SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers

Recently bought the house, and it has an older system.

The lady we bought it from said that there was a leak in around zone 4 (6/11 zone system) and that she just had it "shut off over there somewhere".

I've found the main valve for it, and the timer has (what I assume to be, based on the limited schematic) the correct voltages everywhere. I'm fairly "ept" at doing things myself, but I need a place to look first.

Can anyone suggest a starting point?

I understand the manufacturer of the timer is out of business, but I expect most of the rest of it are fairly standard parts.

Thanks in advance.

(I need it fairly quickly, as the soil is drying badly and the house is sinking...)

Sorry. It wasn't clear.

SOMEWHERE, there is a leak, and the sprinkler was shut-off somewhere else (honestly, those were her words, but in her defense, she's like 300 years old).

I guess what I'm trying to figure out, is if there is a way to find the control valves and the main valve that are now since buried.

I found three control valves out of seven, and have worn myself out poking into the (soon to be) desert floor that was once a yard, with a piece of re-bar.

Are the valves generally laid out in a straight line, or should I widen my search?

Just for grins and giggles, what does it take to turn on a control valve manualy.