IrrIgatIon and Water ManageMent
www.landscapeirrigation.com Landscape and Irrigation April 2015 21
place components on the GPS map on the
screen. The map and associated database
is stored for a monthly fee. If you do a lot
of work in harsh environments, Juniper
Systems' hardened mapping handhelds
may be your answer. Regardless the device
or method you use, it is the information
that is important here.
CheCk the poInt
of ConneCtIon
Check the water supply's point of connec-
tion. If it is a water meter, note the model,
size, and whether it reads in gallons or cubic
feet. Also note the backflow preventer type,
size, and date of last inspection. Log the stat-
ic pressure at the number one test cock.
If the supply is a well, determine if it
is dedicated to irrigation or shared with
a building or group of buildings. What
is the pump size, and what is the current
pump depth? Find any drilling and repair
logs if possible. Make a note if there has
been significant change in the water or
pump level in the well.
Determine if there is a pressure regula-
tor, fertilizer injector or booster pump on
the system and mark them on your map.
Determine the mainline size and type. If
there is a master valve, record the make,
model and size and if it is normally open
or closed. Normally open valves work with
a flow meter on its point of connection.
Locate it before moving on.
IdentIfy the zone vaLves
Accurate reference drawings, though rare,
make this process easier. If not, then onsite
research is needed. Use a volt-ohm meter
to check if there is good resistance to all
the solenoids (typically 20-60 ohms). A
location device such as the Greenlee 521
or Armada Pro800D is very helpful here.
Track the commons, then confirm each
solenoid identity with a "ping" on the
common and the control wire. Interpolate
from there to locate the remaining valves.
Label the valves and wires as you iden-
tify them. If multiple wires are hard to
sort, a tone probe is a useful tool here. If
the valve boxes are prone to overgrowth,
consider attaching a metal plate to the
valve box lid so a metal detector can be
Record all controller schedules in as much
detail as possible: day/date, start time(s),
zone run time, water days or intervals.
