Need Experienced Plumber To Install Pump And Sprinkler Heads

[Dean1953]

I'll be back in Thailand 5-13 December on my every other year quest to fix everything at my house in Bosang and try to rent it out.  First on my list is fixing my underground sprinkler system.  It is a 4 zone, 4 sprinkler heads per zone.  Several of the old Rainbird heads leak.  The other problem is when the old Rainbirds were installed, the heads stick out of the ground far enough that a lawn mower would hit them, so I installed red flags around them. I bought Hunter heads that aren't as long, so installation shouldn't be a problem.  My main concern is finding a knowledgable plumber that is trustworthy and won't try to sell me a crap water pump that lasts a year.  I've gone through 3 water pumps in 8 years.  We dug a well and put up a water container the same size as the one for the house.  I need a pump that will handle two 20 minute sprinkler setting per day.  The pump also has to be reliable, as no one is living at the house now and the person that takes care of it comes by 1-2 times per week.  Ideally, I can get some recommendations here and have a recommended plumber install it, then fix the sprinkler heads.  I'm less excited about trusting a plumber to buy the pump, as I've been burned several times over a Thai worker's "can do" attitude.  I would like to find someone that I can trust and can be available to call if a plumbing issue arises.    In the coming months, you will probably see posts from me about gardeners and real estate rental companies, among others.  Thanks in advance. 

[Dante99]

Plumbers are not usually familiar with the pump requirements for sprinklers.  The landscape guys are because they install the systems.  Suggest you fet a landscape guy for your job.  There are some around who are experienced with Hunter equipment and their pump requirements.

[Rotweiler]

Kham Thien market would be a good place to start looking.  And Pantip for someone to fix your caps lock.

[thaibeachlovers]

As you are not actually living there wouldn't it make more sense to pave over the grassy area to make it maintenance free. I doubt a renter would be that fussed about having to mow the grass either.

A load of sand is only 700 baht and pavers are very cheap. I pay 8 baht each.

I have paved all the areas around the house and appreciate the maintenance free aspect very much.

 

If you ever decided to live there and want grass, it's little trouble to remove them, unlike poured concrete.

[HullyGully]

I installed my own sprinkler system, and had no problems

 

I purchased a Grundfos pump with Pressure tank and switch

 

The grundfos shop is a few metres from Tesco on the Superhighway

 

Also I bought 3in PVC pipe and cut approx. 6/8inches pieces and installed them around the sprinklers, this would stop cutter hitting the sprinkler, ideally both should be below the top of the grass

[Dean1953]

My house sits on one rai of land, so that would take a lot of sand and pavers to cover it.  Gully gully, if you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay for the Grundfos pump (MG3-45?).  I have looked at them in the US but they run on 60 hz.   I could buy one from a shop in Canada if there is several hundred dollars difference between Canada's price and the price in Thailand.  Being there 8 days, I won't have time to do the work myself but will hire a competent (hopefully) sprinkler installer.

[HullyGully]

I think around 25k, the pump was ordered through the Grundfos Shop, and it came from Korea

 

50HZ  220v 1ph

 

Delivery was 4 to 6 weeks

[HullyGully]

I looked for someone to install my system, could not find the right people

 

I purchased all parts in the UK, used Railbird PC3502SAM

 

Rainbird Sprinklers are cheaper in the US / Canada

 

The Grundfos may maintain you system if you talk to them

 

They maintain Granados pumps  for Companies around Chiang Mai

[Dean1953]

If the Grundfos MQ3-45 costs about $730 in Thailand, and between $430 and $575.0 new in the U.S., would it be advisable to buy one that's 230V/60Hz here and bring it over?  I've had several people here, going from calling their headquarters to calling distributors and irrigation shops, tell me that the Hz difference is enough to eventually fry the motor or else really didn't know what would happen to the motor.  I wouldn't mind saving $200-300 over what I would be paying for one in Thailand.  I did see several MQ3-45 230V/50Hz on EBay U.K. But the shipping charges negated any savings.  Between now and December, I'll continue to look on various sites and maybe, I'll get lucky.

[Dante99]

20 minutes ago, Dean1953 said:

If the Grundfos MQ3-45 costs about $730 in Thailand, and between $430 and $575.0 new in the U.S., would it be advisable to buy one that's 230V/60Hz here and bring it over?  I've had several people here, going from calling their headquarters to calling distributors and irrigation shops, tell me that the Hz difference is enough to eventually fry the motor or else really didn't know what would happen to the motor.  I wouldn't mind saving $200-300 over what I would be paying for one in Thailand.  I did see several MQ3-45 230V/50Hz on EBay U.K. But the shipping charges negated any savings.  Between now and December, I'll continue to look on various sites and maybe, I'll get lucky.

Buy what you need here.  Get the correct warranties.  Get service and installation.  Get a guy here responsible for sizing the pump.  No Hz issues.  Easier.  Cost more? Not in the long run.

 

I know a guy that could do the job you want done, he has done it many times including for me but I will not wish you on him, you make everything to complex and messy and do not want to pay for quality trouble free work.

[Dean1953]

When I originally built the house, my Thai wife at the last minute wanted an underground sprinkler system.  We were in the process of sodding but stopped.  The builder of the house recommended his friend to do the job.  We went to Global House to buy the hose and the sprinkler heads and the sprinkler was to be turned on manually.  Once done, there were as many leaks in the hose as there were sprinkler heads (16).  He tried to fix them but couldn't, so I paid him to go away.  I dug new trenches myself, one foot down, that took me the better part of a week to finish.  I then hired a plumber that had worked for me and I had him set up the 4 zones, with 4 sprinklers per zone.  I had my sister send from the U.S. Rainbird sprinkler heads, which he installed (too high above ground, as it turned out).  As I come over about every 2 years, I have since had installed a Hunter controller, so the sprinklers could be automatic.  Later, I hired two persons who worked at a sprinkler system next to the Tesco on the superhighway to put in new sprinklers.  The sprinklers that they put in were not the right ones and, to make them shoot water further, they made adjustments to the heads which made most of them leak.  I paid them to go away.  Ideally, it would have been nice to have gotten recommendations at the start on ThaiVisa, but that was not possible.  I have been PM with a recommendation that I'll go with.  If I can find a Grundfos at 230V/50Hz, I'll buy it before going to LOS.  If not, I'll explain the situation to the recommended installer and go with their choice.  I've gone through 2 pumps (a Chinese and Japanese) already on recommendations, so I don't think that I've been too hard on Thai workers, unless they demonstrate that they don't have the expertise.  Both times that happened, they got paid anyway.

[Bill97]

Ahaa, the wife, so often the wife.