Finding the valve?

[Palmetto Bug]

Does anyone know any tricks to finding the solenoid valves of a yard irrigation system? I seen little devices that make the solenoid chatter (chatterbox) but I don't know if that will work on a stuck or frozen, non-working solenoid.

We've tried a cheapo metal detector and found a few of the sprinkler heads that have metal on their tops but I doubt even a high end one would find a solenoid that's 6 or 8 inches deep.

I've tried a network circuit toner and inductive amp to no avail.

[Saltydog235]

Does anyone know any tricks to finding the solenoid valves of a yard irrigation system? I seen little devices that make the solenoid chatter (chatterbox) but I don't know if that will work on a stuck or frozen, non-working solenoid.

We've tried a cheapo metal detector and found a few of the sprinkler heads that have metal on their tops but I doubt even a high end one would find a solenoid that's 6 or 8 inches deep.

I've tried a network circuit toner and inductive amp to no avail.

They aren't in a box with a cover on it? We typically lay them out either near the pump/controller or at the start of a zone.

[Catdaddy]

Did they lay an extra wire down in the trench? They have a checker they connect to the extra wire and locate the solenoid.

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[Palmetto Bug]

I live at an old beach house that has been subjected to many years of shade-tree handyman abuse. The valves are in boxes but they have long been overtaken by the grass. I have messed with them several years ago and have a vague idea where they might be but nothing about this system is standard or rational. I used a metal tee probe and followed the pipes but that was extremely tedious and time consuming.

I found an irrigation system tester on amazon that is made for toning buried irrigation wires. It looks very similar to the one I tried that is made for computer network circuits but perhaps with a much stronger toner. It also has the chatter function but, as I said previously, I don't think a frozen solenoid will chatter. The tester is not the cheapest gizmo they have but it's almost $200 and I'm not confident it will work so I'm asking the SCDucks think tank.

[CurLee]

About 4ft of 10ga copper wire, cut in two, and bent into L-shapes.

[Tha Dick]

Borrow an electrical line locator and hook it to the zone control wire and follow it.

[Palmetto Bug]

Update:

I bought a Tempo irrigation system tester that has several functions like solenoid chatter, toner and circuit tester. The toner isn't any better than my network circuit tester. The tone can't be heard on the buried cables. The chatter function had been useless too. I still need to give it one more try on a still and quiet night to see if someone without screaming tinnitis can hear the solenoids buzz. The circuit tester is useable and let's you know if it is open or connected to a solenoid. I could check that with my multimeter. The most useful function is the ability to energize a zone circuit independently of the timer box.

After a lot of trench digging. I chased the wire from the timer box and found a cable cut. From that cut wire, I was able to energize the three valves that weren't working. I just need to do some wire splicing and hole filling and things will be back to normal. I still don't know where the valves are though.

[charlie horse]

Have some building materials delivered, they will hit it.