Irrigation flow and heads running Cancel The title field is required!

1. Jason Lamb

   

   0 posts
   
   5/7/2018 5:05 PM

   Hello everyone,
   I was wondering if anyone could help. I am on a small course without a central control system. I am trying to figure out if anyone has a template to figure out how many irrigation heads are running at a time. I have the number of heads in each program and the run time each is running for each controller and the start times. Is there a template that will show number of heads running by putting this in other than a central control program. Any assistance would be great.
   
   Jason Lamb

   
   
   
   
2. Corey Eastwood

   

   80 posts
   
   5/8/2018 11:05 AM

   Jason
   
   I don't have an electronic template but this is how I did it several times on new irrigation installs.
   
   Start with 11X17 1/4 inch graph paper.
   Known is pump capacity, GPM per station and station run time.
   You can chart out start times as the first stations start to shut down keeping close to maximum flow for the shortest overall water window.
   I have done this for as many as 2000 heads but also had well over 3000 GPM.

   
   Corey Eastwood CGCS, Stockton Golf & CC, Retired
   
   
3. James Smith

   

   112 posts
   
   5/11/2018 6:05 AM

   Jason, what system are you running?
   
   Maybe you could look into getting a used control system from a course that may be upgrading theirs. you may still have to run control wire but that could be done in the winter time and believe me having the computer system makes a big difference.
   
   back to your question, Corey has the best solution offered so far. you need to chart each box with your running programs. problem is when you only want to run certain parts of your course (greens only) (tees only) (greens and tees). each changes your times needed for each box and every box is different. and then when you find out you need to increase the time on say two greens and three tee boxes it throws everything off again.
   
   To be honest I have never had to run my stand alone boxes without my Computer at night on a timed schedule. when my computer is down I basically come out and turn things on manually so I can keep an eye on my pressure and max out my progress.
   
   Good luck

   
   
   
   
4. Keith Fellenstein

   

   0 posts
   
   5/15/2018 10:05 AM

   years ago I was the irrigation tech at a course without a central. The superintendent left setting up schedules for watering to me. Further complicating the set up was the system was not looped and had several dead ends. This made scheduling in the proper order and proper number of heads very important. I simplified the whole process knowing that each satellite would only run one station at a time. I knew the fairway stations were mostly doubled up and gpm per head thus the maximum gpm per station. Combined, easily calculated the maximum number of stations in each branch. Using the as-built, I calculated the maximum gpm to keep my velocity and programmed based on the maximum possible gpm per station. Sure, there may have been a station here or there that was below the maximum gpm, but it simplified the process and over several years, the watering window was very mangeable.