Help! PVB

[scotty24]

I just bought a new house in January, and I am doing a lot of landscaping. I am getting ready to add a few more sprinkler heads and I needed some help fixing my pressure vacum breaker?? I turned the main water valve on and their was no problem with the pressure vacum breaker. I ran my system through zone 1, 2, 3, and 4. But when I got to zone 5 I noticed I had a major hole in one of my lines, so I fixed the line and continued with my system check. When I ran through the system again zone 5 would not shut off even when I turned the sprinkler system off. (Is this due to a failed solenoid?) I went back to my sprinkler boxes and as I turned the corner the top came shooting off my pressure vacum breaker and water will not stop running. I had to turn of the water on the main water valve, and I'm definantly going to have to replace the pressure vacum breaker because it is in 3 pieces. Will replacing the PVB fix this problem, or is there more?

[Fireguy97]

Not sure of the problem (other than your PVB is in three pieces) without pictures. Was the system shut down properly in the fall? Did the PVB freeze? Did the screw come off of the top of the PVB? If the PVB is in three pieces then you will have to replace it. If you are unsure, or if you do replace it, you will still have to get it re-tested. You have to test a PVB after every repair, replacement, if you move it, and at least every year by a certified backflow assembly tester.

Zone 5 could have a failed (or stuck) solinoid, or it could just have some debries caught in the diaphram. If you can open it up and clean it, do that, but watch out for small parts and springs. If it's stuck and you can unscrew the solinoid, do that, then tap the plunger lightly with a pen to unjamb the plumger. That can work sometimes depending on the make.

Let us know what happens, or show us some pictures.

Mick

[scotty24]

Thanks Mick! I will get some pictures soon and I am planning on replacing the PVB this weekend!

[Fireguy97]

One thing that I forgot to mention Scotty. On every water shut off that you can think of you want to turn the water on and off slowly to avoid water hammer. You always go slow, water hammer can do a lot of damage to fixtures and pipes. You always go slow, except when turning water on to a PVB. The PVB needs a fast hard turn on to properly seat the valve. If you go slow (turning water on to a PVB) you will probably have leakage or problems seating.

Mick