Irrigation issue

[JLong]

Irrigation issue.

I am not an irrigation tech... however one of my customers who lives out of town expects me to check on it along with other things when I service the property.... Well when i mowed a couple weeks ago I extended the times each zone would run because we are in a drought ( and she told me to). I reprogramed all eight zones and tested it out everything was working fine.

fast forwawrd one week I show up the day after a slight thunderstom to find one of the birch trees in the front yard has been blown apart by lightning and now there are only 3 zones registered in the programer not 8 and even if i try to run one of the three none of them will come on.

I am calling the irrigation tech today, however I was wondering what could of caused this problem (lightning?). Honestly i'm just trying to learn about this part of the industry will probably never be a full time irrigation tech, but am interested in learning as much as i can.

thank you

[AI Inc]

Originally Posted by JLong

after a slight thunderstom to find one of the birch trees in the front yard has been blown apart by lightning

The answer lies within.

[Sprinkus]

Got blowed up from the lightnin', or the sig.

[Wet_Boots]

Lightning versus solid-state controller? My money is not on the box.

[txgrassguy]

Yep, a repair bill usually follows a lightning strike.
New controller, usually new solenoids for the valves, maybe some field wiring.
It all adds up, and in a hurry too.

[hoskm01]

Originally Posted by JLong

Full time student and lawncare
Certified lawn applicator
95 f150 4x4 5.8L
16' trailer
9' trailer
2002 john deere 717
36" gravely walk behind
14sb
shendawia
blue bird verticut
a ton of hand tools
www.jlonglawnandlandscape.com

2 statements, 1 question.

You spelled "Shindaiwa" wrong.

Lightning, at 50,000 volts (compared to the 24 your controller, wires, and solenoids are used to, took care of same.)

How do you "apply lawn"

[JayinMI]

We had a bad 45 minute t-storm here last week. I was standing in the back of the shop and lightning came REAL close, scared the crap out of me. Boss came out and said "there is a repair somewhere".

Sure enough one of our good customers had her "flo pros" blown out (solenoids, 3 of them) and her controller was fried too. She said smoke was coming from it....

[Buck_wheat]

I saw another thread here dealing with lightning strikes... was a guy there had all the answers about keeping a lightning strike from toasting parts or all of your system.

[irritation]

Originally Posted by Buck_wheat

I saw another thread here dealing with lightning strikes... was a guy there had all the answers about keeping a lightning strike from toasting parts or all of your system.

Some guys have all the answers but are usually wrong.

Where is your melon patch?

[AI Inc]

Originally Posted by Buck_wheat

I saw another thread here dealing with lightning strikes... was a guy there had all the answers about keeping a lightning strike from toasting parts or all of your system.

Why the hell would a contractor want to do that?