for a manual for the valve, there is usually a way to unscrew the solenoid from the valve body so you can check the rod. Watch out for little springs and such when you undo it.

Re: Sprinklers...help
 

How long is it since you replaced the diaphragms?

The rubber diaphragms stiffen up over the years and they don't move to open the water flow. Sounds to me like the solenoid is working but the diaphragm is stuck, especially seeing as you can't manually operate the value with the switch.

Remove all those bolts around the edge and remove the diagram, replace at a cost of a few bucks at a hardware store. Worth a try before calling someone out.

EDIT I just noticed you have lots of them, does the problem happen with all of them? If so highly likely all diaphragms or solenoids packed it in at the same time.

Have you checked the wife didn't shut off your water supply?

Re: Sprinklers...help
 

If turning the valve on manually by twisting the solenoid a quarter turn doesn't work then it sounds as if the water supply may have been turned off by someone ...

Try opening the bleed valve (the small knob in the middle of the valve behind the solenoid) to see if any water is actually getting to the unit.

Re: Sprinklers...help
 

Are you connected to City water or to an irrigation district? If the latter, I would imagine they would have shut off water supply a couple of months ago. Seems a bit odd to irrigate in December. Most plants go dormant at this time of year, even evergreens. If you have new plants and its been dry for weeks, then you could just give them a bit of water by hand with a hose.

Re: Sprinklers...help
 

+1 for what md95065 said.^
For some reason the master valve that controls the water supply to the whole system fails quite regularly on ours. I think I've replaced it 3 times in 7 years. When it goes, it has exactly the effect you describe.

Re: Sprinklers...help
 

Thx guys.

So the thread forced me to check a few things which is good news. The not so funny solution was simple !!!

Somehow the water connection to the yard was turned off. It's an old handle system so I may have steped on it somehow.

I never cared to check it until today because I was manually using the front yard water outlet to water plants so never imagined water connection was an issue. It seems that the front yard water is linked to home water which was its own handle.

Thx guys.

Re: Sprinklers...help
 

12 stations? Holy crap... how much grass have to got?

Re: Sprinklers...help
 

I think we are using 9......

We have a decent front and back yard. Kills me when I get Embud invoice.

Re: Sprinklers...help
 

Turn them right down till your grass starts to show signs of going yellow, then turn them back on for a few days. You will be surprised how much it takes before you harm your lawn permanently.

Water is too precious a commodity these days to waste on watering grass.

Re: Sprinklers...help
 

+1:goodpost:

Re: Sprinklers...help
 

Thanks. Our water bill is crazy high as it is so I should be careful!