Thursday, April 25, 2013
"It's summer time and the living ain't easy!"
Repaired Pipe
So it's time to get the irritation (opps) irrigation going. I've spent the last few days checking and fixing the water to the pastures. I guess I never fully appreciated how much time and effort it took when someone else was doing it.
It's pretty easy to figure you have a problem when you turn on the sprinklers and there is a flood of water bubbling up from the ground. Sounds easy enough dig a hole cut the pipe, make the repair and your done. Well not really. First problem I'm digging in hardpan, basically rocks and gravel with a little dirt mixed in to fix broken irrigation lines. Once you got your hole dug, line cut the line cut and repaired, you have rocks, sand and mud in the irrigation lines so when you turn them back on everything down stream gets blocked. Then you end up taking the fitting apart and often have to remove the sprinkler/and fittings. Hopefully getting them clean on the first attempt.
Most of the stuff I can fix myself but some of the dang fittings are on so tight I cannot begin to budge them. Thankfully, I have some guys here siding the house and can get them to use their brute strength and break the fittings loose for me. The fun is just beginning. Wish me luck, so far I've got 7 irrigation lines working but still have 16 to go. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
Cutting the Pipe
Cleaning the lines.
Trying to get the sprinkler off