How do I turn on my pressurized irrigation system?

[Dave]

I just moved into a sub-division with pressurized irrigation. I am trying to figure out how to turn it on. Under the control box cover in the front yard there are 2 gate valves. Then there is a Watts regulator inline with a pipe with 2 brass ball valves. I opened the ball valves and then turned the gate valves open with an irrigation key (they are

36" down). The first gate valve did noting. The second let water through but all 4 or 5 outflow ports on the regulator were spewing water. I had the sprinkler irrigation system on in manual mode and nothing came out of the sprinkler heads. Any idea what the landscaping company did when they winterized the system for the previous owner that I am not undoing correctly?

Thanks, Dave

[Dave]

Ahhhhh Hah! It was the little valves on the outflow ports that had to be closed. Just turned them so the notches were perpendicular to the outflow direction.

[Dave]

Another question:

The gate valve in the PVC pipe at the top of the photo turns on the water supply. The second one does nothing as far as I can tell. Would that be part of a vacuum breaker? Should I leave it closed or open?

Check out the photo here:

have heard that a vacuum breaker is required to keep irrigation water from being sucked back into the water main in the event of a water main break.Though I suspect that this system is on pressurized irrigation. How can I tell. The irrigation company is so busy this time of year that they haven't called me back. My neighbors are clueless.