I am installing a new sprinkler valve system. Everything was pre-assembled with three valves, all I had to do was connect the incoming water and outgoing water. As part of the "testing" procedure it says to "turn manual bleed screw counterclockwise until water flows out". My understanding of this based on previous experience with other valves (although it has been a while and I may be mis-remembering) is that when I loosen the bleed valve it will bypass the solenoid and water will flow out into the outgoing pipes to the yard. But instead, when I do this water starts flowing out the top of the bleed valve, quickly flooding the top of the valve. Meanwhile, if any water if flowing through the actual pipes it isn't enough to make any of the typical hissing noises of air flushing out the ends that precedes water coming out, and no water comes out even the shortest line.
When I tighten the bleed screw the leak stops. There isn't much play between off and leaking, only a fraction of a turn, but I have tried turning it just barely to the point of leaking (just over 1/6th of a turn) and still nothing.
I'm a bit puzzled as to how I can manually turn on the water to test everything out and maybe run the water a bit before I get the electrical part installed to run it automatically. I'm also questioning whether it is really supposed to leak this much water, as if I turn it only 1/3 of a turn total it is spraying water all over the box getting all the valves completely wet! Are there different types of bleed valves, some of which only leak instead of turning the water on? This is a brand new unit with three stations and the two connected stations have the same behavior, so it seems really unlikely it is defective.
Update: The third station has no outgoing pipe, but when I tried turning it on via the bleed valve that valve leaks too but no water comes out the open pipe at the end.
Update 2: It's an "Orbit Sprinkler Valve System" aka "Orbit 3/4-in or 1-in Inline Preassembled Sprinkler Manifold"
