The Complete Handbook of Water Timers

As an irrigation contractor, I've been looking for a non-vendor reference for years. This handbook finally delivers it. The chapter on specs alone is worth the price, because it walks through flow charts and pressure losses in a way that's actually usable. I do have a minor gripe: the section on smart timers felt a bit quick, and I wish it dug deeper into API integration with larger central controllers. Still, it's a solid, practical book I'll keep in the truck.

I bought this to help me choose a timer for our new greenhouse. The installment on installation was reassuring, as it clearly explained the need for a backflow preventer, which the manufacturer's manual didn't mention. It's a bit heavy on the professional side, but the troubleshooting chart saved me a lot of time already. I took off one star because I found the business opportunity chapter a little too focused on large-scale reselling, which isn't relevant to a smaller operation like ours. Overall, a very solid reference.

Finally, a book that treats water timers like a real engineering topic. I love that it doesn't pander. The explanation of how a solenoid valve actually works, with the magnetic field and the pilot orifice, was the clearest I've ever read. It saved me from buying a timer that couldn't handle the low water pressure in my drip lines, and that alone paid for the book. The exact pressure charts were incredibly helpful. Highly recommend for any serious gardener.

This is the book I wish I'd had twenty years ago when I started in plumbing. It's honest, detailed, and doesn't talk down to you. The chapter on maintenance and troubleshooting is pure gold, especially the part about diagnosing a chattering valve when the inlet pressure is too high. I've already recommended it to my apprentice. It's the kind of practical knowledge you'd spend years learning by trial and error, now in one book.

I manage a small farm and was overwhelmed by the options for automating our irrigation. This book broke down the specs in a way that made sense. The comparison of different thread types and how the wrong one costs you a trip to the hardware store saved me a headache. The future trends chapter gave me a clear idea of what to look for in the next few years, too. Very useful for anyone moving from manual to automated watering.

Decent reference for the beginner. I liked the chapter on how they work, but I felt it ran long. The table comparing battery life in various conditions was useful, but I was hoping for more detailed info on Wi-Fi pairing and app troubleshooting, which is my current headache. The book is more focused on the valve mechanics, which is fine, but it's not the whole story. I'd rate it 3.5 if I could, but it's still a valuable addition to the bookshelf.

This is a good, solid work. It doesn't have the flashy photos or glossy pages of a popular gardening book, but the information is spot on. The section on winterizing timers by the type was very useful, as I've destroyed two in the past by not draining them properly. The glossary at the back has saved me more than once when I'm on the phone with a supplier. It's practical, not pretty, and that's exactly what I wanted.

An excellent piece of engineering writing. I bought the ebook and the print version for the reference shelf. The chapter on choosing the right timer is a perfect example of how to think through a problem, using flow rates, pressure, and thread pitch as variables. It's dense but accessible if you read carefully. This isn't a coffee table book; it's a manual for people who wrench on things. I'll be using this for years.