Maintenance control apparatus for lawn watering system

A maintenance control apparatus for a lawn watering system including a multiplicity of sprinklers for dispersing water onto a lawn, a plurality of water conduits receptive of pressurized water with each conduit communicating with at least one of the sprinklers, a plurality of electrically actuated dedicated valves each being disposed in one of the conduits, a plurality of electrical power points each being connected electrically to one of the dedicated valves, and internal control means communicating with an electrical power source for selectively supplying electrical power to the power points and thereby to the dedicated valves so as to selectively provide water to the sprinklers, the power points and the internal control means being disposed in an internal location so as to be generally inaccessible, wherein the apparatus comprises:

• an accessibly mounted receptacle having a plurality of first connectors each being connected electrically to one of the power points, and a portable switching system comprising coupling means for detachably coupling into the receptacle and having a plurality of second connectors adapted to electrically contact corresponding first connectors, and selective switching means communicating with a power means for selectively supplying electrical power to the second connectors and thereby to the dedicated valves, whereby, with the coupling means coupled into the receptacle, the dedicated valves are selectively openable remotely by the switching means independently of the internal control means.