Toro Custom Eleven Replacement Manifold

Our Toro Custom Eleven Sprinkler Controller decided it was too old to continue working.  This controller hydraulically controlls the valves in the yard via a 1/4" tube running to the zone valve.  When the time came for the zone to come on, the Toro Controller would release the water pressure in the 1/4" tube and that would open the valve in the yard.

A couple zones would not come on and it would get stuck on one zone and would not turn off.

After we figured out how this  engineering marvel operated and the replacement seemed a bit out of our price range, we decided to make a replacement. 

First we removed the old controller.  Turn off the water before you start.  Otherwise, your sprinkler system will come on and you'll have water gushing all over the place.

We came up with this little idea.  6 manual John Guest valves with one side connected to the zone tube and the other end connected to the drain line.  It is important to insure that all of your valves dump to the drain line, otherwise your wall will look like the one pictured.

Now opening each valve will turn on that sprinkler zone. 

Replacing this manifold with an updated sprinkler controller with all the bells and whistles (rain delay, seasonal, odd or even watering, etc.) is easy.

 

 

The original post is located on lukeup.com where you can purchase the valves.

 

I put our replacement in an Orbit cabinet so that it could be locked.

 

 

 

********************* Reader Contribution **********

Mike From Michigan shared his layout of the valves.  He removed the center post and using a mix of pneumatic and john guest fittings, he was able to get 7 valves in his cabinet.  I think it's a master peice of field engineering.