Course Update

This past week we have managed to install all the sprinkler decoders that had been removed and sent for testing in Auckland. With the decoders in ground we ran several tests through the decoder diagnostics tool on our computer and once I was satisfied that everything was working correctly all the holes were filled back in, levelled and seeded in any bare areas.
Another job that had been hanging around for a little while was a pipe leak repair on the 10th fairway. The leak was in a 150 mm pipe mainline and with the dry weather we have been having I was waiting for some rain so if there was any delay in the repair it wouldn't affect our irrigation too much. As it turned out we had quite a rain and hailstorm last Sunday which provided a good opportunity to shut the system down and make the repair.

Storm clouds approaching

Draining the pipeline

Mainline with tee pieces

Faulty 150mm pipe removed from tee piece

The finished repair

The damaged pipe worn by water pressure

With the irrigation repair finished and back-filled the golf course had returned to normal playing condition for the first time since mid July. We haven't had the course free of holes on fairways, tees or rough since July because of all the searching for faults and repairs we were making to get the irrigation system operating properly. With this year nearing the end I am hoping that 2016 brings us less trying conditions so that we can concentrate on maintaining and grooming the golf course.

Course Update

After many months looking for wiring faults in our irrigation system we have finally found the major cause of our problems. The decoder interface had an intermittent fault that eventually worsened to the point that it failed completely and we had no power to the course at all. Fortunately we were supplied a temporary interface until a new one could be shipped from overseas. We are now full operational with the new LDI installed.
We have sent our suspect decoders to Auckland for testing and are waiting for them to be returned so that we can finish the repairs to the system and fill in the holes on the fairways.

New LDI installed

Now the irrigation system has been sorted we have been able to do more regular mowing and maintenance around the course. The fairways are starting to show the benefits of more regular mowing and areas of the rough are really starting to be defined with the dry weather burning off  the grass and the seedhead growing and lengthening.

Regular fairway mowing and rough drying out

With more regular watering and limited preseason maintenance done on the system due to chasing our electrical issues we were bound to have some problems crop up. One of or pumps had a fuse burn out, several pipe leaks have appeared and an unusual pipe problem at another pump shed recently appeared.

Deformed, leaking pipe at pump shed 3