The Difference between Rotor and Spray heads
Often when I am giving a bid or an estimate on a sprinkler system I get asked whether I will be using rotors or sprays. Not everyone asks this question, but those who've learned information about irrigation and lawn sprinklers tend to ask.
The answer that I give people is "we use a combination of rotors and sprays depending on the landscape." When I say a combination I don't mean that you mix rotors and sprays on the same zone, I mean that you will use rotors in the larger turf areas and sprays in the flower beds and smaller grass areas.
Rotors have a smaller precipitation rate than spray heads. That means that they take longer to get the same sized area wet and spray heads water an area quicker. Spray heads just pop up and don't rotate, while rotors have to turn to water the area that they are designed to water. This is why it is not a good idea to mix rotors and sprays; because you will either overwater or underwater a section of that zone.
Frequently with certain designs and curves of a landscape, a spray head may need to be added to a rotor zone. Sometimes it is just impractical to have to run a separate line just to add one spray head, so you break the "rule" and add one head. With sandy permeable soil, you can tend to get away with this with little bad effects, but with a denser soil I would not recommend it.
If you can space your heads 25 -35 feet apart then you should use rotor heads. Rotors have bigger water droplets, don't get clogged like sprays, and cover a larger area than sprays. Spray heads are good for areas where you can space heads 4' to 15' apart. Spray can work better with landscapes with a lot of curves, and will water an area quicker, but they will get clogged more often when using a well supply.
That's all for now. Have a happy 4th of July tomorrow!
The answer that I give people is "we use a combination of rotors and sprays depending on the landscape." When I say a combination I don't mean that you mix rotors and sprays on the same zone, I mean that you will use rotors in the larger turf areas and sprays in the flower beds and smaller grass areas.
Rotors have a smaller precipitation rate than spray heads. That means that they take longer to get the same sized area wet and spray heads water an area quicker. Spray heads just pop up and don't rotate, while rotors have to turn to water the area that they are designed to water. This is why it is not a good idea to mix rotors and sprays; because you will either overwater or underwater a section of that zone.
Frequently with certain designs and curves of a landscape, a spray head may need to be added to a rotor zone. Sometimes it is just impractical to have to run a separate line just to add one spray head, so you break the "rule" and add one head. With sandy permeable soil, you can tend to get away with this with little bad effects, but with a denser soil I would not recommend it.
If you can space your heads 25 -35 feet apart then you should use rotor heads. Rotors have bigger water droplets, don't get clogged like sprays, and cover a larger area than sprays. Spray heads are good for areas where you can space heads 4' to 15' apart. Spray can work better with landscapes with a lot of curves, and will water an area quicker, but they will get clogged more often when using a well supply.
That's all for now. Have a happy 4th of July tomorrow!
posted by Irrigationman at
6:36 PM
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