With hurricane season upon us, it is essential to take cover when lightning is present in the area. In today’s digital age, you can find videos of lightning striking tall objects, including buildings, trees or telephone poles.

However, it can also strike low-lying objects, such as soil or, in the case of a building, the irrigation controller. Damage from lightning can be extensive on irrigation parts and can lead to considerable frustration. What do you do when lightning makes a shocking appearance to your home or business irrigation system?

Be sure to unplug electrical attachments before touching anything

Before troubleshooting your irrigation controller, ensure it is disconnected from its power source. Electrical shock can occur from the lightning itself, but the landscape irrigation controllers are also connected to a live electrical source.

An electrical source for the irrigation system could be a building outlet or a direct underground electrical line. Carefully inspect power wires to ensure they are not charred, and the connecting outlet is not damaged. When in doubt, consult a professional for assistance.

Lightning will damage irrigation components

The two primary electrical components required to operate your automatic irrigation system are the controller and the solenoids. The controller is the brain of the irrigation operation. It allows you to set what time the system runs and for how long.

Without it, we would have to manually turn the valves. Solenoids receive electrical voltage from the controller to open and close valves, allowing sprinklers to run for a specific time. Irrigation controllers and solenoids that are attached to the valves are sensitive electronic components. If the controller does not have surge protection installed, lightning will damage the controller.

Some brands of irrigation solenoids may have built-in surge protection so that in the event of a lightning strike, only the solenoid closest to the lightning strike will be damaged.

Regular system inspections, audits matter

Routine checks might not prevent a lightning strike, but they can minimize the downtime for your system. Knowing the size and brand of your irrigation valves will help when purchasing replacement solenoids. Additionally, knowing which zones correspond to each station number on the controller will aid in troubleshooting problems. Ensure that you have located each of the valves in the landscape so that if a solenoid fails due to old age or a lightning strike, you can quickly identify and replace it.

Create backup plan to keep things green in times of drought

When the controller goes down, so does your automatic watering schedule. Having a manual override plan or a temporary watering strategy, such as manually turning zones on or using portable sprinkler heads attached to a hose spigot, can help keep your landscape alive while repairs are underway.

 Even smart systems need smart safeguards

Modern irrigation systems may even include Wi-Fi connectivity and smart scheduling. These features are great until power surges damage them. If you are using an intelligent controller or a smart central controller, ensure it is backed up and protected just like any other critical technology. Even rain sensors can be damaged by a lightning event and should be replaced to ensure your system complies with local regulations.

Documentation

If your system is part of a commercial or insured property, document the damage thoroughly through photos, receipts and a clear timeline in the case of insurance or warranty claims.

 Thoughts when replacing components

When replacing the irrigation controller, ensure that it is replaced with a unit that has the same number of zones or more. The last thing you want is to replace a 12-zone system with a controller that can only handle a maximum of six zones.

When in doubt, reach out to professionals in your area for help assessing and repairing any damage. Lightning is unpredictable, but your response doesn’t have to be. With the proper precautions and a bit of planning, you can weather the storm and keep your irrigation system safe and sound.