How to hack a sprinkler valve to SLOW it?

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Selador
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Wed Nov 24, 2010 12:05 pm

boyntonstu wrote:A quick and dirty solution would be a PVC 'T' , a length of PVC, a cap with a hole in it, and a rubber tire Schrader valve pressed through it. (or copper)

I have tested pressed in Schrader valves to 600 psi.
That might work.

And not so unlike building a spudgun. :lol:

-IF- this works, then a foot of 2" pipe for the chamber, would probably handle just about any problem.

And you are absolutely correct. All expansion chambers were simply a chamber of whatever size, (usually a zinc coated tank about the size of a water heater.), with a schraeder valve... Up until the advent of those with a bladder.

We would have to periodically "top-up" the air. To do so meant emptying the tank, first.

I think, though, that there is a bit more to the anti-water-hammer units, like the one I linked to, than just a chamber with air in it.

If the plumbing is going to be open to put the sprinkler valve in it, anyway, it would be almost no extra trouble, to put one or two of those ten dollar A-W-H units in there, after the sprinkler valve...

And those units are built specifically to handle water hammer. -Without- periodic attention...
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Gippeto
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Thu Nov 25, 2010 1:55 am

Things that make me go Hmmmm....

This "device" is only shutting the water off when no one is in the room using the water....correct?

If no one is using the water....there's no flow...correct?

No flow = no water hammer in my experience.

Where you get water hammer, is when a valve closes quickly while under flow...

So this seems like it should be a non issue...

BUT... if this "device" IS somehow causing water hammer....it's possible for it to damage the pipes and create the very issue you're trying to eliminate.....

Wouldn't that be ironic? :wink:

http://www.factsfacts.com/MyHomeRepair/PipeNoises.htm
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boyntonstu
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Thu Nov 25, 2010 8:31 am

Gippeto wrote:Things that make me go Hmmmm....

This "device" is only shutting the water off when no one is in the room using the water....correct?

If no one is using the water....there's no flow...correct?

No flow = no water hammer in my experience.

Where you get water hammer, is when a valve closes quickly while under flow...

So this seems like it should be a non issue...

BUT... if this "device" IS somehow causing water hammer....it's possible for it to damage the pipes and create the very issue you're trying to eliminate.....

Wouldn't that be ironic? :wink:

http://www.factsfacts.com/MyHomeRepair/PipeNoises.htm
Opening the sprinkler valve creates a chug/hammer sound as the water rushes in.

On shutoff, no sound.

Hmmmmm?
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POLAND_SPUD
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Thu Nov 25, 2010 9:12 am

interesting...
maybe it isn't the sprinkler valve that is the problem but valves further down the line (e.g. water faucet etc.)?

It seems that in your case they are normally closed when the sprinkler valve opens... and that seems to make sense considering this....
you get water hammer (...) when a valve closes quickly while under flow

Though, if there is no WH when the sprinkler valve closes you might find a way to fix this problem by comparing the system up to the point where the SV is installed and down the line... My guess is that it might have something to do with pipe diam. but I am not a plumber so you might want to verify that first :wink:
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Gippeto
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Thu Nov 25, 2010 10:16 am

Close the shut off valve to the toilet and see if it still happens.

...ya got a leaky toilet... :P :wink: ....or a leaking pipe :shock:
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