Old Sprinkler System

[yearofglad]

Not sure if this is the right forum for this:

My girlfriend and I recently bought a home built in 1955. It clearly has an old sprinkler system installed - well, at least the sprinkler heads are there. There are probably around 25 - I haven't counted them all.

There is at least one that looks like it's just capped.

The others have various sprinkler heads, all made by Rainbird from Glendale, CA.

I can't determine how to turn it on. I can't even determine if it works. All the searching I did online referred to control panels, etc., - obviously a system much older than the one we have.

There's also one spot, very near the ground, which is connected to a hose that runs AWAY from the house and disappears underground very quickly. I haven't had the energy to dig it up and see where it goes, but it's heading in the direction of the top of a giant rock wall that overlooks the driveway, so I can't imagine it's going anywhere useful.

Where should I begin investigating this type of system to see if it's usable?

And, if it's not usable, what's the best way to "remove" all the heads, as I don't want to dig up every pipe - is it safe to just cut them off and cap them?

Not sure if any of this is answerable via the internet - I'm more than willing to take photos if anyone thinks it'll help.

[Mr. Duality]

Connect an outside faucet to the hose which disappears into the ground. Turn the faucet on. Look & listen for leaks in the immediate vicinity. There is an electronic control box somewhere, probably in the garage. If you are very lucky the owner's manual will be nearby. Even if you are not so lucky basic instructions will probably be inside the lid of the box.

For that many heads there could be 4 to 8 zones. Remove the control panel cover to see how many zones are wired up.

Outdoor sprinkler systems have a limited lifespan. For one to last longer than 30 years is uncommon. The heads may just unscrew. Larger heads may need to be dug up since they sometimes are connected to their water supply on the side.

[Al Bundy]

Rainbird is an old time brand, but many of those old parts are no longer available. But first you need to access what you have.

Keep looking for the control box as stated earlier. People like to bury them next to the home or in the garage or sometimes in the basement. Follow the pipes from the water meter.

I see no reason you could not simply remove the heads and enough tubing so you don't hit anything with the mower. But you still want to know where that control box is to make sure nothing can leak. Hey, maybe the last guy already took it out and filled in the box area, but left the heads.

[Mr. Duality]

Originally Posted by yearofglad

There's also one spot, very near the ground, which is connected to a hose that runs AWAY from the house and disappears underground very quickly.

This needs clarification. At first I thought you meant a hose which disappears into the ground, with a female connector visible above ground and not connected to anything. The more common setup is to have an on/off valve for the sprinklers' water supply in the house, probably in the basement.

[yearofglad]

Originally Posted by Mr. Duality

This needs clarification. At first I thought you meant a hose which disappears into the ground, with a female connector visible above ground and not connected to anything. The more common setup is to have an on/off valve for the sprinklers' water supply in the house, probably in the basement.

I've been unable to locate an on/off valve for the system; I surveyed the perimeter of the house, the garage, and also the crawlspace (where the furnace is). The crawlspace extends under the entire house, basically, but the only part easily accessible is where the furnace is, so I assume if it was in the crawlspace, it'd be near there.

Regarding the hose: The hose IS attached to something - a pipe that runs underground. (I don't know what the other end of the hose is attached to...) The hose goes underground less than 6 inches from its attachment to the pipe. Both the pipe and hose are located a fair distance from the house (12 feet, maybe) and on a hillside that's mostly weeds. The hose enters the ground facing away from the house, and I have no idea what the pipe is connected to - one would assume the sprinkler system.

I'll investigate more tomorrow and take pictures if I'm still stumped.

I appreciate the suggestions so far!

[yearofglad]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

Follow the pipes from the water meter.

I see no reason you could not simply remove the heads and enough tubing so you don't hit anything with the mower. But you still want to know where that control box is to make sure nothing can leak. Hey, maybe the last guy already took it out and filled in the box area, but left the heads.

I can't follow the pipes from the water meter; the water meter is located underground, near the street, about 25 feet below the house (and a fair distance from the house; the house is located on a hill high above the road) so that's out.

It is quite possible that the last guy took it out already, yes. I'd just like to be able to confirm.

[kanicbird]

The valves for the system may be buried and most likely are electrically activated. The control panel may have been removed.

If you do take them out you may consider trying your luck selling them on ebay. Some people may also need them as replacements - the Rainbirds generally had a larger throw area then others so you just can't swap it out for just any brand.

[C K Dexter Haven]

MODERATOR COMMENT: Since this is about home repair, the appropriate forum is probably the Barn House, which tends to attract more handy-person type of inquiries. However, since you've got responses here, and since that forum has fewer viewers, I'm leaving the thread here. I have posted there, providing a link to this one, in hope of attracting folks.


PERSONAL COMMENT: We had a similar situation, we called a company that installs sprinklers. We told them that we weren't interested in a new system (to remove any financial bias) but that we'd like them to get the old system in working order if possible. They tested and said it couldn't be done. We thanked them and sent them off; we did the same with another company and got the same answer. A week or two later, we called both and asked for bids on a new system.

It's not foolproof, because they have an obvious financial advantage in selling you a new system. However, if they think they don't have that option but might get a job repairing an old one, maybe they'll be honest. Who knows?

[yearofglad]

Well, for those of you on the edges of your seats, the hose outside that went into the ground merely led to a long-buried sprinkler head. So no leads there.

If there's a control box, I don't know where it is. If it's been removed, I don't know how to tell. So I guess I'll remove the heads, see if I can sell them, and cap the system.

Thanks for your help.

[Mr. Duality]

You need not bother capping anything if it will not be used again.

Really old sprinkler systems are a pain to try to restore. You can get tree roots blocking the water lines and a lot of other intractable problems.

[cynyc]

I'd call installers of that kind of thing and see if they are still useable somehow. Or some old-time handyman probably better.

Maybe loosen the caps--there should be a screw--to permit them popping up.*

*Wish I knew that before I burned out a well pump. :-)

What's the names of those brothers who do an NPR radio show on everything home-related. They know EVERYTHING. They have a site too. The Rubells or something like that.

[slowlearner]

likely has manual underground valves, used a t shaped rod with a fork on the end to reach down a length of pipe and turn on a buried valve. if there's not a lot of soil movement in your area the system might still work but you'll never find the valves. turn all your inside and outside faucets off and check the little leak detector spinner on your water meter to make sure nothing is leaking. if meter turns when nothing is running something is leaking...

[aceplace57]

Rainbird heads can be reconditioned like new. I see them frequently on Ebay and they sell really well.

here's a rebuilt one with 4 bids and it's up to $90. These are considered the best sprinkler heads ever made. Solid brass and no plastic parts at all. I don't really understand why the OP wants to trash them. I'd suggest listing them on Ebay so somebody else can repair & rebuild them.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-RAINBIRD-8...item231c80a1a6

[yearofglad]

Originally Posted by aceplace57

Rainbird heads can be reconditioned like new. I see them frequently on Ebay and they sell really well.

here's a rebuilt one with 4 bids and it's up to $90. These are considered the best sprinkler heads ever made. Solid brass and no plastic parts at all. I don't really understand why the OP wants to trash them. I'd suggest listing them on Ebay so somebody else can repair & rebuild them.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-RAINBIRD-8...item231c80a1a6

It doesn't sound like I want to trash them: "So I guess I'll remove the heads, see if I can sell them, and cap the system."

Thanks for the EBay link, though.

[yearofglad]

Originally Posted by slowlearner

likely has manual underground valves, used a t shaped rod with a fork on the end to reach down a length of pipe and turn on a buried valve. if there's not a lot of soil movement in your area the system might still work but you'll never find the valves. turn all your inside and outside faucets off and check the little leak detector spinner on your water meter to make sure nothing is leaking. if meter turns when nothing is running something is leaking...

Slowlearner wins a prize. It DOES have manual underground valves and uses a rod with a fork on the end to turn them on. I found three valves today - two each turn on a set of sprinklers, while one appears to do nothing at all, who knows.

I suspect there are at least 2 additional valves that I haven't found.

Just happened to notice a black plastic cap that said TORO on it when taking the trash bins up today - uncapped it and there was a valve. Found the rods in the garage and away we go. Once I knew what I was looking for, 2 more valves were relatively easy to find.

Looks like I just need to locate the additional valves - if anyone has advice on how to track them down (without starting at a sprinkler head and digging, following the pipe), that would be awesome. Otherwise, I'll search and search.

Thanks again.

[Scumpup]

Metal detector? Follow the pipes from above ground.

[yearofglad]

Originally Posted by Scumpup

Metal detector? Follow the pipes from above ground.

An excellent suggestion! Seems I had my head in the ground.

I can rent one for $20 and may do just that.

[Dano83860]

For the past 30 years or better the pipes have been plastic. A metal detector won't help much for them.

[yearofglad]

Originally Posted by Dano83860

For the past 30 years or better the pipes have been plastic. A metal detector won't help much for them.

Well, I don't know if the pipes are metal or plastic - the pipes coming up out of the ground (connecting to the sprinkler heads) are all metal - but a metal detector didn't help. Perhaps the pipes underground aren't metal, or they were too deep for the detector. (I didn't get charged for the detector rental, though!)

So I'm back to square one, which is finding the remaining irrigation valves somehow.

[boytyperanma]

As mentioned rainbird sprinklers do have some value. I am actually interested in them if they are the style I'm looking for. I need the pop-up style, not the impact style linked to ebay. The pop-up not being quite as valuable but still hard to find.

[yearofglad]

Originally Posted by boytyperanma

As mentioned rainbird sprinklers do have some value. I am actually interested in them if they are the style I'm looking for. I need the pop-up style, not the impact style linked to ebay. The pop-up not being quite as valuable but still hard to find.

I'll keep that in mind should the system not work or if I am unable to locate the irrigation valves; The system has pop-up ones as well.