Joined: Aug 2006 Gender: Female Posts: 5,420 Location: The Lone Star State
Sprinkler systems « Thread Started on Oct 14, 2009, 11:11am »
Not really sure where exactly this needs to go, but I guess here is as good as any.
Want to get this discussion started as I will soon be obtaining bids and I don't know what questions to ask or what exactly I want. I do know that I want the flowerbed zoned separately as one side is full sun and needs more water, while the other is mostly shade and stays pretty moist with minimal watering. I did put a couple of 4" PVC sleeves under my sidewalk and I have a culvert under the driveway, so that ought to make an installer happy. I want to water the sodded areas now and possible expand later further in the backyard without having to dig everything up.
Joined: Nov 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 11,462 Location: Here .... most of the time
Re: Sprinkler systems « Reply #2 on Oct 14, 2009, 12:52pm »
Well ............ lunch was from McDonald's so I'm back early.
First we need to determine your water flow. How big is the water meter (if city water) or what type pump are we looking at (if it's well water). The presumed flow dictates how much area you can cover with a single zone. Usually this is a case where more is better.
Pipe size - determined by the potential flow: rule of thumb up to 12 gallons per minute = 1" pipe 12-24 GPM = 1-1/4" pipe 24-36 GPM = 1-1/2" pipe 36+ 2" pipe
You don't want to mix rotor sprinklers and sray heads on the same zone/valve. They have entirely different operating characteristics and application rates.
Add ons are no problem if you take that into consideration in the beginning. It's simple to add a T into the mainline at locations that you might want to add onto later. Cost is minimal for this.
If you plan on adding other zones/valves later you need to make sure that you have spare wires available from the controller to these locations. I also like to have one or two unused wires in the group that can be used later (if another wire ever goes bad). It doesn't happen often but it beats digging up the yard to run a new wire.
Controller ---- get a decent one but you don't necessarily need to spend BIG BUCKS on one that will do EVERYTHING. A programmable weekly watering schedule and a couple start times per day should suffice. Controllers are reasonably priced nowadays so don't let someone sell you some fancy-assed controller of which you'll only use a few of the features.
Zones: as you already know should be layed out depending on: 1. the planting type - landscape or lawn 2. Shady areas vs sunny spots 3. Wet areas and dry areas 4. Sometimes, especially in landscaped areas even different plants will have widely varying water requirements. You don't water azaleas the same as yucca plants.
That's all I got for now.
Oh ...... and MAKE SURE the contractor will provide you an "as built" drawing after the installation. This IS NOT a copy of the orignal plan but a revised copy showing EXACTLY where everything is located and how it is put together.
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Joined: Aug 2006 Gender: Female Posts: 5,420 Location: The Lone Star State
Re: Sprinkler systems « Reply #5 on Oct 15, 2009, 11:28am »
So my first reaction to your post, Mizz, was "I don't know what size pipe!!". Then it dawned on me......I have PICTURES!!! Woohoo! It is without a doubt a 1 1/4" pipe coming from the meter. It does travel a loooong way from the meter too. I'm guessing this doesn't bode well for being able to cover much in one zone.
I'm going to have to read your post a couple of times to let it sink in and digest. It's almost like reading a Robin backwards post at first. Takes a couple of tries, but then you get it.
It is very helpful to know the dos and don't of what type of heads can go on the same zone as well as the bells and whistles I don't really need, but someone will think they can convince me I can't live without it. We've got a lot of contractors in this area who know how to install "sprinkles", but just haphazardly install however and the yuccas will end up with too much water.....and for Brittta - yes, you can kill a yucca if you water it too much.
Joined: Nov 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 11,462 Location: Here .... most of the time
Re: Sprinkler systems « Reply #6 on Oct 15, 2009, 12:46pm »
You mentioned haphazard spacing. You don't want that.
Head spacing - lesson 101.
Sprinklers are designed to be spaced "head-to-head" which means if you have a sprinkler with a 15' radius then they should be spaced 15' apart. In other words, sprinkler #1's spray pattern should reach sprinkler #2.
Rotor heads with spray radii of 35' should be spaced 35' apart.
The above info is for rectangular spacing. Triangular spacing is a bit different but close to the same.
Now, the world is not perfect and it's not always possible to space sprinklers the ideal distance apart. Some may be a little close and some may be a little further that they "ideally" should be. BUT, in the grand scheme of things, if one stays as close as possible to head-to-head spacing things will be good.
If you have to chose to tighten the spacing up or spread it out a few things come in to play. In hot, dry regions (or lawn areas) or open areas with wind I'd space them at a minimum head-to-head coverage. Shady areas or low-needs areas, you can get away with spacing them out a bit to make things fit.
Joined: May 2005 Gender: Female Posts: 53,671 Location: Outside the Box
Re: Sprinkler systems « Reply #7 on Oct 15, 2009, 5:23pm »
We've never had drip lines in shrubs or flower beds, but some people like those. I like the small heads that pop up and spray whatever size sprinkler compensating nozzle (1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 3/4 or whole circle) that pop up location calls for.
fwiw, I would always have a small variety of sprinkler replacement parts, glue and primer on hand for minor repairs....or lawn mower mishaps. Also, know where to cut off the water so you can turn it off when someone hits a buried pipe with a shovel.
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Re: Sprinkler systems « Reply #8 on Oct 15, 2009, 10:33pm »
Miz......very good advice!......but ya left off psi at the house..... ...Usually it's right around 60 psi outta the outside spigot on city water. This will determine the layout of the system. I've never seen a residential system using anything but 1" pipe.....
Miz......very good advice!......but ya left off psi at the house..... ...Usually it's right around 60 psi outta the outside spigot on city water. This will determine the layout of the system. I've never seen a residential system using anything but 1" pipe.....
That's about all we ever used on residential either. But we did have some with LARGE lawns that we went larger. That was assuming the customer had a fairly sizable meter. Most of the time in these parts the city actually does a separate meter for irrigation.
Some large commercial projects and sports fields we started with 2" at the meters.
You mentioned haphazard spacing. You don't want that.
Head spacing - lesson 101.
Sprinklers are designed to be spaced "head-to-head" which means if you have a sprinkler with a 15' radius then they should be spaced 15' apart. In other words, sprinkler #1's spray pattern should reach sprinkler #2.
Rotor heads with spray radii of 35' should be spaced 35' apart.
The above info is for rectangular spacing. Triangular spacing is a bit different but close to the same.
Now, the world is not perfect and it's not always possible to space sprinklers the ideal distance apart. Some may be a little close and some may be a little further that they "ideally" should be. BUT, in the grand scheme of things, if one stays as close as possible to head-to-head spacing things will be good.
If you have to chose to tighten the spacing up or spread it out a few things come in to play. In hot, dry regions (or lawn areas) or open areas with wind I'd space them at a minimum head-to-head coverage. Shady areas or low-needs areas, you can get away with spacing them out a bit to make things fit.
There's no space in my head for this kinda information.
Joined: Aug 2006 Gender: Female Posts: 5,420 Location: The Lone Star State
Re: Sprinkler systems « Reply #11 on Nov 13, 2009, 2:13pm »
Getting a little sidetracked with my outside projects. I'm putting this one on hold until mid winter. I know I will end up with ugly dirt trails throughout the yard, but I need more time to figure out what I want to do!
In the meantime....how in the WORLD do I get rid of the oxalis weed without digging up the entire flowerbed? I have spent countless hours picking this stuff, being careful not to cause the little pods to explode. I can't see any other way than to dig it up and I don't have time for this. I typically like to stay organic, but I've had it and I'm open to anything/everything that will work in an effort to safe some hard labor for myself. This stuff is choking out huge sections of my flowerbed and I'm at my wits end. Between this and the bermuda (which I know is nearly impossible to remove short of digging it completely up, I am totally and utterly defeated)!
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I want to water the sodded areas now and possible expand later further in the backyard without having to dig everything up. 
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I'm guessing this doesn't bode well for being able to cover much in one zone. 
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