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Sprinkler System Leak - any idea's?

16 years ago

OK, I have a weird problem that has so far befudeled two sprinkler repair people - so I'm looking for any ideas. I live in Utah and we are on a private well that has a constant pressure pump. When our lawn sprinklers come on everything is fine, the problem lies when our drip system zones are used. When the first drip zone timer ends the well pump stays on idicating some type of leak. When I turn the main sprinkler water valve off, the well pump naturally turns off. After a few minutes, if I turn the main sprinkler water valve back on, the well pump stays off, indicating no more water leak. Now here is the weird part, we have a waterfall that has an automatic filler that is tied into the sprinkler system. It has its own zone and also has a float valve to shut off the water flow once it is at the proper level. Now when the waterfall is running, everything is as described above, but if you turn the waterfall off and then run the drip zones, then the well pump stays on. If I turn off the main sprinkler water valve off the leak stops, but when I turn it back on the leak is still there. Confusing as to why the running of the waterfall should affect the sprinkler valves (if that is where the leak is). If anything I would think having extra water in the waterfall tank (because the waterfall pump is off) where the float valve is would make it less likely to leak. I have been trying to run each drip zone one at a time and have found this problem with one zone consistntly and another zone on occasion. I plan on trying to create the same leak with the waterfall running and then seeing if I can figure out if a valve is leaking by listening at each valve for flowing water. Any other ideas? Thanks in Advance.

Comments (2)

oldfarmer
16 years ago
The problem may be with the pump pressure switch control. Inside the little box are two adjustment nuts. One controls the cut-in pressure (when the pump turns on) and the other controls the differential (when the pump turns on minus when it turns off) Play with these but keep a record so you can get back where you started. Worst case, you may need a new pressure switch.
pcdmann
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for the reply. I think I may have found a way to solve the problem, but I'm not exactly sure why it works. What I have to do is make sure the main sprinkler water shutoff valve is on, then run the zone that has the filler for the waterfall on it. That seems to stop the leak, if there was one to begin with. I'm guessing that there may be some slight amount of suction created by the waterfall pump on the valve and that when there is no initial pressure on the other side of the valve (when the main sprinkler water valve is shut off) it is enough to create a leak. But when the sprinkler main water valve is on and the zone is activated and then turned off, it comes to some type of equilibrium which closes the valve tight enough to prevent a leak. I'm testing it all out right now, but would love to hear from those more knowledgeable on the subject (just about everyone) as to wether my idea makes any sense. Thanks.
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