Priming the Irrigation System

When it finally stops raining and the sun is out on a regular basis, it’s time to fire up the irrigation system for the summer.  The system pumps water from the lake through a foot valve attached to a pipe underneath the dock, so it’s basically free.  However, in order to pump water from the lake, the system must be primed with city water after being drained for the winter.

Here’s what to do:

1. On the dock, connect a hose from the fresh water faucet to the irrigation system drain.  There is a short purple hose in the mechanical room for this purpose, but any hose will do (the shorter the better).  Both faucets should be open (turned fully counterclockwise) from the winter, but if they aren’t, open them.
   
2. Open the shutoff valve on the irrigation pump in the mechanical room by (turn it fully counterclockwise):
   
3. There is a faucet behind the house, about halfway up the hill next to a red clay planter shaped like a fish.  It should still be open (turned fully counterclockwise) from the winter, but if it isn’t, open it.  Here’s what it looks like:
   
4. Turn on the dock faucet.  The dock faucet shutoff valve is the blue one located above the toilet in the locker room, behind the access panel:
   
5. The water should start flowing from the deck faucet, through the irrigation system drain, and up to the faucet next to the fish in the back of the house.  Go to that faucet and wait until water is running smoothly and with no “air in the pipes” sound; when it is, close it (turn it fully clockwise).
6. Close both faucets on the dock (turn it fully clockwise).  Don’t disconnect the hose yet; you may need it connected if the next few steps aren’t successful.
7. Close the shutoff valve on the irrigation pump (turn it fully clockwise).
8. The system is now mostly primed, but you now must ensure that water can be pumped from the lake.  Locate the irrigation controller to the left of the central vacuum system in the mechanical room:
   
   Note the list below it which tells you which zones control which areas.  You’ll need to know this for later.
9. Here’s a close-up view of the controller:
   
   It should be on the “SYSTEM OFF” setting from the winter.  Turn the selector knob to “MANUAL – SINGLE STATION”.  The number 1 should show on the display.  Turn the selector knob back to “RUN”.
10. The controller will try to start watering zone 1 by automatically activating the irrigation pump.   Slowly (~1/2 turn per second) open the shutoff valve on the pump (turn counterclockwise) to allow water to start flowing from the lake.  If you open it too fast, it might lose prime and you’ll have to start over, but don’t do it too slowly or you could damage the pump; about 1/2 turn per second should work.  You will see the water pressure valve fluctuate wildly as the system is fully primed, but it should eventually stabilize at about 60 psi.
    
11. Go outside and verify that the sprinklers are indeed watering zone 1.
12. Once the pressure stabilizes in zone 1, repeat the process for the other zones and verify that water is flowing in each zone.  After zone 1 it should go quite quickly because the only remaining air in the system will be in the sprinkler lines themselves.
13. Turn the controller selector knob to “RUN”.
14. You can adjust the start time, frequency, and duration of the irrigation cycle for each zone by following the instruction on the inside lid of the controller box.
15. Close the sprinkler controller box.
16. Disconnect the hose from the faucets on the dock.  Make sure both faucets are closed before disconnecting the hose or the system will lose prime.
17. You’re done!

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