Irritrol (Richdel) 205 Series Solenoid Valves

The main safety concern is regarding the water supply. To avoid contamination of the mains water upstream, in most municipalities, a Dual Check Valve is required at the water connection.

Being exposed to the weather, water damage will occur any where water can get in. Electrical tape isn’t quite water tight & over time water will creep into the circuit & create havoc & void all warranties. For this reason you should always use waterproof cable joins like heat shrinks.

A garden tap is an excellent place to connect your irrigation system. Ideally, install a connection point behind the tap (turn the water off first) so you can still use your tap to fill a bucket when you need to.

Unless your tank located is upwards of 20m above your valves, gravity feed will not provide enough pressure for your valves to reliably open & close. It is not recommended.

No, unless you’re tapping into your water supply, a plumber isn’t required. Most domestic irrigation systems can be installed by anyone half handy.

The number of solenoid valves you use depends on the size of your garden & the flow output of your water supply. The number of litres per minute that are available will determine the number of sprinklers or drippers you can operate at any one time. Once your garden is divided up into each section using that information, you’ll need one solenoid valve to operate each one individually.

Well you’re in the right place! We’ve got it all here. The first step, is drawing out a plan of your garden, to scale of course. If you need help on how to do that, you can get started right here!

Nearly all of the time, a solenoid valve staying open is caused by debris caught in the diaphragm. Even the finest debris can cause the valve not to seal shut, causing a constant leak. Other cause can be: Not enough flow because the irrigation zone is too small or, not enough pressure, the valve needs the pressure to seal shut.

A master valve is installed upstream of the solenoid valves being used to control each irrigation zone. They’re not mandatory, but they are a good idea as installing one increases the life-span of each valve by protect the valves downstream from the constant pressure that would otherwise be applied. The way it works is, every time a zone is programmed to come on the master valve also switches on, providing the flow, but when all the zones are off, the master valve closes, holding back the flow & pressure of the water supply. Simply, it’s kind of like an irrigation insurance policy.

A solenoid valve is the automatic tap that controls that flow of water to an irrigation zone. Solenoid Valves are automatically operated by an irrigation controller which is programmed to tell the solenoid valve when to open & close.

We get any number of calls from people across the country who've bought from overseas & have problems. From electrical output problems to thread compatibility problems & other problems that we aren't able to help with!

By buying from SunshowerOnline, right here in Australia, you can be sure that your warranty issues are covered, that compatibility & compliance isn't an issue & that you'll be able to get helpful after service advice.