servicing Two Rocks to Trigg – call Andrew 0400044236
If you have an X Core controller that seems to be playing up then the most likely cause is that it needs resetting.
This can be done easily.
1. Press and hold the ‘PROG’ button.
2. While holding the ‘PROG’ button press the RESET button for 3 seconds, then release the RESET button while continuing to hold the ‘PROG’ button.
3. Continue holding ‘PROG’ button until time is displayed (this takes about 8 seconds)
On September 1 we can all switch our retic back on.
Inevitably that is the time when you discover that it isn’t working quite the way you hope it should. If that is the case and your retic needs servicing then give us a call on 0400044236 and we can book you in.
The spring and early summer months are always flat out so beat the rush and get in asap!
The first time I did some DIY retic I tried to install my kerbside sprinklers by digging along the line of the kerb.
Big mistake!
After 10 minutes I had all but given up. You see the soil along the kerb is actually roadbase. It is hard and rocky and not easy digging. If you want to install sprinklers along the kerb then dig a trench one metre away from the kerb and parallel to it and then ‘t’ off to the point where you need sprinklers. You will still need to do some hard digging but it will save you a lot of effort and you will do the job right.
The other tip with kerbside sprinklers is to make sure they are well below kerb height – because they will get driven over. If you’re lucky they won’t get damaged, but if they are even sticking up a little bit then expect to replace them regularly.
I get calls from one client a few times each summer to replace the same sprinkler. Personally I reckon it would be easier just to sink the sprinkler a bit lower…
The short answer is ‘yes of course’.
The longer answer is ‘why would you?…’
Obviously budget is a consideration, but if you are going to spend a lot of money on earthworks and turf then it only makes sense that in a climate like ours you make watering your turf as easy as possible.
If you lay turf in Perth then you can ring 131039 to get a watering exemption and that will allow you water 3 times a day for around 30 days. In summer this is essential. Obviously its less of a consideration in the cooler months, but I often tell people that the only thing that will kill a new lawn is insufficient water. (Not strictly true – but let’s assume it is pest free)
I have laid a couple of lawns without retic only to be called back in a month or so and asked to install sprinklers. If the lawn hasn’t taken it is actually a much harder (and more expensive) job because it involves lifting the new rolls of turf, digging where they were and then trying to get the ground level again. Its much easier just to pull a trencher thru a fully established lawn, so if you have to go this route then wait around 3 months to be safe.
So if you are considering laying a new lawn then please please please… make sure you have reticulation!
There is no ‘warranty’ with new lawn as it is a living organism and will only respond to whatever nourishment it receives from the owner. We do guarantee to lay it correctly and provide it in excellent weed free condition, but after that it’s up to you to make sure it is kept healthy.
So if you’re considering just wacking down some lawn to make things look better then think again unless you have functional sprinklers…
When you live in the outermost suburb of the city it can be difficult to find good tradies. For Two Rocks residents we want you to know that Brighton Reticulation is based in Yanchep and is able to give prompt, reliable service at very short notice.
We are a local business and committed to the local area so give us a call and we will be able to give you an excellent price and top notch service on your retic and turf needs.
We offer some general guidelines on our home page here, but the truth is it can vary considerably depending on the type of soil we need to dig in, the ease of accessibility and the simplicty or otherwise of the job. A new house is fairly easy to give an estimate for and we suggest that typical costs to expect are:
To give you an idea of what to expect a very rough ball park figure for a 4 x 2 home on a 600m block with 5 or 6 stations is usually around $2600.00 + GST including plumber and sparkie. These prices do vary with the seasons so if you ‘need it done now’ over summer chances are that with any retic business you will pay a premium. If you can wait until winter then you will probably save 10-20%.
A front install on this kind of home would be around $1500.00 + GST and a rear install usually around $1100.00 + GST.
If your home is established and we need to dig through grass, tree roots and flower beds then we will charge extra for that, but a straightforward installation is usually in the ballpark of the prices above.
But the best way to go is to get in touch and we can then meet up onsite, walk thru the plans and get a clear picture from there.
A lot of people ask me what the best sprinklers are, and the answer is that it depends on the job it needs to do.
Here are some pros and cons of various types of sprinklers:
Standard Toro/Rainbird pop-ups: are good sprinklers in that distribute a lot of water in a short space of time and they are cheap and easy to replace. If well maintained the sprinkler body and seals can easily last 5 years. Their negative is that their spray can mist and get easily blown by the wind.
Gear Drives – Gear drives are tough and are generally used over larger areas or where there may be traffic expected. You wouldn’t use gear drives in smaller lawn areas as they are really suited to areas 8m and larger. You can generally only get 3 gear drives/station off suburban pressure, but if you have a rectangular backyard then these could suit. They are more expensive than the standard pop-up, but you will use fewer of them.
MP Rotators – These are nozzles that slot inside regular sprinkler bodies. They distribute water slowly and allow better penetration. They can also span large areas and an entire front lawn can often be done on one station because of their low water requirements. Their negative is that they are expensive and if you have a bore they will result in your pump running for longer.
Impact Sprinklers – these are the classic old ‘machine gun’ types that pump out a heap of water over a very long distance and have an adjustable arc. These aren’t pretty because they need to sit above surface level but they can cover a huge area so if you are tight on $$ and want to do the job cheaply one of these in each corner might just get you by.
Not sure how to set your control box and lost the manual?
Then just check this page and you may well find your box listed and them manual that is required.
So what’s the deal when your retic box if switched to off and a solenoid is still receiving an electrical signal and is stuck open?
Honestly I have no idea…
But its happened to me 3 times now and today I was able to resolve it.
The first two times were with Hunter EC 2 station control boxes and I couldn’t find a solution and ended up changing the box over. It was a faulty box, but this time I had another 3 terminals to test before doing a swap. On terminals 4 & 5 the solenoid stuck open (there was negilible voltage coming from the terminals (4V) but when I switched the wires to terminal 6 the problem went away.
I have no idea what was going on but on each occasion it has been a Hunter control box that has been the problem. Today was a brand new X Core.
So if you find a solenoid stuck open despite there being no voltage going to it maybe you’re not crazy. Maybe its the control box doing some crazy stuff
This is an interesting question.
We have always pitched ourselves at the mid-price range so that we can use quality parts, do an excellent job and give a proper warranty. You can always get cheaper – and sometimes you will get the same for cheaper – but generally speaking the old rule applies that ‘you get what you pay for’.
Installations are always on a case by case inspection, but the following ‘set up costs’ can be expected:
To give you an idea of what to expect a VERY rough ball park figure for a 4 x 2 home on a 600m block with 5 or 6 stations is usually around $2600.00 + GST
A front install on this kind of home would be around $1500.00 + GST (because of all the set up costs) and a rear install usually around $1100.00 + GST
We always compete on price so feel free to let us know your best quote and we will try to beat it.