Low Pressure Call

[lehrjetmx]

Got a call this moring from a customer that his system (one we didn't install) has about 20 broken heads. He tells me its the same heads he has sprayed wd-40 on and the water is coming out from the top of the heads. Nice!!!! So we go.... Indeed the water is coming from the wiper seals all RB's 5000. The heads aren't even coming up out of the ground. We check all the valves everything is open backflow preventor all is good. Lets take some pressure readings now. We got a whooping 37 psi and 7.75 gpm not good. I take a look at the nozzles now and see 5 rotors with #3 nozzles let me see 13.73gpm. The home owner tells me the system just stop working the other day!!!!! Installed 4 years ago!!!!! City water by the way.

[Dripit good]

I don't know know about all that. What I do know is your avatar still freaks me out!

[lehrjetmx]

I don't know know about all that. What I do know is your avatar still freaks me out!

Pretty much how I felt yesterday when my bank called me to tell me one of my customers bounced a $400 check to me!!!!!

[Dripit good]

Strategically snip a wire. Paybacks' a beeotch.

[DanaMac]

Strategically snip a wire. Paybacks' a beeotch.

make it the common.

[WalkGood]

Pretty much how I felt yesterday when my bank called me to tell me one of my customers bounced a $400 check to me!!!!!

Unscrew all the solenoids just enough that they all come on at the same time when the MV opens.

[advancedlawnsolutions]

I know this thread is a few days old, but maybe you still haven't found a solution. I had a similar problem this year w/ a system I installed about 3 years ago. It turned out that the meter was "stopped up" resisting flow. After calling the Water Company they came out to check there end and sure enough found a clogged meter. My PSI was only 42 a little lower than what I typically see.

[JimLewis]

Well, something had to have changed. I mean, I don't suppose he's lying. No reason to. And I don't suppose the irrigator who installed the system initially installed a system that never worked properly. Even with the nitwits I see in this industry, I still find that a stretch. So something has to have changed.

First, I would want to diagnose things a little more. Is the water pressure low everywhere? Or just on the irrigation system? I would hook up a pressure tester and flow meter to a water faucet on the house and see if I got the same reading. If pressure at the house is good then there's something wrong with the irrigation main line, backflow, main shut-off valve or something. If the water pressure at the house is also extremely low than the next thing I'd check is the water meter itself. It could be partially closed or something. That would be my first guess. I'd also check for a main gate valve on the main water line to the house and if I found one, make sure it was all the way open. I'd also be looking for a pressure-reducer somewhere around the water meter or where the water main line comes into the house or something - and make sure it was wide open.

If I eliminated all of those things, then there is either a problem with the water meter or they've added so many new homes in that neighborhood that his water pressure has been permanently reduced to a ridiculously low level.

If I was at this point, I'd be on the phone with the water purveyor asking them what the pressure and flow should be. They should be able to tell you right on the spot or call you back within a few minutes with that info. If they tell you the water pressure and flow should be much higher then I'd say, "Well, you need to get someone out here then because we're not getting anywhere near that."

Hope that helps.


BTW, that Avatar is messed up!

[SprinklerGuy]

Start with the water meter...halfway off/on because of a plumbing repair?

Maybe this guy didn't pay someone and there is a pingpong ball in his backflow.....not that I've ever done that. Fits perfect in 1 inch btw....poke pinholes in ball first.....

[No Rush]

GREAT advice here!!! I have a contractor who owes me $$$$ and won't pay!

[AI Inc]

GREAT advice here!!! I have a contractor who owes me $$$$ and won't pay!

swing by and disconnect the common wire.

[Mike Leary]

swing by and disconnect the common wire.

Let's get a little more creative than that: cut the commons back to sheathing
then slide them into a King blue, they'll go nuts finding that.

[No Rush]

:drinkup:keep the ideas coming!!

[lehrjetmx]

This guys is a beauty really. He called another company to go out and they told him the same thing i told him. Not getting 8gpm to push 15gpm rotors. So the customer went to JDM and bought all new heads with #3 nozzles again. Needless to say he went back to exchange them because they didn't work. Then JDL installed #1 nozzles and the story ends there a few hundred spent for a lesson well learned I'm sure.

[JimLewis]

LOL. You guys are messed up.

[lehrjetmx]

First, I would want to diagnose things a little more. Is the water pressure low everywhere? Or just on the irrigation system? I would hook up a pressure tester and flow meter to a water faucet on the house and see if I got the same reading. If pressure at the house is good then there's something wrong with the irrigation main line, backflow, main shut-off valve or something. If the water pressure at the house is also extremely low than the next thing I'd check is the water meter itself. It could be partially closed or something. That would be my first guess. I'd also check for a main gate valve on the main water line to the house and if I found one, make sure it was all the way open. I'd also be looking for a pressure-reducer somewhere around the water meter or where the water main line comes into the house or something - and make sure it was wide open.

If I eliminated all of those things, then there is either a problem with the water meter or they've added so many new homes in that neighborhood that his water pressure has been permanently reduced to a ridiculously low level.

If I was at this point, I'd be on the phone with the water purveyor asking them what the pressure and flow should be. They should be able to tell you right on the spot or call you back within a few minutes with that info. If they tell you the water pressure and flow should be much higher then I'd say, "Well, you need to get someone out here then because we're not getting anywhere near that."



We took the pressure and flow from the facuet in front and back and then off the backflow all the same. We even went to the neighbors house and checked their it was also the same well just a little better. We also did call the water company they double checked the water meter and the water valve so did we all checked good. We didn't do the last one we just figured the pressure is that low since the hood is growing figured it was par.

[Mike Leary]

we just figured the pressure is that low since the hood is growing figured it was par.

Wow! That could get worse & worse if no one planned for the expansion.:hammerhead:

[lehrjetmx]

Wow! That could get worse & worse if no one planned for the expansion.:hammerhead:

Small beach town I guess they never thought sooooo many people would come!!!!

[WalkGood]

Small beach town I guess they never thought sooooo many people would come!!!!

Get a booster pump and suck all the water up away from the neighbors. Be smilin proud like that smiling dude and his vey happy wife in those goofy "vitamin" commercials, because your rotars stand up taller than any one else in the hood. :weightlifter:

[Mike Leary]

vey happy

Is that a Norwegian retirement community?

[WalkGood]

his vey happy wife

Is that a Norwegian retirement community?


Doh! I left out the "oy" !

[Waterit]

:drinkup:keep the ideas coming!!

Landscape contractor, HO, or builder won't pay? Go over late at night, drain pump, re-prime with RoundUp concentrate.

Check in 3-5 days, see landscape all brown - must be bad plants, huh?

An alternative is to write a big F U with a RoundUp-filled sprayer across that immaculate fresh green lawn.

Course, never done this stuff myself, but I hear rumors...

[WalkGood]

Drive-by Roundup-icecubes.

[No Rush]

Landscape contractor, HO, or builder won't pay? Go over late at night, drain pump, re-prime with RoundUp concentrate.

Check in 3-5 days, see landscape all brown - must be bad plants, huh?

An alternative is to write a big F U with a RoundUp-filled sprayer across that immaculate fresh green lawn.

Course, never done this stuff myself, but I hear rumors...

The builder won't pay.

[Waterit]

The builder won't pay.

Lien the property, call the local contractor licensing board, have your lawyer write a nasty letter...

[Mike Leary]

Lien the property.

If you've patience & can afford it, a lien is a handy "bank account" since it
cannot be enforced until the house sells. A buddy liened a place, twenty years
went by, everyone forgot about it. House sold, cha ching!, guess who went
down and bought the biggest motor home he could find, guess what homeowner made no money off the sale? You can charge interest on a lien.
Justice.

[Waterit]

Have a lien on a property that dates back to 1989! Wow! Didn't realize you can charge interest - maybe someday that ship will come in...

[greenmonster304]

roundup in water baloons tossed from car as you drive by at night

[WalkGood]

roundup in water baloons tossed from car as you drive by at night


Just don't leave finger prints on the baloons. I like the roundup filled supersoaker or roundup ice cubes... no residual evidence.

[Wet_Boots]

If you've patience & can afford it, a lien is a handy "bank account" since it
cannot be enforced until the house sells. A buddy liened a place, twenty years
went by, everyone forgot about it. House sold, cha ching!, guess who went
down and bought the biggest motor home he could find, guess what homeowner made no money off the sale? You can charge interest on a lien.
Justice.Your lien mileage can vary from state to state. Important is to be aware of time limitations for filing the lien paperwork.

[FIMCO-MEISTER]

On the golf course we had an angry fired employee. This was back when we used to hand water the greens and a 1" hose with a QC was kept in the back of the green. He took a knife and cut the hose at an angle to create a spear then proceeded to insert it under the putting turf at full pressure. The greens ballooned up then exploded. Needless to say they had to be rebuilt.

Personally revenge is emotional cancer to me. I think filing a lien or going to small claims court is the way to go. At least you get the satisfaction of having a constable serve them at there home. I've done that for invoices as low as 150.00 on pure principal. Staying within your referral base and not soliciting for strangers avoids a lot of this BS. I had to deal with a referral from the DIA on a city referred water conservation request and the lady was an absolute kook. I was in a shouting match with her on my phone while she was on her phone and I was standing in her driveway. All over the fact I didn't wait long enough after I rang her door bell and went to my cell phone to call and see if she was home.:dizzy:

[Mike Leary]

Your lien mileage can vary from state to state. Important is to be aware of time limitations for filing the lien paperwork.

Good point, I thought of that last night. Around here, you have ninety days to
lien. A "intent to lien" form available at stationary stores gets most jerks
off their butts.

[irrig8r]

Your lien mileage can vary from state to state. Important is to be aware of time limitations for filing the lien paperwork.

So the lien only works when the house is being sold, but not when the owner goes to refinance or take out a second?

I always wondered about that...

I liened one PITA customer who put his house on the market after he hadn't paid me, and I was paid out of escrow.

[Wet_Boots]

So the lien only works when the house is being sold, but not when the owner goes to refinance or take out a second?

I always wondered about that...

I liened one PITA customer who put his house on the market after he hadn't paid me, and I was paid out of escrow.As long as you cloud the title, that affects refi and mortgages, so far as I know. Sometimes the notice of intent is enough to raise red flags with the banks.

[Mike Leary]

Sometimes the notice of intent is enough to raise red flags with the banks.

Sneezing raises flags with lenders these days! It's like having to use your
bond; might as well stroll down to the mall & check for a opening at the
shoe shop. :cool2:

[DanaMac]

Sneezing raises flags with lenders these days! It's like having to use your
bond; might as well stroll down to the mall & check for a opening at the
shoe shop. :cool2:

You really have this thing for shoes...... you might want to talk to the therapist about that. Or follow your true calling and take that job at Payless Shoes. Start small, then work up to the Red Wing Shoes. :)

[Mike Leary]

Start small, then work up to the Red Wing Shoes. :)

I've never had a lawsuit, big screw-up I could not pay for, or had to use my
bond. Come close a few times, that's why I like shoes: they either fit or they
don't. Wonder what the pay scale is?

[DanaMac]

I've never had a lawsuit, big screw-up I could not pay for, or had to use my
bond. Come close a few times, that's why I like shoes: they either fit or they
don't. Wonder what the pay scale is?

Very true. Little liability. Low risk, low reward. Big risk, big reward. Shoe guy probably doesn't make much scratch at the end of the day. Until he's a big wig making the shoes. Then he has bigger risk. Makes more scratch. i could give econ lessons here :) maybe i'll let the GF give them, she's the econ major.

Got your bottle of wine ready? You're almost at 5,000!!

[Mike Leary]

Very true. Little liability. Low risk, low reward.
Got your bottle of wine ready? You're almost at 5,000!!

In my left hand, wonder if Boots has that exploding decoder ring ready.

[Wet_Boots]

I'll pour a round of Quinto do Noval tawny port.

[DanaMac]

I'll pour a round of Quinto do Noval tawny port.

I'll tip back some Boone's Farm!!! :laugh: Being from a red state and all.....