I recently accidentally cut my sprinkler system control wire (the black wire that has many colors of small wires in it) between control panel in garage and the green valve box inground. After I reconnected the wire (matching color wires) and turned on manual operation of sprinkler for a while, the water was gushing out from the backflow preventer's relief valve. The backflow preventer model is Febco rp 825Y.

Does anyone have any experience in this? The sprinker was working fine before the wire cut. Now even if I turn off the sprinker control panel, and turn on sprinkler water line, water will immediately gush out of the bottom relief valve of backflow preventer.

Is this a symptom of a broken backflow preventer? Or it's something else wrong with the irrigation system pipes/valves and the backflow preventer simply doing its job to prevent water from going backward into the main line? Could this be because of the wire cut/reconnect that damaged either the backflow preventer or the irrigation valves?



Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Is their any chance the Backflow Preventer is Backwards?

Thanks for the response. What does it mean by "Backwards"? I didn't do anything with the backflow preventer.

Look through here:
825Y - FEBCO Backflow Prevention Products


This is whatt the parts look like, shop for best prices:
http://www.bizrate.com/plumbing-supp...825y-backflow/

Try giving them a call, 1(800)767-1234

But that's assuming the backflow preventer has problem now?

Could it be because of something else wrong, and backflow preventer was working properly to relieve water pressure under certain condition?

Does backflow preventer gushing water mean the backflow preventer is definitely broken? Just don't want to replace this expensive piece (over $200) and then find out it's not the real problem.

Sounds like it has a problem, a repair kit is likely all you need and much easier than replacing the whole thing.
Did you call the number or look through the manuals?

Hi Lucas

Yeah, although cutting the wire had nothing to do with the febco BF preventer, I'm thinking you had an issue with the BF preventer freezing over the winter and you just didn't know about it until you finally fired it all up and tested it... ;)

Best bet is to purchase the repair kit Stratmando suggested... cheap/easy fix for this!

Good luck!

Mark

Mark,
Thanks for response. The sprinkler was started up this spring and was working fine. There were no freezing over the winter.

Now I'm suspecting that after reconnecting the wire, I probably turn on the main water valve too quickly, and sudden pressure change could damaged parts of the BF preventer.

Can this be a possibility?

I'll go look for the repair kit

The Link for the parts is on my yesterdays post.

Stratmando, Mark,
Thanks for the help.

Talked to a local contractor who handles sprinkler system. He's suggesting to replace the BF preventer with new wilkins BF preventer. He told me my current one (installed in 1996) probably reached its age already and even if repaired may still run into other problems soon. He thinks Wilkins have better quality than Febco and should last longer.

The replacement would be very expensive (cost more than $600, which carries the certificate and 5 year warranty). A rebuild would be cheaper, but still runs a few hundred dollars (I guess this would include certificate as well).

I'm afraid this is not a DYI project, especially since RPZ installation requires permit and certificate in my town.

Any opnions?

Hi Lucas

Will your town let you pull the permit and stand for inspection? If it will then I highly encourage you to do this on your own as this is a super easy job... I promise! Here, you simply swap out the repair parts and then test as required by your local inspector.

If that won't fly, I still would encourage you to go with the repair via the pro. Here, that febco BFP may be older now, but once the guts are removed you have a very simple brass body design that can't really have any issues as long as you see no obvious pitting or anything like that. As you mentioned, the repair would have to pass a test and that repair should last a lonnnggg time!

I almost never replace the entire valve as was suggested, but as I am not there I can't really say anything on condition of the valve... you have to decide on it!

Back to you...

Mark

I agree with Massplumber, It may open a little can of worms.
Plumber may be a little hungry.
We can't see from here.
Know a good small Plumbing company? Retired Plumber to do the repair?
Here is a video of repairing 1 Backflow preventer. Unless you have excessive funds, I would attempt the repair if you have someone slightly Mechanically Inclined.
Massplumber, I am sure could help with any particulars and help you through.
Did you go to the links above and see the parts needed and what's involved?

Thank you both for the help. I did find the repair kit online, but there are different kits for different problems, and I don't know which one I should buy to try.

I'll probably follow Mark's advice to find a pro for repair instead of replacing whole device.

Hi Lucas

You want the complete kit... the one with all the parts.

A local plumbing supply house should also have this "complete repair kit" in stock... ;)