How to connect automatic irrigation system to courtyard faucet?

Kris_C

Hi, I previously attempted an automatic irrigation system with mostly the dripping nozzles and just a few of the little sprinkling ones attached. It was attached to the faucet belonging to the granny flat. It had a huge water tank. Back then I was told that water pressure would not be a concern due to the water tank being the source. I left it on for about a week at 2 different times and that happened to be when the granny flat smelled like ammonia afterwards for a while. I could only guess the smell might be related to the irrigation system as nothing else had changed.

I recently moved into a unit in a complex where the water bill is split among the owners. With absolutely no knowledge in plumbing, I assume this means something about the water/plumbing system is shared? There is a faucet in my little courtyard and I hope to use the timer and set up an automatic irrigation system with those little sprinkler nozzles instead and the black tube this time. I vaguely remember the black part in the picture is to catch debris from the water tank?

Do I need to attach something to the faucet to reduce the water pressure or something to prevent any potential damage to the pipe or something? Is the black part no longer needed since I'm now using council water? Thank you.

EricL

Hello @Kris_C

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your irrigation system.

The short answer is no, you don’t need a pressure reducer for it to work, but in many setups, it’s recommended so the timer works reliably. The Holman Digital Tap Timer CO1605 operates between 100 kPa and 600 kPa, which matches normal household tap pressure. That means it will run fine directly off a tap without a reducer.

However, Holman specifically notes that high flow from a tap can overwhelm the internal diaphragm, causing the timer to fail to open/close properly. Installing a flow/pressure reducer before the timer helps prevent this, especially with drip systems or short poly lines.

Use a pressure reducer if:

• You're running drippers / micro spray / irrigation line
• You have very high mains pressure
• The timer chatters, won’t close, or leaks
• Short irrigation run (less than 30m of poly line)

My best advice is to install a pressure reducer so that the tap timer works efficiently.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric