servicing Two Rocks to Trigg – call Andrew 0400044236
If you are looking for some repairs on your retic during the Christmas period then give us a call and we may be able to help.
We will be taking the regular public holidays, but apart from that it will be business as usual and we will take proper holidays when things are a little quieter.
Please don’t expect a return of call on any of the holidays, but feel free to leave a message or send an email.
For people with Hunter X Core Controllers this is one of the most common issues and it arises because the controller is incorrectly programmed.
What happens is the system comes on at 5.00am (or whenever you have set it for) runs thru the whole cycle and then does it again… and again… and again…
The problem is more than one identical start time being set.
By that I mean that start time 1 is 5.00am, start time 2 is 5.00am and then start time 3 is 5.00am. For some reason this confuses the machine and causes it behave in this way.
The reality is you only need one start time to run a program, so if you have this issue then ensure you only have one time set.
There can be a few causes of this, but its rare that it happens.
Typically when a system doesn’t have a master valve any time a solenoid fails the retic will leak, but its very unusual when there is a master valve.
I was at a property this week where the retic ‘wouldn’t shut off’.
When I got there the ball valve that isolates the retic had been closed because it wouldn’t stop running on station 1. I opened the ball valve and nothing happened… So obviously it had shut off…
I checked the controller and it was an X Core with some a dodgy dial that wouldn’t do what it was supposed to. So I replaced it, thinking that this was the source of the problem. It needed replacing anyway and when I tested it, all worked well.
Then I got a call that night telling me the retic was stuck on again…
Odd.
So I dropped in and checked the new controller and it was working fine – BUT – the retic was definitely stuck on station 1.
I had to do another job so I turned it off at the ball valve and went away for a few hours. When I returned and turned it on the water flow had stopped.
The only thing that could cause this was a faulty solenoid both on 1 and the master – perhaps solenoids that were slow closing or remaining partially open. I located solenoid 1, a Rainbird, and noticed that the bleed screw was just a little loose, so I tightened it and that fixed that. I went to the master and the bleed screw was loose on there as well.
Weird…
I have no idea how these screw get loose, but its worth knowing that this happened without any interference. No one messed with them.
If your retic won’t shut off and you have a master valve then check your bleed screws.
Hopefully tonight all will be well
Usually late September to early october is the busy season for those of us in reticulation.
The watering bans are lifted, the warmer weather hits and people venture outside to discover their sprinklers don’t work, or their control box display has gone blank.
We have had an unusually long winter this year so the ‘switch on’ hasn’t happened for most until just this last fortnight – which has meant that we have all been flat out with a deluge of calls.
If you have landed on this page because you are in that boat then please give us a call, but be aware we won’t be able to get there tomorrow!
Its that time of year when you switch reticulation back on so its likely you’ll be looking for someone to service your sprinklers and get it all up to speed for what looks like being a long hot summer.
So give us a call on 0400044236 and we will book a time to get everything working as it should be, set your controller and ensure you are ready for summer.
A few years back I found myself wondering why no one had devised an app for controlling irrigation and started investigating how to develop something like that myself.
But as time went on I discovered others were already in the race and were likely going to be ahead of me. I decided to leave it and wait to see what developed.
Well here’s one solution that has arrived on the market recently. Its called Hydrawise and offers remote control and programming of your system via a computer or smartphone.
Compared to regular controllers they are not cheap, but they do offer that extra functionality of remote programming. The website suggests the entry level home controller is $395.00 and then there are some options you can add to provide more information about your watering.
At this stage it is about double the cost of a regular X Core, so you’d really have to like those extra features to make it viable. While I like the idea I am yet to be convinced it is value for money.
Here is a video of someone who is pretty happy with the product.
My hope would be that someone would develop an ‘add on’ module for a controller that could be operated via smartphone that would cost approx $50.00 + set up. If this were the case then I think the take up would be high, but right now I think we are still in the innovation stage and costs are quite high.
Back in the olden days when blocks of land were large the typical backyard was big enough for a full length cricket pitch as well as the Hills Hoist.
These days most backyards are compact and good for a game of chess…
Last week we were in Lancelin and installed a bore, retic and turf in this property. We finished it on Thursday and it looks sensational.
The sprinklers used are top quality MP Rotators (3000 series nozzle) on 2 stations and the 320m of turf was Sir Walter Buffalo. Its a huge backyard ready for the kids to get out the footy.
Heinrich gets stuck into the 8 pallets of lawn we had delivered. Check out the quirky Hobbit house in the next block…
Finished product – looking great
So what do you do when your dad is a retic bloke and its a beautiful day outside?…
Grab some black poly pipe, some black plastic and some microsprays and create a water slide… Nice work kids
If you aren’t sure of how long your sprinklers are supposed to be on for then here is a graphic from the Water Authority with some approximate times.
The cost of Perth water increased another 10% in 2013 so it is more important than ever that you are careful with the use of your reticulation. It is estimated that up to 50% of household water usage is attributed to the sprinkler system so it pays not to waste any of that water.
One option I encourage people to consider is the installation of a bore. While the upfront cost of around $4K is significant if you plan on being in the property long term then this is an option well worth considering.
The price of water* is tiered i.e. the more you use, the more you pay. This is to help encourage the careful use of water.
*Ref: http://www.watercorporation.com.au/my-account/rates-and-charges