(Weeks 10 & 11) February 8, 2013
We’re moving right along with the install. We only have two holes left to complete and all the front nine greens loops to install. That’s 344 heads installed to date! Once we complete the head installation we will move to installing isolation valves. And our pump station will get an overhaul as well.
Heather Brunk, Assistant Superintendent
(Week 12) February 16,2013
The guys from our local Keeling store have been checking ground rods. Copper plated steel rods were driven into the ground every 500 feet or so with the maxi wire that Nutt Construction trenched into the ground. With each rod is an integrated control surge device which provides surge protection for a particular wire path. At each of these locations, the maximum resistance to ground is 45 Ohms. If a particular rod megs higher than 45 Ohms, then a copper ground plate must be used to ensure protection of our new maxi wire and rotors. Seeing as how our golf course is rocky, we are looking at installing several copper plates.
Heather Brunk, Assistant Superintendent
Brian’s messy office is where the magic–and the asbuilt–gets digitized
Ground points have a surge device tied into the com wire
Chris verifying ground locations
(Week 13) February 22, 2013
This week our focus has been on installing the greens loop rotors. We are replacing old full circle Rainbird impact 51s with Rainbird Eagle 950s and 751s. The 950 series rotor is the “out”, watering our surrounds and approaches. The 751 series rotor is the “in”, watering our greens. This gives us more control allowing us to water the greens without overwatering our surrounds and approaches.
Old impact rotors
dug down to service tee
Installed Acme swing joints
950 surround & 751 green head installed
replace turf and done
(Week 14) March 1, 2013
All sprinklers are installed and all electrical splices are good. The system diagnostics shows all 485 sprinklers communicating and locked in with the central control. We have to improve a dozen rocky locations with a small ground plate and read the values once more to ensure we maintain the Rain Bird specification for ground resistance.
Tying in the ground plate lead at the surge device
Small Trencher putting copper plate in
DESIGN NOTES:
Throughout the IC wire path the ICSD’ (Integrated Control Surge Devices) are located at every 500′ or 15 IC Modules. At these points we install a ground rod. If the ground rod alone will not Meg to 50 MOhms or less a 4′ x 4″ copper ground plate is added. The ground conditions cannot typically be predetermined until construction. Stones River like it’s name implies has some rock and shallow soil conditions. We found 12 locations on the course where the ground rods were not sufficient and copper plates were added.
Chris installing the very last irrigation head
(Week 15) March 11, 2013
Chris finishing up all grounding plates. Scheduled to have Keeling Reps out to re-check ground points in order to verify they meet specifications. Getting ready for Tournament by patching everything up.
(Week 16) March 19, 2013
We charged our existing pumps to find any breaks in the pipe. We found two large breaks the first day. Pumps were shut down and the pipe was repaired. The pumps were recharged the next day and we found six more breaks; mostly 2 inch pipe and a 6 inch mainline. Nutt Construction sent us two guys and repaired most of those breaks.
Decent break on 12 Tee
(Week 17 ) March 28, 2013
More breaks. Chris repaired another 2 inch pipe with several holes in a 10 foot section where the trencher plowed next to it punched several holes. Nutt Construction will be here tomorrow to repair more pipe.
Heather Brunk, Assistant Superintendent
(Week 18) April 5, 3013
Well the good news is we have most of the breaks repaired but now have several leaking greens heads. We are hoping it is only debris in the lines that have clogged foot valves. Our new jockey pump, electric panel and other parts arrived Wednesday to our excitement. Watertronics will be installing them April 22nd which is a huge disappointment considering our original install date was February 28th. This part of the project have been pushed back several times and we are anxious to get the pump house updated.
Heather Brunk, Assistant Superintendent
(Week 19 & 20) April 19, 2013
Spring is officially here and we are swamped with normal golf course duties. We also overseeded our rough last fall with fescue and its growing in beautifully. Our new Eagle 900 heads in the fairways have the farthest throwing nozzles so a large portion of our fescue in the rough should get irrigation. We have little rough irrigation by the way. Watertronics should be arriving next week to install the electric panel in the pump house.
Heather Brunk, Assistant Superintendent