Reticulation sorrento

Looking After Solenoids

Reticulation systems can be often temperamental. This is because you are mixing 3 things that generally don’t do well together: dirt, electricity and water.

 

That is why it is important to service your reticulation regularly. One of the most common Faults that solenoids have is the coils on the top rusting. We can reduce the chances of our solenoids rusting a few ways. The main way is to keep them clean and free from soil building up around them. By allowing them to be free of soil and dirt you give any water and moisture the chance to drain away immediately.

 

Installing your solenoids in a box or on a wall are also good ways to reduce potential problems but always remember to do this in a way that allows room for the solenoid to be replaced if need be. If your solenoids are in spotter boxes in the ground this is also fine but it is worth once or twice a year to make sure that they haven’t filled up with soil.

Faulty coil sending a error signal to hunter control box.

Faulty coil sending a error signal to hunter control box.

What does a master valve do and do I really need one?

 Imagine that you had a pipe brake in your house but you had no idea until your water bill arrived. Unlike your house where the water leak would show up pretty quickly a faulty Reticulation solenoid can go unnoticed for a long time.

 

This is why we install a master valve. The master valve essentially works as a back up solenoid so if any of your station solenoids malfunction your retic wont continue to run and leak water. The master valve will only activate when any station solenoid is running.

 

The master valve should be installed directly of your mains cut in/one way check valve. This way there is minimal chance of having leaking water.

 

How do I know if I have a master valve?

 

Go to your control box and see if there is a wire coming from the master valve/pump connection.

Follow the wire if possible and you will locate your one-way check valve/isolation valve along with station solenoids.

still can’t find your solenoids and master valve. northend Reticulation & Turf has specially designed equipment to track wires and locate buried solenoids.

We also recommend that if you are un shore if you have a master valve or know that you don’t have one you move to get one installed asap as it can save you a lot of money and time in the future.

If you would like a quote on master valve installation click here to contact us.

Master solenoid coming straight of oneway check valve.

Master solenoid coming straight of oneway check valve.