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Adding & Placing Auxiliary Equipment

Quick video

Power Tip: Irrigation Tools In 3 Minutes

Adding Auxiliary Equipment
Editing Auxiliary Equipment
Adding Miscellaneous Equipment
Importing Equipment from a Template or Project
Web Configure
Placing Auxiliary Equipment in Your Drawing
- From the Irrigation Manager
- Using Our Place Equipment Tool
Changing the Symbols for Auxiliary Equipment in Your Projects and Drawings

Related Webinars
Troubleshooting

The Irrigation Manager allows you to add a variety of auxiliary irrigation equipment. Options include:

Backflow Devices
Controllers
Controller Accessories
Central Control
Flow Sensors
Booster Pumps
Filtration

Fertigation
Enclosures
Thrust Blocks
Wire Bundles
Caps
Joint Resistant Fittings

The default install does not include all symbols, but many of them will download on demand. If you go to place a piece of equipment, the symbol should download as necessary. You can also have the system download all irrigation symbols using the Check for Updates feature if you would like.

Adding Auxiliary Equipment

You can add Auxiliary Equipment to your project using the Irrigation Manager. Open the Irrigation Manager:

F/X Irrigation ribbon, Irrigation button

F/X Irrigation menu, Irrigation Manager option

Irrigation toolbar

Irrigation Manager toolbar

typing ProjectIrrigation in the Command line

The Irrigation Manager will open.

Select the Auxiliary Equipment option, and click New.

Irrigation Manager, Auxiiary Equipment option, New button

Select a type of equipment to add in the Select Type dialog box (example: Controller).

Click OK.

You'll now see a list of manufacturers in our database offering the type of equipment you selected.

Scroll to and select the manufacturer of your choice.

The Select Series dialog box will open.

Scroll to and select the series of equipment you want to add. To see more information about a particular series, click the More Info link next to that series. You'll be brought to the manufacturer's Web page on that series.

The Select Model dialog box will open. Scroll to and select the model you want to add from the selected equipment series.

Click Add to Project to add the selected model to your project.

You can also click View Data to see information about the selected series on the manufacturer's website.

Once you've added a piece of equipment to your project, it will be listed in the Irrigation Manager.

If you add a controller, you'll be asked whether you want to add controller accessories as well. You can do so now if you want, or wait until later.

More information

Editing Auxiliary Equipment

To view and edit information assigned to a piece of auxiliary equipment, highlight it in the Irrigation Manager and click Edit.

1. The top field contains the Model name. You're limited to only one line of text here. You can now fill in the actual model number for your item or just click OK and edit this information later.

2. This text box contains the Schedule Description. The text here is intended as a description of this equipment, along with any other helpful information, such as the power supply or what type of footing or enclosure is needed. The text in this box is limited to 256 characters.

3. Click Replace to replace the selected model with another equipment model.

4. If you want a detail associated with this item, click Set Detail.

5. This box contains a thumbnail image of the symbol assigned to this piece of equipment. Click the thumbnail image to see more details on the symbol or edit the symbol.

6. Depending on the component, you may see a Size menu, where you can select a size for the component, as well as text fields for flow (GPM) and pressure (PSI).

7. Click View Data to see the manufacturer's performance data for this piece of equipment.

If you click the Symbol thumbnail (see #5 above), you'll see a dialog box containing your options for symbols to represent the component. You might see several options, or only one option, depending on the type of equipment you've selected.

Adding Other Miscellaneous Equipment

Adding Controller Accessories

When adding a controller, you'll be asked whether you want to add controller accessories as well.

Click Yes to add accessories, or No to simply add the controller.

Option to add controller accessories

If you click Yes, you'll be brought to the Select Series dialog box for controller accessories, and you can add any accessories you need by following the same steps described above.

Controller accessories might come in a wide range of various options, from rain or freeze sensors, to enclosures, communication modules, remote control devices, etc.

You can also add controller accessories to the project directly from the Irrigation Manager by clicking New and then selecting Controller Accessories from the list that opens.

The Controller Accessories available in our database include a variety of options, including two wire decoders or even lightning surge protectors, which are technically placed as a symbol near a valve in the field. This type of item is still related to the controller, and the category of Controller Accessories will include a wide variety of options that require review.

Adding controller accessories directly from the Irrigation Manager

Booster Pumps

The Equipment Info dialog box for Booster Pumps includes two additional text fields:

Pump Pressure Increase: This amount will be added to the system pressure at the source.

Pump Maximum Flow: This number will simply be the flow limit expected at the source.

Adding a Thrust Block

A thrust block is typically a poured concrete blocking placed at a directional change in an irrigation line.

You'll only have one option in the Select Manufacturer dialog box: Custom. Click this option to select it.

The Equipment Info dialog box will open, allowing you to enter all the necessary information for your custom thrust block.

Adding a Wire Bundle

A wire bundle is a location where you want to specify several wires for a future phase of work.

Quick video

Power Tip: Put A Cap On It

Adding a Cap

In terms of our auxiliary equipment, a Cap refers to a cap on either a lateral line or mainline pipe.

Caps you use in your drawing will now appear in the Valve Schedule.

When adding a cap, you'll assign it with the flow and pressure demands you anticipate for that location.

The system will then size with that requirement, allowing for a connection with a known flow and pressure.

Important note:

A cap represents a demand – not a water source. If you use caps in your design, you'll still need to add and place a water source or point of connection (POC).

Caps come in extremely handy with systems that are adding on to an existing system design, as well as those that you might plan to expand at some point in the future. More information:

Adding a cap

When you add a cap, you'll only have one option in the Select Manufacturer dialog box: Generic.

Click this option to select it.

The Select Series dialog box will open.

Select Pipe Cap.

In the Select Model dialog box, you'll have two options:

Cap for future use
Cap from existing system.

Select the cap you want to add, then click Add to Project.

For further information and instructions, see our pages on:

Accounting for a future expansion of your irrigation design using a cap for future use
Adding on to an existing irrigation design using a cap from existing system

If you have a particular diameter of mainline in mind for your project, you can size the mainline manually by using caps to create a demand that calls for that pipe size. Find out how.

Changing the Demands of a Cap

You can easily change the pressure and flow demands of a cap you've placed in your drawing by double-clicking the cap.

In this example, we'll double-click the cap in the image of the right to change its attribute values.

When you double-click a cap, the Enhanced Attribute Editor will open.

Changing cap values in the Enhanced Attribute Editor

You can change the FLOW or PRESSURE value by clicking the value you want to change and then changing its value in the Value field.

In our example, we've changed the FLOW to 13 GPM and the PRESSURE to 30 PSI.

Click Apply to apply the change, then click OK to close the dialog box.

The values will be changed in the drawing and in the data associated with the cap block.

Adding a System Monitor (Station Monitor)

A system monitor, also known as a station monitor, is a cap that helps you determine your system's pressure and flow needs when you're creating your initial design. You can place a system monitor anywhere on the mainline. Then, when when you size the mainline, the monitor's pressure and flow rates will be set automatically to the maximum rates the system can handle at that location.

To add a system monitor to your project, add a cap using the Irrigation Manager.

Then select the System Monitor option in the Select Series dialog box.

The Select Model dialog box will open.

To add a monitor that plots, select System Monitor.

To add a monitor that does not plot, select System Monitor (Non-plot).

More information on working with system monitors in your design

Adding a Joint Restraint Fitting

Typically used for larger pipes, a joint restraint fitting is commonly a cast-iron clamp that will secure a plastic or cast iron joint to the pipe.

Joint restraints absorb pressure impacts to pipe joints, thus preventing them from breaking.

For detailed information on joint restraint fittings, see the Joint Restraint Fittings section of our Mainline Piping page.

Adding a joint restraint fitting: selecting a manufacturer

Selecting a manufacturer will allow you to select the type of joint restraint you want. Options include:

Fitting to Pipe Restraint:

Restraint for PVC ell, tee, or a bend, 11.25, 22.5, or 45.

Pipe to Pipe Restraint:

Restraint for PVC pipe fitting, such as a coupling, pipe reducer, or end cap.

Valve to Pipe Restraint

Restraints for valve to fitting, valve to fitting and pipe, or for an isolation valve.

Adding Other Miscellaneous Equipment

The list of auxiliary equipment to add also includes an Other option.

If you select Other, you can input information manually for the miscellaneous “other” irrigation items not yet included in our database.

You can input any necessary information manually into the text fields.

Click the Symbol box to select a symbol for your miscellaneous equipment.

Select a symbol for the piece of equipment.

The available symbols all contain the characters XX. This is a placeholder for the one- or two-letter code you'll enter for the equipment when placing it. (See below.)

When you place the miscellaneous equipment, you'll be prompted to enter an Identifier.

Enter a one- or two-letter code for the piece of equipment (for example, FS for a flow switch).

When placed in your drawing, the equipment will have the code you entered.

Code shown on equipment placed in drawing

Importing Equipment from a Template or Project

If you find yourself adding the same irrigation equipment to multiple projects, we recommend setting up a project template and then adding your commonly used equipment to that template. You can then import individual components into a new project from that template. This practice can save you immeasurable amounts of time, considering all the data you need to fill out for each component you add. With templates, you only need to add and configure your equipment once, then import it – along with all attached data – into the present project.

For instructions on importing irrigation equipment into a project, see our Importing Irrigation Equipment documentation.

Take care when importing irrigation equipment from other projects. Remember that a manufacturer could have changed or even discontinued a product line or model since you last used it in a project.

Web Configure

When adding more complicated irrigation equipment, such as some controllers,you might see an option called Web Configure in the Select Model dialog box.

Select this option and click Add to Project to add the equipment to your project.

Adding this equipment opens your browser automatically and pulls up the manufacturer's Web page for the selected model. There, you can use that manufacturer's tools (or contact the manufacturer directly) to assemble the information you need for specifying the equipment.

Copy all necessary information about the equipment into a word-processing or note-taking application (such as Microsoft Word). When finished, close your browser.

You should now see the Equipment Info dialog box. Copy and paste the information about the equipment into the notes field (pictured to the right).

Copyinf and pasting Web-based information into the Equipment Info dialog box

Close the Equipment Info dialog box. You can now place the equipment in your drawing as needed.

Placing Auxiliary Equipment in Your Drawing

From the Irrigation Manager

Place auxiliary equipment from Irrigation Manager

To place a piece of auxiliary equipment, highlight it in the Irrigation Manager and click Place.

In this example, we'll place a booster pump.

Click to place the equipment in your drawing.

Depending on the type of equipment you're placing, you may be prompted to enter a number or identifier.

Add the number or identifier of your choice, and click OK.

The equipment will appear in your drawing, and will include the number or identifier you entered for it.

Using Our Place Equipment Tool

You can also place auxiliary equipment using our Place Equipment tool. Open Place Equipment:

F/X Irrigation ribbon, Place Equipment flyout

Irrigation toolbar

F/X Irrigation menu, Place Equipment option

or type FX_PlaceEquip in the Command line

The Select Equipment dialog box will open.

Select the equipment you want to place. Select a Size for the equipment, then click Place to place the equipment.

Changing the Symbols for Auxiliary Equipment in Your Projects and Drawings

If you've already added a particular component to your project – even if you've already placed it in a drawing – you may want to change its symbol to another one of our default symbols, or a version you've created. See our documentation on changing auxiliary equipment.

Related Webinars

Irrigation for Beginners: We'll show how to navigate through the Irrigation ribbon and build a familiarity with our conceptual-level tools. You'll also learn the basics of adding equipment to a project, placing, piping, sizing, and scheduling. (1 hr 45 min)
Getting Started with Irrigation F/X: Join us for this webinar to get going with the essential capabilities of Irrigation F/X. We'll show how to navigate through the Irrigation ribbon and build a familiarity with our conceptual-level tools. You'll also learn the basics of adding equipment to a project, placing, piping, sizing, and scheduling. (1 hr 8 min)
Irrigation Tools – What You Need to Know: We'll show you the ins and outs of basic irrigation setup using our software, including how to add drip, sprays, and rotors to a project. (1 hr 6 min)
How The Manufacturer Connection Works: The Manufacturer Connection is the relationship between the designer and manufacturer that Land F/X has used to separate ourselves from other design software programs. Learn how it helps you spec equipment for irrigation designs. (53 min)
Existing Irrigation: Learn the techniques, tools, and tricks you'll need to expand an existing system, including how to use a pipe cap to account for existing flow. (56 min)
Designing With Soil Moisture Sensors: Presented by Tyson Carroll of Wood Architecture, this webinar goes over the benefits of soil moisture sensors and shows you how achieve the best possible results. We'll also provide some design theory and pass on a few tricks of the trade learned through dozens of design/build installations. (47 min)
Learn all about the relationship between pressure in a mainline and how changes in PSI can influence downstream flow rates. Presented by Bob Beers (and Chris Wright) of Baseline, this webinar reviews several solutions to for capturing PSI readings within a hydraulic structure. (47 min)

Modern Pumping Systems – Applying the Latest Technology for Maximum Efficiency: Join Rob Aldinger of Precision Pumping Systems for an overview of how modern technology is helping make pumping systems more efficient than ever. (1 hr 6 min)