Checking for adequate coverage......

[precisioncut]

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I belive some of my maintenance yards are not getting the water they need and some sprinklers may need to be adjusted. If I go to a yard and place cans around to measure the water and how long it takes to get to a certain level, how much should I be charging? I know that prices vary greatly but should I be charging like my hourly rate for this and other sprinkler repairs?

[Mdirrigation]

Its called an audit , it takes a complete watering cycle to complete . I set about 40 plastic bowls all over the lawn the evening before , and come back the next morning to compare precip rates . I charge by the hour , typically have 3 to 4 hours just determining nozzel and head changes.

[precisioncut]

just use like tupperware bowls? I would guess they would need to weigh something so they don't blow away.

[Mdirrigation]

I use plastic cereal bowls , and a rock will work for weight

[precisioncut]

Roughly how much water should be applied to the lawn when the temps are over 100* already? 1" or more?

[aquamtic]

I use a simple rain gauge device that stakes right into the ground and has a measuring gauge right on it. I use it to determine even coverage and real run time calculations

This is the model I use
http://www.edwardsironworkers.com/tru-chek/tandc.htm

[precisioncut]

When checking run times, do you sit through a couple cycles to get it right, or do what the other guy does? (place the cans out at night and check in the morning)

[aquamtic]

In normal circumstances- I run each zone for 10 minutes and take a reading from the rain gauge. I then determine how much longer based on the amount read that it would take to measure a 1/4" of fall.

Lets say 10 minutes gave me 1/8" of fall- I would then determine that 20 minutes would give us a 1/4"

I then normally base a run schedule of every other day. Standard in our area is atleast 1" PER WEEK start of season and 1 1/2 during the hotter months.

Based on the example I now set that zone to run 20 minutes every other day ( based on a 4 day per week schedul)

You must do this for every zone individually and assume you have pretty good even coverage.