When You Break the Tap off the Water Meter

Posted on September 22, 2019 by reticcontrollerman

Have you ever found a water meter that either won’t turn on or off? Like the tap is just stuck?

This week it happened again – about the third time in 11 years but I knew what to expect.

The water meter was on but the tap timer I had installed was leaking a little and I went to turn it off and fix the seal.

But it wouldn’t budge – and I knew that taking the grandpa wrench to it was most likely going to snap it.

So I called the homeowner out, explained the situation (the water had to be turned off) and then began to gently crank the wrench.

And it snapped…

Bugger…

No major drama – just a call to water Corp to come and fix. Meantime I went around the back to try and tighten up the leaking tap timer but as I did it can’t apart and water gushed EVERYWHERE!

Ok ‘call now!’ I said.

After a few minutes I managed to get a poly fitting screwed on and sealed the leak. I headed off to lunch and came back to see Anton changing the tap over. He did it ‘live’ which I thought was pretty clever.

Disconnect the water on the house side, create a way for the water to divert and then remove and replace the tap. Then turn it off…

Fixed… and I can go back this week and carry on!

Turf Preparation Done Right

Posted on August 24, 2019 by reticcontrollerman

Like everything in life, the preparation matters!

When laying turf it matters to:

– get a good thick layer of quality soil

– ensure your retic covers all areas

– screed the ground to dead level

– spread fertiliser

– water the ground

Then lay turf…

If you do all of the above you can expect an excellent result. If not then it may turn out lumpy or it may not have the same vigorous start that new lawn needs

What Type of Turf is Most Popular?

Posted on August 17, 2019 by reticcontrollerman

Everyone has their personal favourite. Some like the hardy but soft leaf type of buffalo – the Sir Walter in the picture above or Palmetto are the two most popular.

These are beautiful lawns and if looked after will really increase the value of your home.

Wintergreen is also a very nice lawn but with a finer leaf. The down side to wintergreen is its invasive nature, so you need to make sure your garden beds are protected as this lawn will get into them and if it is left unchecked will be very hard to get rid of.

Velveteen is a fine leaf couch but a bit more dense than wintergreen. It’s said that it is best for homes near the ocean, but I tend to feel that any lawn that is looked after will look good whether it’s close to the ocean or not.

The other that is very popular is Empire zoysia a mid sized leaf and a deep emerald green. If you are a lawn fanatic and willing to do the work to look after it then this is the lawn for you.

If you just want a lawn that will take care of itself then kikuyu may be the best choice for you!

How to Use an Add a Station

Posted on August 15, 2019 by reticcontrollerman

If you ever find yourself in a situation where one of the wires to your solenoids has broken and you either can’t be bothered or are unable to find the break then ‘add a station’ is your friend!

By using this device you can make one power wire serve two solenoids, meaning you can either add a solenoid in a space where there is no access for new wires, or you can keep a solenoid operational by using the add a station on the functioning wire.

It’s saved a lot of people over the years and is one of the most useful retic devices I have come across.