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

My pop just received a bid to run a very simple irrigation system with
ONLY 2 zones 1 for the grass and 1 for a small bed of flowers. It would
be supplied by a small Goulds .75hp pump which draws from the lake....He
is used it for years, but now wants the sprinklers lines buried etc vs
having to haul hoses around the yard and adjust the sprinkler location

The irrigation guy came out I believe said all that would be be needed
would be 2 solenoid valves and I believe a pump start relay.

He does not have a pressure tank..its simply just a a pump.

I know there are several ways etc to set these up with a pressure tank etc. But he doesnt need a hose or anything along those lines....All he needs is the pump to turn and off and a set time and alternate watering between these two zones.

I'm wondering what if for some reason the solenoid valves failed to open or got stuck and the pump turns on I assume this would be very bad and it would deadhead or overheat and self destruct. Perhaps I'm missing something and this would never happen?

However, I'm wondering if its prudent to have something like a pressure relief valve added or temp sensor kill switch or some other dervice . I don't want to risk the pump deadheading or overheating. Do all installers setup irrigation systems in way to avoid this? If not what specifically should he be requesting to avoid this

Quoted from "Wet_Boots"

Your concerns are justified. A vast majority of sprinkler systems supplied by pumps are controlled by relays, without a whole lot of consideration for what happens when a valve doesn't open when it should. A relief valve can be installed, but it would never hurt to trade in the pump relay for a pressure tank (they can be very small) and a standard pressure switch, with a relief valve backing up.

Boots

From the sounds of it these pressure release valves are fairly inexpensive and sounds like they are the cheap insurance he needs. I have read several of your posts in the past and know your a proponent of the pressure tanks etc. But am curious would a pressure release valve be all that he would need as means to prevent deadheading if he simply just has a vanilla pump?

If so is this something the installer "should be" able to add on?