I have several 3/4" Toro Flo Pro irrigation valves which I use to control a drip irrigation system. Recently, one valve has failed to close when its turn to water is over. I was told that the only thing that fails is the diaphragm. Clean it first, then replace it. Cleaning, followed by the installation of a replacement diaphragm had no impact on the problem. By swapping parts between the two valves, I've concluded that the problem is that one solenoid is not closing properly. The solenoid appears to be a 'no service' unit. That it is filled with water appears to be normal; am I correct? It appears that it functions by lifting a flap from the "Seat Assy., Discharge" (part key #7, 89-0069) in the diagram for the "Flo-Pro Series, 3â4 and 1 Inch AVB" in the link given below, which is a blow-up of the parts for this automatic vacuum breaker control valve. http://www.lljohnson.com/Documents/rescom%20literature/Toro/Valves/Flo%20Pro%20Anti%20Siphon%20Installation%20Guide.pdf I tried activating a good solenoid with power from the controller and comparing it with the bad solenoid. Clearly the good one closed and opened reliably. The bad one hung up in the open position. It is not clear to me if the closing of the flap is spring driven or gravity driven. I lubricated the bad one with a few drops of high temperature or phenyl-methyl-silicone oil and activated it through many cycles. It seems to be working for the time being. Has anyone else any observations regarding these solenoids? Thanks, baumgrenze

Here's a perspective from a guy in the trenches. The original IntelliFlo came out several years ago. This was the 4 speed version. Suppliers knew there was a better one in the pipeline and really did not push the 4 speed as they called it "not the real one". Once the real one (VS3050, 3.2 whatever you choose to call it) came out in our area, it went into a one year pilot program in 2007 with the cooperation of Southern California Edison. Technicians were trained and held accountable for their work and watched very closely on the quality of the installations. This was done by a 3rd party in partnership with Pentair. Installations had to be perfect in terms of efficiency as we were paid a $250.00 rebate for installing and you did not get it until the job passed the inspection. These jobs were being subsidized and owners had a great chance to get in cheaply. Throughout 2007, the sell on the product was 100% on the installer. We had to sell it and gradually, news media picked up on it late in 2007 and the word was out that there was a better option. The program shut down at the end of 2007 as planned and I assume they are in evaluation mode as the paperwork states. Evaluation includes design modifications of impeller based on findings from the authorized installer network and it is geared to getting this product to the masses much cheaper. This is pretty much how every new product comes to market and is well documented through SCE. Now 2/3 of the way into 2008, the product has full name recognition although function may not be understood. I can only mention the name and just about everyone has heard it. Verified savings records sell the product. Those records are from those who have put one in and told a friend. Those who do not have one are pre-sold by the time I find them and I just need to make the final impression. I do far less work to sell the pump now but as with any industry, sales are slow due to the economy. A smart installer packages the pump with other products to make the sale ans the bottom line is the pump is doing excellent and I have never had to go out and uninstall a motor or drive on any job I have ever done. And, the fact still remains that is you put a watt meter on a standard pool motor at full speed, it will always draw more than an IntelliFlo at the same rpm. You cannot argue that fact no matter how much the word is out there that these pumps are somehow inefficient at high speeds. This myth is perpetuated by those who have never touched the pump.

I'm not so much concerned with rpm #'s. I only use them to determine where I am in set up mode when I do the manual trial. When I look to set the max gpm (for a spa jet trial), I ramp it to an estimated gpm based on the most efficient velocity for a given pipe size. It is then that i look at the rpm to see where we are. If it's at 3450, I'll ramp down until I see a change in that rpm number. At that point, we know anything above that gpm setting is just waste. Still, max rpm is not always the effieicent speed. You now look to the filter psi. Where is it and how is it responding to the pump flow change? If I'm at 20+psi and I can ramp down the flow without changing the jet action, I'll keep going down as far as I can. I don't bottom out as I know my filter getting dirty will cut flow. It just establishes my range and I find a good spot in that range. Your previous numbers did not make sense. what you are reporting now is more realistic. Again, you're really looking a wattage. What is the consumption and is it where you want to be? Under 300 is awesome as long as you are seeing results in the pool and who cares what the rpm or gpm is. Those are all subjective to the installation. 15gpm is a real slow turn and most are not programmed for that. But, if you're getting good skimming go for it. I try not to program under 20. As far as the impeller goes, we use a service set of tweezers. They're long and with the proper, educated feel of what it is supposed to be, you'll know if it's blocked. As times, it will feel clean but palm pods, toy gun pellets, etc can jam the inside of the impeller and you'll never know unless you pull the motor. Where are you located?

Flo Mangan - chandelier is 33" from tabletop. 30" from ceiling to bottom. 8' ceilings make it look different maybe? The corner cabinet could be painted - I actually had it re-stained a more gray/walnut color to match beams (it didn't work that well) but I was thinking of painting it or *something* to help. But again, I'm not attached to it there so it can go and I can get a small something else. Or I could put some shorter plants back there (the tree did NOT like it in the corner...) Would plants and a picture frame arrangement or corner cabinet look better?? Also - anything goes to the right of the table, to the right of the patio door? Or leave open?