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PHIL System Design, Barbados, Holetown (2026)

27/05/2022

The plants nearby were doing well!

26/03/2022

14/09/2021

For those of you who would like to read your own water meter.

Learn how to read your HYDRUS water meter with some help from Mr. Smith.

13/04/2021

We've been having quite a bit of free fertilizer falling from the sky this weekend and I'd just like to give you a heads up on what to expect in the coming weeks and months.
Those of you that have potable water pressure systems with outdoor pumps may want to inspect them for ash buildup, especially around the motor. The fan at the back of the pump blows air along the cooling fins and the motor could overheat should it not have proper ventilation. As the ash, when wet, becomes quite conductive, you should remove the cover of the pressure switch (the ones with the grey or blue cover) and check it for dust. If any, just blow it out. The ones on the dark green pumps will be fine. Ash accumulations on top of the pressure tank should be removed as well as from under the base. A blower will do a decent, if dusty, job.
Submersible pumps in rainwater tanks should be inspected. The downpipes from the roofs will bring ash into the tank and it will form little ash hills at the bottom. If any of the downpipes are close to the pump there may be a problem. Make sure that the pump intake is in clear water. Should there be any visible accumulations of ash, the tank should be pumped and the buildup removed before it has a chance to disperse. As the ash is a bit abrasive, you may begin to find failures in check valves and the inlet ports of pressure switches and gauges may become clogged.
Filters will do what they are supposed to do. If you are pumping ash laden water, your filter will need to be cleaned a bit more regularly.
Gutters and trench drains need to be cleaned (I cleaned mine today). The slope of the gutters and drains do not allow the ash to run off and the weight of the wet ash will put undue strain on the gutter brackets.
Irrigation Systems: The ash will end up in valve boxes and these will have to be cleaned out. The pop-up sprinklers will sustain some damage from the ash, again due to its abrasiveness, causing water to leak around the shaft or for them not to pop-up or retract. This will be a slow process. Microsprinklers may get clogged or not perform correctly. Dripline will be fine. The irrigation controllers should be opened and inspected for dust as we all know what dust does to electronics.
Landscape Lights: Your up-lights will have accumulated enough ash to block the beam. A lens cleaning is all that is needed. Transformers should be swept with a hand brush. Down-lights in trees should be fine.
I've taken the decision not to work tomorrow so that the entire team has a chance to clean up.