Good or bad Plumbing Idea??

[DD716TED]

When the front yard sprinkler system was installed at our home, the installer placed a valve under the house to shut the water off to the irrigation system in the winter... The only problem was that they placed it in a location that is very difficult to get at... about 2 feet directly beneath an 6" x 12" access panel.. My arms are hardly long enough to reach the valve and the older I get, the more difficult it becomes... MY QUESTION is: Is it reasonable to remove the existing valve "A" on the diagram and using 90 degree elbows, pcv pipe the same size as the original system has and install a new valve facing the access hole only 2 ft higher so one only has to reach in and turn it. The local big box "plumber associate" said not to do this using 90 degree elbows as they will wear out from water flow??? This system only has flow 15 minutes every 3 days and only during the summer... Comments and or opinions as it is a 66 ft crawl under the house to even get at the valve to do the job if it will work..

[akaothermick]

A easier method than changing all the piping, would be to get a valve handle extension installed in the valve pit, wear out from water flow?????, he must be using very abrasive water, or he is kidding!, most homes contain dozens of elbows that would be at risk if this was the case.

[HayZee518]

I tend to agree with [ak] could you make a "key" that would fit the sub terranium valve? sort of like a key they use to shut off a street bibb for your main water supply. the water dept's "key" is about ten feet long! yours would be only two feet.
use a piece of 3 inch pvc to go on top of and around the valve's handle to keep soil from falling in around the valve. cap it off with a 3 inch cap, just don't glue it in.
I agree with the big box guy. compare the water flow to driving a car straight ahead, then encountering an abrupt 90 degree change of direction. the water flow sees the same thing.

[DD716TED]

more info

The valve that is difficult to reach is a standard PVC valve which is located between the house supply and sprinkler system. The picture shows what the valve looks like... The piping and valve are just sitting on the concrete slab our house sits on. Are extensions available for these types of valves? I tried to make a notched piece of 2" PVC to straddle the sprinkler valve handle as an extension but it was very difficult to use it and once I got in on the valve, it fell off and I can't reach it..

[akaothermick]

They make extensions for most valves, though they are special order and can cost more than the valve, locate the same valve at a store and see if you can fabricate an extension yourself for it as it would be much cheaper, usually it's a simple thing like a piece of threaded rod or slotted tube, The curb box key is a good idea, big box stores sell universal models that might work, looks like a flat piece of stock with a slot on one end.http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?...llow&cId=PDIO1

[pushkins]

Where does the water come from for the sprinkler system, city water or well ? reason I ask is why not simply install a new shut off valve at a much more convenient location. Surely the whole thing doesn't run under the house ? that way you could simply forget the hard to get to valve and install a new one in a much better place.