Q: What size of hoses do I need?
A: The
best size hoses to use are 3/4", instead of 5/8". All hoses have 3/4"
fittings on the ends but the diameter of the hose varies. 3/4" is the
best because it has less restriction and allows for less pressure loss.
Q: How much area will one of the sprinkler heads cover?
A: Each
sprinkler head will throw approximately an 80ft diameter. That's
assuming you have at least 50 psi and 6 to 8 gallons per minute (gpm)
from your water source. An 80ft diameter is approximately 5,000 square
feet. So if you had all 8 sprinkler heads set-up you could cover around
40,000 square feet. (an acre is 43,560 sq/ft) By timing how long it
takes to fill up a 5 gallon bucket from your water source, will tell
you how many gallons per minute you have to work with. (ie. 30 seconds
to fill = 10 gpm)
Q: Will the Yard Camel boost my pressure?
A: No.
Only an electrical pump will do that.
Q: How many sprinklers can I run at one time?
A: This
depends on how much water and pressure you have available from your
water source. The valves in the Yard Camel box will flow enough water
to run 2 to 3 sprinklers. Included in your Yard Camel is 8 heads which is 2
per valve. You might find that you have low pressure and low flow and
can only run 1 sprinkler per valve.
Q: How many valves will the controller turn on at one time?
A: Only 1 valve at a time can operate. (which, in most cases means 2 sprinkler heads)
Q: How may times a day will the controller start?
A: The
controller has 3 programs on it, which means you can program it to come
on 3 different times per day based on your specific needs. You may
choose 6am, Noon and 6pm if you are trying to establish seed or growing
in sod.
Q: How long should I let my sprinklers run?
A: This
depends on what your watering and what type of soil you have. The
heavier the soil (clay) the shorter the run time, because the soil
can't accept the water fast enough and it starts to run off. If your
soil is sandy than you need to run your sprinklers longer so the grass
or seed can get enough water. If your watering seed its more important
to keep it wet most of the day, than watering it for a long time. If
you water it to long it will wash away the seed. You should probably
run your sprinklers for between 10 and 20 minutes on seed and 20+ minutes on sod.
Q: Can I control the times for each valve separately?
A: Yes.
Each valve can be independently programmed from 1 to 99 minutes of run
time. So for example you could have valve 1 run for 10 min, valve 2 for
35 min, and so on.
Q: Can I leave the Yard Camel outside?
A: Yes. The Yard Camel is housed in a weather resistant carrying case.
Q: What kind of batteries does the Yard Camel use?
A: The Yard Camel uses 3 "AA" batteries, which are included. You should plan to replace the batteries once a year.
Q: What's that extra outlet on the side for?
A: That's
for extending your system if you have a large area. The bypass port on
the side allows you to attach a hose and run it to another area and
hook up another Yard Camel. That outlet keeps you from having to run
the hose all the way back to your original water source and lets you daisy chain your Yard Camel's together.