Without proper preparation your sprinkler system might be damaged by freezing temperatures. Here are some tips from Rain Bird on how to prepare your irrigation system for winter conditions if you live in a region where it freezes. Please download the Rain Bird Homeowner's Guide to Winterization for detailed instructions on how to prepare your irrigation system for the winter months. Shut off the water supply to the irrigation system. The main shut off valve for your irrigation system needs to be protected against freezing. Make sure it is wrapped with insulation (foam insulation tape and a plastic bag) to protect it from harsh winter temperatures and prevent it from freezing. If you do not have a main shut off valve, you might consider installing one as a preventative investment. Also, any above ground piping needs to be insulated. Self-sticking foam-insulating tape or foam insulating tubes commonly found at home supply stores are fine. If you have an automatic system then you will need to "shut down" the controller (timer).

Most controllers have a "rain-mode" which simply shuts off the signals to the valves. The controller continues to keep time, the programming information isn't lost (start times, valve run times, etc.) and the clock continues to run throughout the winter.The only change is that the valves will not activate. If your controller is responsible for activating a pump, as a precaution you should remove the wires that are connected to the MV (Master Valve) and common terminals. This will prevent the possibility of the pump being accidentally activated which could cause damage from overheating. An alternative to using the rain mode is simply to shut off the power to the controller. If you do, you'll need to reprogram the time and potentially all your other settings as well, in the spring. Now you need to remove the water from the pipes and sprinklers so that it won't freeze/expand and break the pipe. There are several ways to drain your pipes: a manual drain valve, an automatic drain valve or the compressed air blow-out method.

However, since there could be potential safety risks we recommend contacting your local irrigation specialist. Many offer sprinkler winterization services this time of the year. Insulate backflow preventers and valves if they are above ground. You can also use insulation tape for this. Be sure not to block the air vents and drain outlets on backflow preventers. Rain Bird Homeowner's Guide to Winterization Return to Manuals & Support IndexToilet Seat Drop On BallsThe air we breathe is free.  Wedding Dress Price In EthiopiaCompressed air, unfortunately, isn’t.  Outdoor Furniture Trinidad And TobagoTraditional energy sources like electricity take that air that we breathe and compresses it, creating the energy source that powers the pneumatic system found on your machine.

Looking to maximize performance of the entire pneumatic system, minimize maintenance/downtime by extending the life of pneumatic components, or just control the cost to run the compressor? Clean, dry, controllable compressed air is necessary for total pneumatic system efficiency.   To maximize performance and extend the life of the components doing the work in a pneumatic system, preparing that compressed air at the point of use is a requirement.  Basic air preparation, or ‘Air Prep’, will commonly contain a filter, regulator, and possibly a lubricator in a series. The filter should receive the supply air first.  This filter will extract most moisture and air-line contaminants typically down to 5 microns, and can get as small as 0.3 microns depending on the type of filter selected. Compressed air filters require preventative maintenance to ensure optimum efficiency and effective filtering.  Like the filtering elements in your car, a compressed air filter will likely need to be replaced approximately every 4-6 months, depending on use and the condition of the incoming air. 

The filter will typically be visible through the bowl or sight glass for convenient self-monitoring. Moisture extracted from the compressed air will collect in the filter bowl.  This bowl needs to be monitored and drained periodically, either manually or via an optional auto-draining feature. Be sure to properly route the drainage using tubing for proper disposal (and to avoid a mess). Be sure to also monitor the condition of the bowl.  Physical damage or cracking may occur due to an incompatible fluid in the upstream air.  In these instances a metal bowl is the most practical solution.  Extreme conditions such as high humidity and rapid temperature changes may mean additional moisture extraction is needed. After the filter, a pressure reducing valve, or regulator, will take that clean, dry air and provide a means to control the pressure down-stream.  Working a manually controlled regulator may seem a bit counterintuitive.  “Closing” the valve by turning it clockwise will actually compress the regulating springs inside the valve and allow greater pressure to pass down-stream. 

While a regulator will inherently effect flow in the process, best practice dictates that a regulator should be used only to regulate downstream pressure.  For on/off functionality, or to control the flow of the air in your system, a simple on/off valve and a metering valve (or flow control) are recommended. A filter/regulator combo unit provides a unitized filter/regulator system as a single unit for space savings without compromising control or filtering. Using a lubricator depends on what your system needs downstream. Add a lubricator to the system to provide downstream components with a constant supply of oil lubrication by introducing a small amount of oil to the compressed air stream.  Lubricators use an adjustable visual indicator to measure the amount of oil downstream and have an oil reservoir bowl that can be visually monitored to ensure constant supply.  Over the past decade, most downstream components such as valves and cylinders have transitioned to use grease lubrication instead of a lubricator, therefore eliminating the need for constant oiling.