Lawn Sprinkler Tips

What kind of pump should I use?

2008-04-13T20:56:00.001-07:00

Your well will need a pump to pull or get the water out of the ground. What kind of pump you use depends on a few different factors. These factors are:

Size (Diameter) and type of the Well (PVC or galvanized)
The distance to the water table
The depth of the well

There are three most common types of pumps. First is the centrifugal pump with acts similar to a vacuum and "sucks" or pulls the water out of the ground through the well screen. The limitations with a centrifugal pump is that they only work if the water table is approximately 20 feet or more shallow.

Next would be a jet pumps. A jet pump can work typical on water table distances from 0 feet to over 100 feet. A jet pump is designed differently and has one or two vertical drop pipes that are installed inside the well casing. The easiest way to explain how a jet pump works is that it is similar to blowing air into a drink through a straw and the drink comes rushing back up the top.
The only main difference is that a jet pump pushes water down, not air, using hydraulics to its' advantage.

The third type of pump similar used for irrigation is a submersible pumps. Submersible pumps can work on very deep well distances and are are used typical on well casing diameters of 3", 4", 6", and bigger. A submersible pump is installed inside the well submerged in the water at a certain distance determined by a couple of factors such as water table and screen depth and size.

On a 2" well less than 100 feet with water table that is more than 20 feet but less than 80 feet I would recommended a Multi-stage jet pump for irrigation use. You'll get a max of about 15 gallons per minute out of the 1hp pump, depending on the well. More horse power will not necessarily mean more water either, it is all dependent on the water source. How good of sand or rock you are in.

On a shallow well where the water table is less than 20 feet, a centrifugal pump will work fine. In a good saturated area with good sand, a standard 1.5 hp commercial centrifugal pump (such as a Sta-Rite) could produce up to 60 gallons per minute.

A submersible pumps output also depends on the depth to water, the placement of they pump, the water source, and the horse power and number of impellers on the pump. My team and I have personally installed a 7 horse power, 70 gallons per minute pump (gpm), set at 160 feet on a 200' well. It was a big commercial job system. On a residential sprinkler system a 1.5hp/20 gpm or 2hp/30 gpm is usually plenty.

If have a well and are having trouble figuring out what kind of pump you need to use call a well driller, irrigation contractor, or try and figure it out your self by finding out a few different factors about the well that I have mentioned previously. First of all, if there was a previous pump that was on or still on, that used to work, chances are that you should replace it with the same horse power and model pump. Unless a previous owner or other contractor messed with it and didn't know what he was doing, you shouldn't go wrong replacing it with the same type.

Centrifugal pumps are the easiest to install because the check valve and well fittings are plumbed above ground. Jet pumps require the removal of the pump as well as one or two smaller diameter drop pipes inside the well, which can get tricky if you are not experienced in th well and pump installation practices in that area. Submersible pumps require previous experience with trained personnel to properly remove, repair, or install the pumps. One wrong move when performing this can be dangerous and disastrous to the well and/or pump.

If you still need help figuring out what kind of pump to use, call a local well driller or irrigation contractor or company, they may need to come out and look at it themselves if you know or understand little about it.. Another good source would be an irrigation wholesale parts supplier such as Ewing Irrigation, Tieco, Stoval, or other lawn sprinkler/irrigation parts store.

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

How to Raise, Lower, and/or Straighten Sprinkler Heads

2008-04-10T20:43:00.000-07:00

Over time, yards & landscapes change, which results in sprinkler heads ending up too low, too low, or just crocked. These are tasks than can be preformed by most people in good shape and don't mind doing a little digging and yard work.

Depending on how your irrigation system was designed and built, your heads could be attached directly to the PVC pipe, or attached via a swing assembly or with flexible pipe, marlexes, and spiral barb fittings. If your system is older and build with the heads directly into the PVC pipe, I highly recommend adding a swing assembly to give you more flexibility on head placement and it also helps prevent PVC pipe breaks from simple bumps with mowers or tripping over sprinkler heads.

A swing assembly (called swing joints also) is made up of 1' of flexible pipe, with a 1/2" male threaded spiral barb on one end which attaches to the pipe, and either a 1/2" or 3/4" spiral barb and marlex on the other end where the sprinkler head attaches to.

If you heads are above ground and are not in a lawn area where they need to be underground, then you could easily raise or lower them by cutting and adding or reducing with the use of appropriate size, regular slip by slip couplings and pipe if adding. Just use the same size couplings and pipe whether it is 1/2", 3/4", or 1".

Heads installed with swing assembly's will need to be straightened every few years, depending on soil condition or landscape use. Heads directly into the PVC may stay straighter longer (if plumbed right), but they tend to get brittle over time, are an eyesore, and become a nascence. No matter what the landscape design, I highly recommend the use of underground, retractable heads. Just remember that your system will require routine maintenance just like your automobile.

Also, if you are making changes to your landscape you may find the need to raise, lower, or even move sprinkler heads. This can all be done with PVC pipe, PVC fittings, and PE (flexible pipe), spiral barb fittings, swing joints or swing assemblies. Thread the spiral barb fittings into the female threaded side or end of the pipe. The marlex end attaches the sprinkler head from the spiral barb on the other end and the sprinkler heads.

When moving heads, don't run funny pipe further than 15 feet or so. If you run it too far, you will loose pressure and the sprinkler head won't pop up. Well, good luck and have fun with your irrigation!

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

My System Stopped Working, Please Help.

2008-04-06T09:07:00.000-07:00

I get emails everyday from people looking to repair their sprinkler systems. I love trying to help people learn and figure out how to fix their irrigation themselves. I wanted to share one with you today and my reply to it.

"Hi Scott,

My system stopped working altogether. My grass is dead and I checked the timers for the correct time,watering schedules for the different zones, etc..but none of the sprinklers are coming on! The timer appears to not connected to the junction box, but rather the wires are in a pvc pipe and the timers have batteries in them - the batteries are new and the digital display(s) are visibly working.I appear to have a have a pressurized system. I checked each head to ensure they were not clogged and also pulled each of them up and found several heads where it appears there is no water in the line(s)when I pulled on the extension(s)

Do the solenoids go bad - and if they do, If one goes bad does it stop the rest from working? I am an idiot when it comes to troubleshooting systems like this that I don't understand. I need help, but on a very limited budget!

Any suggestions?

Any help will be greatly appreciated - Maybe you could suggest troubleshooting steps ranging from the easiest to the most difficult.

Thanks much,
Steve
--------------------------------------------

Hello Steve,

The batteries in the digital timers do not operate the system, they only are a backup to keep the time and program. If you see a digital display, then you do have power getting to your timer.

If you do indeed have a pressurized system, first make sure that your there are not main shut-off valves off such as any ball-valves or backflow preventor turned off.

Next, locate any of the electric valves in the ground and try to activate them manually by turning the solenoid (top handle with two wires coming from the top) counter-clockwise about a quarter to half turn. You should hear water starting to move and then your sprinklers on that zone should come on. Turn the solenoid off after that to turn the sprinklers on that zone off.

If you did get water moving, then you need to make sure that your timer is sending approximately 24 volts to each zone.

Always start at your source(s) and work your way back. This goes for power & water. In this case your power source is the timer. Use a multi-meter and verify that the clock is sending proper voltage to each zone. Make sure your mult-meter is one the correct setting and place one lead onto the "com" or "common" terminal and place the other lead onto the "zone 1" or "station 1". Activate zone 1 on the timer and if you're reading anywhere from 22 to 30 volts AC then your timer is sending proper voltage on that zone.

Repeat this process for each individual zone. If the timer is not sending any voltage or too little on any zone, then there is a problem with your timer. If each terminal on the timer is good, and you can manually activate your zones, then you have a wiring problem. The wiring problem could be a cut wire somewhere, or just a loose common at one of the valves that is first in the wiring sequence.

To figure this out, locate the first valve in the wire path and disconnect the solenoid wires from the hot and common wire. Send 24 volts from your timer to that zone and test with the multi-meter. If you are getting proper voltage at those wires, then that zone should be working. If it isn't, then your probably have a bad solenoid at that valve. Observe closely for loose, nicked, or cut wires.

There is a chance that the wire is good and you have several bad solenoids, but that isn't likely unless you had something such as a lightning strike, in which case the wires are often affected too. Please write me back and let me know what you've found.

Thanks,

Scott Young

http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Clogged Spray Head Nozzle, Pipe, or Line

2008-04-03T20:36:00.000-07:00

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

Have you done your Spring Tune Up Yet?

2008-03-26T07:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, I wrote the blog about the lawn sprinkler and irrigation system Spring tune-up last month, but I think we were all too busy freezing our butts off or reading a book at home by the fire. Well, the official start of Spring was March 21st, last Friday, and in many parts of the country the spring flowers are blooming and the grasses are coming out of their dormant stage.

Keeping your lawn and landscape beautiful means more than mowing the grass and trimming the hedges. You've got to keep up on the maintenance of your irrigation system to help your landscape stay healthy and your grass a lush green.

Maintaining your lawn sprinklers is not too difficult of a task, it just requires a little effort on your part, or you can always hire someone to do it, the main point is to make sure that it gets done. Please refer back to my last blog article to review a list of steps that you can take to ensure that your system is ready for the season.

Good luck and as always, email me with any questions. For contact info, just visit my main site listed below and scroll to the bottom of the page. Happy Spring Time everybody!

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Spring Tune Up

2008-02-10T09:35:00.000-08:00

I know we still have some winter season left here, but I'm ready for spring! Obviously those who live in warmer climates like the Southeast, Southwest, and Western United States will be ready sooner than other parts of the country and the world. If you are one of the lucky souls who lives in a warmer climate, then it is about time you started preparing your sprinkler system for the upcoming seasons.

Every year at the beginning of the warm seasons I suggest to clients that they perform a "Spring Tune Up" on their lawn irrigation system. Many systems lay dormant during the late fall and winter months and now they need to be fired back up and ready for regular use!

If your irrigation system is tied to a well & pump, you will have to prime your pump back up if you drained it. Draining your pump is not required as long as you insulate your pump from freezing, but some people just prefer to drain it. Even if you did not drain your pump, it may have to be re-primed if you have a check valve or vacuum leak. If your pump is dry and you did not drain it, then you have a bad check valve.

To refill your pump, simply pour water into the pump housing (volute), this usually takes 1-2 gallons depending on the size and model of the pump. You should have a faucet or some kind of opening that you can remove to be able to pour the water in the pump. If not, then you'll have to cut the PVC at the discharge (outlet) to be able to fill the housing up with water.

If your system is tied to a municipal or pressurized water supply, and you don't have your own well & pump then you don't have to worry about the previous step. Once you can turn your system on, it is time to go through each individual zone and inspect. First you'll want to make sure that the zone has the proper pressure. If not, you'll need to check for pipe breaks or broken sprinkler heads.

Next, locate each head and observe. Make sure that the sprinkler head is not leaking from the wiper seal or base of sprinkler, make sure that the nozzle is not clogged, and make sure that the head is adjusted properly and watering the desired area. As you go through each head, make the adjustments as needed. To unclog the nozzles, you can try using a small flat head screwdriver to remove small debris from the tip of the nozzle. If this doesn't work, you'll have to remove the nozzle and screen when the system is off. Then rinse off with water to clean, or replace if too clogged.

If you run into any breaks, repair the break and then re-inspect that zone. Sometimes dirt may enter the pipes when a break occurs, so you'll have to lookout for more clogged heads. The same goes for replacing sprinkler heads. After you are done adjusting and repairing your heads, you should check and adjust the timer or automatic controller.

Make sure that the date & time is set correctly. Then program the days of the week you'd like the system to run. Every yard is unique and environmental conditions vary around the world, but a good average for lawns is to run the system once every three days. This time schedule doesn't cover all situations, it is just an average. Set the timer for specific days or once every X number days.

After that, program each zone to run for a specific amount of time. The amount of runtime depends on several different factors such as system design, landscape type, and soil condition. As a rule though, rotor heads do need to run longer than fixed spray heads. Spray heads have a higher precipitation rate or put water out faster than rotors.

After you have set your system to run back on a regular schedule, make sure to pay attention to it for the next week. Make sure that the timer is working properly and keeping time by checking it and observing that the system is coming on at the times that you set. Also, inspect your yard and make sure that everything is getting watered properly. If you notice any hot spots or dry areas, it may call for a closer look. By just spending a little bit of time, you can ensure that your lawn sprinkler system is working in peak condition.

For more tips, please subscribe to my Free Report "7 Lawn Sprinkler Efficiency Tips". You can get it at the bottom of this page. Or as always, contact me with any questions that you may have regarding irrigation.

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Price Cost of Irrigation System

2008-01-23T10:42:00.000-08:00

I get several phone calls and emails asking me the cost to install an automatic lawn sprinkler (irrigation) system. Well, each landscape is unique and there are several factors that go into determining the actual price. Even though there are many factors, I have came up with some average figures to help give customers a ball-park price before giving a custom quote which I do after inspecting the property and determining the home owner's needs.

When you are getting an estimate for your system you may here contractors give you a price in a number of different ways. Most people just want to know a flat out cost and this is what you will get if you ask. If you are interested in just how the price is figured you will normally get an answer that is broken down into price per zone or price per sprinkler head.

For the area where I live in Northwest Florida, the average cost of a sprinkler system is about $550 - $600 per zone. Or another good average is $60 per spray head and $100 per rotor head. Many contractors believe (and I agree) that the cost per head method is more accurate when determining price because not all zones are built the same size. Your water source will determine how small or how big that your sprinkler zones can be. There is a big difference in the number of heads on a 16 gallon per minute zone compared to a 40 gallon per minute zone.

Irrigation contractors will usually use these averages as a starting point and then go up or down in price depending on other factors that could add to or take away from materials and job time. For example, if you have a yard that is layered with tree roots, this is going to require much more time and intensive labor to install. If you have a new construction home and your yard is mostly fill dirt, then the contractor will have a much easier time with the installation.

If you are thinking about having an automatic irrigation system installed, always make sure to get 3 or at least 2 estimates to compare costs. Keep in mind, that cheaper is not always better. Most customers tend to lien towards the middle estimates if everything else seems equal. When hiring someone else to do this project for you make sure that they or their company is licensed, insured, and covered by worker's comp. If the guy that showed up at your house to give the estimate cannot provide you with these documents within a day or two, then I would beware of hiring him. A licensed contractor will install a properly designed system that will benefit your landscape for many years to come.

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Installing a Rain Sensor

2008-01-19T08:44:00.000-08:00

Yet another rainy day here in the Northwest Florida Panhandle. Not only are we dealing with the rain, but it's cold too! I shouldn't complain too much as our winters down here are very mild compared to many other parts of the United States.

The rain reminds me of a common problem that I see with many sprinkler systems; no rain sensor installed on their irrigation system. There is just no reason for this, as installing a rain sensor is pretty easy and the cost is not that great. You can purchase a good rain sensor for around $30 and most can be hooked up in less than an hour. If you are hiring a company to do this for you, you can expect to spend around $115, but the savings it can bring you in the long run far outweigh this small investment.

Those who have system connected to city water or a metered water supply must pay for the water they use through their sprinkler system. Some areas even charge you sewer cost on the gallons used even though the water is not going in the sewer. Some cities (but not all) will provide you with a separate meter for irrigation so that you only pay for the water usage and not the sewer costs.

Even if you have your own well & pump you should consider putting a rain sensor up. Although you are not being charge for your water on a private well, you still should not water when it is raining! Excessive watering can cause root rot and make for an unhealthy lawn & landscape. Excessively wet conditions can also cause fungus or mold.

All the major irrigation parts manufactures have rain sensor. Rain Bird, Hunter, Nelson, and Toro all have their own versions, but they are very similar and produce the same end result. All rain sensors are connected to the system in the same way. New digital timers come with a spot on the wiring terminal that says "sensor". There are two screw spots on the sensor terminal. Rain sensors have two main wires or leads. All you must do is hook one wire up to one side and the second wire to the other side.

Older digital timers without sensor spots will require you to put a "break" in the common wire. All you must do is take the common wire or wires off the "com" spot on the timer and hook up one of the rain sensor leads in this spot. Then take the common wire or wires and wire them together with a wire nut to the other rain sensor lead. Pretty easy! The most time consuming part of this is mounting the rain sensor and routing the wire.

The edge or eve of the house is a popular spot to mount the rain sensor. A wooden fence is another option. Just remember to mount the sensor in a spot where it is clear of trees and other obstructions so that the rain can directly hit the sensor. The rain sensor can then be set by a simple adjustment to shut off the system at anywhere from 1/8" to 1" of rain. Your particular setting will depend on your landscape, soil condition, climate, and weather. We set most sensors down here to shut off at 1/4" to 1/2" of rain.

The sensor will dry out at approximately the same rate as the soil and then let the system go back to active or to its' regular program. If you do not have a rain sensor installed, then go do it! Stop wasting water and protect your landscape. If you do not feel comfortable doing it yourself, then hire a licensed irrigation contractor.

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

How To Wire a Sprinkler System

2008-01-14T12:09:00.000-08:00

Automatic lawn sprinkler systems are run by a combination of mechanical parts and electrical components that work in harmony to help produce the end result of hassle free watering. A modern irrigation system makes use of electric valves, solid strand wire, and a digital timer to make this process seem almost magical.

Once you learn how a system works, there really isn't much to it, although when you are trying to troubleshoot electrical problems on a system that wasn't built to code you can run into a few frustrations. But a basic understanding of how the electrical part works can greatly help you when trying to diagnose a problem.

Most standard digital controllers or timers run off of 110/120 volts AC. Indoor timers can be plugged straight into a common house electrical outlet, while the outdoor timers will need to be hard-wired from the transformer to the breaker. A single pole 10 or 15 amp breaker from your service panel (normally by the electric meter) supplies the main power source. With approved 14-2 or 12-2 insulated HV wire, the 110 volts is sent to the transformer on the timer. The transformer than steps-down the power from 110 to 24 volts (approximately). The main circuit board or "computer" part of the timer runs on this lower voltage.

The digital timer then has modules or individual spots for different wires that are labeled. Every zone has its' own spot represented by a number. Zone one is "1", Zone 2 is "2", etc... Different brands or models of controllers label this slightly different, but you can easily tell what each spot is for. The master valve is normally labeled "MV". The Common spot is labeled "com".

If you are on a pump/pump start relay system then the master valve spot will definitely be used. If your system is on a pressurized water source then the "MV" spot may be blank unless a true master valve is installed, but it is not necessary and many systems do not have a master valve. To simplify this brief explanation we will assume that there is no master valve.

Okay, each zone on your system has its' own electric valve. Each electric valve has a solenoid with two wires coming from the top. You will use 18 gauge solid strand wire for the system. Since you will need multiple wires it is best to use multi-strand wire. Multi-strand is a group of single, insulated strands of wire grouped together as one for ease of use. Black insulation is the typical cover over the single different colored wires. 18-5 is a group of 5, 18 gauge wires. Each wire will have its' own color such as white, black, blue, green, and red. Most contractors use white for the common wire and the other colors for the hot side.

Now back at your timer you would peel back the black insulation and then strip about 6" of the insulation on the white strand. Then secure the white to the "Com" or common spot by placing screwing down the contact screw or pressing in the clip on other timer models. Then let's say you want to use blue for zone 1. Wire up the blue strand to "1" or zone 1 spot on the timer. Back at the electric valve for zone 1 you would take one wire lead from the solenoid and splice it together with the white wire using a wire-nut. Take the second wire from the solenoid and splice it together with the blue strand. It doesn't matter which wire from the solenoid you use for either the hot or common, as long as each is individually wired.

The common wire is kind of like a negative. It is called common because it is common to all of the valves. Each valve in your system can share the common wire, but each must have its' own individual hot or colored wire. So let's say you have 4 zones. You would need 18-5 strand wire at a minimum. Each valve's hot wire + the common. I like to have an extra strand or two available at the valves for future use encase you want to add/split a zone, or to quickly fix any wire issues that could develop in the future.

If you are troubleshooting wiring on a system make sure to check what colored wire was used for what zone and the common. Not everyone uses white for the common, some contractors use green. To make things more complicated, some systems end up with wire splices in the ground and for some reason there are people who mis-match the colors either on-purpose or out of sheer ignorance which can make wire troubleshooting a nightmare! However, when installing or wiring your irrigation system I recommend that you stick with the same coloring scheme if you have to make a splice.

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Lawn Sprinkler Design

2008-01-13T06:43:00.000-08:00

When designing a lawn sprinkler system, the first thing that you must do is to determine a head layout. This is where you plot where each individual sprinkler head will go on your lawn. This can be done on a plot or drawing, but must also be done using mark-out flags in your actual yard. Use different colored flags to represent different zones or sections of your yard.

The two main kind of sprinkler heads you should be using on your lawn will be fixed spray heads and rotor heads. Spray heads don't rotate and put out water in a defined pattern depending on the nozzle that you select to install on the head. Rotor heads also come with different size nozzles for amount of water distributed, but rotors throw an average of 30 feet. I use rotors in areas where the heads can be spaced out from 25 - 35 feet.

You must keep rotors and sprays on separate zones since they have different precipitation rates. Sprays put out water about three times faster than a rotor head, so they saturate an area faster. If you mix rotors and sprays you will end up with parts of your lawn having to be either over or under-watered. So to avoid this problem, just make sure when doing your sprinkler head layout to section the yard accordingly.

Another important key to lawn sprinkler design is to have head-to-head coverage which will help accomplish even-precipitation. Head-to-head coverage is where the water from one sprinkler head reaches to the next sprinkler head. If the heads are spaced too far apart you will have gaps, hot-spots, or just uneven watering.

Pipe sizing is another factor that you must determine when designing your irrigation system. The size pipe you will need for your mainline and lateral line will depend upon the volume and pressure of the water source you are working with, plus the layout and volume each individual zone on your system demands. There are pipe friction loss charts which can be found to assist you with these calculations. In my e-book I describe a simplified design process that will eliminate the guess-work for you and works great for almost all residential sized systems.

Designing an automatic irrigation or sprinkler system for your lawn and landscape is not rocket science, but there are a few things that you must understand and apply to get it right. Most people who come in to the project with the right knowledge, tools, and time can easily complete their own project.

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

New Year - Time for Sprinkler Installation

2008-01-01T13:01:00.000-08:00

Well it's the beginning of a whole new year today and I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! I've had the past week and a half off and while the break has been good, I'm ready to get back to work. Many people put their home improvement and repair projects off during the holidays, but now everyone is starting to get back to business.

If you have been thinking about getting a lawn sprinkler system installed, now is the time! Beat the spring rush and start planning out your project now. Lawn sprinkler and irrigation parts are easier to find right now since the suppliers have been slow through the slow season.

If you are planning on hiring a professional company then now is a great time to get your estimates and start your projects. You still have some bargaining room while many contractors are relatively slow and they want your business.

Now if you live up North, obviously now may not be the best time, but for anyone is moderate climates such as the south, southeast, and southwest, now is a great time. The weather is cold, but not too bad to work in. You should get prompt service right now if hiring someone to design and install or repair your landscape irrigation system.

That is all for today...As always, email me with any questions that you may have regarding lawn & landscape automatic sprinkler systems.

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Merry Christmas no Irrigation Today

2007-12-25T11:23:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to tell everyone Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays! No irrigation here today. It's cold, rainy, and we even got some sleet which does not happen too often here. Well, I hope everyone is having or had a great holiday season. Look out for more irrigation and lawn sprinkler information coming soon.

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

System Keeps Running & Won't Stop

2007-12-22T12:14:00.000-08:00

We get a lot of maintenance calls to our office throughout the year. There are several different parts to an automatic irrigation system and thus there are many kinds of problems that can happen and cause a sprinkler system to not work properly. A common call that we get and problem that we have to diagnose and deal with is where a lawn/landscape sprinkler system will not shut down. A particular zone is stuck running and it won't shut off no matter what you have tried.

First of all, there is not one straight answer for all situations, but luckily there are a few main ones that cover most situations. You must first determine whether the problem is electrical or mechanical. To do this, go to the main power supply and turn off the circuit breaker that the timer is on, or unplug it from the wall if it is an indoor timer wired this way.

Simply turning the timer to "off" is not always sufficient, because many electrical problems that I've seen that are showing this symptom will keep doing it even if the timer is set to "off". Once you've cut the main power to the timer, the sprinklers will either go down or stay up. If they go down, then you know there is a problem with your timer. If the sprinklers are still stuck on, then you've got a mechanical problem.

The most common mechanical cause of this problem is a valve sticking open on a pressurized system. A pressurized system is one that is connected to a pressurized water source such as city water, reclaim water, or a pump/well system with a pressure tank. You can exclude systems with pump start relays from this unless it is the relay that is sticking, but you should have already ruled this out by cutting the main power supply to the timer & relay.

If you have determined your problem to be the valve, then you will need to shut the main water supply of and repair or replace the valve on the zone that is having the problem. You may be able to find a valve repair kit which includes the diaphragm. Many electric irrigation valves have screws or bolts on top that can easily be removed. Once the screws or bolts are loosened and taken out, you can lift the top part of the valve up and remove the diaphragm. If you are dealing with an older model or generic brand valve, you may have to dig a pit or hole, cut the PVC, and replace the entire valve. Good luck and as always you may contact me via email if you have any questions.

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Replace Electric Valve

2007-12-16T20:19:00.000-08:00

An irrigation system is similar to an automobile in the fact that it has many separate moving mechanical parts that all work together to help produce the end result. A very common and important part that can go bad are the electric valves. There is one valve for each zone or section of your sprinkler system and when one goes bad you will have to replace it.

Like an automobile requires maintenance, so does an irrigation system. It's funny because I'll run into people who are upset at having to spend $135 to replace a twenty year old valve, but they'll buy a new car every two or three years...go figure? There is not much you can do to prevent the valves from going bad, they just wear out. The first thing that usually goes is the solenoid, which can usually be replaced without having to remove the entire valve. You can find replacement solenoids for all of the major brands at your local irrigation distributor, Ace Hardware, Home Depot, or similar store.

Replacing the solenoid is fairly easy once you have located the right valve and diagnosed the problem correctly. The solenoid is on the top of the valve with two wires coming out of it. If you are on a pressurized water system such as city water, reclaim (recycled waste water), or pressure tank setup, then make sure to shut off the water source prior to replacing the solenoid. Make sure to clear the valve of all dirt and debris around and underneath it. Give some room for residual water in the line to run out. You may need to use a small hand pump or just a small cup to bail water out of the valve box. This is important so that you do not get any dirt or debris in the solenoid spot, which could cause the solenoid to not sit in the valve correctly and the valve could become stuck open.

When ready, simply turn the solenoid counter-clockwise until it is removed from the valve. Have the replacement in hand and ready to immediately install. Put the new solenoid in place and turn clockwise gently until it is snug. Be careful here because you can actually over-tighten the solenoid. An over-tight solenoid can strip the valve permanently damaging it and cause it to remain open. Too loose and the valve will stay on also. After you have installed the new solenoid, you are ready to wire it.

Now one at a time, cut one wire from the old solenoid and connect one wire from the new one. Then clip the second wire from the old solenoid and connect the second from the new one. It doesn't matter which wire goes to which, as long as one lead is on the common or negative wire (usually white), and the other wire is connected to the hot wire.

The next common thing to go bad is the valve's diaphragm. This is a rubber piece with a spring which controls the opening and closing of the valve. Their are only two things that can happen when the diaphragm goes bad: The valve is stuck shut and will not open, or the diaphragm is stuck open and the valve will not shut down completely or at all. As with solenoids, you can find replacement diaphragms for all the major brands.

In certain situations, you will have replace the whole valve by digging it up and cutting the PVC. I usually have to do this when I run into an older model electric valve that I cannot obtain replacement parts for. Another reason to have to replace the whole valve is when the valve body is actually cracked or damage for whatever reason. Most of the time you can replace just the bad valve, but if the valves were plumbed in too closely together you may have to replace more than one. I have had jobs where there is only 1 valve bad, but I had to replace six valves because whoever installed it plumbed them so close together, that it was impossible to only replace one. Usually this is better for the customer anyway, because once one goes bad, it is only a matter of time before the other ones start going bad.

The actual plumbing may vary from situation to situation, but the main points are to get the flow of the valve correctly. All reputable brand valves have an arrow on them showing you which direction that the water flows through them. All you have to do is to make sure that the valve is installed correctly by having the water flow in from the mainline out to the sprinkler heads. Replacing a valve is usually not that difficult, but can be a little time consuming. If you are ever in doubt, call a professional.

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Pressure Tanks & Pressure Switches

2007-12-12T20:24:00.000-08:00

People's systems whom have their own well and use the water for their for house usually have a pressure tank and switch to provide on-demand water. Pressure tanks can be used with above ground jet pumps, shallow jet pumps, and submersible pumps.

I've even seen pressure tanks used on horizontal centrifugal pumps but I don't recommend this because it can be very difficult to prevent the pump from constantly turning on and off because a centrifugal pump just doesn't build up a high enough pressure and it looses it quickly when the system or any water is running. Centrifugal pumps are commonly used for irrigation in many southern areas where the water table is less than 20 feet and the used of a pump start relay can be more efficient (than using a pressure tank) in most residential sized yards.

A pump start relay turns on the pump only when told to do so by a digital or mechanical timer and it is turned on simultaneously with a zone opening or water being used. This is why a relay is usually only good for irrigation systems. The use of a pressure tank and pressure switch is perfect for on-demand water. On-demand water is water that is under pressure and comes on as soon you open a faucet or "demand" water.

A few common problems that I see in the field are:

1. Pressure tanks that have loss pressure due to attrition or a ruptured bladder.
2. Burned up / Shorted out pump motors.
3. Bad check valve or vacuum leak in fittings going into pump causing it to loose prime.
4. Bad pressure switch.
5. Wiring short from source or anywhere between the power source, switch, and pump.

All of these problems can be solved by diagnosing and fixing. It may take some time, but it can be done. As long as you can use a multimeter, plumb PVC pipe, do simple HV wiring, lift small to medium sized pumps and tanks, and have the will to do it, than you have the resources. Many people just do not have the time to fix it themselves, so they hire a professional like myself and my company to fix the problem quickly and efficiently.

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

How Long To Water Your Lawn

2007-12-06T18:45:00.001-08:00

Well, my good friend Craig Borglum has done it again. He has shared some more of his great irrigation knowledge with the public by creating a new video clip about how to water your lawn in a more efficient manner.

Many people ask me "Scott, how long do I water my lawn?"There really isn't a perfect or straightforward, universal answer that suits everyone. Landscapes, soil conditions, sun/shade, system design, and efficiency are all factors that go into deciding your run time or how long you should water your lawn. While I can usually figure out the answer after inspecting a system in person, it is a very hard answer to give to someone over the phone or through email.

Craig's clip about watering your lawn is a great resource for anyone who is wanting to learn more about improving and maximizing water efficiency though controlling the amount of time to run your sprinklers. In the video clip presented on his site, he does an excellent job at explaining how you can easily figure out how long to water your lawn with your irrigation system.

He hits all of the main points and addresses the most common problems that I run into out in the field & the solutions for you. This could help you save a lot of money and our precious water resource. Make sure to check out the video clip here:

http://www.irrigationrepair.com/How_Long_To_Water_Your_lawn.html

Hope this information helps you with your sprinkler system!

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Installing Irrigation System in Winter

2007-12-05T14:59:00.000-08:00

For many parts of the country installing an irrigation system during the winter it pretty much impossible, but in the southern regions of the U.S.A. it is very doable. There are actually some advantages to getting your system installed in the winter months.

First of all, if you are hiring a company or somebody to do it, you will get better prices than you do in the summer time. Everyone waits until spring or summer to get their new systems installed, so at this time irrigation contractors are "swamped" or overwhelmed with work. If you plan on having your system installed during the busy months, you should plan on waiting anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks depending on the company.

The turn-around time in the winter is significantly better. The average wait is cut down from 1 - 2 weeks. The wait time really isn't even the main advantage here. As a consumer your main benefit is the pricing. Labor prices will be lower during the winter months because there is not as much of a demand and these guys (including myself) need the work! Keep this article in mind as this definitely leaves some bargaining room for you.

Please don't misunderstand me here and think that you are going to get it for dirt cheap (although dirt isn't that cheap anymore), but what I am implying is that you will get a better deal during the irrigation off-season. If someone bids too low, I would be worried about their quality and professionalism. I've been outbid in the past by guys who don't carry insurance, workers comp, and have all the overhead that I do, but these kind of guys won't be in business long.

If you choose a non-professional or non-licensed company or individual to do your work you will probably regret it later as it will cost you more money in the long run. Not to mention, you'll be calling my company or a company like mine to fix your screwed up system after Joe Blow goes out of business. My repair rates aren't cheap either, especially when I'm working with a messed up design!

If you have been thinking of getting an automatic lawn sprinkler system installed, then the next few winter months are the best time of the year to get one installed. I know that Christmas is coming and we all need money for presents, but think about using some of your tax return money in January or February to get your system installed. If you wait too long, myself and fellow irrigation contractors are going to be very busy again and our prices will go back up...this I promise!

Scott Young
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Watering Lawn in Winter

2007-12-01T08:06:00.000-08:00

Another common question that I get is "Should I water my lawn in the winter?", or "How often do I need to water in the winter?". Well this all depends on several different factors. Of course in the central and northern states where it snows and freezes all the time you aren't going to need to water. But in the southern, southwest, and southeastern states or regions where the winters are mild, my answer is yes you do need to water.

Even though your grass goes dormant (turns brown) it still has a root system underground. Your lawn is still alive and still has certain water requirements. The water demand is much lower in the colder months, but you should still water about once per week depending on your local weather conditions.

If you don't water at all, you will weaken or possibly kill your grass completely. There are other things that can be done in the winter, such as winterizing your lawn with a special mix from the garden store, but don't forget to water. Now, on freezing days this is not a good idea. If it is 30 - 40 degrees at night, but reaches 50 - 70 degrees during the day time, then you should still be watering your lawn.

Scott Young
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Trench, Plow, or Dig Ditches?

2007-11-28T17:48:00.000-08:00

One of the things that you will have to decide when installing your irrigation system will be which method you use to get the pipe in the ground. Of course you want to easiest and most practical route possible, but there is no single right answer that I can give you. The best method of trenching will depend on a few different factors.

The most popular and widely used method is the use of a trencher. Trenchers come in all shapes and sizes, but I would recommends the walk-behind or pedestrian type trenchers for residential jobs. These types of trenchers do well in soft to medium types of soil. However, if you live on the beach and having a very sandy soil, then the trencher may get stuck easily. In very sandy conditions we will hand dig because the use of a trencher just becomes counter-productive.

A riding trencher is great for big commercial jobs or even a very large residential yard. I do not like using the riding trenchers in average to small sized yards because they are hard to maneuver in smaller areas and you may find it hard to get through tight spots like the fence leading to the back yard.

Another popular option is the plow method. This method is best suited for harder soil types such as hard clay and rock. The plowing method has become popular because of the elimination of trenches through your yard. You plow in your pipe and dig up where your heads will go. This way to go is more suitable for professionals who have gained the experience of operating the equipment.

As mentioned about the very sandy or beach sand soil, you will just have to hand dig. I relate this type of digging to "digging in a salt shaker" if you get my analogy. It takes about three shovel scoops to equal one as the sand keeps falling back in the ditch!

Still, not matter which choice you make there will be some manual hand digging involved. If you are not afraid of a little hard work and getting your hands dirty, then go for it! If you are in bad health or just cannot tolerate digging, then it may be best to hire a professional to install your irrigation system.

Scott Young
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Garden Lawn Sprinkler

2007-11-24T10:43:00.000-08:00

If you are thinking about putting lawn sprinklers in your garden then I have a few tips for you. First make sure that your garden zone (section of system) is separate from the lawn or other shrubs which may have different water need requirements. Keeping the sprinklers on a separate zone will allow you to water your garden more frequently or less frequently than the rest of the landscape if needed.

Next, I would use spray heads and not rotor heads in a garden. Many gardens have delicate plants or flowers that may get destroyed by the powerful spray of a rotor head. A spray head under proper pressure has less force than a rotor and will also deliver water to your garden faster.

Another option for your garden is drip irrigation. There are various types of drip irrigation parts and systems for you to choose from. Micro-sprays are a very popular option and can work well in a garden. The only downfall to micro-sprays are that they are staked above ground and can be easily damaged if you have a lot of traffic near the garden area (all though you shouldn't have).

Drip tubing with pre-installed emitters can work well if done right. This type of drip comes in rolls and can be ran on top of the soil right by the root base of plants. The disadvantage to this is that it is not very good for starting seed because it doesn't saturate the whole area and it can be a pain when it comes to to change flowers or plants.

In most gardens I would stick with traditional spray heads or micro-sprays. For bigger plants and shrubs I recommend the drip tube with pre-installed emitters. Watering your garden with an automatic lawn sprinkler system has many benefits as you will be able to control the timing and frequency of the application of water. Before planting your next garden, consider the benefits of a lawn sprinkler system.

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Irrigation System

2007-11-23T08:22:00.000-08:00

I had someone ask me, "Is there a difference between an irrigation system and a sprinkler system?" My reply was, "No, not unless you are referring to a fire sprinkler system."

An irrigation system is the same thing as a lawn sprinkler system. Some people just use different terms to describe what they are talking about. This seems like it should be common knowledge to most people, but for those who might only know English as a second language may get confused.

There are different types of irrigation systems such as residential, commercial, and agricultural, but they all basically do the same thing which is delivering water to things like lawns, shrubs, trees, plants, and crops. People may use the term sprinkler system more often when referring to a residential lawn watering system and use the term irrigation system when talking about larger watering systems such as those used on large farms.

Okay, that's enough of that, I just wanted to clear that up.

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Is Google in Trouble & Facing Bankruptcy?

2007-11-22T19:28:00.000-08:00

This is completely off topic of irrigation and sprinklers, but I found this article interesting. Take a look at this:

[NEW YORK - Wednesday] - by Devon Melk. Rumors are now running amokthat the 2nd most powerful website on the entire Worldwide-Web mayfile BANKRUPTCY, with the deadline set for this December; being thedate of both discharge and dissolution in a Federal Court of Law.

This would come as a SHOCK to investors and "Googlers" alike whoboth profit and benefit from the use of the World's largest andmost powerful search engine which receives far in excess of100 MILLION unique daily visitors and well over 300 millionindividual searches daily - making it perhaps the single mostvaluable public data resource as an "information bank" online theworld over.

But is the rumor true or false?

The origin of the rumor occurred when some savvy Internet marketersbegan making statements that they had heard "insiders' talk" thatthe company (now publicly traded since April 30, 2004, just over 3years ago) may face financial disaster with the release of a "newsystem" that would allow advertisers to get their otherwisepay-per-click (PPC) advertising completely free.

This, of course, would naturally lead directly (like a domino-effect) to the collapse of Google's sibling program AdSense; as itsonly revenue comes from the direct sales of AdWords "clicks."
The "new system" in question and responsible for the controversyover getting AdWords pay-per-clicks free is that developed byDr Jon Cohen of New York City, New York (now retired) who discovereda simple, yet effective means, for getting Google PPC ads withouthaving to suffer the costs involved.

The retired New York doctor and native has a publicly disclosed networth now in excess of $70 million [US], having generated well over$377 million in product sales from sixteen (16) separate onlinebusinesses within just nine (9) years since first venturing onlinein 1998 (about the same time as Google was founded).

It is estimated by company insiders and leading financial analyststhat the "good doctor" (as he's called by "all who know him") haspurportedly saved well over $93 million (some estimates suggestcloser to $136 million) in otherwise paid advertising at Google andthe other major players in the PPC targeted-search arena online -including Yahoo, MSN, AskJeeves, AllTheWeb.com, HotBot, AltaVista,Lycos and Netscape, just to name a few.

The "secret" became available to the general masses last April, andits very release caused such a major sweeping stir among thecommunity of Internet-marketers, affiliate-marketers, webmasters,ecommerce company owners and surfers alike that the site quicklyrose to break the top most visited 1,000 websites on the entireplanet briefly; and as can be seen here:
http://tinyurl.com/39lnjn (Alexa data on this!)

When asked if the "secret" would somehow ruin Google, Dr Cohenrevealed almost cryptically that it actually would bring about justthe opposite effect, and "stimulate" even more business volume forthe virtual giant.

Many people were dismayed to find that Google itself is deliberatelyallowing the purchase of 100,000's of PPC ads offering the secretsystem to the general public -- which indicates to most observersthat either they [Google] haven't caught it, or they simply feelthat it somehow is not a threat to their continued operation.

For anyone's inspection factual and hard evidence supporting thiscan be seen by simply looking to the right-hand column when doing asearch for "get google ads free" (specifically in quotation marks)at Google.com under the "Sponsored Links" section.
Or take this direct and instant SHORTCUT:
http://tinyurl.com/2ctu6j

You can also see nearly 100,000 specific results in the "organic"fields index located in the center and which occupies the bulk ofthe results pages.

One would think that if Google felt threatened by such a release asthis earth-shaking "secret" is, they would hardly allow for eitherpaid-ads or organic content to make the top searches regarding it.

However, evidence supports to the contrary - and this being thecase now for a full six (6) months.

Mysteriously, within just two (2) hours of its initial release lastApril, Google itself actually did in fact 'pause' the parent firm'sattempts at advertising the new system using PPCs on their searchengine - only, however, to release the hold after a Review Teamconsisting of some of Google's top executives completed performingan in-depth investigation and made the determination to ALLOW theads to run.

The secret system was recently revised however to include "majornew content" and "more exhaustive instructions," and is nowavailable at its Home Site:

Click Here to Discover System

The most important addition is that of a so-called "string of code"(tech-talk for some HTML) that can be added to any webpage(s) thatinstantly causes the elimination of the page owner's AdWords costsright away.

Even a "live" woman spokes-representative ("Rachel") has been addedto the site, and who appears to literally walk out onto the webpageand talk to visitors and explain a bit more how the mysterious newbreakthrough system works.

Since the addition of this new "live" spokes-woman has now appearedat the site, company Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Mr ToddCoutrin states that "sales for the system have skyrocketed above2,430% suddenly and with no limit in sight."

Coutrin continues: "With the newest revision now in place, plus allthe additions added, affiliates for the new system can expect toearn even more than ever before!" (Note: Affiliates make up thebulk of the firm's sales generation.)

The refund rate for the new revised version of the secret (namedV5.1) has dropped to less than half of what it was before the newerversion's release; meaning it's now even more readily-received andput to use than ever before (perhaps in large part to the newersimplicity of application) - now making it the safest and one ofthe best resellers for the networks of affiliate marketers who earntheir revenues from the reselling of other electronic publishers'stock and digital product lines.

When asked, Google company representatives stated matter-of-factlythat the rumors of bankruptcy for the ecommerce giant are simplynot true, and that the rumor millings are in fact simply the resultof "panics" brought on by the usual hysteria associated withanything large, new or revolutionary - or in this case, all three.

Attempts to contact both Sergey Brin and Larry Page, the formerStanford University students who founded Google in 1998, to requestcomment were unsuccessful.

Again, Google itself seems to be the biggest supporter of the "newsystem" as it's allowing more and more advertisers to promote thenew system on its search engine before over 100 million dailysearches and surfers.

Changing a sprinkler head

2007-11-21T15:27:00.001-08:00

If you already have an existing landscape irrigation system then you already know that there will be routine maintenance to perform such as changing a sprinkler head, adjusting heads, flushing out lines, and changing nozzles. Most of these tasks are fairly simple and you can probably do them yourself to save a ton of money.

A thing I commonly tell people who ask about how to change a sprinkler head is "four turns left and four turns right." What I mean by this is that it takes approximately four turns left or counter-clockwise to remove the head and about four turns right or clockwise to tighten the new one back on.

Sounds simple enough, right? Well in reality it is, but there are a few things that you need to be aware of if you are going to be doing this yourself. First of all, you have to be very careful not to get any dirt in the lines when doing this. It is very common to have water draining out of the fitting as you are changing it and this can create a problem if you are not prepared.

What you need to do is dig a small circle shaped hole around the head and dig out a few inches underneath the head by hand or with a small garden shovel. This will give some room for the water to drain out without flooding in dirt back into the sprinkler line. When changing a sprinkler head make sure to have the new head right by your side when removing the old head. Do this process as quickly, but carefully as possible.

If you do happen to get dirt in the line, then you will need to flush the head out. Most spray heads have a flush cap on them. What you need to do is turn on the system and flush the dirt out before installing the nozzle. If you think that you got a lot of dirt in the system, then it will probably travel down the line and clog up other heads or nozzles. If this happens you will need to flush and/or clean and replace those heads and nozzles.

Changing a sprinkler head is not rocket science, but it does require a little bit of patients. If you think you can tackle this project yourself, then go ahead and do it! If you have any doubts, then call a professional. If you like my tips and articles make sure to subscribe to my email series called "7 Lawn Sprinkler Efficiency Tips". You can find subscribe information at the bottom of this page. Thanks!

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Sprinkler System

2007-11-18T09:16:00.000-08:00

Have you been thinking about installing a lawn sprinkler system this year? While it may seem too late in the year to be installing one, it really isn't for most of the warmer climates. Even if you get minimal usage out of it this winter season, you will be prepared for next spring and summer.

Actually there are benefits to getting your lawn sprinkler system installed in the winter. If you are going to be hiring a professional to install your system then you will benefit from lower prices. Many contractors will give lower bids in the slower season because they are not as busy, so they are willing to make a little bit less profit in order to get the work.

If you are planning on installing your own sprinkler system then you may find the prices of materials may be slightly lower in the off-season. This is true more at the stores like Home Depot and Lowes, than at irrigation wholesalers or distributors. The reason for this is that the big home stores may want to make room on their shelves for other products and clean out back inventory. The irrigation wholesalers can pretty much stay at the same prices because they specialize in sprinklers and have enough contractors who will continue buying parts.

If you have been wanting an automatic lawn sprinkler system then now may be a good time for you to go get some estimates or start planning your project!

Scott Young
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Rotary Nozzles

2007-10-30T16:56:00.000-07:00

A fairly recent invention in the landscape irrigation industry has been the development of rotary nozzles. They have been out for a couple years, but are still relatively unknown to many people who are not in the lawn sprinkler industry.

A rotary nozzle is a nozzle that can be installed on a spray head which normally uses conventional fixed pattern and variable arc spray nozzles. The rotary nozzle distributes the water in a pattern similar to a rotor head in the way that it rotates, compared to a normal spray nozzle which does not rotate.

The main benefits of rotary nozzles is that they use less water that spray nozzles and they are great for watering areas that are anywhere from 13 - 24 feet. One particular size of rotary nozzle that Rain Bird makes is a 17' -24' radius nozzle. I personally love these nozzles as they water areas which were usually right in between the range of standard rotors and sprays.

The lower GPM rate is also good for those with a limited water source. The only down fall that I have found with rotary nozzles are that you must run the zones longer than sprays (just like regular rotors) and they seem to clog up a little quicker when used on water sources that carry a lot of debris.

I have also found rotary nozzles to be a good solution on existing systems that have been "overloaded." By "overloaded" I mean a system that has been altered by the installation of too many and/or too big of spray nozzles which use up too much water and cause low pressure.

A common mistake I see in the field is that people will try to get their heads to throw farther, but by installing a bigger nozzle and using too many gallons per minute that actually make the head throw even less due to low pressure. A great solution for this is the use of rotary nozzles! You can easily change the nozzles without even using a shovel! You can save numerous gallons per minute and get the heads to actually throw further when done right.

Besides the couple of negatives, I would highly recommend using rotary nozzles on your lawn sprinkler system design.

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com