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Rain Bird 900 series rock screens

6 posts
  1. Keith Lamb
    Keith Lamb avatar
    3 posts
    8/28/2014 9:08 AM
    We are having a issue with the top serviceable rock screens on our Rain Bird 950 heads cracking. They typically split on the threads or just above. These are 10 year old heads with factory installed rock screens. They stated that this shouldn't cause any leaking, but we can always tell there is a problem because the head starts weeping/leaking. Through our Rain Bird rep, Rain Bird has been contacted and are looking into this. but their initial response is the famous "never seen this before," and "you are the first one with this problem" statement. Our rep already warned us that Rain Bird is mind numbingly slow to research this. I know of one other golf course near me dealing with this but I would like to know if anyone else is or had this problem.

    Thanks.



  2. Scott Rose
    Scott Rose avatar
    0 posts
    8/30/2014 7:08 AM
    We have the same issue with the rock screens here. Just like you said, the first thread is usually cracked. It has become so common here that whenever we have a weeping head, that is the first thing that I look at. Our rep has also given me the standard "never seen that before..." answer. Good luck and I hope Rain Bird can do something about this issue. I used to have an entire drawer full of rock screens, but the supply is starting to get a little low.



  3. Ronald Kirkman
    Ronald Kirkman avatar
    40 posts
    8/31/2014 10:08 PM
    Greetings;

    I remember, I think about 30 years ago, we pulled wire on three fairways and we installed - I think they were called 91DRs. Somebody from Rain Bird was going to put the sprinklers on but no one ever came so we did it. The water came out really nice but not one would turn. Every arm got stuck and you needed a sledge hammer to close the arm and still that was impossible. Same thing - we never heard of that. Same BS they tell you now.

    I later found out that many golf courses in the south and west had the same problem. Rain Bird was fixing their sprinklers because they needed to water more than we in New England at that particular time. Rain Bird had used a cheaper plastic and that screwed up the sprinklers. Like Washington they lied to me and others. They sent out spare parts and asked if we could replace all the sprinklers and they would give the club I think it was $10.00 per sprinkler. Were still waiting for the money. The dealers in our area were helpless. I threatened Rain Bird and told them I was going to put this in the New England Golf Course Superintendents Association Newsletter. The VP of Rain Bird said they would sue me. I told them they had an inferior product and they would lose. I never wrote it up in the Newsletter because other superintendents had the same problem and word of mouth was just as good as printing something in the Newsletter.

    I was really dis - appointed in Rain Bird. All they had to do was give an explanation of what happened and work with us to correct the problem. But NO - they had to come up with lame brain excuses and lie about it. That's water over the dam now. However, when I read the above posts I couldn't help but think Rain Bird is playing dumb again about what happened.

    Capt. Kirk
    Retired Alien
    Needham Golf Club
    Needham, MA



  4. James Gubricky
    James Gubricky avatar
    0 posts
    8/31/2014 11:08 PM
    We have had the same problem here with the rock screens (P/N 211714-02 white color) for the 900 series. We would replace the screens with new ones and same results. We switched over to the rock screens for the 700 series sprinklers (P/N 211714-01 black color) They are the same size screen and work like a champ. Cheers.



  5. Corey Eastwood
    Corey Eastwood avatar
    80 posts
    9/2/2014 11:09 AM
    I inherited a 2 year old RainBird system in'83. Some major problem with 51's. Same old story "never happened before". No attempt at satisfaction was attained. RainBird was King in those days and I guess management did not care or some thing. I spread the word and all new systems in the area strangely became Toro. I was deemed a Golden Boy by the Toro distributor and was wined and dined for years at events. Stay on them and talk to the National Service Manager or even the President of the company. It can be done.

    It all goes back to service. Things changed at RainBird and did install two new RB systems in late years.

    Corey Eastwood CGCS, Stockton Golf & CC, Retired

  6. Keith Lamb
    Keith Lamb avatar
    3 posts
    9/5/2014 9:09 AM
    Thanks guys. Keep it coming. I'm awaiting some corporate contacts from my local rep so, as he put it, I can "make my point clear."

    Changed 4 more just this week.



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