# Hunter valve will remain closed BUT wont close when opened



## kl9 (Dec 21, 2020)

I've been landscaping and irrigating for many years now but have rarely done a full brand new install. I'm doing a new install at my house. I have 7 zones. Everything is installed and I've pressurized the system and everything is good. I am in the process of flushing the system. So, I go to zone 1 and manually open the electric valve and the heads begin pouring water (nozzles not yet installed). After a few minutes, I manually close the electric valve but the water doesn't stop flowing. I have to use the ball valve in front of the electric valve to turn the zone off. Now with everything on the electric valve closed (solenoid and bleed screw) I can turn on the ball valve and the electric valve will remain closed. This does not happen at every valve just about half of them. They're not installed backwards either. Some valves turn on and off manually just fine.
Another issue is that I have an electric valve that turned on and off manually with no problems. After I flushed that zone I installed the spray nozzles. Then I manually turned on the electric valve and the system worked. BUT when I went to manually turn off the electric valve the zone did not shut off.
I'm using 1" Hunter ICV valves
Static pressure is 80 psi


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Water pressure is what opens and closes the valves. Most likely you have debris in the valves and is not letting them seal close.


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## kl9 (Dec 21, 2020)

Thanks for the response 
What's the best way to flush the valve? Will opening it and letting it run usually do it? Or should I remove the bonnet and manually clean the valve? I've heard people suggest removing the bonnet and turning on the water, but I imagine that would get more dirt in the valve from the water quickly rising above the valve in the valve box and thereby running dirt into it.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Remove the bonnet and manually clean.


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