Irrigation, of sorts

[Edward Rice]

I'm running a part of my "irrigation" with a hose and some couplers and some sprinklers. It's way out of hand -- too many couplers, too many sprinklers (but they're needed to cover the area). I cut back on manual labor by getting some cheap end-of-season timers and setting them to kick on and off at 15-minute intervals, but I've got an unreasonable mess of hoses.

I think I want to lay a plastic pipe on the ground in the arc that the lawn runs in, and put in tee-couplings every 4-6 feet, and then wherever I want a sprinkler I can put on a cheap faucet or a simple hose tap and run, say, six feet of hose instead of fifty. Lots less confusion, and much easier to deal with when I need to mow the lawn around there.

I've never used PVC for this -- how can I figure out what size PVC to use, is there a standard way to couple a hose to feed this main pipe, and is there a standard way to fit the hose taps in along the way?

The whole stretch is a long hose-run away from my house, so I already have an electric boost-pump that furnishes the area with about 90 PSI of hose pressure, although not at very high volume. The hose out there is

3/4". So, I need to make sure that whatever I cobble together won't explode into component parts when I put 90 PSI into it, with some additional allowance for pressure increase when the pump is turned on.

Thanks for suggestions!

Edward

[Steve B]

Consider this, Ed. Put in a 3/4" PVC line, with either hose bibs or quick connects. Or a combination of both. PVC fittings come in the NPT threads of the hose bib base, AND the 3/4" hose end, allowing for all kinds of things. If your yard requires, or you prefer, hand watering with hoses, that would be the way to go. Be sure to get the bleeders. They look like little green mushrooms, and install in the line with the mushroom head pointed down. When you shut off the water, the pressure diaphragm inside relaxes and the water drains out, preventing freeze bursting. If you do put a shutoff on your line, open up the bibs so that air can go in and help drain ALL the water out. You can also wrap your pipes, it just depends on how cold it gets at your house in winter.

Steve

Heart surgery pending?

Heart Surgery Survival Guide

[Harry K]

PVC is very easy to work with, pipe and fittings are cheap. All the tools you need are a wet rag (clean pipe fittings), a hacksaw and a can of glue. Some would advise using cleaner before gluing but I usually don't bother.

PVC is harmed by UV rays of the sun is is not advised for surface use. I do use it and have pipe that has been above ground for years. It does turn brittle however. The only repairs I have had to make is when I forget to drain th system before it freezes.

Your 90 psi and low volume is both way overpowered and under volumned for a sprinkler system. 60 psi is more than adequate to run sprinkler heads, pressure over that is harmful to fittings.

Depending on the distance it runs, 3/4 or 1' PVC pipe would be used. At each station you would need one "T" that is threaded 3/4" IPL on one leg , and a brass "hose to 3/4" ipl adapter. You can have a "standpipe" arangement by using a plain "T" short piece of 3/4 pipe as a riser with a coupler PVC-3/4" IPL on the end

Harry K

[Edward Rice]

I'll go see what the store carries -- you're making it sound somewhat easier than I'd hoped. This will be warm-weather only, and drainable after grass-growing season is over and before a freeze. (Virginia not far from DC)

Not quite yet, but ask aga> My suggestion is to design a proper irrigation for you lawn area. Do > it for free at

Thanks for the l> PVC is harmed by UV rays of the sun is is not advised for surface

Assuming I go below-ground for version 2.0, I'll check the pipe for damage from the sun before re-utilizing it. Thanks.

Yeah -- I cannot run the pump stepped-down, but I can certainly open two sprinklers at once, so they'd be getting more like 45. Without the pump, I can't even run one impulse/impact sprinkler reliably, unfortunately.

That is a project I've been thinking of and can't quite commit to.

Thanks to all for your replies -- they've been very heartening.

Ed

[trader4]

Without knowing more, I'd favor Oren's suggestion and consider putting in an automated sprinkler system. I would not use PVC. I'd use 1" poly pipe which comes in a roll, is flexible and easy to work with. You'd need a backflow valve at the tie-in point, an electronic controller, an electric valve box, whatever heads you need and a rain sensor.

IF you don't want to do that, you can still use poly pipe to run spigots to wherever you want them. Or you can do both, giving you automated system, plus a couple of handy spigot points.

[Harry K]

If two sprinklers is all you cn run at a time then you should seriously consider replacing that booster pump. See below.

You haven't said what your house pressure/flow is or if there is a huge elevation difference from house to sprinkler location. If the house pressure is 40psi or more andyou have sufficient flow for a good shower, you don't need the booster pump...again if the sprinkler locations aren't significantly higher than the house.

For an irrigation "booster" pump I would go with a cheap shallow well pump/tank combo, usually available for under $100. Less than that in a second hand store.

My house system (well) is set 30/50, does a good job on sprinklers even at the 30 psi low point and I run 3 heads at a time.

two heads runningon a 90psi pump do not cut the pressure in half unless the pump is a very low volume one.

Harry K

[DD_BobK]

Ed-

Check this out

I did my first automatic sprinkler system nearly 40 years ago.

Before you jump into this (even though it is pretty simple) do some reading.

Sprinkler systems come down to:

1) how much area you want to water 2) water supply you have available; flow (gpm) & pressure (psi) while flowing

Sprinkler heads cover an area dependent on the pressure supplied. They supply varying flow dependent on that pressure. Spray head type sprinklers require lower pressure and cover smaller area than impulse sprinklers.

I like Toro 570 spray head sprinklers for lawn areas but you need a fair number of them to cover substantial areas. :(

For example, a rectangular area of lawn might need: 2 full heads 4 quarter heads

6 half heads

10=92 570 SERIES (BLUE) WITH 12=B0 TRAJECTORY PATTERN PSI GPM RADIUS

90=B0 30 0.40 10=92 180=B0 30 0.71 10=92 360=B0 30 1.49 10=92 0-360=B0 30 2.11 10'

cheers Bob