Emergency watering idea

[Paulneill]

I post recently enquiring about automatic watering systems at I work away from home a lot. I got some good advice and will setup a proper system with solenoids and controller.

But say I’m away at work and the system fails during summer. What do I do.
Well this is my idea.
Place a water barrel full of water in the middle of my trees (I only have 20 grouped together on the lawn). Inside the 220 liters olive oil barrel have a small submersible pump connected to a sprinkler sticking out the top of the barrel.
I can keep an eye on my trees using a camera and if the original system fails I can turn the pump on using a wifi plug from my phone and maybe be able to water them all twice until I get home.

What do u guys think ??

[Paulneill]

I post recently enquiring about automatic watering systems as I work away from home a lot. I got some good advice and will setup a proper system with solenoids and controller.

But say I’m away at work and the system fails during summer. What do I do.
Well this is my idea.
Place a water barrel full of water in the middle of my trees (I only have 20 grouped together on the lawn). Inside the 220 liters olive oil barrel have a small submersible pump connected to a sprinkler sticking out the top of the barrel.
I can keep an eye on my trees using a camera and if the original system fails I can turn the pump on using a wifi plug from my phone and maybe be able to water them all twice until I get home.

What do u guys think ??

[Paulneill]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Paulneill]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Paulneill]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[shibui]

I'd be more inclined to install the most reliable main system I can find. Mine has worked well for many years so no need for a backup but I do have someone come around to check every couple of days just in case.

Your backup system might work but probably not with that pump. Have you worked out or measured flow rates to see how long the 220l will actually last or just a guess it will do 2 days? Bear in mind that the pump won't be able to pump the full 220 litres. It will cut out when water gets below the impeller. Running dry will kill a pump so they either have a cut out when no water going through or a float switch attached to the outside to turn off when water level drops.
You'll need to find a flow rate chart for the pump. Many submersibles are transfer pumps and may not provide enough pressure to run a sprinkler effectively.
Here's the specs for that pump: https://www.gtp.com.au/irrigationperth/ ... _DC10M.pdf
Note that pressure/flow drops off pretty quick.
MAX head is only 8 m which equates to 80KPa. That's well short of the nominal 200KPa that most sprinklers require to operate effectively. As soon as you have some flow the pressure drops quick. Most conventional sprinklers won't work well with pressure that low.
What sprinkler would effectively cover the area required so we can match it's operating requirements to the pump.
Lowest pressure/flow Wobble Tee sprinkler uses 10 litres per min and will work under 40KPa so should work with that pump but will take several hours to water effectively at 4mm/hr rainfall equivalent.

[Paulneill]

Thanks shibui.
Mate I’m impressed you sound very smart And raised good points.
I don’t have anyone checking my trees and fear it just a matter of time before I come home and everything is dead
I have had brand new tap timers filling with water, leaking, sprinklers getting stuck. Weeds stopping sprinklers working. Even had sand coming out of my tap blocking the mesh filter and also blocking my sprinkler. I’ve been lucky so far to have only lost a few trees.
I’m definitely investing in a good mains powered system with the best solenoids the shop recommends.

Would just like another fail safe.

Most of these trees also get hit with the lawn retic system so at least that’s something.

[legoman_iac]

I went away for a month in sep/oct ... my parents did a great job. If you were in Sydney, I could rent them out? Your profile says Perth, so can't help.

In December, went away for 5 days, summer got the better of me and lost a few little ones, and one of my favourite banksias I've been developing and had just repotted.

Went away again last week, put them all in the shade, on the lawn with the sprinkler running every day ... it then rained everyday.

TLDR; best system, reliable people (but I do like gadgets)

Keen to hear you're solution!

[Green88]

I post recently enquiring about automatic watering systems at I work away from home a lot. I got some good advice and will setup a proper system with solenoids and controller.

But say I’m away at work and the system fails during summer. What do I do.
Well this is my idea.
Place a water barrel full of water in the middle of my trees (I only have 20 grouped together on the lawn). Inside the 220 liters olive oil barrel have a small submersible pump connected to a sprinkler sticking out the top of the barrel.
I can keep an eye on my trees using a camera and if the original system fails I can turn the pump on using a wifi plug from my phone and maybe be able to water them all twice until I get home.

What do u guys think ??

Having the submersible pump and the wifi plug for remote control could really save your trees if the main system fails. Just make sure the barrel’s big enough to last a couple of days and check that the pump can handle the flow to all the trees. A good idea to cover your bases

[kcpoole]

if you want reliable the Mains powered controller with battery and solenoids for each hose / sprinkle line,
Then Duplicate the system with another controller on another power circuit, with solenoids on the the other end of each line.
Put each timer on at a differnet time of the day for 1/2 the time.

Net result is if you lose a controller, the other one will keep everything happy till you can get it resolved

Ken