What the heck is this?

[F2CMaDMaXX]

I have this sticking out the ground, i dug around it to expose the pipe.

Sorry for the bad pictures, it basically spurts water out the top when our sprinkler system is on, not in a spray patter, just like the open pipe it looks like.
In the second picture, there is a little hole in the side that you can just about make out near the top, if i put my hand over the top, it kind of sprays out that hole.

There is a little writing on there too, like H2 size 2 or something, which makes it think that it's some kind of partial or just old sprinkler system (as well as coming on when the sprinklers are on.

It's of no use to me, it doesn't work as a sprinkler and it's wasting water and pressure from the rest of that circuit, how can i block it off?

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[Jamie6.5]

It's a standpipe for a removable sprinkler head. There is supposed to be a spring-loaded check ball in it so that it won't spray/leak water when the sprinkler head isn't installed. For whatever reason (rust, corrosion, crud etc) the checkball isn't seating and is allowing the water to get by.

You can probably head down to the local irrigation company and buy a sprinkler that will go in there, or just unscrew it and cap the pipe or install a permanent sprinkler in its place.

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

Awesome, thank you.

I wonder if i can shove a screwdriver down there and see if the BB is there there.

So, there used to be a huge tree where this is, before i moved here, it's the only evidence of another sprinkler system i've found, everything is is modern Rainbird stuff.

But unfortunately i'm not much of a plumber, there is no need for a sprinkler there, so this just needs capping, but i've no idea how, i didn't even know i could cap it. The pipe it's screwed to is, or appears to be old galvanised pipe, it's threaded at least, can i just buy a threaded end cap from Lowes or something?

 

[Jamie6.5]

Awesome, thank you.

I wonder if i can shove a screwdriver down there and see if the BB is there there.

So, there used to be a huge tree where this is, before i moved here, it's the only evidence of another sprinkler system i've found, everything is is modern Rainbird stuff.

But unfortunately i'm not much of a plumber, there is no need for a sprinkler there, so this just needs capping, but i've no idea how, i didn't even know i could cap it. The pipe it's screwed to is, or appears to be old galvanised pipe, it's threaded at least, can i just buy a threaded end cap from Lowes or something?

Yeah, once you get that fitting off. They used to be really common on sports fields etc. Especially when/wherever large gang mowers were used. The crew would only install the sprinklers when it was time to water.
Those fittings were usually just below ground level.

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

Yeah, this only just uncovered itself earlier in the week, never knew about it before, explains why the rest of that circuit lost pressure earlier in the year, wasting a ton of water too

Thank you.

 

[Provincial]

There used to be a cap than hinged on the tab with the hole in it on the housing. Once it was lost, debris got in the socket and caused the seal to leak.

The socket has a regular pipe thread. A hardware store pipe cap will fit. Be prepared for the pipe to fail when you try to remove the socket. It isn't a real difficult problem if you are prepared in advance.

 

[Swedish K]

Haven't seen one of those in years - a friend had that setup in the side lot back in the early 80s (house built in the late 50s).
Hope it comes apart easily and you don't have to dig out the pipe back to the prior fitting to cap that line off.

 

[Velzey]

All I know is if I found that growing here in my yard, I would use it as a target stand!

 

[jbett98]

The little hole in the side is most likely a drain hole for any standing water left in the sprinkler head fitting after the pressure is turned off. It would prevent freezing in cold weather.
Dig down a ways so you can get a pipe wrench on the lower stand pipe and also try heating up the fitting a bit to loosen the corrosion on the threads.
Use a galvanized steel cap not a cheap plastic cap, as they tend to split when they're tightened down onto male steel threads.

 

[Jamie6.5]

The little hole in the side is most likely a drain hole for any standing water left in the sprinkler head fitting after the pressure is turned off. It would prevent freezing in cold weather.
Dig down a ways so you can get a pipe wrench on the lower stand pipe and also try heating up the fitting a bit to loosen the corrosion on the threads.
Use a galvanized steel cap not a cheap plastic cap, as they tend to split when they're tightened down onto male steel threads.

Actually, those fitting heads are solid brass, (yeah, the old stuff was the good stuff in this case) so corrosion shouldn't be much of a problem.
It wouldn't surprise me a bit if it screws right off of there.

 

[Medic!]

Why not chase the old system back where it ties in at the house or the new system. Then cut and cap it.
Take the old system out of the mix. And not have to worry about any other unseen leaks?

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

Thanks all for the extra info, interestingly it is on the far end of that circuit.

I was able to turn it a little but the pipe it's screwed to turned instead, so I will need to wrench it.

As for chasing it back, I don't think that's practical, it's going to be under lawn and other things so I'm not even sure how it's linked to the new stuff, they must have either extended it or reconnected this to the nearest head on the new system.

 

[jbett98]

Now that you have backed the riser pipe out , you will need to dig it up and remove the riser pipe and put some new thread sealer on it, or, better yet install a threaded plug into the female joint.
Once you back off a threaded pipe, you can't just tighten it back up and expect it not to leak.
That's why I always heat up the fitting before hand.
Many a time I've been working on one fitting, only for another one to start leaking because I was wrenching real hard 30' away.

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

Now that you have backed the riser pipe out , you will need to dig it up and remove the riser pipe and put some new thread sealer on it, or, better yet install a threaded plug into the female joint.
Once you back off a threaded pipe, you can't just tighten it back up and expect it not to leak.

Meh, I like to think I can