Question
Jim,
My irrigation system isn't working correctly. It worked fine and then one day the pressure was low with the heads sprinkling about 1/2 the normal spray. An irrigation guy came and replaced a valve in one of the valve boxes (2 boxes) and the system worked.  The next day the system turned on but no water sprayed from the sprinkler heads. The irrigation guy came out again but has no clue what the issue is.  I had a friend who works on pumps look at it as well as my husband and the pump is primed and runs, the valves in both valve boxes have an electrical current to them but no air/water when we unscrew the release on the top of the valves. Someone else said there may be another valve similar to a backflow prevention valve or safety valve but we have no idea how to find it if it is there since the only valve boxes are the two mentioned above. Any suggestions or help you can give will be greatly appreciated.  Thank you!


Answer
Hey Dorothy, if you are not getting water when you unscrew the bleed screw (release screw) on top of the valves, then the problem is no water getting to the valves. Probably one of two things. Number one  either the pump is not pumping properly and either the pump is bad or the relay switch that is controlled by the sprinkler controller is either bad, or the wire running to the relay is bad or the controller controlling the relay is bad. Or number two, you have a master valve installed on the system, and it is not working properly. What a master valve is, is a automatic valve that is installed before the other valves on the system . This valve turns on first before the other valves turn on. If this valve is not working, then you will not receive any water to the other valves. The master valve will be located between the pump and the other valves. Not all systems have a master valve installed. You may or may not have one on your system.Good luck and have a great day.