Clogged Spray Head Nozzle, Pipe, or Line
Part of routine maintenance on your lawn irrigation system includes unclogging spray heads. You will have to do this more if your system is run from a well. Cleaner water systems, such as city water or reclaim (recycled waste) waster has a lot less debris and tends to cause less of a problem.
Unclogging a spray head nozzle is easy. Most of the time, it is the screen that is clogged and the nozzle is fine. In this case you may try to rinse the screen out or just replace it with a new one. After rinsing or replacing the screen see, if the the nozzle is unclogged by turning on that sprinkler head.
If the nozzle is still clogged, it may be a piece of debris stuck in the output of the nozzle which may be removed by a small flat head screw driver. Just use the screw driver while the spray head is running and pry & wiggle in the output. Many times you will free up the clog and everything is fixed. If the nozzle still does not work or is very old, it is best just to replace it with a new one because they are fairly cheap (around $1 - $2).
If your spray head is still clogged after replacing the nozzle, than it may be the spray head itself. Either the wiper seal is rotted out and gone bad, or the head is clogged with sand or well debris from years of use. In this case it is best to replace the spray head. You will want to flush out the line through the flush cap on the new spray head after installing it. This way you flush out any debris that may be in the line prior to installing the new spray nozzle.
If after replacing the spray or rotor sprinkler head the pressure is still low and you believe there is a clog, you will have to dig down further and expose the threaded PVC tee or 90 that the sprinkler head is connected to. Most new systems are connected via a swing assembly or with funny pipe. This is a flexible tubing with a spiral barb (usually 1/2") and a marlex. The spiral barb on one end threads into a PVC fitting and at the other end of the swing assembly (normally 1ft) there is another spiral barb and marlex (either 1/2" or 3/4" depending on model).
Many times a small rock or piece of debris will get caught up inside the swing assembly, usually inside the spiral bar or marlex. First remove the sprinkler head and Second cut the marlex & spiral barb off the funny (flexible) pipe. Inspect the fittings for an obstruction. If you find that it is clear you will need to search further.
You will need to dig out about 1ft around and a little underneath the threaded fitting. Remove the spiral barb and check the fitting for an obstruction. If this fitting is clear you will then need to cut the PVC about 2" past the threading fitting. Turn on that zone or section and see if you have good flow coming out. You may find that small rocks or other well debris is caught up in the pipe. Gently tap the pipe with a small tool and see if you can get the debris loose and to flush out, you may be surprised!
Only use these troubleshooting methods if you are sure you have a clogged line or break! If all the other sprinkler heads on that zone and the rest of your yard are working fine, then you probably have a clog. If you have low pressure on more than one zone, you most likely have a water source problem such as a PVC mainline break, or pump and/or well issue.
Spray heads and spray nozzles tend to get clogged more frequently than rotor heads and rotor nozzles. This is because of the size of the nozzle output on each. If you have a lawn / landscape sprinkler system taking care of clogged items is part of maintenance, especially and water systems such as certain wells or shallow water sources.
Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com
Unclogging a spray head nozzle is easy. Most of the time, it is the screen that is clogged and the nozzle is fine. In this case you may try to rinse the screen out or just replace it with a new one. After rinsing or replacing the screen see, if the the nozzle is unclogged by turning on that sprinkler head.
If the nozzle is still clogged, it may be a piece of debris stuck in the output of the nozzle which may be removed by a small flat head screw driver. Just use the screw driver while the spray head is running and pry & wiggle in the output. Many times you will free up the clog and everything is fixed. If the nozzle still does not work or is very old, it is best just to replace it with a new one because they are fairly cheap (around $1 - $2).
If your spray head is still clogged after replacing the nozzle, than it may be the spray head itself. Either the wiper seal is rotted out and gone bad, or the head is clogged with sand or well debris from years of use. In this case it is best to replace the spray head. You will want to flush out the line through the flush cap on the new spray head after installing it. This way you flush out any debris that may be in the line prior to installing the new spray nozzle.
If after replacing the spray or rotor sprinkler head the pressure is still low and you believe there is a clog, you will have to dig down further and expose the threaded PVC tee or 90 that the sprinkler head is connected to. Most new systems are connected via a swing assembly or with funny pipe. This is a flexible tubing with a spiral barb (usually 1/2") and a marlex. The spiral barb on one end threads into a PVC fitting and at the other end of the swing assembly (normally 1ft) there is another spiral barb and marlex (either 1/2" or 3/4" depending on model).
Many times a small rock or piece of debris will get caught up inside the swing assembly, usually inside the spiral bar or marlex. First remove the sprinkler head and Second cut the marlex & spiral barb off the funny (flexible) pipe. Inspect the fittings for an obstruction. If you find that it is clear you will need to search further.
You will need to dig out about 1ft around and a little underneath the threaded fitting. Remove the spiral barb and check the fitting for an obstruction. If this fitting is clear you will then need to cut the PVC about 2" past the threading fitting. Turn on that zone or section and see if you have good flow coming out. You may find that small rocks or other well debris is caught up in the pipe. Gently tap the pipe with a small tool and see if you can get the debris loose and to flush out, you may be surprised!
Only use these troubleshooting methods if you are sure you have a clogged line or break! If all the other sprinkler heads on that zone and the rest of your yard are working fine, then you probably have a clog. If you have low pressure on more than one zone, you most likely have a water source problem such as a PVC mainline break, or pump and/or well issue.
Spray heads and spray nozzles tend to get clogged more frequently than rotor heads and rotor nozzles. This is because of the size of the nozzle output on each. If you have a lawn / landscape sprinkler system taking care of clogged items is part of maintenance, especially and water systems such as certain wells or shallow water sources.
Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com
posted by Irrigationman at
8:36 PM
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