You can easily clean a water solenoid valve by following these simple steps.

1. Unscrew the fittings from the solenoid valve, ensuring you keep track of how all parts fit together.
2. Use a cotton swab and clean water to clear any debris, rust or dirt from the water intake, around the o-ring gasket and from the magnetic armeture.
3. You can take this opportunity to inspec the rubber pad at the end of the plunger. If this is dented or damaged, it may not form a good seal, causing your valve to leak. This part is tricky to replace, and you may need a whole new solenoid valve.

 

Many solenoid valves are general purpose, and can be used with either water or air. If a valve is designed specifically for use with water, it will likely restrict airflow to an extent, but you should check with a solenoid valve supplier.

The parts of a water solenoid valve that may need repairing include:

• Wiring connections
• Plunger seal
• Coil insulation

To understand the parts of the valve that need repairing, open up the water solenoid valve casing and inspect each part carefully. All parts should be clean and free of debris or dirt. The terminals should be connected to the copper coil at each end – these can be repaired with solder. If the plunger seal, the rubber disc at the end of the plunger, is damaged or corroded, it won’t create a water-tight seal – this is difficult to repair, and you may need to replace the valve. The coil insulation is necessary to avoid burning out the part. If this is damaged or corroded, replace it.

When the water solenoid valve is switched off, the water pipe is closed by a plunger or rod made from ferrous metals such as iron or steel. Within the body of the solenoid, the rod is wrapped in a copper coil. When the system is switched on, an electrical current passes through the coil, creating a magnetic field. The magnetic field moves the rod out of the pipe, opening the way for water to flow through.