SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers

We just bought a house in Hawaii with a sprinkler system (our first) already installed. There appears to be 4 zones (currently). The system waters each zone for about 15 minutes every other day (but also seems to come on every Monday), starting at around 6:30 AM. The controller is a Weathermatic LM7A. The clock is blinking on it and I am assuming the power went out at some point. There is a 9 volt battery connected, but given the looks of it, it is probably shot. The clock is off by about an hour and a half (behind) from the current time. I have been trying to find out some information on this, but can't seem to find anything on the internet. I'd like to be able to understand the system so that if (and when) we do have problems, I can try to sort them out. I am a little afraid to go changing things on the controller for fear I will screw it up. I think setting the clock would be pretty basic, although it may make the zones water a different time, unless I program it for whatever time I want (AM). I also have one small black plastic tube in one zone about 8 inches tall with no type of fixture on top of it. I think a tree branch fell down and broke whatever was there off. There is another one of these tubes nearby and it seems to lightly sprinkle water in about a 12" area. There were two small fixtures laying on the ground nearby, there are round, about one inch high. The one that is broken shoots water about 12 feet in the air, I don't think this is the way it is supposed to work. The tube is black plastic about 1/4 inch around outside, maybe 1/8 inch inside. I guess my questions are....where can I find a manual or some kind of instructions on how to work the controller and where might I find something to go on top of the fixture that seems to missing one (I have looked at Lowe's, they had nothing that would fit, Walmart at least had something that might fit into the tube, but it didn't look like what may have been there previously) ? Any help would be appreciated.

Quoted from "Wet_Boots"

a 1/4-inch tube would be for a "micro-sprinkler" that threads into the tube. This stuff is in the category of drip irrigation.

Wet_Boots. Thanks ... I think I found what goes on top of the small tube....I had to hunt a few websites until I could find something that looks similar...Agrifim 0-20 GPH Dial-A-Flo 360 Degree Fan Spray Barb Inlet...but it looks very similar. At least now I know a little bit about what I am looking for. Now to find a replacement....

Quoted from "mrfixit"

I'm surprised you didn't find what you needed at Lowes. The Lowes where I live has a full selection of drip parts. Maybe you missed them.

This might be the manual.

www.coastwaterworks.com/irrigation_3/irrigation_manuals/LM_Manual.pdf

You were right on the button Mrfixit ! Thanks. Looks just like my control panel. My next steps are to read this manual and try to figure out what it is telling me and then buy a new 9V battery. I'll adjust the time correctly and see what that does. My guess is the system will come on earlier, which makes sense since the wind around here seems to kick up every day right before the system comes on, blowing the water everywhere. You may wonder why we would need such a system in Hawaii, but there are a number of different climate zones here, and we technically live in a desert (less than 10" of rain a year), hence, the irrigation system.

Quoted from "Fireguy97"

Quoted from "Bumbleball"

I guess my questions are....where can I find a manual or some kind of instructions on how to work the controller and where might I find something to go on top of the fixture that seems to missing one (I have looked at Lowe's, they had nothing that would fit, Walmart at least had something that might fit into the tube, but it didn't look like what may have been there previously) ?

www.weathermatic.com/index.cfm?page=Downloads

I don't know what 'fixtures' you might have, but you might try browsing here.

www.sprinklerwarehouse.com/Drip-Irrigation-s/24.htm

Mick

Thanks FireGuy !!

Quoted from "Wet_Boots"

Quoted

Wet_Boots. Thanks ... I think I found what goes on top of the small tube....I had to hunt a few websites until I could find something that looks similar...Agrifim 0-20 GPH Dial-A-Flo 360 Degree Fan Spray Barb Inlet...but it looks very similar. At least now I know a little bit about what I am looking for. Now to find a replacement....

You might need a part with a threaded inlet, to thread into the small riser tube. That may not seem like a secure connection, but the regulated pressure allows this stuff to work without blowing apart.

I'm not sure on this part yet...I haven't been back to the store, nor have I clipped the top of the remaining tube to see what is in there, but it doesn't look to be threaded. Part of the old fixture is still inhabiting the tube.