Why Does My Retic Just Keep on Running?

Posted on September 9, 2019 by reticcontrollerman

This is a common question.

And the answer is usually very simple. Generally speaking this happens when more than one start time is set.

Unless there is a watering exemption in place you are only allowed to water once a day which means you only need one start time.

Often people get ‘start times’ and ‘run times’ mixed up. So get this :

YOU ONLY NEED 1 START TIME!

Most errors are made when people set 5.00am as a start time, then 5.15, 5.30 and so on.

So when you set your controller make note of which function you are operating in the dial and just set the one start time.

If you get stuck then just give me a call!

Irrigation and Turf Upgrades in Butler

Posted on September 6, 2019 by reticcontrollerman

I have had a call each year for the last two years to come and replace the turf at this small backyard in Butler. A combination of young dogs and a shaded area means it has been tough for the lawn to survive.

It starts with a dig out of the old turf. Only 12m so not too much hard work. You can see the patchy old lawn below.

Then it’s time to screed and update the sprinklers with some mp rotators. The regular Toro nozzles were getting blown around in the wind and dirtying the pool fence.

And from here it was a case of laying the Sir Walter slabs and making it look good again.

Hopefully he won’t need to call next year!

Time to Turn Your Reticulation Back On?

Posted on September 4, 2019 by reticcontrollerman

It’s pretty miserable outside today but Sunday and Monday are looking very nice!

Call us to ensure you’re retic Controller is working and set correctly.

Will Changing the Battery Fix My Retic?

Posted on August 31, 2019 by reticcontrollerman

Nope…

If your reticulation isn’t working then changing the battery will just be $9 down the drain.

The battery is not responsible for the operation of the sprinklers. It simply helps to retain the settings when the power goes off.

Your retic needs 24v if power to open the solenoids so changing a battery wont do the job.

If it’s not working then it could be any one of a number of issues – but it won’t be the battery!

Reticulation Servicing in Yanchep and Two Rocks

Posted on August 13, 2019 by reticcontrollerman

Yanchep is a lovely part of the world and is our homebase, so we love to work there.

Whether it’s a new installation of retic and turf or whether it’s a tune up of your existing system, we can be there promptly and will get the job done in fast time, with quality components and a guarantee to come back if there are any problems.

We have been operating now for 11 years and have developed an excellent reputation for top quality work and friendly, polite service at a fair price.

Should I Use Netafim Dripline on My Garden?

Posted on August 13, 2019 by reticcontrollerman

If you want to achieve maximum water efficiency then there is no question that Netafim Dripline is your friend!

Here is a job I did recently in Yanchep where new native plants had been installed and the client wanted to ensure minimal wastage of water. Now that the Dripline is in he can mulch the area.

If you are on a bore then you may like to consider ‘bore line ‘, similar but not pressured compensated – which usually isn’t an issue on a bore.

This dripline is extremely effective at dripping water right next to the plants and is designed to resist root invasion of the drip emitters.

While there is no digging involved in a project like this dripline is a more expensive product and generally works out a little more costly than sprays.

Should I Buy a Hydrawise Controller for My Retic?

Posted on August 13, 2019 by reticcontrollerman

I’d been using a very old Hydrawise controller for around 6 years when it suddenly decided to stop connecting to my wifi.

It was one of the original indoor models and it did the job fine, but when Hunter bought Hydrawise they did some work speccing up the controller to make it more user and contractor friendly.

By comparison with the old controller the new controllers have:

1. A designated master valve terminal

2. Larger and more accessible terminals making installing easier.

3. A sturdier outdoor casing.

4. An easier to read display

5. A stronger wifi connection.

All of these are significant improvements on the original model and as a result when I had the choice of any controller I chose to stay with the Hydrawise.

The app works really well and once installed the controller itself is pretty much set and forget.

3 Things to Do on September 1

Posted on August 8, 2019 by reticcontrollerman

1. Make sure you can see the digital display on your controller. Winter is when most controllers die so this is always the first check. If it’s dead then give me a call!

2. Run a system test of each station and check that each sprinkler is popping up and that each nozzle is spraying as it should. If there are obvious leaks then it will need fixing sooner than later. Just a blocked nozzle or two you don’t need to worry about until it gets hot.

3. Check the settings on the controller and adjust the run times for spring weather. You can do this using the ‘seasonal adjust’ function on your controller.

If You Look Hard Enough

Posted on July 24, 2019 by reticcontrollerman

Yesterday I went to try and sort out why the retic pipe kept bursting on a bore in Ridgewood.

Usually there is an obvious answer. The first step was a new controller and then a check that the solenoids were all opening as they should have been.

All good there.

I dug a hole and found two 25mm pipes going to the rear yard – but with no water coming out of the sprinklers.

I drilled small holes at various points along the pipes and water cane out. Hmmm… water is definitely getting thru, is there a blockage somewhere? Has someone capped off the line and not told me?

The pipes were under pavers so it wasn’t easy to test them. Eventually after 90 minutes of trying to locate the problem I lifted a slab right at the end of the run to the back and discovered that each pipe had a filter attached and the filters were completely blocked.

I have never seen filters at that place in a pipe before but once I removed them water flowed freely.

Moral of the story = for every problem there is a solution if you look hard enough (and long enough)

If you have a tricky problem then give me a call. I reckon I can fix it 🙂

The Irritrol Kwikdial Fuse Message

Posted on September 4, 2018 by reticcontrollerman

Its that time of year when I get a multitude of calls asking about the fuse message on Irritrol Kiwkdial controllers.

So firstly – if you have spent time looking for the ‘fuse’ then you will be frustrated because there isn’t one.. And the battery symbol with the line thru it doesn’t mean that the battery is dead, because there isn’t a battery either…

Ok – so whoever designed these wasn’t thinking ease of use!

What does the fuse message mean?

a) You have a solenoid coil that is faulty and causing the controller to fail.

b) The controller has a problem and needs replacing.

Usually I can tell by looking at the controller which is the most likely scenario. If your controller is old, outdoors and looking like its been exposed to rain then chances are it will need replacing. If the error is intermittent then its almost certainly the controller and if the screen is flickering just a little then that is another clue that the controller is about to die.

If your controller is in good condition, maybe inside a garage and the display is stable then it may be that one of the solenoids is the problem. We can determine that by removing solenoid wires and testing to see if it fails with various solenoids disconnected.

As a guide, a solenoid is usually around $150-250 to locate and replace while a controller is around $385.00 to replace.