Hi, I am loving your videos - demystifies a lot things for new to DYI-er. Can you please share details of the air compressor you used? Is it worth owning one that will be used once a year or rent?

@Silver Cymbal, the Amazon link doesn't work. Can you tell us the name of the adapter?

Thank you very much for the nice comment. It can look like a lot but it really is easy once you do it and save you some big headaches. Thanks again

I appreciate it. There were so many goofy videos when I started looking that I wanted to make my own to show you an easier way to winterize your sprinklers. Thanks for watching.

Keep in mind that they really aren't vents at all. They are testing ports for inspectors to test the backflow preventer which never happens on residential installs. The flip side of this is that installers leave them like this so if homeowners try to open them they see a huge leak and panic. Maybe this isn't true but it happens to a lot of people.

@@SilverCymbal Actually, I'm residential and my backflow device must be tested/certified on an Annual basis from a certified tester (at a fee of course!)

Not true. I am required to have my home system checked for backflow by my city.

Agreed. I keep my ball valve and screw valves at 45 degrees after winterizing.

I really appreciate the feedback. I also see everyone blow through the backflow preventer without issues. It's great to hear a professional liking my video, that means a lot. Thanks for watching.

@@SilverCymbal btw I meant to say upstream (before) of the backflow lol see my great professionalism? Haha

Thank you very much so glad it was helpful.

Glad it helped

Thank you very much

Thank you I really appreciate the kind comment. Best wishes to you.

Imagine the money and time you saved waiting for someone. Plus I am sure you open them too. Thousands of $, little things add up to big savings! Thanks for sharing!

I installed my 5 zone sprinkler system myself. I keep spare solenoids and heads in stock. Next season I'm changing the timer to an internet ready version.

Glenn Martin - by any chance have you done or come across a good step by step guide on how to do it? I bought a house with pre-installed ground sprinklers but the coverage is very poorI need to fix It but don’t wanna spend a fortune outsourcing.

Thank you, I have done it this way for over 10 years and never had a single issue when opening them.

@@SilverCymbal Yea,My system is one inch PVC LOCK.Think I can use one inch T in line with !/2 inch plug removed for Air connector.Bought a couple of plugs for this but after viewing your video,I don't think I will need but one and just open each valve at a time.I am kind of tight on space in the box. thanks.

Can you make a video about that, please.

Glad it was helpful. If you ever have an issue and you think it's your controller you can always turn one of these manually to bypass the controller and troubleshoot in a pinch. Thank you for watching.

I use a larger one in this video but because you are only using lower psi even a smaller pancake style will work fine. You can always run through your zones a couple of times to ensure all water is out. Thanks for watching

I have a 25 gallon compressor, so I guess this should work well

Florida what's that? I live in Massachusetts. 😀Temps are below 0 here every winter - This technique is the best way to close just like a pro does

@@SilverCymbal Different parts of the country use different piping in irrigation. In Massachusetts, we use Polyethylene piping which is why your system survives the winter. Poly pipe will flex to a point. Also the snow we get insulates the ground and helps protect against freezing. Other parts of the country have pvc piping underground. PVC will shatter like a stack of pringles. A homeowner air compressor will not remove enough water. The key to an air compressor is not pressure, it's volume. Pro's use minimum 60 cubic feet per minute for residential properties. I use a 250 CFM compressor with a diesel engine, but I do athletic fields with 3-4 in PVC piping as well. This is why your heads pop up and down while you are blowing them out. Not enough volume. The most vulnerable part of the system is the exposed copper piping and brass fittings. Don't close the valves on the backflow preventor all the way. They can trap water and crack the brass valves, especially if you don't use a high volume air compressor, or have a faulty shutoff valve. Proper way is to close them half way, especially the test cocks (the small 1/4" valves, the cost $15 each wholesale). Get rid of that plug and put a threaded faucet in it. Leave it open halfway so if you have a faulty shutoff, the water drains out and you don't have to keep redoing the teflon tape. You can get a hosesized fitting to reduce to whatever size your airline is at any hardware store or big box store. I don't know who told you 40 psi is adequate. The piping is rated for more than 100 psi, we set our compressor for 75-80 psi per manufacturers recommendations. Running for 4 minutes or less each zone is important, the plastic gears inside the heads will get too hot without water and may need to be replaced in the spring. Multiple times my be needed. It's ok to blow air through a pressure vacuum breaker from the house side, but some houses on hills have a different backflow device that must be drained on the house side and blown out from the downstream side. Air from compressors is warm to hot, and these devices have seals that can be distorted by the heat. When opening valves, open the furthest from the water supply 1st, that will empty the main line, and make the rest of the zones blow out quicker.

I'm sure your air compressor is enough to do sprinkler winterizing. Usually, we set the pressure under 50psi.

Yes that's normal. My 29gal compressor can't keep up with my zones either (I have 10). I just have to let it fill up several times during the blow-out. Amazing how much air it takes to do this!

That is why it is better to have a larger compressor that you can fill to capacity and then run at the desired psi. You can run into problems with what you experienced. Imagine the pipes full of water and your little compressor comes and blows off the top portion of the water in the lines creating a fast and easy way for the air to escape just above the standing water in the bottom portion of the lines. That water will still be in the lines no matter how hard you try. Generally won't be a problem because you've created enough space to account for the expansion of freezing water but it definitely can still be a problem in the wrong conditions

The lower PSI is usually what the sprinkler head companies recommend so that the internal gears don't spin too fast since they are normally cooled by water. You are 100% correct they do say not to go through the backflow if you can avoid it, but I have never had an issue and many pros don't bother either often because there is no easy way to get in the line.

@@SilverCymbalit could be 25 psi and they would rotate fast, I think people just worry about busting pipes

You can get it right here: amzn.to/2T44MgK I love this thing and it will last forever.

Yes

I normally turn it on after I connect it to the plumbing and it stays on until I am done. The sprinkler valves themselves allow the air to flow just like they do water.

That is correct. Yes, even when its off or switching valves 40psi is fine. Normal water pressure is 40-60psi so those valves and heads run at that pressure all the time.

@@SilverCymbal first of all, thank you so much for the quick reply, I really appreciate it. I asked this because last fall when I winterized it and the next spring came, I swear the whole system blew up. I had to replace all 8 zone valves and so far I've replaced 11 sprinkler heads that were leaking. We've only lived in the house for a little over a year so I have no idea what condition the heads and valves were in before but holy crap it was a lot of work and cost me a good chunk of money. So needless to say I'm a little scared to do it again this fall (: I will put on my big boy pants and try it again using your method. It would be ok to switch through the zones using the control box as well instead of turning the solenoids right?

@@those1kidds That is really bad, its also very unusual to lose them all. I would think it may have been freeze damage, so people never winterize which is crazy if you are in the north. That may have been it. I have never lost a head or valve from closing. what I showed you here is how I have done it in a lot of different houses over the years and always had a good spring opening. Hope this helps.

@@SilverCymbal sounds good. Hopefully now that most of it is new I'll have better luck (: thanks for your help and awesome videos

\Rotor Heads can easily do 90+ PSI. those mister heads you gotta be more careful with because in the better case scenario, it will only walk them off their adjustment, or blow the seals/ pipes because they rent as big.

That is funny, I have heard that too from people. They have no idea.

Technically no, all the documentation say not to do it that BUT I have never seen any pro do it any other way that I am showing you. My anti siphon was almost 20 years old when it finally failed and it was due to corrosion not an internal failure so I can tell you in my experience its always worked great

Thanks, I've been blowing my through the valve for 32 years now (bought our house i 1986). But our local plumber store says no. Hey I thank you for getting back with me. Vinnie

I have 8 zones, I do the first run of 2 minutes per zone. Then to be absolutely sure I do it one more time. So once its hooked up its just about 30 minutes total.

@@SilverCymbal awesome, thanks!

I had the same thing happen to me on my 2nd cycle at 60psi. I think that means there wasn't enough water to push them up. Hoping I didnt run it at too high of a psi, but reading your comment makes me think we are fine.

Hey thanks for letting me know you had same issue! Yeah, I have to think you’re right, I’m sure enough water was blown out.

means not enough air cfm to push them all up. The goal isn't to get 100% water out, just most of it so that when it freezes (and expands), there's plenty of room to accommodate the ice. I'd bet the ones that didn't come up are far and lower than the ones blowing air. Should still be okay.

Absolutely. And almost every single diy video I've watched they are plugging the compressor in before the backflow as well as a few other mistakes. That being said, this guys system wasn't installed optimally. He doesn't even have anywhere to hook up the compressor near the house on the correct side of the backflow.

I installed my system over 20 years ago and put my blowout valve before the back flow preventer. Keep the air pressure around 35-40 psi and you be fine.

Make sure you have a path for the air to go and your back pressure valve shouldn't see the full pressure of the compressor

New video just posted on how to open your own sprinklers: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bJublbGXzdzZm6M.html

They are ornamental grasses so they die off every year but not yet

@@SilverCymbal right on👍 Interesting video . I live Southwest of Phoenix AZ . We don't winterize sprinkler systems here

@@therealandrewcano Thank you

@@SilverCymbal 👍

Gluon Particle if you say it’s not true, say why. Otherwise people will assume you’re just trying not to lose business.

He can't because it isn't. Any real pro has no fear of losing business to DIY'rs. Home systems are nothing like giant commercial systems that run ball fields. etc that require a much larger compressors because their piping is larger and runs can be very long. Watch the water come out each zone and when it stops the water is out, if in doubt cycle it through for another few minutes per zone to be double sure that you are good. I can only share my experience doing this on 5 different homes with brands from Hunter, Rainbird and Toro with nothing but perfect results.

It's not about business like I said before when you need a plumber do you do it yourself? When you need an electrician do you repair it yourself? Same with irrigation. its because I have winterized thousands of houses. Ive seen the problems first hand! You people can do whatever you want I'm just saying from experience most people have caused themselves more money $$$ and frustration then to just have it done professionally.

@@SilverCymbal are you a professional irrigation technician?

@@gluonparticle9327 what did he do in this video that is so wrong?

Or do it yourself and take more time and do it right. 20 years on mine going strong.

Everybody's irrigation systems are different! Your gonna cause more problems and I bet you also fix your plumbing, your electric your heating just a jack of all trades right? Trust me your system will last way longer being winterized by a professional!

​@@gluonparticle9327 You can insult me all you want it doesn't change a thing and just makes me realize how spot on this video was.

Had the irrigation installers do mine the first year and he even told me I can handle it myself...I've been doing it for 15 years no problems. Depends if you are a handy person...nothing hard about it

@@donknicker8110 Same here, 3 different houses for 20 years with 0 problems. Most of the comments discouraging people are from pros that I can see.