Which valve styles are available as automatic valves?

• A. Ball and check
• B. Gate and needle
• C. Anti-siphon and globe (angle and inline)
• D. Butterfly and diaphragm

Answer: (C)

Automatic valves are those that can be opened or closed by an electric signal, typically through a solenoid or pilot mechanism, rather than by hand. In irrigation, the styles most commonly made to operate automatically are anti-siphon valves, which are designed with built-in backflow prevention and are controlled by a solenoid, and globe-style valves (both inline and angle bodies), which are well suited to pilot or solenoid actuation and provide reliable throttling and sealing. This combination covers the valve designs routinely manufactured for automatic control in irrigation systems.

Other styles like ball, gate, needle, butterfly, or diaphragm valves are not as commonly used as automatic control valves in typical irrigation setups. They may be manual-isolation types or have characteristics that complicate reliable automatic operation, so they’re not the standard choice for automatic valves.