Rainbird Solenoid (again)

[Minka22]

I didn't see this issue on any other posts, so........ when I turn a solenoid "on" 1/4 turn, nothing happens, not for any of the four of them. 1/2 turn or 3/4 turn, still no water comes out of the sprinkler heads. How can this be? It's supposed to manually turn the water on. I know the water is on, the sprinklers spray when I test the each station from the control box.

A second item if I may: the reason I am messing with this is I have 3 stations that come on and stay on while each other station is supposed to be on by itself. From all the YouTube videos this likely means the valve for the 3 stations is stuck open due to debris in the line, so I was trying to get to the valve to flush it out. But my 4 valves are not neatly tucked away in a corner above ground as commonly seen, but rather are scattered in 4 separate locations around the front and backyard, about a foot below ground in a 9" diameter plastic cylinder. They are usually full of dirt or mud. Only the solenoid is visible; the valve is in the dirt. Should I pull up the plastic cylinders, dig out around the valves and find a way to raise them closer to the surface and cover them with a bigger plastic box? The system was put in in 2005. Thanks y'all.

 

[Minka22]

Well, I have a Rainbird Controller so I assumed I had Rainbird valves and solenoids, but further (literal) digging shows I have some other brand, I can't tell what it is yet. Replace them all with Rainbird? I would like to do this myself unless it becomes obvious that I cannot.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Breplum]

Plastic valves get used a lot. Brass is great if you can afford them.
If your valves are in the ground, then the entire system must have a primary backflow preventer supplying those valves.
Pulling the valve box is usually the only way to deal with bad valves, either to rebuild or replace.

 

[Minka22]

Thank you breplum.

 

[WorthFlorida]

Well, I have a Rainbird Controller so I assumed I had Rainbird valves and solenoids, but further (literal) digging shows I have some other brand, I can't tell what it is yet. Replace them all with Rainbird? I would like to do this myself unless it becomes obvious that I cannot.

All valves are nearly the same regardless of the name brand. Any valve with any controller will work. Your problem sounds like you have a Master Valve. It's placed before the irrigation pipe branches out to other zone valves.