Help with garden lawn and making lawn sprinkler installation

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404cameljockey
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Help with garden lawn and making lawn sprinkler installation

Post by 404cameljockey »

Does anyone know of a grass expert in HH?

I have a newish lawn of mixed grasses which needs some care, and am also considering installation of sprinklers.

I know of Thai Garden Design, I tried calling Ben but he was out of the country at the time, but I don't know if they are reasonably priced. Any others please?

Thanks
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Re: Help with garden lawn and making lawn sprinkler installation

Post by VincentD »

Setting up a sprinkler system is not rocket science. Many online websites can help you with the layout and you can get basic battery-operated timers, hose, connectors and sprinkler heads from Home Pro. I get most of mine from Chatuchak market in Bangkok; first timer was hand-carried from abroad but they are easily available now.
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Re: Help with garden lawn and making lawn sprinkler installation

Post by caller »

We are in the process of using a garden designer called Pinkaew Garden - 0819442627, chula_pin@yahoo.com.

Head down soi112 from Phetch Road for a few k's, straight across the lights and you'll see 3/4 places on the left hand side about 300 or so yards down. That's where he is.

I have left my other half to deal with him.
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Re: Help with garden lawn and making lawn sprinkler installation

Post by 404cameljockey »

Sorry I didn't thank you guys for the replies, somehow I didn't even see them.

I was quoted THB 70,000 for full installation of a high end system, I nearly fell off my perch, because my budget these days isn't what it was pre-retirement.

The Thai who runs the maintenance contract for our housing development says don't bother with one anyway, they always fail within a year or so.

I still fancy trying though. I did check out the Home Pro components a few months ago, but they don't look too solid or fancy, I wonder what their coverage area is like. My water power is pretty good. At least if I've installed it I can be confident to fix it myself if something craps out.
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Re: Help with garden lawn and making lawn sprinkler installation

Post by VincentD »

How big is the garden? I've used a cheap water timer from HomePro, less than 2,000 baht, runs on AA batteries. Got a roll of 1/2" PEX from the same place, a bunch of 180 degree spray heads, a couple of angle and straight connectors and the requisite hole punch to fit the heads. Took two afternoons, took my time and the whole thing cost less than 6,000 baht, including the timer. Still have some heads left over for expansion.

You do not need a high end system. If you want, you can bury the PEX hose but this stuff lasts for years. I just let mine sit along the edges, grass eventually grows over and hides it quite well.
If you keep the timer out of the rain and don't let the batteries leak in the timer it will last a few years. Besides, it's not that expensive to replace, just screws on to the tap..
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Re: Help with garden lawn and making lawn sprinkler installation

Post by Nereus »

The Thai who runs the maintenance contract for our housing development says don't bother with one anyway, they always fail within a year or so.
That comment is exactly what to expect from somebody that knows everything! Probably the same person that will tell you to water the garden in the middle of the day!

I have a completely automatic system that I installed myself about 10 years ago, and the only "trouble" it has given is when the above knows it all f****s with it!

I bought all the equipment in Bangkok, but I cannot find the supplier now, or any trace of them. Strange, because they were a big family owned company, and the sons had been to school overseas.

It consists of a Nelson multi-zone programmable timer, 24 volt solenoid valves, a rain sensor to hold it off if watering is not required, a filter and various pop-up sprinklers, battery for the memory and an English instruction book.

It appears that Nelson may now go by the name of "Hunter", as the photo on the following site shows a very similar timer. I used LDPE(polyethylene) buried pipe for the sprinklers, and PVC for the maim supply. It is fed by a standard type shallow well pump, via a master surface solenoid valve the ensures that any downstream leaks do not cause the pump to run when the system is off. It is split into several zones, 6 if I recall correctly, 2 of them spray lines along the outside walls, and the rest pop-ops.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=23199&p=293503&hil ... er#p293503

Don'tknow anything about the following, but it appears that they sell the controller:

https://www.thaigardendesign.com/miscellaneous/
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Re: Help with garden lawn and making lawn sprinkler installation

Post by VincentD »

Nereus, the only place I remember in Bangkok close to your description was KU Garden, a fairly large self-contained shop, a fair walk past the Or Tor Gor market and on the opposite side. It's been gone for years since the railway took back the land, don't know if they closed or relocated. Was the only place at the time that carried 'Rainbird' and 'Gardena' equipment.
As I have a small patch of grass and plants in Bangkok I don't need the multi-split zoning so a single water timer attached to the faucet suffices.
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Re: Help with garden lawn and making lawn sprinkler installation

Post by Nereus »

'Rainbird' and 'Gardena' equipment....................
The company was called "Super Products" and they had 2 shops. The one that I used was right opposite the "Elephant Building" on Phaoyotin Rd, Chatuchuk. The building is still there, but empty.
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Re: Help with garden lawn and making lawn sprinkler installation

Post by 404cameljockey »

Nereus wrote: Mon Jan 01, 2018 4:41 pm
It consists of a Nelson multi-zone programmable timer, 24 volt solenoid valves, a rain sensor to hold it off if watering is not required, a filter and various pop-up sprinklers, battery for the memory and an English instruction book.

It appears that Nelson may now go by the name of "Hunter", as the photo on the following site shows a very similar timer. I used LDPE(polyethylene) buried pipe for the sprinklers, and PVC for the maim supply. It is fed by a standard type shallow well pump, via a master surface solenoid valve the ensures that any downstream leaks do not cause the pump to run when the system is off. It is split into several zones, 6 if I recall correctly, 2 of them spray lines along the outside walls, and the rest pop-ops.
Thanks. It was a Hunter system that was too expensive, and your system sounds far beyond my technical skills. I'll check out the Home Pro gear soon.
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Re: Help with garden lawn and making lawn sprinkler installation

Post by 404cameljockey »

VincentD wrote: Mon Jan 01, 2018 2:31 pm How big is the garden? I've used a cheap water timer from HomePro, less than 2,000 baht, runs on AA batteries. Got a roll of 1/2" PEX from the same place, a bunch of 180 degree spray heads, a couple of angle and straight connectors and the requisite hole punch to fit the heads. Took two afternoons, took my time and the whole thing cost less than 6,000 baht, including the timer. Still have some heads left over for expansion.

You do not need a high end system. If you want, you can bury the PEX hose but this stuff lasts for years. I just let mine sit along the edges, grass eventually grows over and hides it quite well.
If you keep the timer out of the rain and don't let the batteries leak in the timer it will last a few years. Besides, it's not that expensive to replace, just screws on to the tap..
It's not tiny, around 100 sq.m in an 'L' shape, width varies between 4m and 5 m.
The spray heads in Home Pro looked a bit small I think, what sort of range do they have?

The other worry is that the gardener will take the heads off them with his petrol strimmer! I can't really stretch to a pop up system, I think (Those Hunter products Nereus mentions seem so pricey).
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Re: Help with garden lawn and making lawn sprinkler installation

Post by Vital Spark »

If you're at the place full-time, why not just do a cheapie option?

Hook up your hose to a stand-up sprinkler made of alkathene pipe (about a metre high) - stick a swizzly sprinkler thing on the top. Find a nice comfortable place to sit and sip beer or tea (whatever your preference is) and move it around every 30 minutes or so. That's what they use in our vast university garden. When not being used it can be stashed away out of sight and doesn't spoil the view of your lovely lawn.

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Re: Help with garden lawn and making lawn sprinkler installation

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Vital Spark wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 7:36 pm If you're at the place full-time, why not just do a cheapie option?

Hook up your hose to a stand-up sprinkler made of alkathene pipe (about a metre high) - stick a swizzly sprinkler thing on the top. Find a nice comfortable place to sit and sip beer or tea (whatever your preference is) and move it around every 30 minutes or so. That's what they use in our vast university garden. When not being used it can be stashed away out of sight and doesn't spoil the view of your lovely lawn.

VS
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Were you previously a girl guide?

I have a good sprinkler that can cover the area from only two locations, so I do use that. But in the heat of summer I'll want it watered twice a day, every day, in the early morning and late afternoon, and would just rather not manhandle a hose and sprinkler so often. Call me lazy? :)

PS. Swizzly's a great word.

PPS. It's most assuredly beer.
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Re: Help with garden lawn and making lawn sprinkler installation

Post by brianks »

I built my own by placing "rain bird" like sprinklers around the outside of the large lawn that cover the whole lawn. DON"T use the plastic sprinklers like Home Pro has. They don't last long and break. I found the brass or steel Rain Bird type of sprinkler works best as it will project far out or up close (if you throttle it down with restrictor). They have lasted for years now and all the plastic Rain Bird types have fallen apart now and been replaced. I have a manual shut off valve below each sprinkler so I can manually turn on each sprinkler when I want to. Just run the blue plastic PVC pipe around the yard and bring a short piece up where you want the sprinkler. Put a "T" valve on top then mount the sprinkler on top. Best to use the largest diameter pipe around the outside of the yard so it will carry enough water to power multiple sprinklers at a time (assuming you have a strong pump). I used only 1" pipe and ran 1/2" pipe to sprinklers. Can only run 2 at a time or pressure declines with #3 or more. Have replaced some 1" pipe with 1 1/2" pipe and can now turn more sprinklers on where it exists.
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Re: Help with garden lawn and making lawn sprinkler installation

Post by 404cameljockey »

brianks wrote: Sat Feb 03, 2018 9:45 am I built my own by placing "rain bird" like sprinklers around the outside of the large lawn that cover the whole lawn. DON"T use the plastic sprinklers like Home Pro has. They don't last long and break. I found the brass or steel Rain Bird type of sprinkler works best as it will project far out or up close (if you throttle it down with restrictor). They have lasted for years now and all the plastic Rain Bird types have fallen apart now and been replaced. I have a manual shut off valve below each sprinkler so I can manually turn on each sprinkler when I want to. Just run the blue plastic PVC pipe around the yard and bring a short piece up where you want the sprinkler. Put a "T" valve on top then mount the sprinkler on top. Best to use the largest diameter pipe around the outside of the yard so it will carry enough water to power multiple sprinklers at a time (assuming you have a strong pump). I used only 1" pipe and ran 1/2" pipe to sprinklers. Can only run 2 at a time or pressure declines with #3 or more. Have replaced some 1" pipe with 1 1/2" pipe and can now turn more sprinklers on where it exists.
That's interesting! So are they pop-up sprinkler heads which open when strong water pressure is present. I guess not or you couldn't run them separately? I'm ignorant on this stuff. Where could I get reasonably priced ones? And when you say flow restrictor, can't the valve to each sprinkler act as the pressure restriction?

I'd really appreciate a picture of one so I can get the idea.

Sounds like a project I could manage. :)
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Re: Help with garden lawn and making lawn sprinkler installation

Post by brianks »

Send me an address where I can send pictures.
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