Get Your Irrigation Under Control!

By Larry Shield, LCN Product Editor ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Controller programming should be done with as many start times as possible and short enough run times to avoid run-off during each cycle. The sensor equipment simply eliminates all cycles that are not needed. A regular controller would be set up with different parameters including: soil type, zip code, plant zone type, weather sensor, type of irrigation and application rate. Credit: Ewing Irrigation Products

Water conservation issues will continue to be a hot topic in the new millennium. That?EUR??,,????'?????<

LCN interviewed some experts in the irrigation industry to lend advice on what steps a landscape contractor should take in setting up and maintaining these systems.

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Making Installation of Irrigation Controllers Profitable

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There is no secret or short- cut to profitability when it comes to installing irrigation controllers, said Benjamin Raines, CLIA, DIG Corp. Like any other aspect of landscape construction, (i.e. planting trees, installing sod or laying mainline), profitability will increase when the labor hours are reduced. The simplest way to reduce labor hours is to have skilled, experienced installers delegated to the appropriate job.

Some irrigation controllers have on site weather stations where they plug in the data to increase or decrease the run times. With this Hunter Industries ET System and optional ET-wind, there?EUR??,,????'?????<Credit: Ewing Irrigation Products

Key Features

As far as sensor equipment is concerned, ease of installation and a simple user interface are of significant importance, said Penning. In order to make the installation quick and cost-effective the installer should be able to accomplish the entire installation in a single trip.

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Commercial irrigation controllers are usually installed in some type of vandal proof lockable enclosure. Make sure the electrical sweeps are large enough to handle the number of wires that will be pulled through them. You need to delegate the job to people that are trained, experienced and have the skills necessary for controller installation. Usually this will require some electrical skills and/or training. This solar system by DIG Corp. eliminates the need for 110 voltage wiring. Make sure to not underbid the controller installation phase of the project. If you are unfamiliar with the specified controller, do a little research on it before submitting your final bid. Credit: DIG Corp.

Installation Techniques

Exterior enclosure/pedestal mount controllers are installed on small concrete pads that are formed on-site, according to Raines. Before pouring, electrical sweeps are installed in the center of the forms for the power supply wires and valve control/sensor wires, which are pulled later. After the pad dries, the enclosure/pedestal is fastened to the pad with bolts or anchors, and then the controller is attached to the enclosure/pedestal.

Wall mount controllers include an enclosure that is set up for wall mounting and most manufacturers provide a mounting template and screws/wall anchors as well. These controllers are installed by drilling appropriate holes in the wall and then fastening the enclosure to the wall with the provided screws.

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A Hydropoint Data Systems contractor assists a homeowner with a WeatherTRAK controller. It helps for the landscape contractor to nurture healthier landscapes. That way the landscape professional comes out as a hero and saves the customer money. Landscape contractors need to get conformable working with computers and SMART controllers. Future legislation will mandate only the installation of SMART controllers, as the EPA promotes that type of technology. Credit: Hydropoint Data Systems

With a SMART controller the contractor doesn?EUR??,,????'?????<Credit: Hydropoint Data Systems

Setting Up The System

Controller programming should be done with as many start times as possible and short enough run times to avoid run-off during each cycle, said Penning. The sensor equipment simply eliminates all cycles that are not needed.

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There are two basic groups of SMART controllers: one with sensors on the controller; the second group receives wireless broadcast for real time ET. The first group is cheaper while the second group is more accurate. Some key questions you may want to ask prior to purchase are: Does it have a flow sensing capability for commercial sites? Does it make the proper adjustment for Daylight Savings Time? Does it have a non-volatile memory? In other words, will it continue to operate in spite of a power outage or will it go into default? Credit: Ewing Irrigation Products

Products should be proven based on a national performance test documented by Irrigation Association, called the SMART Water Application Technology report. Irrigation adequacy means that the water hits all the spots it?EUR??,,????'?????<Credit: Calsense

Technical Advice

Irrigation Association offers education classes on Smart Irrigation equipment that includes instruction on soil moisture sensor systems and controller installation and scheduling.

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Ash said if you have an on-site sensor, you won?EUR??,,????'?????<

Irrigation controllers that make automatic schedule adjustments based on changing weather conditions can ensure that water is applied to landscapes only when it?EUR??,,????'?????<Credit: Rainbird

Latest Technology

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On the Internet side if you have a SMART controller you can see every controller, station and weather data, said Ash. At a low cost you can get access and visibility. It helps for the landscape contractor to nurture healthier landscapes. That way the landscape professional comes out as a hero and saves the customer money. With a SMART controller the contractor doesn?EUR??,,????'?????<

The simplest sensor installations, like this Irrometer Watermark?EUR??,,????'?????<Credit: Irrometer

Future of irrigation controllers

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Colasurdo said she foresees simpler more sensor-based controllers in the future and less ET transmitting. Most landscape contractors on site have a fairly good idea how much water the plants need. Just don?EUR??,,????'?????<

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Decoder Modules Save Time

By Underhill International

Irrigation contractors can save time and labor on large residential or commercial jobs by installing a 2Wire Decoder Module into the controller and converting the system to two-wire operation.

The Hunter ICC, for example, easily accepts the 2Wire Decoder Module, which slips into the module slot. All zones or only selected stations in a hybrid system can be converted to two-wire operation.

With a 2Wire irrigation plan, just a single pair of wires extends from the controller to the 2Wire field decoders, located at the valves. Field decoders are programmed with unique station addresses to activate operation.

This technology has proven a cost-saving alternative on sites with a quarter-acre or more because it requires less copper wire, reduces installation time and labor and facilitates system expandability.

During a system expansion, the installer connects additional wire to the last field decoder in the network and adds as many zones as needed. No trenching back to the controller is required.

An irrigation controller with 32 stations, for example, can be expanded to 48 stations, controlling up to 96 valves if two valves are run at the same time.

The popularity of two-wire has increased dramatically over the last several years because of affordability, simplified learning curve and increased availability of proven products.

Popular sites for two-wire installations include: college campuses, sports fields, park and recreation centers, HOAs, cemeteries, commercial centers and other large landscapes.

Underhill 2Wire Decoder Module installed. With a 2Wire irrigation plan, just a single pair of wires extends from the controller to the 2Wire field decoders, located at the valves. Field decoders are programmed with unique station addresses to activate operation. Credit: Underhill International