Hi, does anyone know of tap timers auto or manual that are reliable will last, and will handle high pressure? Sick of buying them and having them give way under pressure soon after.
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Is this for a low pressure watering system eg drip watering? Or is it for a normal household pressure watering system?
If it is for a low pressure system, then fitting a pressure reducer before the timer may be the best way to solve the pressure issues. An example but no particular recommendation is the following
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Normal household pressure
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Try Orbit, Rain Bird, Galcon or Hunter brands. Have you tried adding another O ring to stop drips, often even on cheap units we have found this fixes drip issues.
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A footnote, depending on where one lives and the application for a sprinkler system, they could be legislated for limited use, illegal to use at times of restrictions, and subject to a fine if one gets dobbed in doing the wrong thing (usually but not always only after a formal warning is issued).
Bunnings (and others) sell all sorts of things that are legal to sell but not legal to use, or legal to use under specific circumstances, or illegal use without the proper licenses. It is on the customer to know.
From Victoria, the permanent water restrictions include:
A residential or commercial garden or lawn cannot be watered except with:
- A hand-held hose, bucket or watering can at any time; and
- A watering system between the hours of 6 p.m. – 10 a.m. on any day.
so there is ample scope to use a sprinkler system, yet many consumers are unaware of any limits at all.
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Hi May,
welcome to the Community. We conducted a test of tap timers last year, and we hope to publish the review soon. We were not able to conduct pressure testing though, so I hope that other Community member responses will prove valuable in this regard.
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Thanks Grahroll, they all start ok but after a few weeks or months if you are lucky water starts coming out from around the dials and other parts of the timer. Then the timer mechanism stops working. I usually just buy the cheap ones now because they last just as long as the more expensive ones. I am happy to pay more if I know its going to last more than 3-6 months. our mains pressure is on the higher end of the scale so they just blow out. Pressure reducers just slow the flow down way too much.
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You can source pressure reducers for household pressure levels that drop it down just a little rather than to low pressure levels. Most of these valves/regulators are placed at the mains entry to the house but they can be fitted on the water plumbing elsewhere in the house. If the plumbing is internal then it is best to fit it at the mains entry after the stop valve.
Again examples of them but no particular recommendation (best to speak to a plumber)
https://plumbingsales.com.au/valves/reduction-limiting-valves.html
At very high household pressures the O rings tend to blowout in the internal part of the timer. Some can be disassembled and new O rings inserted, I would use the neoprene O rings for repairs as the black “rubber” ones are less hardy but are often used due to cost savings by manufacturers, if the timer can be repaired.
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I’ve used one of these for more than 3 years now.
Our house pump is set to 300kPa, which is more than adequate. The batteries seem to last well, and it is rated up to 800kPa.
If you do have usually high street pressure or surges in your area a pressure reducing valve at the meter as others suggest is worth considering. If there are regular issues with leaks or fittings failing elsewhere in the home it’s an indication there are issues with the supply.
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