An irrigation controller which is also referred to as an irrigation timer allows you to schedule appropriate irrigation run-times thus allowing the healthy growth of plants (over watering can result in plant damage)without water wastage.
Read on to find out some important tips to select the most suitable irrigation controller.
1. Understand the type of controllers available today
Irrigation supplies companies in Perth offer both conventional electro-mechanical controllers as well as digital controllers. While the former is preferred for its tolerance to electrical surges, the latter is known for its accuracy. Some companies also offer hybrid irrigation controllers. To start with, understand the functionalities, pros and cons of each controller type and narrow down the choice based on your specific needs.
2. Determine the required flexibility of the controller
Your irrigation supplies in Perth vary based on the type of flora nurtured in your farm or garden. Some spaces may include both a tree zone as well as shrub zone and the watering needs for each differ significantly. In such cases, you need an irrigation controller that comes with different programs and better flexibility. Highly flexible controllers are priced slightly higher but it is the best for controlled landscape watering.
3. Opt for controller with optimal station run times
The drip emitters offer a flow rate of 2 gallons per hour (sometimes even lesser). Therefore, the controller must allow the stations to run for a minimum of 2 hours. In some cases, the station may be required to run for a maximum of six hours (in mature landscapes). Thus choosing a controller with maximum run time is recommended.
4. Run-off prone areas need more than one start cycle
Generally, drip irrigation is a slow process and run-off is never a major issue. It is for this reason that the Perth irrigation supplies company recommend controllers with one start time as sufficient. But if you own areas that are prone to run-offs, then you may want to consider controllers with multiple start times.
5. Length of each schedule must be considered too
Winters in Perth are sometimes characterised by storms, heavy downpours and the mercury can go down to 8 degrees Celsius or lesser. Summers on the other hand can be dry without any rain and with an average temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. The irrigation schedules (the number of days when irrigation is skipped) change during seasons and the controller must accommodate minimum 14 days between the watering sessions.
Perth irrigation supplies companies now offer a wide va riety of irrigation controllers with multiple additions and features. Analysing each model based on the above pointers will help in picking the most suitable one.
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