They turn on, and water flows. They turn off, and water doesn’t flow.
Okay, maybe that oversimplifies irrigation valves somewhat, but it does represent the core of their function – to control the flow of water through an irrigation system.
Valves are viewed this basically by many irrigation manufacturers and distributors because of the widespread improvements that have taken place in them over the last 10 years that have turned them into more of a commodity item and driven product prices down.
“There used to be some junk equipment out there that worked until the weather changed or the ground shifted a little bit, and then it didn’t perform,” noted Jerry Lewis, owner, Sundance Irrigation Training, Keller, Texas. “But that has all found its way off of the market.”
“All valve manufacturers are looking at making small improvements to what we’re already offering, but the next step in valves will probably be a major technology leap,” observed Laurie Berry, product manager, contractor valves, Rain Bird Sales, Azusa, Calif. “It may take us to wireless valves or something along those lines, but there hasn’t been a real innovative leap like that in awhile.”
UNDER CONSTRUCTION. One of the key areas where industry observers have seen an improvement in valves is in the construction materials used, particularly for the valve body.
“The manufacturers have gone from using PVC plastic that can become brittle when it gets cold to using glass-filled nylon that’s much more durable,” according to Don Leyn, owner, Irrico Sales, Aurora, Colo. “Glass-filled valves will last longer, handle higher pressures and are more durable.
“The PVC construction gets contractors in and out of a job cheaply, but it really sacrifices quality,” Leyn continued.
The increased durability of the glass-filled plastic valves has boosted sales dramatically in some areas, although even the best glass-filled valve can’t compare to a brass valve for long-term durability.
“Plastic has taken over our market,” related George Burtch, managing partner, Irrigation Station, Houston, Texas. “We have relatively low pressure in this area because the ground is pretty flat, and plastic works for all of our applications. But it’s still not as durable as brass. If a system gets surges up to 60 psi or something like that, plastic valves can warp and leak.”
In fact, whereas there used to be a mix of plastic and brass valve installations on residential jobs, improved construction characteristics of plastic valves has shifted the market almost entirely in that direction for residential jobs. Now, the 1-inch, plastic valve is the top selling valve for almost any valve manufacturer, according to Don Thompson, director of sales, Storm Irrigation, Los Angeles, Calif. (Storm Irrigation is the new name for West Ag since its acquisition of Imperial and the contractor portion of Buckner Irrigation in late 1998.)
“Improving the materials in plastic valves means fewer problems in freezing conditions,” Thompson observed. “When the valves expand and contract with freeze/thaw cycles, the bonnet can loosen and leak.”
Dick Greenland, director of marketing, Superior Controls, Valencia, Calif., agreed that the stronger brass valves have found themselves mainly used on high quality commercial jobs, municipal installations and use in areas of high water pressure.
“There are a lot less brass valves sold than there are plastic valves sold, except in high water pressure areas like California where most of the pressure is greater than 125 psi,” Greenland noted.
In addition, some new valves feature a plastic/brass combination construction to take advantage of the durability of brass while keeping the valve as light and affordable as possible.
ALL TOGETHER NOW. Another key construction improvement commonly applauded is the encapsulation of the solenoids and what this has meant for maintenance issues.
“I think all of the manufacturers use encapsulated solenoids now, which makes them much easier to service,” related Leyn. “It used to be that the contractor would remove the solenoid and would lose the spring or plunger in the valve box. Now, everything is built together, and the diaphragm comes off with the bonnet, so that’s not a problem.”
“Solenoids also used to corrode much more, but encapsulating them has fixed these problems,” agreed Burtch.
“In addition, the diaphragms don’t tear like they used to,” added Leyn.
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If you’re working on sites where the primary water source is lakes, ponds, streams or effluents, it’s very likely that you deal with “dirty” water. Since the dirt and debris from this kind of water can choke an irrigation system, picking the right equipment is vital – and nowhere is this more vital than in the selection of the correct remote control valves. When you select a remote control valve for a dirty water application, make sure it has filtration features incorporated into the valve by the manufacturer. This is very important , because not all valves have filters and the area on top of the valve diaphragm and the solenoid area is extremely susceptible to damage from fine particles of dirt and debris. One method for filtration that manufacturers employ to prevent dirt from contaminating the valve and interrupting operation is the “self-flushing” screen. A filter or screen that is self-flushing prevents water containing dirt and debris from entering the top of the diaphragm and the solenoid. Located on the bottom of a valve’s diaphragm or inserted into the side of the valve body with a tube connected to the base of the solenoid, the screen or filter is positioned in the water stream running through the body of the valve. The water flow continuously flushes the filter screen, dislodging particles and debris before they can accumulate and clog the filter. – Harold McKinney The author is commercial valve product manager for Rain Bird Sales, Azusa, Calif. |
PRESSURE REGULATION. It’s pretty unlikely that too many irrigation systems will have the exact same water pressure variables at play in them, which has spurred development of pressure regulating valves.
“Everyone can identify with a system that needs pressure regulation because we’ve all driven by houses or office parks where there’s an irrigation fog over the lawn,” noted Rick Fields, national sales manager, Zurn Wilkins, Paso Robles, Calif. “That’s a sure sign of a problem with the pressure, and that can be an extremely damaging problem for the valves and the heads.”
Fields estimated that as much as 90 percent of the systems that should use pressure regulating valves don’t because contractors don’t understand them properly.
“Using pressure regulating valves eliminates callbacks and delivers better irrigation coverage for the client, and it’s a relatively inexpensive addition to a system,” he noted.
“Water flow usually fluctuates coming from city main lines, and the regulators can be set so the water that is coming in at 60 psi or 40 psi is going out of the valve and through the system at 10 psi,” noted Thompson. “These valves are getting to be considered more standard, especially on commercial applications.”
“Pressure regulating valves are also good for systems running over elevation changes or with fluctuations from the inlet pressure,” commented Greenland. “Here, the valves maintain a constant downstream pressure, which designers like so they know what they’ll be working with.”
Pressure regulating valves can be of particular importance in systems with multiple application heads, such as sprayheads, rotors and low-volume irrigation.
“Contractors have to make sure they control the flow of water to fit the application conditions on the site,” noted Burtch.
In addition, some manufacturers have developed low flow features in their valves, thereby enabling the valves to shut off regardless of the flow level.
“If the flow is lower than a manufacturer’s recommendation for a valve, then it’s possible that valve won’t be able to shut off,” observed Greenland. “Some new valves can shut off no matter how low the flow is.”
INSTALLATION ISSUES. Despite the numerous structural improvements to the valves, manufacturers and distributors noted that contractors’ failure to educate themselves properly on the various products, their applications and recommended installation techniques can result in poor performance.
“I would bet that less than 20 percent of the contractors fully understand what is on the market in terms of valve products and why certain changes have been made,” admitted Leyn. “Most contractors simply buy what their distributor sells them, which has made price a huge issue right now.”
“The more seasoned contractor will take a harder look at valves than someone just trying to grow a business,” agreed Thompson, noting that installation problems are more prevalent on the residential jobs handled by smaller, growing contractors. “That’s because the seasoned contractor has learned from making mistakes, and he or she knows that having a problem with a valve means you have to go out and dig it up, and no one wants to do that.”
“We need the same education effort that has taken place regarding backflow prevention devices to occur with valves now,” added Fields.
One example of a common installation problem Thompson encounters is a contractor’s failure to use waterproof wires coming off of the valve, particularly on residential jobs.
“There has to be waterproof wires in that valve box,” Thompson emphasized. “Black tape with a twist on attacher doesn’t cut it, because once that box fills up with water it will short out the line. But the contractor won’t know what is causing the problem unless there’s a sophisticated controller on the system.
“The other problem we see quite often is when contractors apply too much glue and primer to the end of the piping and cause it to plug up the internal bleed valve and keep the valve from draining,” Thompson added. “The valve itself works just fine, but if the bleed gets plugged up, nothing will work.”
Another common installation mistake is to not properly support a valve from underneath it within the valve box.
“The valve should always be installed at the proper depth, and contractors should put some gravel beneath the valve in the box so it’s less likely to end up under water,” Lewis noted.
Lewis also recommended contractors leave an extra 2 to 4 feet of wire neatly coiled up in the valve box to give themselves room to cut if it’s ever necessary to work on the solenoid.
“Basically, the installation requirements are all there from the manufacturer,” commented Lewis. “If a contractor can’t meet the minimum requirements, then the contractor is responsible for the system’s failure and making the necessary callbacks.”
The author is Editor of Lawn & Landscape magazine.
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