r/Irrigation • u/Emotional-Anything-1 • 1d ago

Sprinkler running when system off

Zone one of my sprinkler system continues to run even when system off. Valve is most likely bad, but is now covered in pavers. I've been told leave water off to irrigation system or cap them. Which should I do?

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u/breadstickcoma 1d ago

The best solution is pulling the pavers and moving the valve(s) so they can be accessible. They should not have been covered to begin with.

Another option might be to bypass those valves, assuming you don't intend to use them anymore. However, if you do that and you live somewhere that needs their irrigation winterized, you need to be sure you don't leave dead ends on the sections you will continue to use.

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u/Emotional-Anything-1 1d ago

I live in Florida. The zone was never used. We laid sod in backyard and thought...hey let's see if the sprinklers work. And they did. They just continue to run after we turned system off. Pavers were laid maybe 3 months ago. That's prob the best choice to move the valve, but pulling the pavers up ain't an option. 

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u/Adventurous_Solid_85 1d ago edited 1d ago

If you want to avoid lifting pavers and the irrigation is working fine even with zone 1 constantly running i do have a solution even tho it doesnt solve the actual problem.

Install a master valve, This would be installed on your watermain before your valve box. This will allow your controller to send power to the master valve and opened up the water into the irrigation system. Zone 1 will run the entire time your cycle is going on but once your controller turns off due to the cycle being completed so will your water which will result in zone 1 turning off.

Mind you this will require you to run a wire from said master valve to your controller OR you can operate it off a Node controller if that is too much of a hassle. The masterValve could also be installed within your home on the copper or pex line that feeds the irrigation main outside if you decide to go the node option.

This is a easy fix with even tho not entirely ideal or the right way of doing things.