2008-06-22 22:43:26.22025+00 by Dan Lyke 10 comments
Trying to dig in trenches for pop-up sprinklers. Haven't done hard physical labor in a while. Hands are blistering, which is expected with extensive pick work.
I haven't done an actual perc test on this clay yet, though I should, but I bet it's measured in microns per fortnight.
Next up, finding an irrigation controller that'll do a minute on, five off, for an hour or so.
[ related topics: Dan's Life Work, productivity and environment ]
comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):
#Comment Re: made: 2008-06-23 13:26:31.604415+00 by: Larry Burton
I think I'd try to pick up an AB Pico Controller off eBay for the irrigation controller. Some models of these have analog inputs that could take a signal from a hygrometer.
#Comment Re: made: 2008-06-23 13:54:48.7941+00 by: Dan Lyke
I think in this case I'm hoping to go for an off-the-shelf pre-programmed solution that also has the 24v power supply for the valves. I'll need 9 outputs (so far), probably just go with a rain gauge and manual tuning rather than fully instrumenting the landscape.
#Comment Re: made: 2008-06-23 14:36:06.107231+00 by: m
Gloves are your friend. They protect your hands and fingers from immediate injury. And they also reduce calluses and injuries which reduce sensation. This is not only a positive with one's partner(s), but helps when delicate work where finger sensitivity is required. Just don't wear them around any machinery where they can get caught up and pull a finger off.
#Comment Re: made: 2008-06-23 14:50:22.725428+00 by: Dan Lyke
Yeah, I was wearing gloves and still ended up with a blister on my left hand.
Today I backed off and called the "before you dig" number in preparation for renting a trencher.
#Comment Re: made: 2008-06-23 14:52:01.798919+00 by: petronius
Of course, the timing system will have to be Linux, so a community of programmers can help you optimize the sprinkling pattern.
#Comment Re: made: 2008-06-23 15:04:07.427926+00 by: ebradway
What you need is an integrated low-altitude near-infrared imaging to monitor the health of your plants and better guide the watering process:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precision_farming
Maybe you can modify a Roomba to deliver the water!
#Comment Re: made: 2008-06-23 20:33:00.586184+00 by: Dan Lyke
Hmmm... A Roomba that can carry water seems harder than simply a targetable sprayer with a decent range. Some accounting would have to be made for dispersal over distance (and wind), but angle, azimuth and a variable nozzle would save me a hell of a lot of digging.
And come Halloween, some image processing and motion tracking on that near-infrared camera, and we've got a whole 'nother application...
#Comment Re: made: 2008-06-23 23:04:04.055709+00 by: TheSHAD0W
Get low-flo sprinklers that put out 1/5th of the water instead of using that fancy timing scheme. KISS.
#Comment Re: made: 2008-06-23 23:11:20.916765+00 by: Dan Lyke
Already have low-flow sprinklers. Will check absorption in practice, but this soil has a really really slow perc.
#Comment Re: made: 2008-06-24 02:17:00.34979+00 by: TheSHAD0W
Pressure regulator?