Break Down 2-Wire Irrigation

When it comes to deciding on what type of irrigation system your business should install, the two most common types are 2-wire and conventional systems. While most properties have been constructed with conventional irrigation systems, 2-wire irrigation has recently gained more traction in the market space.

At Mission Landscape, we are committed to implementing the best systems for our clients. As the industry continues to innovate, our team provides knowledge and experience to find the best solution for each business. Our comprehensive water management services help companies not only keep their landscaping fresh and beautiful, but it also improves water use and decreases our clients’ costs.

Understand what 2-wire irrigation systems entail and how your business could benefit from them:  

What Is A 2-Wire Irrigation System?

2-wire irrigation systems are exactly what they sound like. These systems use two separate wires that travel from a central controller to a valve. From this point, the range can be extended by creating a daisy chain with various amounts of valves. This allows the length to be nearly unlimited. Instead of all the wiring being centralized to the controller, the two wires are run from the controller and connect at a decoder at each valve. The decoder is the “brain” for each valve. This allows the controller to tell each decoder to turn the valve on and off when scheduled.

What Are The Benefits?

There are a couple of reasons why 2-wire irrigation systems have grown in interest for businesses. One of those reasons being that it can be more cost-effective. Because all valves do not need to be connected to the central controller, these systems allow less wire to be used. This eliminates running wires to each and every valve and makes installation much easier. Being able to run the whole system on one central unit creates less of a headache than the everyday “do it yourself” type to install. On larger-scale projects, 2-wire irrigation systems can be better to expand your watering process. Splicing the wires into two allows you to create a new zone at any given moment.

What Are The Drawbacks?

Initially, 2-wire systems might seem like the best option, especially if your business is located on a small property. While 2-wire offers benefits to start-up, issues arise in troubleshooting. When this system runs into problems, it can be a slippery slope. For example, if there is a connection issue in your chain of valves, anything downstream of that bad connection is immediately shut down. In larger projects, this situation may be catastrophic to the health and beauty of a property. Any damage to a wire in your system can leave you stranded. Finding the source of the break can also be an extensive task. Since these wires are meant to be subterranean, one would have to dig up and find exactly where the short is located. With no map or guide of how the wire was set, this seemingly easy task could set your irrigator back on completing this task.

How Mission Landscape Uses 2-Wire Systems

Luckily, if your property already has a 2-wire system set up or you are thinking of installing it, not all is lost. There are ways in which troubleshooting issues can be solved. Our team at Mission Landscape has invested in technology to help navigate and find system issues. Through training, our irrigation techs can diagnose the connection problem by seeing a pulse-like reading on a device. This reading will give the irrigation tech an accurate reading on where the issue will be, allowing the system to be up and running as fast as possible.

If your business is experiencing problems within your 2-wire irrigation system, we can help.

Our team is dedicated to helping you fix problems before they become detrimental. Our service response time to call for after-hour emergencies is 18 minutes. Have questions on your property’s current water management system? Reach out to us here to learn more about how Mission Landscape’s Irrigation specialists can help improve your system.

Our services include landscape architecture , landscape construction, landscape maintenance, water management, tree care, and mulch and green waste recycling. We serve a multitude of areas in California including: Orange County, Los Angeles County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Sacramento County, and Imperial County. If your company is interested in enhancing your landscape, request a proposal and our team will be in contact with you.