Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #94674 in Lawn & Patio
• Brand: Toro
• Model: 53300
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 9.80" h x 8.50" w x 4.80" l, 2.10 pounds

Features

• One-inch pressure vacuum breaker prevents back-siphonage of contaminated water into pressurized, potable water supplies
• Easy to winterize with the twist-off cap
• Economical and easy to install; built-in unions for easy maintenance
• Works with any brand of irrigation systems
• 1-inch female NPT inlet and outlet

Amazon.com Product Description
The Toro 1-inch pressure vacuum breaker prevents the back-siphonage of contaminated water into pressurized, potable water supplies. Economical and easy to install, this atmospheric vacuum breaker makes it simple to winterize with the twist-off cap. The reliable design features a one-inch female NPT inlet and outlet and built-in unions for easy maintenance and easy access to test ports. For new or replacement installations, this pressure vacuum breaker works with any brand of irrigation system.

Customer Reviews

Effective and cheap
This device works fine for my application (residential with plastic pipe), but it does need to be thoroughly bled for winter to avoid freeze damage. Easy to assemble and seal, and there doesn't seem to be much alternative at this price.

Certified Backfow Assembly Tester
This backflow preventer is not approved by authorities in Washington state, and probably no other. Being constructed of plastic, it is prone to freeze damage.

Simple to install, wonder how long it'll last.
We recently purchased a house that had one of these installed as part of the irrigation system. When we moved in we discovered that it was old and leaking constantly. I installed a new one and now the irrigation system is functional.

Installing it was straightforward and fairly simple. You'll only need an adjustable wrench (a larger one) and some "teflon" tape. If the installation goes smoothly this should take you about 15 minutes or less. The only problem I had during installation was getting the threaded joints to seal. It took me several tries before the connections didn't leak. Even now, there is a very slight leak (an excruciatingly slow drip). I do not know if this is because of the fittings on the valve, or the threaded pipe I was connecting it to.

I would caution you--if you unscrew anything--to pay close attention to how the pieces need to be reassembled.

Two concerns: First, the valve itself is plastic. All other valves I've seen of this sort are brass, so I wonder how durable this valve will be. Time will tell, I guess. Second, while there was a connection and parts diagram in the box, there were no instructions for actual use. For example, the valve can be "winterized", but I've no clue how to do it because instructions were not provided. I don't know if this is not provided normally, or if I just happened to get one with the instructions missing.

Update on 7/2/2009: To answer my question on how long the valve will last, in my case it was only 6 months. I'd downgrade my previous rating if Amazon would let me. I replaced it with a brass PVB purchased at my local irrigation supply store.