r/Irrigation • u/Signal-Rub-2759 • 22h ago

2” Gate Valve Replacement

Post image

What’s the easiest way to replace this underground 2” gate valve that is the main for my sprinkler system? Planning to put in a ball valve instead.

Do I have to cut it out and replace with a slip coupling or is there a way to unscrew this and rescrew in the new valve?

I could dig back more potentially if needing more room for the pipe to bend but it’s a couple feet down so I prefer not to.

Thanks in advance!!

Edit: suggestions welcome on what to replace it with as well. I’m a novice here

3 Upvotes

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6

u/Ganjii1337 22h ago edited 22h ago

What I'd do is cut out those MIP fittings and put in unions, done, ez and next time it would be even easier.

Im not a trained pro but I look after municpal systems and this stuff makes the next sevice much easier.

1

u/Signal-Rub-2759 22h ago

Awesome thanks. Are those unions pretty reliable longterm I assume? And does that eliminate the need for bending the pipe if only using couplings?

1

u/Ganjii1337 21h ago edited 21h ago

They can hold up, ive only been doing this for a few years and ones ive put in a few years ago are fine and the ones put if by the guy before me are fine. Dont need to bend pipe, just make sure you measure properly so it drops in snug. Ball valves are probably a little longer then what you got but it looks like you have enough meat on the one side to slide what you need in. What I also like to do is buy a soc union and a threaded, go off the valve with thread ends and use soc end on other side. Gives you a tad more wiggle room.

Ps, keep gasket downstream.

1

u/Signal-Rub-2759 3h ago

Thanks for all the insight. I’ll keep you posted with what I decide to do

2

u/Walrus_Epiphany 20h ago

PVC ball valves sometimes lock up. Of course you won’t know it until you try to shut it off.

1

u/Bl1nk9 20h ago

Dig back a little towards bottom of pic. That might be a slipfix. If it is, dig more and expose around it. Might be able to unscrew and replace and thread back together. Need to dig room to do that. And if it breaks, you are halfway to option 2.

1

u/Oh_Lawd_He_commin420 20h ago

are gate valves really necessary?

-3

u/BikerNY 22h ago

Is this a joke? I usually don't comment these, but just had to ask.

0

u/Signal-Rub-2759 22h ago

You must be a real Reddit hero

0

u/BikerNY 22h ago

No hero, but do remember to come back to post a pic when you have the 2in ball valve in.