New lawn sprinklers- PEX or PVC schedule 40 pipe

[plowhog]

Someone suggested using PEX pipe for lawn sprinklers. I've always used PVC schedule 40.

Is PEX a good alternative? I drain pipes for winter, as it often is 15-20F here in winter. How deep would I bury it? Any tricks I should know about? What tools are needed?

 

[herm0016]

we use the black flexible polyethylene pipe here. have not seen anyone use pex, i'm not sure its rated for underground? you would not use pex for a service line.

 

[plowhog]

I checked and pex is rated for underground. In fact, I have it for all of my garage plumbing.

 

[GLyford]

A lot of people are using pex now for their lines from the street, too.

 

[herm0016]

at least here, the plastic service lines are not the same as pex you get at home depot. higher specs, different connections. it may be a similar material, but its not the same pipe. i have the left overs from our service line and have regular pex. the service line is 250 psi rated and the pex is lower. the pex connections do not fit the service line pipe. line pipe was speced by our utility.

 

[s219]

I think PEX is overkill and I don't know of any irrigation fittings for it. I use either 1" SCH-40 PVC or 1" black poly tubing, or a combination of the two. There are tons of irrigation fittings for both. For the system at my last house, I used the black poly tubing for the long runs from my valve manifold to each zone. Then the zones were SCH-40 PVC with 1/2" flexible tubing ("blue stripe") risers for each sprinkler head. There are 1" PVC barb fittings to go from PVC to each size tubing. Makes everything quick and easy. I don't know of anything similar for PEX.

 

[3Ts]

PEX could be used, however, I think you'll find it is cost prohibitive. Each termination of a pipe will have to be with a barb x thread fitting at a cost of $2 - $3 for each connection plus the crimp ring. For PVC it runs a lot less than $1 (home depot in quantity ad says ~$0.25) plus glue. So each termination with PEX will be about 10X more than a connection with PVC.

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm a huge fan of PEX, but only with quality brass fittings that are crimped on. I do not like the slide on fittings, and I really hate the plastic fittings. When done with the best quality materials, nothing is better, but that is going to cost you a lot more money then PVC. For inside a house, PEX is king. For a sprinkler system, I would use PVC.

 

[Fallon]

I didnt think PEX was that UV stable. Not an issue indoors or underground. But would cause issues where it came out of the ground if it's not UV stable.