Decisions on what to use for residential and small commercial sprinkler systems help determine profitability down the road. The right decisions can pave the way for a company to grow and prosper while the wrong decisions can have a tremendous cost.
EQUIPMENT ISSUES. The most important factor to consider when deciding what valves or heads to use is reliability. You need to determine which ones are going to hold up over the long haul. This can be difficult without any of your own historical data, but there are other ways to help make this determination.
The first step would be to disassemble each component and compare it to like components, such as the Hunter PGP vs. Toro S700. Is it rugged or flimsy? Is it easy or difficult to assemble and disassemble? Are there a few or numerous parts? Do the parts appear to be of high quality? You don't have to be an engineer to answer these questions. Write down the positives and negatives of each and compare.
The next step would be to simulate the components' actual usage. You can do this by building a valve manifold with three or four different valves. Pressurize with water, activate each solenoid and watch how they react under both high and low pressure. Also watch how the solenoids work and how fast or slow they operate. Fast closing solenoids can create water hammer.
You can test your sprinkler heads similarly. Fabricate a multiple head stand so you can test two or three heads at once. This way you can actually compare them "head-to-head." Check out how each head reacts under different water pressures. Watch how well the wiper seals work as each head rises and then retracts back into the canister. Next try to determine how effective the water distribution is. Set up catch cans (Dixie cups work well) on the ground in a grid pattern and fire up one head at a time. Run the water 10 minutes for spray heads and 20 minutes for rotary heads. Measure the amount of water in each can and compare.
Do the same for each head and again compare. This information will tell which heads have the best water distribution. Another easier but less accurate way to check out distribution is to set up your test on a dry dirt area. As you run the water, watch which areas stay dry and which puddle up. If you have consistent moisture throughout the area then you've got good distribution.
CONTROLLER CONSIDERATIONS. When considering which controller to choose, reliability is again very important, but equally as important is the customer's ability to use and understand it. The controller must be very user-friendly. Most residential controllers are programmed and operated by the homeowner. If they are afraid to touch it, then most of the time they will either be under- or over-watering. Many controllers on the market today offer a lot of bells and whistles, so you need to determine what your customers really want. For example, if the ability for remote control is not important for many customers in your market then don't push a controller that has one.
Once you decide which components to use, tracking historical data becomes crucial. This data can help you determine which components are reliable, which are not and will help you make future decisions. Track all valves, heads, and controllers that have failed and record the reason why. A small percentage of failure can be expected (about 1/2 percent), but if there are high failure rates then you need to look at changing that component.
Another quick and simple way of choosing components would be to model the most successful contractor in your area. Find out what the best guys (not necessarily the biggest) are using. Chances are they've already gone through the above steps and know which ones are the most reliable.
The component choices you make today will effect your profitability tomorrow and years down the road. Valves that don't open or close properly require service calls. Heads that don't rotate or rise and retract properly require service calls. Controllers that people can't understand cost you time clarifying usage. When these things happen within the warrantee period (all quality contractors offer one year minimum) it takes money right off your bottom line.
Besides monetary considerations, you also have to deal with the irritated customer factor. They hire you for your expertise and to solve their problem. They don't want to have to deal with additional problems once you complete your work. Unhappy customers create negative word-of-mouth advertising. This will cost you dearly as your company grows and develops a reputation. Picking the proper system components makes sure that this reputation is one you and your employees can be proud of. - Mike Fournier
The author is owner of Fournier Irrigation, East Hartford, Conn.; phone: 860-528-9397