As we covered in our blog earlier this week, there are many benefits to installing a two-wire irrigation system on large jobsites. The simple, yet effective systems can provide sites with miles of coverage without loss of power. But with such a simple design, what happens when part of the system is damaged? The answer is, the whole system can be affected. Here are two common problems that can happen to two-wire systems and how to repair them.

Wet connections

Wire damage from water is bound to happen in any irrigation system. However, you can easily prevent this from happening or repair it after it’s happened by installing silicone-based capped connectors.

Although small additions to a two-wire system, waterproof wire connectors can have a major impact. “The most important part of a two-wire system is the connections,” said Mitch Heiner, Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply’s National Irrigation Products Manager. “When you waterproof those connections with silicone-based connectors, you can prevent future issues from happening.”

Cuts in the two-wire line

When your entire system runs on two wires, a cut or damage to that main line can have serious effects throughout the system. “Sometimes we’ll see wires be accidentally cut by shovels or things like that and the entire system will be affected,” Heiner said.

What can you do to fix this? While it’s unlikely that you can prevent these types of issues happening, the controller and the decoders throughout the system can help you discover which general zone has the damage.

Then, using a wire locator tool you can trace the path of the wire to find the damage. This will prevent you from having to dig up the entire system for a small cut.

Are you looking to install a two-wire system on your jobsite, but don’t know where to start? Stop by your local Ewing store today and ask one of our knowledgeable service professionals how they can help you.

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