This article provides guidance on winterizing irrigation systems with Lumo valves. It will cover:
While Lumo valves are designed to withstand winter conditions, properly winterizing your irrigation system by purging lines of water will reduce risk of damage and help ensure longevity of Lumo hardware.
Lumo valves, relays, and base unit should be kept powered on throughout the winter whenever possible to ensure system stability.
After your system is winterized, Lumo will place it in Hibernation Mode, which reduces power consumption by limiting how often Lumo devices connect to the network. You do not need to do anything to enable Hibernation Mode other than notify Lumo Support that your winterization process is complete.
Notify Lumo Support once you are finished irrigating for the season and have completed the winterization process at 1-888-586-6828 or [email protected]
Purging Lines with Lumo Valves
Open Lumo valves manually
Press and hold the control button on each valve for 5 seconds until the valve status LED flashes
Release the button and listen for an audible click, indicating the valve is in an open position
The valve status LED will blink green when the valve is open
Note: Manual Mode has an auto-off feature that closes the valve 6 hours after it’s opened. If more than 6 hours pass, re-open the valve
Purge lines per normal protocol
Once drained, close the Lumo valves by repeating Step 1. The valve status LED will be off when the valve is closed
Providing Additional Protection
To further prevent water damage to the valve by precipitation, you may choose to cover it. A couple options to protect the valve from precipitation and mud include:
Wrap the valve in plastic, such as a heavy duty trash bag, and secure the plastic with tape or bungee cords
Cover the valve with a modified 5 gallon bucket or trash can and secure in place
Mitigating Submersion Risk in Flood Zones
If Lumo valves are located in areas that tend to flood in the winter, domes should be removed from the manifold to prevent water intrusion. Lumo valves should not be submerged in water for any period of time. The solar panel and cables should also be removed and stored indoors to prevent corrosion. Please notify Lumo Support if removing valves due to flooding concerns.
Follow this procedure when removing valves in flood zones:
Use tape or a marker to label the dome with the block name for convenient reinstallation
Remove the dome from the wetware (valve body)
Turn off the dome by pressing the power button once. Verify LEDs turn off
Disconnect the solar panel, antenna cables, and pressure sensor. Carefully disconnect the pressure sensor by using a small screwdriver or hook tool to depress the tab and pull gently
Remove the solar panel and antenna assembly and neatly wrap cables
Store the dome and solar panel assembly indoors/in a dry area
Notify Lumo Support with a list of block valves that have been removed for winter
Avoiding Theft and Vandalism
If theft or vandalism is a concern, consider removing hardware from the field by following the procedure outlined in the Flood Zone section above. Please notify Lumo Support accordingly.