My son discovered this video on Youtube today and is pretty keen to make one… Luckily we have all the parts we need in the back of the Cruiser!
Tricky Access Reticulation
Sometimes it can be difficult to install a system when there is no way of running wire from the control box to the solenoids. Maybe the liquid limestone went in too quickly and people hadn’t considered the future problems.
It may not be all over…
There are a couple of battery powered solenoids models available that require w ater supply, but do not need a control box positioned on the wall. We prefer to use the Hunter Node for reliability and ease of use. It functions in much the same way as the X Core controller and had the option of installing multiple solenoids, so even if you can’t access your water meter or get power to your solenoids the ‘Node’ may still allow you have a functioning retic system
Changing Seasons And a Great Time to Install Turf
This cooler weather is the perfect time to install some turf.
It will grow well before winter, you can avoid the heat and your lawn will look great.
Give us a call for a free quote. We can usually give you a pretty good estimate over the phone and then can measure up if we are looking like going ahead
How to Progam a Hunter X Core
This is the most common controller we use so for those who would like some easy to follow instructions here they are courtesy of Hunter
Part 2 – some more advanced programming:
Solenoids Are Directional
So you have put a new solenoid on but it doesn’t seem to be sealing?
Chances are you may have put it on back to front. Yes – solenoids are intended for water flow in one direction only. If you can’t seem to get the water to stop then check the base of the solenoid to see which way the arrow is pointing and if it isn’t in the direction of water flow then you will need to remove it and turn it around.
Another test is to see if the solenoid seals when you turn it ‘on’. Sometimes when solenoids are installed back to front they will stop water flow when the coil is turned to the on position. Either way – get the direction wrong and you will need to dis-assemble and start over.
Why We Recommend MP Rotators Over Other Rotary Nozzles
Sure – this is Hunter propaganda, but in my experience MPs have proven themselves to be top quality nozzles over time. It is not uncommon for me to return to a house I installed MP rotators in after 3-4 years and see them performing as well as the day we installed them.
Reticulation Over Christmas
At Brighton retic we are taking a break from Dec 25 through to Jan 7th.
Enjoy the holiday season as we celebrate the birth of Christ.
My Retic Won’t Shut Off
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.
When Retic Won’t Switch Off
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
The Busy Season For Reticulation
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!