How to Choose a Sprinkler Timer System

Would you like to maintain your garden but aren't able to be around to water it? Are you busy with school or work and aren't around to make sure your garden is alive? With the right sprinkler timer system, you won't have to be around to make sure that your garden is watered every day. There are many different options for choosing a sprinkler timer system, depending on how much time you want to learn on different timer systems, and depending on the weather in your region, how much flexibility you want in watering your garden or saving water. In any case, you have options of having indoor or outdoor controllers, ranging from very simple and mechanical to extremely technical, with sprinkler timer systems able to be linked up to even your computer to monitor your water systems.

Do you want your sprinkler to go off at a specific time every day? If so, you should look for a timer switch which will go off at a specific time everyday. A mechanical timer can run up to an hour for each station, and if you want the sprinkler to go off at 7:00AM, it will do so every day without fail as long as the electricity is on. This can cost from $60 to $150 and is extremely reliable.

If you a more technically savvy, you might want to look into an electronic water sprinkler timer system which will enable you to program to water weekly,seasonally, or even yearly. The obvious advantage is that it is flexible, so in a more unpredictably rainy region this is most advantageous. However the downside is the learning curve to this system as you might have to read the manual several times and take a few trial and errors to figure out the entire system. features include clock and calendar settings,manual start/manual station operation,master switch,master valve control,station omission,pump start lead,rain sensor,battery backup,non-volatile memory and delay. If you decide to use one in a diverse landscape, it is suggested that you divide your landscape into comparable zones, from sunny lawn areas, to shaded areas, to newly planted areas, so each area should be a separate program on your timer. Electronic sprinkler timer systems  are also cheaper, and can range from $20 to $60.

Are you looking for an indoor controller or an outdoor controller? As its namesake, indoor sprinkler systems need to be protected from the weather and can be plugged into a 110-volt outlet. You can install these in the garage, building, covered patio, closet, etc. Outdoor lawn sprinkler systems, on the other hand, are weather resistant and durable, but need to be hardwired for power, since the transformer is inside the protective, weather resistant cabinet,and thus the electric connection has to be weather resistant as well. Once you take into account the size of your garden, weather, and your own technical willingness to learn, you’ll be able to find a good sprinkler system for your lawn or garden in no time.