DIY madness Part II: "A New Beginning."

Let me start by saying that ever since I started work on my irrigation system I have been haunted. Whenever I close my eyes I hear heavy breathing and someone whispering:

Mad ... I am your faaaaather...

The voice sounds like Bob Fucking Vila. It's creepy. All I can figure is that by committing to this particular home improvement project I somehow created a disturbance in the DIY Force and now Bob Vila, the Darth Vadar of home improvement, is trying to get me to join him on the dark side.

Like I said creepy.

Recapping from yesterday :

The irrigation controller valve manifold I made from f'ing scratch will not fit in the irrigation controller valve box I bought. Also, I can't take the valve box back and exchange it for a bigger one because I already cut a hole in it.

Another visit to HomeDepot was called for. This time armed with pen and graph paper.

After an hour in the Plumbing isle (only occasionally needing to chase off nosy HomeDepot employee with my essential HomeDepot shopping aid) I came to the following conclusions:

1. The current manifold has got to go. It will never fit inside the valve box.


2. Making things out of PVC is kind of fun. Some of that fun is probably due to the epoxy fumes you wind up breathing but, whatever; PVC is cheap and it's relatively easy to work with.


3. I need a new manifold plan and a parts list and everything will be fine.

So I turned on my IPod, found a comfy place on the floor of the plumbing isle and set to work with my pen and my graph paper. 15 minutes or so later I had a new plan. Behold the new and much improved irrigation control valve manifold plan:


From "Teh New Plan" I put together a parts list:

• (3) Ninety degree elbows (3/4" sched. 40 PVC)


• (1) Four way junction (3/4" sched. 40 PVC)


• (1) "T" junction (3/4" sched. 40 PVC)


• (3) 3/4" pipe to 3/4" mpt junction. Left these out of the diagram - oops! Use them to connect the manifold to the valve/filter assembly.


• (1) 3/4" pipe to 1" fpt junction (for drain plug)


• (1) 1 inch mpt drain plug


• (1) Five foot section of 3/4" sched. 40 pvc pipe.

I get out of HomeDepot only having to spend six bucks ... I almost feel guilty.