Where to locate irrigation valves for sprinklers?

[plowhog]

I'm ready to build a manifold to route irrigation/sprinkler water from the main supply to three different directions.

Should I put the valves right at the supply and manifold? This is convenient as all the wiring also only has to go there and I could install drains. Or, should I run pressure lines (and sprinkler wire) out to just before the first sprinkler, and then put the valve(s) out there?

It seems to me there is more to go wrong with long runs of pressurized pipe and sprinkler wires, compared to having it all in a central box, but I wanted to check for other opinions?

 

[dstig1]

Well you should know the real answer from TBN by now: "It depends." More details are needed. If you have zones that are well-grouped like front of house/back of house, then 2 sets of manifolds would make sense, close to the point of use so distribution is easier. You say 3 directions - do you mean 3 clusters of zones? If so, i would locate each manifold at a point near where it makes the most sense for that zone. You want these boxes to be a bit protected if at all possible. If you locate the manifold in one central location then you have to run a full pipe to each zone from there. Gets crowded with bigger systems. Kind of like subpanels on electrical - if you have a bunch of circuits needed on the other side of the house it makes more sense to pull a subpanel nearby with one big wire, then break out your much shorter circuits from the subpanel.

 

[RNeumann]

Put them in a convenient spot but out of the way of tractors, cars etc. At some point you will be digging things up to make repairs etc so don’t put it in the wife’s prized rose garden.
Running the wire and pressure line does save some pipe in theory but may not be worth the effort or risk. Obviously if you break a pressure line The Whole system is down vs one zone.
......basically what he ^^ said

 

[Tractor Seabee]

If you have sloping ground try to locate valves at the high point so sprinkler zone piping can be drained by gravity. Beats having to blow them out or pump in antifreeze. At the location of the back flow preventor, PRV, pressure gauge, etc. Arrange the piping so you have a gravity drain an vent valve. My minimum pipe size is always 1" except short runs to one spray head or a drip distributor. I loop my zones so there is equal pressure throughout the zone. The equalizer line can be 1/2". I am currently installing a combination system of impulse sprayers for lawns and drip systems for planting beds and garden. Looks like either 8 or 9 zones by the time I finish. Oh, I use PVC sched 40 pipe. Easiest to work with.

Ron

 

[plowhog]

do you mean 3 clusters of zones?

I need one zone that is slightly downhill, servicing 3 or 4 sprinklers. The second zone goes uphill and then maybe 150 feet, with sprinklers along it in a straight line. The last zone starts at the 150ft mark and goes another 150 ft to 300 ft total. All but the first zone is uphill from the water supply location.

 

[plowhog]

I loop my zones so there is equal pressure throughout the zone. The equalizer line can be 1/2".

I don't really understand. Is this a line connected to the end of the zone back to the original supply at the manifold?

 

[EddieWalker]

I keep all the valves together in one location. It's just a matter of time until one of them fails, or starts to leak. It's what they do. And having them all right there, and hopefully easy to get to, will be a huge bonus. I've been to clients houses where they put the valves in different places and after just a few years, nobody can remember where they are at. Then after spending hours looking for it, and finally finding it, I figured out the problem was in the wiring. No power getting to the valves. I have no idea why, or what happened to the wires, only that I had to dig a new trench to get it to work again. Big money when you have to hire somebody to do it, huge pain if you have to do it yourself and not get paid for your time!!!

 

[plowhog]

It's just a matter of time until one of them fails, or starts to leak. And having them all right there, and hopefully easy to get to, will be a huge bonus.

I'm going to put them all in one location, tucked out of the way of anything important and close to the building so I won't be driving over it with the tractor.