Trying really hard to learn! HELP!

6182 Views 51 Replies 14 Participants Last post by Bryn, Apr 27, 2010

Graveslawncare

Discussion Starter · Mar 25, 2010

Ok, so I have been in lawn care for around 8 years and I want to add irrigation to increase revenue and profit margins and also as something else fun to do. I really am excited about getting into it!

I have read most of the beginners advice forum here, and I appreciate all the info. One of the first guys on the forum posted a link to a tutorial that he thought was pretty solid, so I started there with my reading. I'm not even all the way thru it yet and I'm enjoying it, but I'm also kinda overwhelmed at all the info involved at some points. I know that once I do it a couple times it will get easier, but I guess I'm just looking for some more starting advice. How do you find best to wrap your head around it all? Besides the tutorial I'm currently studying, is there anything else I should read that has a lot of easy to understand instruction and visuals? (I'm a pretty visual learner). Finally, when I think I'm ready to take on my first system, what is the best way to go about getting irrigation jobs? I put irrigation on my biz cards a couple years ago cuz I had a company that I was going to subcontract but I never really got much attention from it and nothing ever really happened and of course I didn't pursue it much because I was focusing on grass cutting. So how can I land a few jobs?

Anything, any guidance is extremely appreciated. Thanks!

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Mike Leary

· #41 · Apr 2, 2010

1idejim said:
somehow i'm in the friggin twilight zone here, i'm reading amps and ohms and bits and pieces of posts..........give this a minute

O.K., the RM clock reads amps, when we see a solenoid get down in the low twenties, we flag it for replacement. Are you tracking? When Russ put his v.o.m. on the solenoid in question, with field wires removed, he got 33 OHMs, which would indicate a good solenoid. However, we've found a cold solenoid will show readings in the 20-60 ohm range, which is within normal parameters, then heat-up and cause our RM to indicate failing solenoid. Testing a cold solenoid for ohms has proved to be a not good indication of the condition. We trust a $5,000.00 RM clock to tell us what's happening, but the issue of "cold" solenoids is what all tech guys should be aware of.

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1idejim

· #42 · Apr 2, 2010

mike,

i was confused by the interuption and lost my train of thought.

this was part of one of my posts not long ago

"fluke has a model t5-600 open style that auto selects the ac or dc voltage. it's nice also.
i paid about $200. for the fluke but, it also came with a voltage detector and a infrared thermometer (mike leary brought up the temp. of solenoids not long ago) which is cool and i'm starting to use often."

i think that you're onto something and i'm checking a few solenoids when onsite. what doesn't make sense is the solenoid is actually water cooled, isn't it? never been around wm's before

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Mike Leary

· #43 · Apr 2, 2010

1idejim said:
what doesn't make sense is the solenoid is actually water cooled, isn't it? never been around wm's before

All solenoids are water cooled, but if the solenoid gets hot, the water cooling is moot and the fry begins.

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Mike Leary

· #44 · Apr 2, 2010

Thanks, Ed Hunter, for inventing the Stream-Rotor, the best head ever made. R.I.P.

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Who is John Malt

· #45 · Apr 2, 2010

DanaMac said:
The heads out in the middle look like 4". What a piker.

Yup. The pikers at Toro don't make a 6" and even I can't justify a 12" in a lawn. We cookie cut every year and raise as needed so it's not usually a problem.

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DanaMac

· #46 · Apr 2, 2010

Who is John Malt said:
Yup. The pikers at Toro don't make a 6" and even I can't justify a 12" in a lawn. We cookie cut every year and raise as needed so it's not usually a problem.

Just had to bust Mike's balls on that one. He's always doing the same to us for using 4". Why couldn't you use RB 1806's?

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Who is John Malt

· #47 · Apr 2, 2010

DanaMac said:
Just had to bust Mike's balls on that one. He's always doing the same to us for using 4". Why couldn't you use RB 1806's?

I did think about 1800's with MP's but didn't want the extended run times using a nozzle with only ~.40/in/hr (the Toro SR's are almost double). This is controller #2 on the site that has about 42 zones. We like stream rotors when small trees are involved.

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Wet_Boots

· #48 · Apr 2, 2010

Actually, the standard stream rotor head is only a 3-inch popup. Lawns manage to survive the insult.

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DanaMac

· #49 · Apr 2, 2010

Who is John Malt said:
I did think about 1800's with MP's but didn't want the extended run times using a nozzle with only ~.40/in/hr (the Toro SR's are almost double).

Got it. I see what the issue is now.

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Graveslawncare

Discussion Starter · #50 · Apr 8, 2010

Quick update....first I must say that you guys are pretty good at going off on tangents and bunny trails lol. Second, concerning licenses in TN, I talked to the govt offices and they said there is no license required to do irrigation systems. The only requirement is that I have a licensed plumber install the backflow preventer. This has been backed up by a friend of mine in Memphis who does a lot of irrigation and by another friend who is a general contractor. I was happy to find out this information because it makes getting started a little easier.

I'm covered up in spring lawn care right now but I still plan on designing a system for my house and putting it up here for you guys to see. Just keep checking for updates

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Mike Leary

· #51 · Apr 8, 2010

Graveslawncare said:
Quick update....first I must say that you guys are pretty good at going off on tangents and bunny trails lol.

It's a gift, and we are licensed to hijack. Glad things are going well for you.

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Bryn

· #52 · Apr 27, 2010

Graveslawncare,

Go over to John Deer of Thompson Lane and Nolensville Road and speak to Jeremy at the front desk. A great help. Hunters and RB, with some Toro and a lot of other stuff.

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