Sometimes it all comes together

[justjeepin86]

We finally have our, phase one, re-grading done at our soccer fields. This has been a drawn out project that finally has a light at the end of the tunnel.

I'm no project manager or contractor and took on this whole project, from design through hiring contractors. It's been stressful, and now, very fulfilling. Funding was also an issue, and I'm thankful we had someone in our community step up in a huge way to take care of all of it.

Tonight, we start laying out the field for irrigation. With a lot of studying, and with help from folks like @RQ I was able to design the whole system. More help from my local Site One for wholesale pricing made it all come together. I should even have help from our local high school football team so they can get volunteer hours that the coach makes them do. It's going to be a long couple weeks to get this finished, but i cannot wait to see the bermuda coming up in a month.

I'll update this as we move forward.

 

[mbalbritton]

... I should even have help from our local high school football team so they can get volunteer hours that the coach makes them do.

chuckle chuckle. Sounds like a good coach. I approve this message.

 

[R Q]

Your grading contractor looks like he was totally on point! That'll make life so much easier and glad to help with getting you started. Once we went back and forth a few times I could tell you were getting it. You'll be fine. Good luck!

 

[justjeepin86]

 

[Wes]

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I have a friend who does irrigation and sod. He needed help, so I worked with him all week. We did three houses and a well pump. I ran the excavator all week. By excavator I mean a trenching shovel. The trencher can only get into so many places. I must have shoveled a dump truck load for the week. My favorite is axing through roots on those long runs that the trencher can’t get too.

That job looks good and clean

 

[R Q]

Looks great. Compact those ditches. And you don't need the gravel under the valves. Our soil sucks and it doesn't help. I support my valve boxes on bricks so they don't lay directly on the pipe.
BUT you're job is better than most in the business by far!

 

[justjeepin86]

Looks great. Compact those ditches. And you don't need the gravel under the valves. Our soil sucks and it doesn't help. I support my valve boxes on bricks so they don't lay directly on the pipe.
BUT you're job is better than most in the business by far!

Thanks!
I'm actually using two boxes. One is cut to fit the valves and sitting on the bottom. The second box has its height set by the dirt to get it flush. I know the rocks aren't necessary, I saw someone doing it and liked the clean look.

Compacting the ditches is the hard part.

 

[R Q]

Thanks!
I'm actually using two boxes. One is cut to fit the valves and sitting on the bottom. The second box has its height set by the dirt to get it flush. I know the rocks aren't necessary, I saw someone doing it and liked the clean look.

Compacting the ditches is the hard part.

Wacker packer with a narrow foot.

 

[braxton357]

I have a friend who does irrigation and sod. He needed help, so I worked with him all week. We did three houses and a well pump. I ran the excavator all week. By excavator I mean a trenching shovel. The trencher can only get into so many places. I must have shoveled a dump truck load for the week. My favorite is axing through roots on those long runs that the trencher can’t get too.

That job looks good and clean

I've got a jumping

Thanks!
I'm actually using two boxes. One is cut to fit the valves and sitting on the bottom. The second box has its height set by the dirt to get it flush. I know the rocks aren't necessary, I saw someone doing it and liked the clean look.

Compacting the ditches is the hard part.

I've got a jumping jack you can borrow for a while if you need

 

[justjeepin86]

I've got a jumping

I've got a jumping jack you can borrow for a while if you need

Man, that's hard to turn down. I think of someone holding on to that for 5k of pipe, lol. Do you have any reason to head towards Winston or any closer? Although, it's supposed to rain later in the week and a can probably make the drive.

 

[justjeepin86]

Well, it's been a long 3 weeks. I turned on the water today. I only put nozzles in one run so i could see it go. Tomorrow will be installing all the nozzles. We'll have to fine tune the pressure switch so the pump runs constant.

 

[R Q]

Looks great. Maybe get some non-dirt colored flags on each head so you don't trash them when grading.

 

[awheelterd]

Is it normal to have the prv before the pressure switch? I wouldn't think so. It looks like it's gonna make things needlessly hard on that pump

 

[justjeepin86]

Is it normal to have the prv before the pressure switch? I wouldn't think so. It looks like it's gonna make things needlessly hard on that pump

Idk, That's how the well pump guys installed it. They are going to come out and tune it so the pump doesn't cycle on and off constantly. I honestly done feel like we need a pressure tank.

 

[JoshRountree]

Idk, That's how the well pump guys installed it. They are going to come out and tune it so the pump doesn't cycle on and off constantly. I honestly done feel like we need a pressure tank.

I think that's a Cycle Stop Valve - CSV1A – Cycle Stop Valves, Inc

 

[awheelterd]

I think that's a Cycle Stop Valve - CSV1A – Cycle Stop Valves, Inc

That's interesting. Ive never seen one of those, but then again I dont know irrigation plumbing

 

[JoshRountree]

That's interesting. Ive never seen one of those, but then again I dont know irrigation plumbing

I don't think it's just for irrigation. It's for residential wells too. It's designed to keep a pump from cycling. The way I understand it, cycling is bad, kind of like stop and go traffic versus highway miles. Pumps like to turn on and stay on. This animation helped me understand it. Interactive Animation – Cycle Stop Valves, Inc

I'm betting the pump guys are wanting to tune it so the pressure is set to where the pump stays pumping when it comes on, and they use that cycle stop valve to do it. I think a lot of municipalities operate this way too, but I don't have much evidence to back that up.

 

[justjeepin86]

We cycled all 20 zones yesterday from the controller. Looks like we got it right! It all works as designed, but we did have one faulty rotor that blew the top out. I'll take that back Monday for replacement.

And yes, the cycle stop valve is to keep the pump from turning on and off. It does that pretty frequently at the moment.

 

[YotaOnRocks]

Looks awesome man. Great job.

 

[justjeepin86]

Well, it was seeded last Wednesday. Had some good rain over memorial day, so i wasn't worried about watering it. They did run over one of my marked valve boxes with a big truck and crushed it in. They fixed, but didn't realize it cut the main entering it. So, i turned the water on Tuesday to find that. They fixed wed am and I've been watering since. It feels good to have it going. Now to wait for the green to pop up.