Lg, A few questions to understand what your after. 1. Elevation difference between source of water and top of hill(vertical height)? 2. What type and number of sprinklers are you planning on using for each location? 3. How many locations? 4. How long do you wish to irrigate? 5. What are the square feet areas you wish to irrigate? There are irrigation tutorials on line and pump curves to study to compare what your answers are from the questions I asked. Aloha

Hi Geoff, In regards to the foot valve and filtration, yes, I would suggest the use of a filter, why? Because small bits of algae, sand and other debris over time will build up in the valve diaphragm. The sprinkler heads can pass a small amount of debris fine (they have filters under the nozzles) it is the valves you should be most worried about. For your application, the use of a disc filter would be most appropriate. Disc filters use a series of screen discs that the water is forced through the amount of filtration is measured in mesh. The recommended mesh for a irrigation system is 100 mesh. Most disc filters need to be cleaned on a annual or bi-annual basis by unscrewing the filter top and hosing it off well. Disc filters are not as easy to come by as their cousin the screen filter. However a trip to a local irrigation supply house, like Ewing, should produce some nice results. Oh, a regular irrigation valve should NOT be used on a system running off lake water. You need a "Scrubber valve" which incorporates a very heavy duty diaphragm and stainless steel hardware (like molded stainless bonnet studs for easy service) The model is suggest using is the 100-PEB from Rain Bird. Once again, not going to find it at home cheapo, go to a irrigation supply house. About the sprinkler heads. I would suggest going with the same brand of sprinkler heads as long as they are not orbit or toro. Hunter makes a wonderful rotor as does Rain Bird. I will assume you have Hunter PGP rotors (they are very common) and they work great, some of the guys have complained they stop rotating as you mentioned, but it's luck of the draw. Because of the rotating issue, many have switched to the Rain Bird 5000. I haven't tried the 5000 but Rain Bird makes excellent products so it couldn't be half bad. Both the 5000 and PGP come with a nozzle tree and adjustment key. You can match the numbers on your old nozzle with the new when changing it out. And again, go to the irrigation supply house. Moneypenny: Any irrigation system running from a lake should incorporate disc filtration and scrubber valves. These will pay for them selves over time and will give you peace of mind. The pop-up rotors are personal taste but I like the PGP's just fine. With a filtration and care you will be good to go. Don't opt for the cheapest stuff out there, you get what you pay for and I can say this from experience. Cheap brands include: Orbit and Toro. Don't go to the big box stores like home depot, they won't carry the products you need, it's the professionals choice and why not support the local business? Links to products mentioned in this tutorial and other helpful links: Arkal-Amiad filtration: Mfrs. of manual disc filters. 322 Rolling Hill Road Mooresville, NC 28117-9920 http://www.arkal-filters.com/pro_manual1.html Rain Bird Corp: Mfrs. of high quality irrigation components. Rain Bird Corporation 1000 West Sierra Madre Ave. Azusa, CA 91702 http://www.rainbird.com/landscape/products/valves/PEB_PESBseries.htm Irrigation tutorials/help: Jess Stryker, professional irrigation system designer with 30+ years of experience. http://www.irrigationtutorials.com/ I do not endorse any of these manufacturers or people. I simply know good products.

jt, Just seeing the error message with M says its with the pump relay may not make specific sense to most people but it would to a profession pump contractor who set these systems up. A pump electrician needs to check the system out from pump to controller hookup. The display is similar to the check engine light coming on in your car. The read out doesn't necessarily call out the exact problem and may actually disguise the real problem. That is why a contractor with experience with pump/controller issues needs to troubleshoot the situation. If your system was installed recently, you may be under warranty. You need someone who can troubleshoot the electronics. If you think you have the know how, DIY. GL JMHO Aloha

let's start with the major problem first. the pump could be running from one of two causes, either an open drain valve in a valve box somewhere or multiple seaping valves. the most likely is an open drain. if all the zones come on the solenoids are fairly good but if the zones are seaping the diaphrams in the valves seem to be going bad. dirt in the valve boxes is a common problem but rarely affects valve operation. as for the heads unless they are failing to retract or are not popping up because they are bound up by roots, replacing the nozzles and flushing the system should be all you need.