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1. Edward Doda

   

   0 posts
   
   10/25/2012 7:10 PM

   [attachment=0">IMG00309-20121025-1415.jpg[/attachment">
   
   I have been blowing out irrigation for 40 years, 30 years here. Nothing like this has ever happened. Using 1300 CFM compressor running at about 50-60 pounds of pressure for most of the day..beautiful day 23C and sunny and 170 golfers...last hour I got a message from pro that members have called in and reported that the pump house has blown up! Eight inch line expanded to about 10-12 inches and finally let go. Blow out ok since we were just finishing but very surprising. Will fix tomorrow; any thoughts?
   
   
   ed doda barrie cc an hour north of toronto

   
   
   
   
2. Border Ricky H

   
   10/26/2012 5:10 AM

   Do you think it was heat that let it expand? I saw something like that once, lightning struck a transfer pump that went from one lake to another, and a portion of the line and elbow (4") went to a size of about 8" it did not blow but still needed replacing. We kinda thought the lightning strike made it just hot enough or maybe the water boiled and expanded the pipe somehow. I wish I had a pic but this was before the days of having cell phones with cameras in your pocket.
   I do think you should check condition of the pipe for a reasonable distance to be sure of its functionality. Good luck.

   
   
   
   
3. Hardy Andrew

   
   10/26/2012 6:10 AM

   Ed,
   
   Was your compressor parked close to where the pipe was? We had a blowout 3 years ago where the compressor melted and burst pipes in locations close to where the compressor's were hooked up. Ended up taking us a full week to complete when it normally takes 2 days maximum.

   
   
   
   
4. Edward Doda

   

   0 posts
   
   10/26/2012 6:10 AM

   Hi Andrew, compressor was 200 feet away on pavement due to wet conditions. Last year when compressors were in short supply we used a 2300 CFM and worked great. I'm sure it was the heat of the air causing the pipe to expand and finally blow, just strange in that there is eight feet steel Z-pipe that we tap into. Nice sandy soil to dig though should be fixed by lunch.

   
   
   
   
5. Larry Allan

   

   0 posts
   
   10/26/2012 6:10 AM

   I hate people with nice sandy soil. Your life is my dream.

   
   
   
   
6. Canedo Alberto J

   
   10/26/2012 7:10 AM

   That sucks about that blowout. Luckily you are in sandy soil. Hey Red, My entire property is all sand. Got to love it. We can dig and dig and have no problems fixing mainlines and laterals.

   
   
   
   
7. Peter Bowman

   

   11 posts
   
   10/26/2012 7:10 AM

   I thought maybe this topic had to do with the Giants - Tigers Series

   
   
   
   
8. Ronald Conard

   

   4 posts
   
   10/26/2012 10:10 AM

   Edward,
   
   Even though it may be an easy fix, it still needs to be determined what caused the blowout, lest it happens again to you or someone else. Any thoughts since you posted? Heat obviously was involved to expand plastic like that. Was the regulator working? Was this something that sustained repeated damage from previous winterizations and this was just the straw that broke the camels back?
   
   I've always preferred to use less cfm at about the same pressure and work in isolated loops of the golf course. Then we blow back through the mainline rather than hooking directly to it. I guess I would rather sustain damage to a pipe feeding a tee box than to the mainline feeding the entire system. The only loss in time is the moving of the compressors. Seeing this post only makes me more leery but a lot of guys do it this way.

   
   
   
   
9. Kenneth Ingram

   

   18 posts
   
   10/26/2012 11:10 AM

   I melted a 1 1/2" swing joint once but nothing like this. Good luck. Kenneth Ingram, UMD

   
   
   
   
10. Scott Hiles

    

    0 posts
    
    10/26/2012 1:10 PM

    I would also suggest heat but that is also a lot of push. My preference is nothing more than 900 cfm.
    
    I have seen a few heat dissipate-rs used to aid in this not occurring. EPIC's irrigation blow out series has an example or two as well.

    
    
    
    
11. Douglas Eggert

    

    1 posts
    
    10/26/2012 3:10 PM

    Duct tape....

    
    
    
    
12. Edward Doda

    

    0 posts
    
    10/26/2012 3:10 PM

    [attachment=0">DSCF4924.JPG[/attachment">[attachment=1">DSCF4904.JPG[/attachment">
    
    Pipe replaced, no big deal. Found that the after cooler valve was closed so what happened was inevitable. Rental guys now sending checklist to clubs to check before they start. Explains why in past years...no problem..lesson--check the after cooler!
    
    Just to make day more interesting compressor off cart path and stuck this afternoon..out now going for a beverage!

    
    
    
    
13. Larry Allan

    

    0 posts
    
    10/30/2012 1:10 PM

    Eddie, Battlefield Blows
    After reading your post and wondering what you must have done wrong to cause that, the windows off my office rattled and I went to the pumphouse to see this mess. 1/2 tonne of concrete encasing an 8 inch valve. 50 feet spread of debris. They verified it was not the same compressor as you used but the same type. They also mentioned it had taken out a mainline at Westview the day before it arrived here.
    I hate people with sandy well drained soils
    
    [img">http://i1322.photobucket.com/albums/u569/pale111/Whitchurch-Stouffville-20121030-00100_zps3cba4bbf.jpg[/img">
    [img">http://i1322.photobucket.com/albums/u569/pale111/Whitchurch-Stouffville-20121030-00103_zpsc2eafd81.jpg[/img">

    
    
    
    
14. Ronald Conard

    

    4 posts
    
    10/30/2012 2:10 PM

    Larry Allan said: Eddie, Battlefield Blows
    After reading your post and wondering what you must have done wrong to cause that, the windows off my office rattled and I went to the pumphouse to see this mess. 1/2 tonne of concrete encasing an 8 inch valve. 50 feet spread of debris. They verified it was not the same compressor as you used but the same type. They also mentioned it had taken out a mainline at Westview the day before it arrived here.
    I hate people with sandy well drained soils
    
    [img">http://i1322.photobucket.com/albums/u569/pale111/Whitchurch-Stouffville-20121030-00100_zps3cba4bbf.jpg[/img">
    [img">http://i1322.photobucket.com/albums/u569/pale111/Whitchurch-Stouffville-20121030-00103_zpsc2eafd81.jpg[/img">

    
    
    Same make of compressor from the same vendor? How many systems up there are damaged I wonder? They are lucky the haven't killed anyone.....yet.

    
    
    
    
15. Edward Doda

    

    0 posts
    
    10/30/2012 2:10 PM

    Larry, just talked to service head for Atlas-Copco. He's trying to get to the bottom of it. Tech rep should be out setting these things up since knuckleheads often play with settings. On a lighter note our soil is so sandy we let a couple of kids fill the trench with their plastic shovels!...ed

    
    
    
    
16. Edward Doda

    

    0 posts
    
    10/30/2012 2:10 PM

    Ron, I was just thinking that. We were withing 15 minutes of shutting the unit down and calling it a day so I wonder if there are a few expanded pieces of main line out there waiting for a spring start-up?

    
    
    
    
17. Andy Jorgensen

    

    1 posts
    
    10/30/2012 3:10 PM

    Edward Doda said: Ron, I was just thinking that. We were withing 15 minutes of shutting the unit down and calling it a day so I wonder if there are a few expanded pieces of main line out there waiting for a spring start-up?

    
    
    You northerners have to worry about blowing pipe out of the ground, while us Floridians have to deal with hurricanes. What's the big deal?
    
    Oh, wait. Nevermind. You northerners are getting pounded right now by Sandy. Now you get the best of both worlds. Good luck to you all!

    
    
    
    
18. Larry Allan

    

    0 posts
    
    10/30/2012 3:10 PM

    Ya but Andy, We get rid of our main problem for the next 5 months and you guys get to deal with them.
    
    Ed I sent an email off to the company. If you talk to them again, let them know what happened to us.
    We had just finished as well right when it blew
    We are very lucky we were closed today due to Sandy or a member could have died. It happened right next to the main bridge on 8 fairway.

    
    
    
    
19. Keith Fellenstein

    

    0 posts
    
    10/31/2012 10:10 AM

    Ronald Conard, CGCS said: Edward,
    
    I've always preferred to use less cfm at about the same pressure and work in isolated loops of the golf course. Then we blow back through the mainline rather than hooking directly to it. I guess I would rather sustain damage to a pipe feeding a tee box than to the mainline feeding the entire system. The only loss in time is the moving of the compressors. Seeing this post only makes me more leery but a lot of guys do it this way.

    
    
    Been a few years since I've had to purge a system, but likewise preferred to isolate smaller loops and work with lower cfm and similiar pressures. May take a little longer, but not much...usually one long day, or a day and a half.

    
    
    
    
20. Edward Doda

    

    0 posts
    
    11/5/2012 9:11 AM

    [attachment=0">DSCF4966.JPG[/attachment">
    
    Just had a visit from guys at Atlas-Copco and they had a look at the damage done by the blowout. When compressors go out in future there will be instruction sheets affixed to compressors or given to the supers and after cooler valve will be locked open. Also technician will be available 24/7.We are discussing compensation now and my concern is any clubs that had similar compressors that didn't blow pipe but may have stretched it a little. Picture shows burn from air line.
    
    Larry, I believe they are on the way to see you...ed