Irritrol troubles

[Beejwest]

I just installed three new Irritrol 700B's 3/4" in my 07 LSV. It has a Gravity III system. Stock bags center and right, 1,000lb port locker all vented. I made sure the arrows for flow were in the correct direction, and the twist valve/manual shut off was in the open position. When I turn on any one switch, the pump runs, but all three bags fill. I can manually shut off individual valves and prevent that bag from filling but that defeats the purpose. I tried switching the wires on each solenoid too, no success. All three valves were new in the box. I can hear and feel the solenoids open and when I pull the solenoid off, it moves up into the casing like I presume it should. Any ideas? Oh, this was sitting still on the lake, not moving so no pressure feed issues I don't think. Thanks.

[MLA]

Well, the absolute best advice, is to do away with the sprinkler valve setup all together. But this doesnt help you at the moment with 3 new valves. What was the reason for the 3 new valves? It sounds like other 2 valves are energized along with the one that you want to open. Do you have a digital volt meter to verify this?

[jmvotto]

Did you just plug and play the existing wiring to the new valves, if it got modified it would open all three at once vs individual valves.

[Beejwest]

Yeah, plug n play. Did them one at a time so I didn't cross wires or anything. I went to the irritrols because of the design. They *should* flow better, and from what I've read on here, they do. I should have been a 20 minute $60 upgrade, but instead I turned my GIII into a manual system until I figure it out.

MLA, I really want to do the wakemakers 3 pump upgrade. It's a bit pricey just to drop right now. $60 was better. However, I suppose if I'm paying what I do in fuel, payments, and insurance, I should just do it.

[VA LSV]

Sounds like the bypass lever under the solenoid is not in the closed position.

Unscrew your solenoids from the vales and watch the plungers. If all 3 of your solenoids energize when any 1 switch is turned on, then you have a wiring issue. If they energize individually when the switches are activated 1 at a time, then it has to be the bypass lever.

[Beejwest]

When the lever is closed, it manually closes the valve, right? I closed off one with the lever then activated that valve and no water flowed...

[VA LSV]

The manual valve is located under the solenoid where it screws into the valve. Its a little confusing. This link shows a lever sticking up beside the solenoid coil. If its not in the closed position the valve will flow water anytime the fill pump runs.

http://www.sprinklerwarehouse.com/Irritrol-Sprinkler-Irrigation-Valve-p/ir-700b-75.htm

[Beejwest]

Yeah, it's the black lever that twists correct? It needs to be in the OFF position? I'll give it a whirl in the morning.

[Beejwest]

Update: It was user error. The black levers were the culprit as VA said above. Once I read that, and looked at the old valves, I noted they had a little tiny black lever that was in the closed position. Doesn't make much sense to me to have it "closed" so the solenoid can open it, but whatever. They're going away this winter anyways.