Irrigation questions answered

timbo yes I have, and I would absolutly recomend the sub surface irrigation.
can't go into it too much but getting the right info on this can be hard and fraught with "miss information" (she works at most irrigation shops and big outlets ).
pop ups are great but look at using MP rotators as they will be more efficient in delivering the water than standard pop ups.
If you choose Std pop ups then rainbird, hunter, or toro are the brands to go for and select the 12' nozzles to go with them.
I can better answer your question on Friday morning at the latest as time is at a premium right now so sorry .
If one of the mods can help I would like to post some photos of the netafim subsurface irrigation installed correctly. (I don't use photo bucket etc )

From experience with Perth water pressures we "generally" get enough water pressure to have 5 full pop ups working per station but i do suggest doing a flow test from your tap which is closest to the mains as you won't acheive this if as you say you have poor water pressure.
This may make the subsurface drip irrigation by netafim perfect for your needs and not waste a drop of water to the air ...
more in a day or so



more later

Try this website:

http://www.kisss.net.au/

We are installing this in our proposed back lawn. As an idea - to install the irrigation system, turf underlay, turf (Empire Zoysia) - it's $16/m2 for a 400m2 backyard

Pricey - but lawns look great with the stuff.

Thankyou so much for your detailed response.

ill have to do some calcs on m of pipe & bits needed

I would also suggest installing a rain sensor to any irrigation system. It mounts to say a gutter and has two wires that run to the controller. When the rain falls at the set rate it switches your controller off till the next time.

You can go to your local Bunnings or total eden and pick up a flow rate chart that will tell you what your flow rate is. you need to remove any tap fittings from the tap nearest your mains and time how long it takes to fill a 9ltr bucket. In Bunnings you will find the info for that in the Pope DIY catalogues in their irrigation section.

I would suggest you cost up the system using white PVC pipe and fittings.
The pipe is more expensive but the tees and elbows etc are cheaper.
You will need class 12-18 under drives etc and class 9 for the rest. class 9 is cheaper. use 20mm pipe.
tees are around the $1 mark as are elbows and couplings (to join lengths of pipe together )
Valves with flow control (rainbird or Irritol "jar tops") are around the $30 mark and are the brands I would recomend.
The 13mm Netascape tube is about $120 from Bunnings for 30m after the rebate. (keep the barcode for a rebate from the WA gov. http://portal.water.wa.gov.au/portal/pa ... Irrigation)
I know that sometimes AWS irrigation shops can deliver 6m lengths to your home.
the Netafim herbicide filter sutible for systems used under lawns is only available through shops like custom irrigation in Balcatta or total eden or AWS (used to be Hugals) and costs around $100 as i mentioned before but very nessesary. (I'd imagine the KISSS set up would need similar filters).

even after all the great info from fumanchu, i have gone with a popup system for the back.

In the end it comes down to the $$$.

I did however pick up the toro precision pop up with 75mm shaft & most of the bits n peices needed for the setout. They have a really cool head on them that is infinatley adjustable up to 360d

Just to see how they went i hooked them up to the tap with a *** connection, it leaked, the sprinklers were down on pressure and I retired early for a bourbon

The front landscaper (on contract from estate developer) has piped from the water meter to the backyard and its now up to me to plumb in the rest of the pipe solenoids etc and connect to controller box. Hopefully having this direct feed main pipe will lift the pressures somewhat.

All up it has cost me $140 so far for 11 popups, black polypipe, riser etc.
Now to get the solenoids sorted.

Thanks again for your advice, it wasn't ignored

no worries there. It was a win anyway because of the cool lonk to the kisss product

It is great to hear you bought a decent pop-up brand too

the solonoids are dead easy and it is best for fixing later to keep them as together as you can. that way in the future when they need repairs (and they will) it won't be such a nightmare.)

I really hope the "landscapers" did a professional job as right now in Perth the industry is riddled with cowboys who are installing very substandard systems on behalf of developers. they will install say $100-300 system and be paid for a job costing much more! ripping off everyone involved from the water corp to the homeowner in the longrun. They will be weeded out before long to help the industry regain some credit here in Perth. we get some horror stories from the Ellenbrook area in particular. One lady had just a metre of 19mm poly with 4mm tube running from that all over the whole front garden with a labrinth of drippers off that! she couldn't figure out why her plants were dying! I wonder how much the landscaper made on that job!

anyway run the wires to the valves under the main line and secure them there with electrical tape. that way you won't put the shovel through them to easy. when joining the wires try to always use silicone joiners rather than just twisting them together and taping them. this will stop faults occuring later and these can be a real cause to sink some bourbons to calm your mind! I bet the landscapers just twisted the wires and taped them

The pipe suppling your back garden should be 25mm. 20mm is a substandard size but can get you by

remember your water pressure is not much chop so maybe run the equivelent of 3 full sprays on each station or better still 3 half spray per station in your back garden.

Howmany are in the front off each station? that will give you an idea on what you can get away with.

Fu Manchu your advice is fantastic and much appreciated. I noticed you recommending Empire Zoysia in another thread. Our landscaper laid ST91 and I feel it is crap. Initially it was beautiful but eventually dead patches appeared around the lawn. There are lots of weeds which I do try and manage. It has actually put me off lawn as it has been very very high maintenance just trying to keep it looking nice. I told the landscaper I wanted low maintenance. I am seriously thinking of ripping up our ugly grass which has only been down for around two years and trying the Empire Zoysia to see how it goes. But then again if I cant even manage ST91 will I have any luck with Empire Zoysia.

the turf thread mentioned...
https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=1472

absolutely.
I haven't got round to posting the installation of a controller .
I have the photos but not the write up.

I do recommend certain brands by way of a heap of experience and irrigation knowledge. If I recommend you only by from an irrigation shop then in that too there is a very bloody good reason I can't stress how important that is.
For poly pipe and some fittings then the big hardware chains are the best prices. For sprinklers, drip irrigation pipe and controllers the only place to buy is an irrigation shop.

anyway, controllers.
I do suggest getting a controller for external use even if it goes inside the garage. Why? They are much neater and professional looking. They have tidy internal transformers that are very reliable.

The irritrol raindial would be pick of the bunch. This is the most reliable and easiest to not only install but use as well. Any Muppet can work them.

The Hunter XC controllers are fantastic. They are also extremely easy to use and very reliable.
Easy to install as well.

Then the Irritrol kwik dial This starts to get harder to use but is comparatively easy compared to the cheap junk sold in non irrigation shops. The water budget is harder to use on these. it is seen as special functions on the control dial.

That is the single most versatile function on any controller. The water budget. It allows you to change your watering times very quick and easy according to the conditions without having to physically change the programme. It is done as a percentage of time the programmes are set for. Like now mine is set to 30% once a week. When it is really hot in summer, I set it to 150% of the set programme. It is done in seconds and makes better use of your water.

Valves or solonoids as some wrongfully call them are another point worth looking at. Always buy the "jar top" ones. They have the top part that screws on like a jar. Most lesser types have screws holding the top on and they can be a pain. There are two main types of jartops. Irritrol/Richdel and orbit. They have internal and external parts that can be swapped between making future repairs or maintenance easy as. The solonoids mounted on the valves are also interchangeable with other brands. Valves that have screws, well each brand seems to be unique and repairs are costly and difficult. The parts mostly only fit that valve and if you can't find that designed valve in 5 or 10years to repair it, well it is a PITA.
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Place your valves in one place. Not some out the back and some out the front. It does cost slighty more for pipe but repairs in the future are very easy and risk of damaging a mains pressure line are minimal. You also need to ensure a mains pressure rated master valve is used at the head of the system. It would go right after the manual shut off valve that a plumber will install. It will cost around $150 for the plumber to connect to the mains with a non return valve and manual valve. The non return valve stops water going into the house water.

I might also add that PVC pipe going under driveways will need to be what is called class 12 or higher. This means it won't be likely to break. Under paths I also use class 12 but you can get away with thinner class 9. Don't use black poly pipe under a drive. You will need 25mm pipe from the mains to the manifold for the valves then after the valves use 20mm if you don't have far to get the water. If you have a longway or big block then 25mm will be needed then down to 200mm PVC or 19mm poly.

Here is a manifold and canister filter I did. The filter come above the ground so it can be cleaned. In the bottom right is a brass non return valve and a manual shut off valve with the blue handle. You will also see plenty of rolled up wire spare at the end to connect the to the valves. The outlets were going to travel forward but only one was connected so far in the shot.
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I installed my manifold above the ground down the side on a treated timber frame. This makes future repairs or modifications clean and easy. I screwed on some left over laserlight to hide all the workings and it looks fine. I have also done this in nurseries for the same reasons of reducing maintenance costs.