sprinkler systems--anybody tried it?

[AndyMA]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I've put in a couple of sprinkler systems - always over-engineered and analyzed GPM, coverage issues. The first system was 1" black poly pipe - swore I would never to that again! It really didn't leak much but jamming 1" pipe over the fittings was a huge chore after you've done a few. Sch 40 PVC is much, much easier. )</font>

I've installed numerous systems professionally and have taken the Toro installer course. The vaste majority of system we put in use the 1" black poly with crimp on bands and not the screw type. To get it over the male fittings just heat it a little with a propane torch to soften it. Properly done these systems last for years and do not leak. All of my systems get blown out each fall. They also get turned on in the spring and checked for any leaks. Leaks if any are usually at heads or valves. To design a system draw your lawn layout including any beds and plants on a piece of graph paper. By using heads with various flow rates and partial circual patterns you can obtain uniform coverage. Both pressure and gpm are important. Tons of gpm without any pressure won't shoot very far. Have fun with your project.

Andy

 

[keeney]

Photo from last summer. Pulling poly sprinkler pipe with sub-solier.

My helpers.
They all look good, but only the green one was very helpful.

- Rick

 

[keeney]

Detail of pulling setup.

Poly pipe is tied to bottom of subsoiler with bailing wire.

Leading edge of poly is lugged with a large bolt.

- Rick

 

[J_J]

I have an older pt-1445 that I use for just about anything, including trenching. I have PT'S older trencher/stump grinder. It trenches to about 12" I use a three point subsoiler also. Roots are the worst problems that you will run into. After you run the subsoiler the length of your run, go back to the start, hook up a a chain welded to the cap of 3/4"
threaded fitting or the size that you need to the subsoiler. Glue the pvc using cleaner, and the blue stuff, it dries in about 2 min. Screw the pvc to the threaded fitting, Start lowering the subsoiler gradually to the depth you want and run down the same line. when you get to the end, pull a little extra past the stop point. I have done quite a few of the these systems from the basic valve to the electronic controllers . It's mostly common sense with a little experience.

j.j.

 

[AgentWD40]

What sort of 3PH attachments are available to dig trenches for laying pipe for a sprinkler system? It seems a subsoiler will work. Are there other attachments that will work too (hoe perhaps)?

From what I can tell it looks like the subsoiler just breaks the dirt up down a certain depth. How do you get the dirt out at that point?

Do the trenchers you rent from a yard (walking or riding) clear the trench as you use them? Thanks.

 

[DaveInColorado]

It isn't too difficult. Laying it all out is very easy - making sure that you have head-to-head coverage. Then you have to figure out how many heads per zone your system can support. Take off 20-30% from the actual maximum to make sure you have enough pressure. Use large enough PVC to support the flow and distances. I always go bigger than necessary. My 1.5hp pump on the irrigation ditch will honestly support 15 5gpm Rainbird MaxiPaw heads! I laid it out with 6 heads per zone and turn on two zones when using the pump. The idea is that if someday we sell the rights to irrigation water I'll have a prayer of running it from the house. The backyard is done at 15-20gpm per zone because it is mostly watered from the house water. The front yard is 20-25 gpm per zone. I have about 80 Rainbird MaxiPaws at 5gpm per head. A total of 20 zones. Did it all myself! I live in Colorado. The yard is sloped, I installed drain valves at the low points, and I don't ever blow it out for the winter. Neither do any of my neighbors. The sloped system is the key! If you have a flat yard you probably need to blow it out.

Main lesson learned (this is the third house I've owned where I've installed the sprinkler system): Dig trench, install pipe, cover trench! Do these three steps within a week. If you leave your trenches open for very long like I did on the first house you'll end up redigging a lot of it by hand. To do it this way you need a good habit of priming/glueing so you don't get confused and miss glueing a joint. You have to be able to trust the joints. Most people would leak test it - I don't. Never had a problem that wasn't easy to find.

I usually regret not digging the trenches deep enough. 18" is usually my goal but I always have 12" spots. I should target 24" and hope for 18".

Here's a good hint for everyone: A big ride-on trencher is only a very little more expensive to rent than the walk-behind trenchers, yet it will out dig the walk-behind by two or three times! It works if you can get it into your yard. I rented one over a weekend and trenched everything and loaned it to two neighbors and ran out of interesting things to do with it. I had only 5 or 6 hours on it when I returned it. The cheapest thing to do would be to go in with 10 neighbors for an 8-hour rental on a riding trencher! All would get a good, deep trenching job for about $25/house, assuming smaller lots.