Gutting a 2" Sprinkler Valve

[PVC Arsenal 17]

Recently I bought three, 2" Irritrol sprinkler valves.


Modding one is a matter of taking it apart, plugging the solenoid hole with epoxy, removing the flow-control guts, and tapping the flow-control stem for your pilot valve. My valve's flow control stem was the perfect diameter for 3/8" NPT threads, so no drilling was necessary. I just tapped it out and screwed in a 3/8" ball valve.


UPDATE 8/14/2012: I re-uploaded the pictures and added some notes.

Also, if my memory serves, you have to keep the spring in there. It helps establish the seal until the valve is pressurized.






Thread this hollow stem with a 3/8" NPT tap.


Plug this with epoxy.


Remove these parts, you won't need them.

[st.croixsurfer]

narly valve imagine using it as a pilot valve for a copper cannon that would be sick!

[windshrike]

narly valve imagine using it as a pilot valve for a copper cannon that would be sick!

How big is this copper cannon going to be??? A 2" sprinkler as the pilot alone? It must be huge; and copper is expensive these days.

[PVC Arsenal 17]

narly valve imagine using it as a pilot valve for a copper cannon that would be sick!

This valve is as big as my head!

Er.....

[ammosmoke]

A frickin 12" butterfly with pneumatic actuation?

[SpudUke5]

Yea i have thought about a copper gun but its too expensive, Like 89 dollars for a 3/4 inch diamter and like 10 feet when i checked at homedepot.

[mtronic]

Hey PVC did you put in your own sealing face? Mine still is leaking out the barrel. I drilled the equalisation hole a bit today but it still leaks, its leaking a little less than yesterday so I might drill it out again tomorrow and see if that fixes it.....heres hoping

Also the internals of yours look differnt to mine, mainly just the mesh under the phram, also mine doesnt have a metal guide tube for the flow needle it just went into the hole in the top of the phram.

[rna_duelers]

Did what I did,sort of.They are pretty easy to modify although I did have a problem with Equalization hole at the start.

Get a full on How-To up or next time I am modding one I'll put it up.

[ammosmoke]

Yea i have thought about a copper gun but its too expensive, Like 89 dollars for a 3/4 inch diamter and like 10 feet when i checked at homedepot.

Really? 10ft where I live is only about $10-20 depending on size!

[PVC Arsenal 17]

Hey PVC did you put in your own sealing face? Mine still is leaking out the barrel. I drilled the equalisation hole a bit today but it still leaks, its leaking a little less than yesterday so I might drill it out again tomorrow and see if that fixes it.....heres hoping

Also the internals of yours look differnt to mine, mainly just the mesh under the phram, also mine doesnt have a metal guide tube for the flow needle it just went into the hole in the top of the phram.

Nope, kept the same sealing face.

[PVC Arsenal 17]

I'm bumping this thread because I've been asked for help on this topic. Somehow the original pictures were deleted over the course of time. They have been replaced.

[dewey-1]

Thanks for updating!
I referred matty over to this posting because he had asked me for help.

[mattyzip77]

Thank you for updating the pics. The valve I have looks alot different than that but I understand how to mod it now. Awesome cannon btw. Do you still have it??

[PVC Arsenal 17]

Thank you for updating the pics. The valve I have looks alot different than that but I understand how to mod it now. Awesome cannon btw. Do you still have it??

You bet. It lives under my bed. Of all the things I've made through the years, that's the thing people seem to remember most. I actually fire it off every month or so when family visits. And to think I made it back when I was 15. Time flies...


If anyone wants one of these valves, contact me. I have two more and they're just sitting here. I can mod them if you want.