Water Pressure Cancel The title field is required!

1. Batchelor Brad D

   
   7/16/2012 7:07 AM

   Hey everyone,
   
   This year we've been experiencing what looks like a little low pressure. Not enough to produce the classic doughnut pattern, but inconsistency in coverage for sure. We have a new system that was built in 2008, so on paper it is a really good system. Also, all inspections during the day look good; spacing is perfect, pressure looks good all of that. So, my thought is that something must be happening at night. The only thing I can think is our setup for taking effluent water may be responsible. The course is a 9 hole loop with the pump house set on the east side, pulling water out of the community lake. The effluent comes in on the opposite side directly into the main, being supplied from the pump at the plant. The golf pump runs at 120 psi and the effluent runs at 130, so that when it runs the pressure is greater than than the golf pump and feeds us water for about 3 hours of the run. Do you think that the two opposing pressures could cause problems. I'm no expert in hydraulics, so any advice would be very much appreciated.

   
   
   
   
2. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   7/16/2012 2:07 PM

   Our set up is the exact same way you are, except the pressures are 100 psi on the course side, and 120 on the effluent side. I would think that if the effluent pressure drops, your pumps should be set up to compensate for it, as long as the flow schedule in your clocks is set up for the lower pressure. We set ours up to run off our pumps and assume the effluent isn't a given. In other words, you might be set up to run based on volume from the effluent, then something is happening at night that causes too many heads to be running at once. I'd look at your run schedule, and go from there.

   
   
   
   
3. Steven Huffstutler

   

   11 posts
   
   7/16/2012 2:07 PM

   I have had this problem in the past and the way we fixed it was to set the computer up for less flow and allow fewer heads to run simultaneously. It significantly increased the water window, but we had no problems after that.
   Good luck, man.
   
   Steve

   
   
   
   
4. Keith Pegg

   

   0 posts
   
   7/16/2012 3:07 PM

   Steven Huffstutler, CGCS said: I have had this problem in the past and the way we fixed it was to set the computer up for less flow and allow fewer heads to run simultaneously. It significantly increased the water window, but we had no problems after that.
   Good luck, man.
   
   Steve

   
   Steve,
   I did the same I just reset my computer (RainBird) and dropped my GPM down about 15% and it really runs a lot better. I run 108 lbs and have 70psi heads + over 60 elevation change. I have 1000 heads + and it was a 1200gpm design. Pipes were sized correct, however the velocities were high and at times my head pressures were dropping far below what I needed. I am now even looking at dropping pump pressure down to under 100psi.
   Good Luck.
   
   Keith
   Zama