Has anyone used these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hozelock-Pro...=auto+watering
Are there any alternatives available in the stores in Spain?

Anyone know if the pipes used are standard water pipes so could be changed or extended in future without having to buy Hozelock pipe only?

Buy them in Spain - much cheaper and easy to find.

http://catalogo.aki.es/jardin/riego-.../programadores

http://catalogo.aki.es/jardin/riego-...ara-vacaciones

I bought Hozelock time clock and standard pipework from the local garden centre. Then found much cheapness at the Ferreteria a time clock.

You start off the system with large diameter pipes and get progressively smaller as you add branches to regulate the flow. I would not trust leaving it on for long periods unattended. Learn from my mistake. No matter how carefully I installed, the system frequently springs a leak. It seems sunshine loosens the connections. The fail safe stop feature is not really fail safe.

We haven't had too many leak problems, but they do happen.

Timers are cheap (depending on their sophistication). Program 10 minutes of irrigation every morning at 02:00 generally will keep everything pretty green and healthy.

Also, re: leaks. The timer controls whether water is let in or not. What happens if the batteries run out during a watering cycle? I guess the water would stay on constantly? Probably unlikely but you never know.

No, the power is needed to open the valve and keep it open.

If it loses power the valve will always close. However it is possible for grit to get into the valve and stop it shutting completely so make sure the unit has a filter - there is usually a mess filter built into the inlet.

The batteries last for ages and some units emit a continuous beep when they are getting low. If really is a problem buy a mains powered unit but they are a lot more expensive if you only want one irrigation circuit.

Good morning. Briefly we are renting a villa in Javea and which was previously up for sale in those halcyon days of over 500k. If the construction company had an offer we have no doubt the tenancy would end. However that apart we have a problem.

The owners wish to keep the grass and the fruit trees in splendid condition and there are five sectors around the garden and the irrigation system comes on in the middle of the night. Each night about 5m3 of water is being used. They obviously want to set the villa against others.

However the owners arrived yesterday and informed us that we would be paying for the water usage for July and August and that it was likely to be about 649 euros a month. Went to Amjasa and last year when the villa was empty in July and August the owners paid over 400 euros just for the pool and the irrigation system.

Is there a company please in Javea who can give me a written report with their recommendations in respect of the pool and the irrigation system. After the system has been used it simply flows into the pool and down the road.

thanks and quite obviously I will pay for the report.

That is far more than I pay per month for watering garden and pool. This must be a very large garden? Could it be classed as an orchard? In CB South there are special arrangements for watering agricultural land. I guess there will be similar in Javea.

5 cub m is a lot of water, you might find there is a leak. Our meter man told us that he thought we had a leak. Sure enough we did have a small leak and when rectified our bills dropped markedly.

If I was stuck with that monthly bill, I would be looking for a.n.other property.

No it is a very small garden some grass around the pool only. The trees are just five it is not a plantation. The owner will not budge hence I need an expert soonest please.

We will be looking for something else. The owner was here yesterday and said there was not a leak (he would would he not) hence the need for someone who knows all about this.

thanks

In which case that is a ludicrous amount of water.

We have a very large garden, the cultivated part of the plot (including the house) is about 2000m2 with about 20 fruit trees and very large flower beds. On top of that we have a 70m2 "English" lawn which is in pristine condition even at this time of the year.

With all that we still use only about 3m3/day of water in July/August and much less when it cools down.

Luckily we only pay a few centimos/m3 as it is an agricultural supply.

You definitely need to get it checked out.

It is easy to check for a leak:

1. Turn off all water taps

2. Check the meter.

The little needle should be stationery. If there is even a small movement, you have a leak. A small leak will waste copious amounts of water. Our bills were cut in half after I repaired our leak.

Thanks Fred any ideas as to the best organisation to carry this out. Amjasa here which is the water company say our responsibility up to the meter there on in yours. Owner refuses to compromises. Everyone I know says too much but how to stop this ridiculous scenario. The money has come out of our bank!

Easy to check and even easier to stop turn off the tap(s).

Have done that an no movement on the small needle. Also doing morning checks it is about 5m3 per day. There are only two of us showers only washing machine and dishwasher. There are five sectors around the garden and it is water for 12 minutes per sector per day.

I am now at my wits end.

Sorry for typo in recent posting Amjasa up to meter ours afterwards.

as to turning off the taps do you mean please the irrigation taps themselves in the garden. We do not have access under the pool have not been given the keys.