In most of Türkiye, park and estate irrigation stops from November to March. Stopping is easy; stopping properly prevents spring faults. Pipes and sprinklers belong to the landscape contractor. Controllers, sensors and the panel belong to ESTRON. This article covers both.
What does the system do in winter?
In AI mode the system slows down on its own. Durations shorten on cool days; watering is skipped on rainy days. On a night with frost expected, the AI postpones. But season shutdown is a decision, not a forecast. To close the system, you stop the schedule.
The controller is not removed for winter. It stays in the valve box. The battery stays in; in sleep mode the controller uses very little power. The panel keeps showing battery level all winter.
Season shutdown: 6 steps
- Stop the schedule. From the panel or the mobile app, stop the schedule on every line. Stop AI-mode lines too. Check the last watering record.
- Close the main valve. The main valve of the line or the pump outlet is closed. The system is left without pressure.
- Drain the lines. Water left in a pipe cracks pipes and sprinklers when it freezes. Drain valves are opened; if needed the line is blown out with a compressor. This is done the way the irrigation contractor specifies.
- Check the sensors. Clean the rain sensor. The soil moisture sensor can stay in the ground; check its cable and connection.
- Note battery levels. The panel shows the battery level of every controller. A low battery is replaced now rather than in spring, so no battery alarm greets the start-up.
- Take the season report. Pull the season's irrigation report from the panel: duration, consumption, decisions and reasons per line. Export it to Excel. This report is the source for the spring plan and the yearly report.
All lines can be stopped at once. A bulk command reaches hundreds of valves in one go; nobody drives to the site.
Season start-up: 6 steps
- Visual check. Open the valve boxes. Look for broken sprinklers, loose cables and water in the box.
- Open the main valve slowly. Let water into the line gradually. A sudden surge into empty pipes can blow a sprinkler off.
- Test every line one by one. From the panel, or on site over Bluetooth, open each line for a few minutes. Check that sprinklers rotate, pressure is adequate and water comes out where it should. On a line with a flow sensor, compare the flow with last season; high flow points to a broken pipe, low flow to a blocked sprinkler.
- Test the sensors. Drip water onto the rain sensor; the panel should show the rain state. Check that the soil moisture reading makes sense.
- Check the batteries. Replace any battery that dropped over winter. The 2 × 9 V batteries go in within minutes; the schedule is not lost.
- Choose the schedule and mode. Per line, select fixed schedule, monthly percentage or AI mode. Watch the decisions in the panel for the first week. In AI mode the duration grows with the weather on its own.
Yearly maintenance calendar
| Period | What is done | Where |
|---|---|---|
| March – April | 6 start-up steps; line test; battery check; mode selection | Site + panel |
| May | Review the first month's decisions; adjust wind limit and no-watering days | Panel |
| July – August | Peak water demand. Check leak alarms and the flow report weekly; clean sprinklers | Panel + site |
| September | Durations shorten on their own. No manual change in AI mode | Panel |
| November | 6 shutdown steps; season report; low-battery replacement | Site + panel |
| Winter | The panel watches battery level and device connection; no site visit needed | Panel |
Türkiye's xeriscape decree requires the irrigation system to be checked and maintained at least once a year. The start-up check in this calendar meets that requirement; the panel report is the maintenance record. See what the xeriscape decree changes in park irrigation.
What you see in the panel, and what you go to site for
No site visit is needed over winter. The panel shows three things: battery level, the device's last connection time, and whether there is flow while the valve is closed. Flow with a closed valve means the valve is not fully shut or the line leaks; the crew goes straight to that valve. See catch water leaks without going to the field.
Site visits are for two jobs: draining the lines and the physical check. Both are once a year.
Frequently asked
Should the controller be removed for winter?
No. The controller stays in the valve box. The battery stays in. See low power consumption.
What if I do not stop the schedule?
In AI mode, days with frost expected are postponed and durations shorten on cool days. Water still remains in an undrained line. For shutdown, stop the schedule and drain the line.
What about plants that need water in winter?
Lines such as new plantings or a greenhouse are kept separate. That line stays on a fixed schedule; the others are stopped. The mode is per line. See AI irrigation.
Which start-up tests are done from the panel?
Opening and closing lines, flow values, sensor readings and battery level. Sprinkler rotation and broken pipes are seen on site. Installation notes: points to watch during installation. Other questions are on the FAQ page.