Installation Summary
Total Cost: $31,000 (mostly owner labour)
- Trenching and installation labour: ~$10,000
- Infrastructure (shed, tank, pump, control): ~$10,000
- Pipes, fittings, sprinklers, valves, sensors: ~$11,000
Timeline: 18 months (part-time)
Components:
- 30,300 L water tank
- Garpen diesel pump
- 10x impact/fan spray sprinklers
- DN50 (2") underground feeder pipe
- Copper pipe risers (15mm, 20mm)
- 4x motorised valves
- 1x solenoid valve
- Multiple temperature, flow, and level sensors
- 3x Arduino-based control modules
- LTE pump control module
- Remote dashboard (Blynk)
System Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
| Tank Capacity | 30,300 litres |
| Pump Type | Garpen diesel |
| Max Flow Rate | 800 L/min @ 180 kPa |
| High Volume Flow | 250 L/min @ 420 kPa |
| Low Volume Flow | 150 L/min @ 180 kPa |
| Sprinkler Coverage | 360° around house |
| Feeder Pipe | DN50 (2" ID) buried 100-350mm |
| Riser Pipes | 15mm & 20mm copper |
| Control System | Raspberry Pi 4, 3x Arduino R4 Uno + Commercial SFS Diesel Pump control module |
| Communication | RS485 + WiFi + LTE |
| Power Backup Communications | 22AH 12V battery + inverter + charger |
| Power Backup Pump and Modules | Fullriver HC44 heavy-duty 12V 44Ah + Victron Charger |
Disclaimer
And to repeat, all the information in this site is provided under the terms of the GNU General Public Licence, version 3 (GPL-3.0) without any warranty whatsoever. It has not been tested in an actual fire and any fire defence system, including yours, should be designed for the specific circumstances of the property to be defended. The answer to "What compensation do you get if you follow this and your house burns down?" is: Nothing.
Author: Jim Falk, January 2026
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