Any automatic lawn sprinkler system is a collection of plumbing, electrical components and sprinkler heads that all must work together in synergy if lawns and other landscapes are to get the irrigation they need to thrive.
The heart of many of these systems is the remote control valve. Sometimes referred to as a zone, station or solenoid valve, a lawn sprinkler system will have a remote control valve associated with every watering zone that system incorporates.
A watering zone is comprised of sprinkler heads whose water lines are associated with a specific remote control valve. The moment a watering zone is activated by the timer, a signal is sent over wires to the solenoid switch which then turns on the valve hydraulically. This causes the water to flow to those linked-up sprinkler heads.
Many homeowners will no doubt be scratching their head over their contractor's choice of remote control valve locations. The reason? Most contractors won't group all the remote control valves together because it's usually more practical to build in a solitary primary supply pipe, then site the remote control valves where they intersect each watering station around the irrigation area. If they sited all the remote control valves together in a single location, it might make finding and repairing them easier, but it would necessitate a separate water supply pipe from every valve to the water station associated with it. On big jobs, this would require many water supply lines in a very big excavation on the property, not to mention sizable pipe sizes. Not very practical, after all!
However, there are situations where grouping valves would be advisable. For example, if there is a landscape which will see a lot of traffic, either human, animal or vehicular, placing the valves together, at a protected location, would be a good idea.
Sometimes valve placement isn`t given that much forethought. For example, a particular spot may have been chosen only because that`s where the installer ran short of control wire. And an installer`s good intention of choosing a service-friendly place for a valve is often waylaid by an unplanned landscape feature to follow.
Of course, by definition, the remote control valve is just that -- remote control -- and thus finding it isn't all that critical. The contractor knows if he has to find it, he can, through a variety of different methods.
The heart of many of these systems is the remote control valve. Sometimes referred to as a zone, station or solenoid valve, a lawn sprinkler system will have a remote control valve associated with every watering zone that system incorporates.
A watering zone is comprised of sprinkler heads whose water lines are associated with a specific remote control valve. The moment a watering zone is activated by the timer, a signal is sent over wires to the solenoid switch which then turns on the valve hydraulically. This causes the water to flow to those linked-up sprinkler heads.
Many homeowners will no doubt be scratching their head over their contractor's choice of remote control valve locations. The reason? Most contractors won't group all the remote control valves together because it's usually more practical to build in a solitary primary supply pipe, then site the remote control valves where they intersect each watering station around the irrigation area. If they sited all the remote control valves together in a single location, it might make finding and repairing them easier, but it would necessitate a separate water supply pipe from every valve to the water station associated with it. On big jobs, this would require many water supply lines in a very big excavation on the property, not to mention sizable pipe sizes. Not very practical, after all!
However, there are situations where grouping valves would be advisable. For example, if there is a landscape which will see a lot of traffic, either human, animal or vehicular, placing the valves together, at a protected location, would be a good idea.
Sometimes valve placement isn`t given that much forethought. For example, a particular spot may have been chosen only because that`s where the installer ran short of control wire. And an installer`s good intention of choosing a service-friendly place for a valve is often waylaid by an unplanned landscape feature to follow.
Of course, by definition, the remote control valve is just that -- remote control -- and thus finding it isn't all that critical. The contractor knows if he has to find it, he can, through a variety of different methods.
About the Author:
Looking to find the best deal on automatic underground lawn sprinklers in St. Louis? Then visit MPR Supply's site to learn more.
No comments:
Post a Comment