Is there a trick/way to know if water pressure is going through PVC?

[RickFlorida]

Hi everyone,

I have only two irrigation zones that should come from under this concrete, not 3. (I suspect one of the pipes is unused and is an older irrigation installation as I found older unused pipes in my 3rd zone not pictured here (other side of yard).

My question please is this..... Is there a way I can be sure when I have my pump on that the unused pipe is the one on the right? All 3 are basically touching. I have a mechanics stethoscope but haven't tried it yet, is there any other tricks? I believe the unused older one is the one on the right but I'd like to be sure and not have to cut it. You never really know what pipes are for when you have an old house so it's best not to cut stuff if you don't need to. thanks.

 

[Twowaxhack]

If you dig a little more you might find the unused one has a cap on it.

 

[RickFlorida]

If you dig a little more you might find the unused one has a cap on it.

That's a good point and I have to dig there any ways. I'm probably way overthinking this and will figure it out as I go. So far I always have. LOL
thank you sir. I had a lot of "fun" when I was digging up the first zone and I found out where my wellhead is the hard way. I hit the well PVC pipe with a heavy duty irrigation shove. (the heavy and sharp shovels that are straight used for cutting the sides of a trench that you then use a trench shovel to hand dig the trenches for pvc irrigation pipe). Luckily, I was able to cap it and I learned where my well is! I took the extra steps of putting in a shut off on that PVC pipe that has well pressure (the original shut off to well head does work but the handle is badly corroding so I wanted a back up). Then I installed a large valve cover box over the new shut off and another one where the actual well head is underground so I can find it in the future. An interesting thing I learned when I found it is that I believe it's a shared well. Other people in the neighborhood said they've seen that before. The pressure is incredible. I guess cause it's a deep artesian well. And it was actually good I knicked it because I not only found it, but I also found that the clear PVC glue was failing and the well head would have blown anyways where had I not replaced some of that PVC. But long story shorter, I'm kind of scared to cut or hit stuff now that I went through that scary moment.

(the pressure of the artesian well was incredible, it was a miracle myself and a guy that helps me sometimes were able to capy it with hot blue pvc glue.).
Had I failed to cap it, I guess I would have to call a well company and here in Florida they are so busy and get so much work, they don't like to do repairs, just full blown brand new wells so I would have been out thousands I suppose.

But the 3 pipes here are definitely just zone pipes from my index valve so no worries.

 

[slipperypete]

Glad you figured it out. I would not be comfortable if my neighbor was doing diy work on our shared well.