I set up my AWS

[chrissykr]

And wow it was so easy. The hot water trick made it a breeze.

Thanks everyone for all the info on how to do it. I studied all the posts and video and I was off

[writeone]

How many boxes and how long did it take?

I still need to set up mine. I started to do it, but found that part of my kit is missing--the T-connectors and end caps. I thought all the parts came with the kit, but I couldn't get to it for a few month. Now they are missing 

[chrissykr]

I set it up in under 45 min. I have six boxes all in one row so pretty uncomplicated. I just wish it had come with a bit more of the thinner tubing.

[baileyj]

Finally after 3 years in a box (I thought it was more like 5)...
I set up my 12 box system on Wednesday....I thought it was all set for our 100 degrees today!
It worked out great overnight....
This morning I needed to use the hose on the other 1/2 of the Y....it created too much pressure and the tubing came off of the White connector.

So..5:30 AM there I am with boiling water fixing it before I leave for work.  
I checked all connections and everyone was tight...The tubing was well over the barbs so I was confident leaving it on as I left.

Looked great when I left !

Came home at 8:15 PM to water everwhere, my grass/sidewalk flooded everywhere...
2-- 1/4 connectors came apart and water was apparently running all day  

Does not give me much confidence to leave it tomorrow while at work...so
I will be reconnecting the connectors this weekend but am very discouraged.

I do not understand why they worked fine overnight yet today they came apart.  
If it was a water pressure fluctuation shouldn't the pressure regulator take care of that
...and if it was water fluctuation....No one was home all day, showers were prior to my leaving at 6AM.
Could the heat today have loosened the tubing connections to the point the water pressure inside forced them apart  
Not sure now about expanding for my other 24 boxes once I get these working..

Any suggestions ?

Judi

[mjb8743]

If the tubing was exposed to the sun in this heat, it likely softened enough to come loose. I doubt it was pressure alone. You can do 2 things: Try to lay the tubing where the sun can't reach it... either buried, shaded, or as last resort, covered with alum foil. Also get some 4" black zip ties from HD or an auto store and secure the tubing with those.

If I ever get my garden layout finalized, I can finally get my 60 AWS units installed. My biggest problem is the slight slope the boxes are on.

Mickie

[morganmac]

Also be sure you get the tubing all the way past the wide end of the barb on the t-connectors and the reducers (does that make sense?). I think that might help keep the connections secure. I know the ends of those are tapered, so if the tubing isn't past the widest part, they could probably slip off in the heat.

I just set mine up the other day, and that was one thing I had to go back to do on one or two because I noticed water on the concrete under those connections.

[potatohead]

baileyj, I am curious, did you use some kind of lubricant to help get the tubes onto the barbs? Or did you just use the hot water?

[baileyj]

Mickie, Today, again about 5:30A..I boiled the water and redid the 2 connections.  I checked all the other connections and turned on the water for about 30 minutes.  I then turned it off and went to work.  When I got home about 6P I put the water on again and it has been on and working since.  Tomorrow I will again check the connections and cover with foil.
I do wonder if the water in the tubing would cool off the tubing when it was so hot as the boxes sucked up the water....if I had the connections as tight as they needed to be.  I have never seen anyone comment here on this problem so I hope it really is the connection, not the heat.
 
MorganMac, The 2 connections that came loose were ones connecting the 1/4" tubing to the regulators.  They were 2 of the first 3 I connected, so perhaps I did not push them as far as the others as my rhythm picked up.  I thought I did but...perhaps not far enough to with stand the heat yesterday and the water pressure.

Potatohead,  No lubricant, I was afraid it would loosen the connections if I used lubricant so only boiling water.

My plan is to watch it all weekend and try to keep it working to gain my confidence it will not disconnect before I leave it for another 14 hour day...on Monday !

Thanks,
Judi

[morganmac]

Glad to hear you might have things working properly. I hope it continues to do so! That much wasted water is aggravating.

[cushman350]

This is the goal in AWS hose assembly.

[carolg]

chrissykr  and all,
Where are the links spoken about and tips for setting it up? 
About 15 EB here and seems to take a minute or two to fill the tubes.  What am I missing?  Never water again by hand? Or..?

Thanks.

carolg
zone 4

[chrissykr]

I did a search before I set mine up and studied up on te best way to get mine going. There is tons of info on the board to help.