Question

Neptune box   QUESTION: Here's a photo of that box. I didn't want to try to open it again, but I know it's got some kind of circuit board in there. It is marked "Neptune" in case that didn't come out. How do I figure out if I have a pump or master valve? Where would I look? I have more photos to send, but it looks like I can only send one.

ANSWER: Kasey,

Thanks for the picture it looks like a wireless meter reading device from what I can tell.

If you have a booster pump for the irrigation system it would be very easy to know since you would have probably have seen the pump. Do you have a backflow device on the house, typically installed on the side of the house where the sprinkler water line exists the home. Are your manifold boxes visible? If so are they up against the foundation of the house or spread out in the turf?

What part of the country are you in? That will help me better understand how your system may be layed out.

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pipes   QUESTION: I live in Massachusetts. The boxes are spread out throughout the lawn. I have 5 boxes. I included a photo of the pipes where the water and wiring from the controller exit the house. I'm not sure what all of them are for. I think the middle one might be an old oil filler pipe? You can see the black sheathed bundle from the controller exiting the house. In case you can't read it, the purple plate on the right pipe says "800M4 Watts Regulation." What is that for?  If I have either a booster pump or backflow device, it's news to me! The box closest to the house (which I thought I might find a disconnected/frayed common wire or red wire) is about 8 feet directly out from those pipes. They have round green covers on them. I only know of the five for each zone. If there was a booster pump, would it be close to the house or buried somewhere? If the solenoid on the first zone was bad, would it affect the entire system? The solenoid wire is tied into the common wire on the first box that I mentioned.
Kasey

Answer
Kasey,

Thanks for the picture, the brass device "800 M4" is a backflow device it is designed to prevent water in your irrigation system from flowing back into your house water. It is required to be tested once a year per EPA guidelines. The black wire that you see is your controller wire that runs from the timer to the valves in the yard.

Hopefully you don't have a booster pump since that style of backflow would be be incorrect for having a pump on the system since it does not protect against back pressure. Have you called a service company out to look at the problem if so what did they find?

If the solenoid on Zone 1 was bad it would not effect the entire system. BUT if the solenoid was bad on the mastervalve it would prevent the system from working.

Most companies have a wire/valve locating device, you can also usually rent one from a local irrigation supplier for 40-75 for the day. If your timer is working as it should and you don't have any issues with your controller wire or connections that would narrow the issue down to a issue with the mastervalve. Can you submit a picture of the controller wiring.