We recommend that you follow these guidelines when installing your valves:
Valve Orientation
Each valve has an inlet and an outlet. An arrow is molded into the body of each Hunter valve that indicates the direction that water should flow.
Use nipples with "cut" threads rather than fittings with molded threads.
From brand to brand, there can be a substantial variation in the thread size of molded threaded pipe fittings (such as male adapters). When used with any type of valve, this variability in size can lead to fittings which can be "too tight" with some brands and "not tight enough" with others. Using nipples with cut threads will help to avoid these problems.
Use teflon paste on the threads of the nipple in lieu of teflon tape.
Teflon paste will fill in the voids between the threads of the valve and nipple. In contrast, teflon tape tends to add dimension to the nipple, making a tighter fit than necessary between the fitting and the valve. As a general rule of thumb, hand-tighten the nipple into the valve, then tighten 1/4 turn more using a wrench. While not a hard and fast rule, in almost every case this will provide a correctly installed, leak-free connection. When tightening the nipple, do not use the solenoid or flow control as a grip handle.
Use waterproof wire connectors to connect solenoid wires to low voltage irrigation wire in the valve box.
Connections that are not waterproof will corrode causing too much electrical resistance. This high resistance will blow fuses or circuit breakers in the controller.
