Air compressor

[AllProlawn]

Hi guys i have a ?
Do you think a Ingersoll Rand 25 CFM @ 175 PSI, 13 HP Horizontial Air Compressor would be ok to blow out
residentual homes i got a contract with a realty company
with 50 propeties *and the company did not blow out the systems last year
and i have been fixing all of them plus mowing them
or can you direct me to some where in colorado that sells
tow bhind ones
thanks

[Steve]

I sent a message to Craig at craig@irrigationrepair.com. I hope he might be able to come back here and offer his suggestions.

[SprinklerRepair]

Thanks to Steve for notifying me about this question.
Yikes! I have never blown out a system in my life! I live in Florida!
I did find some information for you.

http://www.hunterindustries.com/Resourc....86w.pdf

[AllProlawn]

Thanks Guys

[GTA]

Irr. blow out

It should work. I never use a tow behind. Just know, DO NOT blow air more that 2 mins. thru the zone. Air compress more that water, and it heats up BIG TIME! You will melt pipe if you go crazzy with the air.

[R&B Enterprise]

It should work. I never use a tow behind. Just know, DO NOT blow air more that 2 mins. thru the zone. Air compress more that water, and it heats up BIG TIME! You will melt pipe if you go crazzy with the air.

I agree with GTA no more than 2min and no higher than 40 psi or you run the risk of damaging the Vacume pressure valve and soleniod zone valve. do google search for blowing out spinkler systems. Also have to a compressor that will deliver a min 5 cfm @40 psi.

[Steve]

Rob, do you have any suggestions on when you should be doing your irrigation winterization marketing and what works best?

[R&B Enterprise]

steve

Marketing for sprinkler winterization should have started in Aug - Sep time frame.Still its not to late to get on the phone and talk to your current costumers, about your winterization and you might offer a discount for being a mowing client? Also do not forget about those estimates you did during the mowing season that you did not land. they are still potential customers for other services. also ask your current clients to spread the word and also if a potential customer says no, try to get the last word in i.e. "well if you know of some one that needs our service please give them my infomation"

Second make sure you are ready to go. check your equipment out good. you cant afford to have a compressor go down,especially if you have 6-7 blow-out for the day. it pays to have a backup compressor. (OOpps i know murphy struck me today)


Rob

[Lukacs Property Maintenance]

irrigation winterizing

Hey guys,

Just finished winterizing the irrigation systems of all my customers. I used a large tow behind intersol rand diesel compressor. The air line was a 1 inch diameter hose. The air hoses came in 50 ft lengths. The average yard needed two lengths to reach to the blow out bib. The compressor had a gate valve for air control. The bib adapter also had a gate valve. The 100 ft of hose didn't heat up at all. The compressor rental edded up costing $100 for the compressor for the day, $10.00ea for the 50 ft hoses. So for $120.00 i rented out a compressor used about $20.00 in diesel to top up the tank. It took me about an hour at each place. So doing 6-7 places in a day and paying approx $140.00 for the rental. You can do the math. Aprox$20.00 for the rental and one hour per customer.$60.00 - $70.00 per blow out works for me. Hope this helps. Any other questions don't be afraid to just ask. I try to help.

Mike

[Steve]

Mike that is fascinating!

What made you choose that size air compressor?

Also, how did you line up the work? What type of marketing did you do?

What would you do differently next year?

[Lukacs Property Maintenance]

compressor

I chose the big compressor because some of my accounts have big irrigation. What i mean is the pipe lengths are vary long so you need lots of umpf to blow out the water from the lines.

At the begining of the season i ask if the customer needs there irrigation "winterized" at the signing of the lawn care contract.

All of my marketing is done through word of mouth. My customers are all known by first name and come and chat nearly every time im around. Chances are ill ask how they like things. They usually pipe up and say if there is anything else to do. Thats when ill ask of any thing that i think needs to be done to the yard.

Mike

[roclin]

Winter work

Hey guys,

Just finished winterizing the irrigation systems of all my customers. I used a large tow behind intersol rand diesel compressor. The air line was a 1 inch diameter hose. The air hoses came in 50 ft lengths. The average yard needed two lengths to reach to the blow out bib. The compressor had a gate valve for air control. The bib adapter also had a gate valve. The 100 ft of hose didn't heat up at all. The compressor rental edded up costing $100 for the compressor for the day, $10.00ea for the 50 ft hoses. So for $120.00 i rented out a compressor used about $20.00 in diesel to top up the tank. It took me about an hour at each place. So doing 6-7 places in a day and paying approx $140.00 for the rental. You can do the math. Aprox$20.00 for the rental and one hour per customer.$60.00 - $70.00 per blow out works for me. Hope this helps. Any other questions don't be afraid to just ask. I try to help.

Mike

Where do you start from to blow out? What is the step by step?

[AllProlawn]

Where do you start from to blow out? What is the step by step?

1 Turn off water to th sprinkler system
2 hook air supply to back flow
3 start start your air compersor set regulater to 90 psi (30) for drip
4 go to clock timer go to zone 1 manual enter
5 valve will open up and water will flow out
6 when air comes out repeat on other zones
7 if there a drain in valve box open it and leave it open
8 if there is a drain after the shut off valve open it and leve it
9 shut off compressor roll up hoses
10 collect money

note
small eletric compressors dont work not enogh volume
and water just runs under and dont come out all the way
get as many customers as you can and rent a tow behind
2 blows will pay for it
i rent mine for a month for 750.00 and it pays for it self in a week
i charge 60 dollars for 4 zones and then it 5.00 per zone after that

[roclin]

1 Turn off water to th sprinkler system
2 hook air supply to back flow
3 start start your air compersor set regulater to 90 psi (30) for drip
4 go to clock timer go to zone 1 manual enter
5 valve will open up and water will flow out
6 when air comes out repeat on other zones
7 if there a drain in valve box open it and leave it open
8 if there is a drain after the shut off valve open it and leve it
9 shut off compressor roll up hoses
10 collect money

note
small eletric compressors dont work not enogh volume
and water just runs under and dont come out all the way
get as many customers as you can and rent a tow behind
2 blows will pay for it
i rent mine for a month for 750.00 and it pays for it self in a week
i charge 60 dollars for 4 zones and then it 5.00 per zone after that

How is this done? any pictures? "hook air supply to back flow"What if your backflow is only anti-siphon valves?

[AllProlawn]

How is this done? any pictures? "hook air supply to back flow"What if your backflow is only anti-siphon valves?

There are to Presure test ****s on the side of the vacume breaker
they are 1/4 in
a air tool fitting will work use the bottom one for are supply

As far as anti sphion valves there should be a drain at the end of
of the manifold you can hook up two
if not you can put a tee in the main line before them
and get brass spigot and screw it in and you can blowit from there

Keep in mind there are many diffrent fittings and sizes to blow out a sprinkler
system .
I did not know any thing about them 5 years ago
i taught my self read books and R/d my self
now i install and repair them