Hopefully a quick question for someone with more experience than I have with home irrigation systems. I did google around first and didn’t find my answer.
This auto drain is leaking(brand: king innovation). When messing with it I found that it’s installed on the pressurized line that feeds the valve box in the backyard. I didn’t think these would be installed on a line that’s pressurized pretty much all summer long. Is that a correct thing to do?
If that’s an okay thing to do then I’m assuming this part has just failed and needs replacement. If that’s not an okay thing to do can I just unscrew this drain and cap it off instead? I open the valves and blow it out by zone prior to winter.
“king drains” or auto drains are common. A short nipple and either a brass cross-top or pvc ball valve would be better. Just be sure that it is accessible in the end.
Are they common on the supply side of the valves though? That pipe constantly has ~150psi in it.
They are typical as low-point drains and manifold drains, both on the main line (always charged). Don’t just cap it if that would make a dead end, especially if it’s sloped down to drain. I can’t tell very well from the picture, but if it’s on a tee you would be okay putting in a threaded cap.
I think it depends on your definition of ‘okay thing to do.’ If you’ve never used it and only became aware of it once it failed: it has been functionally a fancy cap with extra parts. You can probably cap it without consequence.
It’s usually fully buried. So there really isn’t any interacting with it. It’s suppose to leak water when pressure drops below 5psi in the pipe. I think it’s weird that it’s installed on the side of the valve that constantly has water in it at ~150psi(city water pressure).
I know others are saying otherwise, and they probably know more than me, but I find it incredibly weird for a pressure drain fitting to be on the supply side. Why would that be there? The pressure should never be getting that low there and even if it does, you don’t need a drain because the supply side should be buried deep enough that it doesn’t need draining for the winter anyway.
