Monthly Archives: September 2012

Electrical Problems, Reticulation systems, Uncategorized

Find my solenoid valve Perth

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“Help, I can’t find my solenoid valves!”

Solenoid valve Perth

As Perth people are beginning to turn on their reticulation sprinkler systems for the first time this season we are getting a lot of calls to our Perth Bore and Retic SERVICE HOTLINE ( 1300 734 300 ) reporting faults. A very common fault is to do with malfunctioning solenoid valves. Solenoid valves are the devices, normally hidden underground, that allow the reticulation system to change from one station (group of sprinklers to another).

If a solenoid valve fails open then that station will be allowing water out each and every time any station is turned on. If the sprinkler system is fed from mains water and a master solenoid valve fails open, in conjunction with a station solenoid valve sticking open, then that group of sprinklers will stay on all the time regardless of whether the retic is turned on or off!

If a solenoid valve fails to open then that station or group of sprinklers will not work under any circumstances. This may happen if the solenoid valve is broken or if the field wires (cables) to the solenoid valve are cut.

Solenoid valve locator Perth

Solenoid valve problems are relatively easy to fix as long as you know where the valves are located. If not we then we get the call ” Help I can’t find my solenoid valves” or “how do I find solenoid valves?”.

We can give you some free tips that may help you locate your own solenoid valves  so please give us a call on Perth 1300 734 300 ( South of River, Brett : 0411 511611 or North of River, Troy 0408 454130).

If you need more help we can book a service technician to attend with a special cable tracing wand to locate the solenoid valves or trace cable that may be broken. Or visit our main website for more retic help here

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Bore Repairs & Service, Bores & Pumps, Reticulation systems

Centrifugal to Submersible pump bore conversion and automation Perth

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It was a great feeling to turn the new submersible pump on and see such a great result. Client in Dianella had a very large  centrifugal pump down a 7 liner well.  The centrifugal pump had failed and it was not practical or economical to replace or recondition the pump. Fortunately a few years ago the bore hole at the bottom of the old well had been redrilled and replaced with a 100 mm PVC casing. This was compatible with a new submersible pump. The 3 phase centrifugal system was converted to a submersible pump 3kw ( 4hp ) three phase. The old two stage starter on the wall was replaced by a new 415 vDOL starter. While we were at it  we converted the gentlemans old manual gate valve sprinkler system to a modern automated one.   A fully programmable reticulation controller now turns on the new submersible pump at the same time it opens solenoid valves to controll the 3 separate sprinkler stations. He had the old mountain mist metal disc sprinklers that are common with old well systems all over Perth. Those sprinklers use about 17 litres per minute each. We had to take this into account when specifying the new submersible pump for the old well conversion. We had to make sure the new pump had the power to adequately run all his sprinklers as configured without modification. As the picture shows its great when a plan comes together! Call us on 1300 734 300 for help with any Perth bore or reticulation system or visit our main Virgin Bores Perth website here.

Bore Repairs & Service, Bores & Pumps, Electrical Problems, Members ADIA & IAA

Perth Bores.

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Important to deal with ADIA members
Important to deal with ADIA members.

Perth bores are our passion. Because we install and repair  bores AND reticulation systems we are Perth’s go-to guys for anything to do with water bores or watering systems. We’ve been drilling and repairing Perth bores for well over a decade. Our local knowledge guarantees you the best groundwater retrieval system tailored to suit wherever you are in Perth. Bores and reticulation systems are what we do. We are members of both Irrigation Australia and the Australian Drilling Industry Association (ADIA). Our experience means we can guarantee prompt and efficient Perth bore repairs in all suburbs from Lancelin down to Mandurah.

Call us on 1300 734 300 24/7 or visit our main Virgin Bores website here.

Bore Repairs & Service, Bores & Pumps

Bore running out of water Perth.

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cross-section off stainless steel bore screen

At this time of year we always get a handful of calls from Perth bore owners along the lines of ” my bore is running out of water” or “my bore works for a minute or so then the bore water runs out”. Sometimes it is not the bore water running out that is the problem but actually a problem with the reticulation system or pump but I address that in other blogs or call us on 1300 734 300 for help with other bore problems.

slotted PVC bore casing

Sometimes it is in fact the yield of the bore itself and the pump is pumping water out faster than it is flowing in to the bore casing. Then it is truly running out of water. Knee-jerk reaction is to think the bore is not deep enough. Sometimes the water table has dropped and it is a depth related issue. Often though, it is that the stainless steel bore screen or slotted PVC bore casing of the bore (or spear) has become blocked.  Sometimes the ground surrounding the bore has reduced the water it will “allow” to flow through it.  These problems can sometimes be solved by air-developing a process where we pump large volumes of  compressed air down the bore hole. Other times we chemically clean and restore the bore with  a combination of special cleaning compounds, surfactants and clay dispersants depending on the conditions diagnosed.

Certainly if your bore is getting sluggish we can advise. Call our Perth BORE SERVICE HOTLINE on 1300 734 300 or for more bore help visit our mainwebsite here.

Uncategorized

Not enough pressure for sprinklers?

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“hungry” mountain mist sprinkler
typical pop-up nozzle

Sometimes the flow from the Perth mains scheme water supply has diminished in a suburb or the power / flow /pressure from a bore has deteriorated over time, to such an extent that a reticulation system no longer works adequately. Result is maybe sprinklers only half pop up or fixed sprinklers don’t spray as far as they used to. One remedy is to reconfigure the reticulation system in to smaller stations (zones) with less sprinklers so each station uses less water. Another solution can be to change the sprinkler heads to models that use less water. As an example the old style “mountain mist ” chrome or brass flat disc sprinklers with a 3/8 inch aperture use 17 litres per minute each whilst a typical 360″ pop up sprinkler with a 10 ft nozzle uses half of that. Some new low precipitation sprinklers such MP rotators use as little as 2 litres per minute. Call us anytime in Perth on 1300 734 300 for free advice or to book a reticulation or bore serviceman to remedy your sprinkler or bore problems. You can also visit our main website here.

Bore Repairs & Service, Uncategorized

Can a submersible pump replace a centrifugal or jet pump in a well?

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Old well near Waneroo

Today we got a call from Hamilton Hill and another from Dianella. Both wanted to know whether could we replace their old centrifugal pump in their well style bore with a modern submersible pump. It is a common question from all over Perth in older suburbs where centrifugal pumps or jet pumps were common in the old well style bores and now need replacing.  Answer….sometimes we can substitute with a submersible pump installation but ONLY if the casing at the bottom of the well liner(s) that goes into the ground ( some people may refer to this as a spear ) is of 100mm ( 4 inch ) or more. Typically that would be when it has freestanding suction ( where the pipe from the existing centrifugal pump suction side goes in to the ground inside a larger outside pipe) or where the bore has been redrilled within the last 15 or so years. We can also substitute a centrifugal or jet pump with a submersible in the (rarer) older wells with open water in the bottom.  Call our Perth bore service hotline on 1300 734 300 for free advice or a quotation. You can also visit our main VIRGIN BORES website here.

Uncategorized

Perth bores and bore repairs.

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Perth Water Bore Troubleshooters are part of Virgin Bores. We are the go-to, can-do people when it comes to garden bore and reticulation in Perth. Because we install and repair reticulation and irrigation as well as install and repair water bores we can fix anything to do with Perth bores or sprinkler systems.

  • insurance work including  pump fusion claims and lighning and storm damage to reticulation and bore systems. Burnt out motors, damage from lightning induction and power surges.
  • repair of rising main lines, poly and pvc
  • lowering of boreheads necesitated by landscaping ground level changes
  • bore water testing
  • solenoid valve finding / locating
  • all electrical repairs for pumps and reticulation systems
  • replacement of reticulation controllers.
  • leaking reticulation pipes
  • broken sprinklers
  • automation of sprinkler systems off bore or mains scheme water

Call us on 1300 734 300 for prompt service all over the Perth metropolitan area.  For more bore and reticulation information visit our main website.

Bore Repairs & Service, Bores & Pumps, Uncategorized

Bore repair Joondalup.

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winching up a Perth submersible bore

Got called to a water bore in Joondalup today. Quite deep for a Perth garden water bore even for the highest parts of Joondalup. Bore total depth was 66 metres with the pump sitting at 60 metres. Unfortunately the submersible pump that had originally been specified was inadequate for that depth. It had never had enough power to deliver the flow ( litres per minute is how we typically measure domestic bores). We winched it up and replaced it all in only a 4 hour turnaround. For bore repairs Joondalup, Connolly, Edgewater and surrounding suburbs give us a call on 1300 734 300 as we can normally attend promptly and with our local knowledge and experience have your broken water bore up and running with the minimum of fuss.

Bore Repairs & Service, Electrical Problems

Lowara bore pump problem in Perth?

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Lowara bore start box

Lowara submersible pumps and motors are a good reliable Italian brand but, like anything, they can have their own idiosyncracies. We specialise in servicing Lowara submersible pumps and their stablemates, Centripro and Marlow. We have over a decade of practical in-the-field service and pump repair experience. A problem that does from time to time present itself with some of the earlier Lowara single phase motors is blown start capacitors in the bore start box. It is an easy fix for someone experienced in Lowara pumps and motors. Give our Perth bore service and repair hotline a call on 1300 734 300 and our mobile bore service team can help you. Or visit or main Virgin Bores website for more bore info and help.

Bore Repairs & Service, Bores & Pumps, Electrical Problems, Uncategorized

Bore light stays on?

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Familiar call today from a lady who happened to live in Sorrento, but we get similar calls from bore owners all over Perth. “the light on my bore box on the wall has stayed on even after I have turned the reticulation controller off “.  This can turn in to a bigger problem so first things first, if you are reading this blog and your bore box light is on but there is no water pumping out anywhere please straight away turn the bore mains power off.  Turn it off by either turning off the circuit breaker ( or pulling the fuse) labelled “bore” or “pump” that you will hopefully see in your meter box. Or turn off the bore box isolation switch that is located on the bore box on the wall. ( this is called a bore start box, not to be confused with the reticulation controller). Worst case if you can’t turn it by either of these two methods then turn off your mains power master switch and call us pronto on 1300 734 300.

Lowara bore start box

What has most likely happened is that your automatic reticulation controller has correctly sent the 24 volt start signal to the relay in the bore start box and this has started the 240v bore at the same time as the reticulation controller has correctly sent a signal to open a solenoid valve allowing water to flow to the sprinklers. All good so far but then when the automatic reticulation controller has run through its cycle and shut the last solenoid valve the pump has continued to run. Most likely the start relay has stuck on and needs replacing. Prolonged operation of any bore pump with no water being able to flow (dead heading ) can cause a multitude of problems. Most commonly with submersible pumps the rising poly mainline will overheat and “blow”. With centrifugal well pumps overheating leads to several serious problems. Give our Perth bore service hotline a call on 1300 734 300 or visit our main website for more help on bores and reticulation.