# Can I Blow Out Just One Zone? Possible Debris in Line, Want to Try Cleaning



## silvertonesx24 (Aug 15, 2020)

I still have an issue with a single zone not coming up on my system. Only the furthest head comes up, and shoots out a little bit of water. I've replaced the valve body, solenoid, verified water is going through it, and no line leaks. The only theory I have left is that there is a clog somewhere in the line. The 3 heads that don't come up are buried, and I don't know where they are because they don't come up.

For unrelated reasons, the service guy was unable to blow out my system last year on winterize. Instead of an expensive service call that will take a month and a half to schedule, is it possible I can use my 5gal 125psi compressor to blow out just that one line to move any debris that may be stock? I've read up a ton on DIY winterize blowouts, but nothing specific to blowing out just one line.

I've seen people attach a shop vac to lines, but I'm not sure that would be very effective.

Valves are Hunter PGV, heads are Hunter I20, lines are polyurethane.


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

You can try to blow it out, but that may not fix the problem. I would suggest starting by removing the head that works and running the zone to see how much flow you have. That will also act to flush the line and should work as well or better than compressed air. You may need to pull the other heads on the zone and flush those laterals as well. If you are lucky, that will flush out something inside the line. More likely, though, there is an external compression on the line and you will find that you have low flow even with the heads removed. That is probably going to require some digging to find.


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## silvertonesx24 (Aug 15, 2020)

Thanks, I'll try removing the head that does come up. Wish there was an easy way to find the others. I do have compressions from tree roots on other zones, but it is unlikely there is one on this zone. This zone is almost completely in an open field. It is strange because the zone worked fine, then one day, it stopped.


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## Timbo3985 (Mar 19, 2019)

If removing the last head doesn't help to flush the debris, I would also try capping that last head so more pressure would in the line. Maybe that will force another head to pop up.


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

I didn't ask, but has that zone worked properly in the past? Is it possible that your main/irrigation supply max flow and/or pressure has changed and is now too low to run the zone well?


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## thebmrust (Jun 29, 2020)

Oh I know that game of "irrigation heads/whack a mole".

I have 1.6 acres and it took us almost 6 months to find our lines and sprinkler heads. Most were cut off and bulldozed.


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## RVAGuy (Jul 27, 2020)

Never tried this, but what if you disconnected (pulled apart) your valve to the zone and backfed compressed air at 80psi max? It may blow gunk out of the line or raise the other heads. Like a back-flushing procedure. It certainly couldn't hurt, if the air pressure was at a reasonable pressure...


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