It’s the middle of summer and irrigation season is in full swing. A corporate campus in the suburbs of Portland, OR with a central control irrigation system lost a telephone connection. This phone line is just one of dozens and dozens within this campus’ telecommunication network. So, what’s the big deal about this one?

Well, this particular phone line was used by the irrigation manager to connect via phone modem to the irrigation systems on-site control device, which managed all of the property’s irrigation schedules. We’re talking about an irrigation system that covered over 30 acres of landscape, a soccer field, a softball/baseball field, a putting green and almost 200 irrigation control valves, The entire system was offline because of this now compromised phone line. Losing communication with a site happens on occasion and could be due to a couple of different reasons.

Perhaps the power supply on site was interrupted which would shut down the phone modem and cut off contact. Or the phone number was cancelled by the client since the phone number is only used for irrigation management purposes and someone on staff with the client thinks the phone number is not used for anything. Regardless of why, the only way to discover the problem is to visit the site.

Now at this site, the CCU (the device with the phone modem) is located in an interior room at the campus. This room was the security room for several years, but that changed recently. Unbeknownst to the irrigation manager, this room was being remodeled. Which, of course, meant that the telephone line was unplugged. Problem identified.

» Read more: Irrigation Management – What Does A Room Remodel Have To Do With An Irrigation System?