16
May
2007
You certainly don’t need one of these little gadgets to connect your sprinkler heads, but for little bit of extra money this will save you some time. Before I found one of these poly-pipe saddles the procedure for me to add a sprinkler head to my underground line was a little longer.
Without this I would cut the line with my pipe cutter, insert a barbed “T”, connect a a short length of poly-pipe or funny pipe, and then connect that to an adapter threaded into my sprinkler head.
The saddle avoids you having to cut the pipe and insert the T, and depending on your pipe placement might avoid you having to have the short piece of pipe in between. You simply slip this saddle right over your poly pipe, snap it together and then screw the spike down into the pipe through the saddle until it punctures the pipe and lets the water through. With this particular model from Toro, you end up with a 1/2″ female threaded end to connect your sprinkler head, another line or whatever else your hooking up. Nice and easy.
Adapters, Handy Tools 
No Comments »
11
May
2007
Last year I wrote about the Sidewalk Sleever to tunnel under sidewalks and other above ground obstructions that you can’t trench through, and if you’re doing a lot of tunneling or even have 2 or 3 tough spots then the Sidewalk Sleever might be the ticket.
For most of the jobs I’ve done I only need to go under a sidewalk, and often there is dirt that was brought and sometimes even sand below the cement which makes for fairly easy tunneling. In these cases I’ve been able to get by with a spray nozzle tunneling kit that’s essentially a one-time use deal for under $5.
The tunneling kit consists of two plastic parts that glue onto either end of you PVC pipe. One piece is a hose bib that can thread onto your standard garden hose. The other is a nozzle that concentrates the spray into a narrow sharp stream.
Glue the two pieces onto either end of your PVC pipe and hook your garden hose to the hose bib end. Now you just dig a whole on either side of the sidewalk where you want to go under, turn on the water and start pushing the pipe through letting the nozzle do most of the work for you. Usually I’ll end up doing a fair amount of pushing and jabbing to get the pipe all the way under, or sometimes start again from the other side to get all the way through if you get stuck going one way.
Once you have the pipe through, shut off the water, cut off the nozzle and hose bib from the tunneling kit with your handy PVC pipe cutter and you’re in business. The kit is usually often referred to as a “Walkway Tunnel Kit” if you’re looking for one. The one I’ve used is made by Orbit.
Handy Tools, Tunneling No Comments »
14
December
2006
This may not look like much, and if you have never used one you may wonder why I am writing a post about a hose clamp, but this little thing can save you a lot of time and trouble.
A one ear hose clamp is named due to the shape of the clamp, looking like it could be a head with only one ear. The ear is so that you can use a crimping tool, which looks somewhat like a pair of pliers, to grab on to that ear and crimp the clamp down tight around an irrigation hose. This hose clamp works great and can be used instead of the threaded screw type of clamp on most irrigation lines. They are less expensive, easier and faster than the traditional hose clamp. The downside is that they aren’t quite as strong, and are a one-time use only.
If you are clamping any connections for water lines that are under really high pressure or lines that have active water pressure in them all the time, such as water lines that are before your valves, I would use the traditional clamp and sometimes two of them to ensure that my fittings don’t leak. For everything else I use these one ear hose clamps to save myself time and money.
Handy Tools, Tips and Tricks No Comments »
3
November
2006
I think the most common use for this small tubing is for drip irrigation systems. The tubing is very small at about 1/4″ in outer diameter and usually comes in lengths of 100 or 500 feet. The roll pictured here is 500 feet. This is another form of poly-pipe and is very flexible and sturdy. I use it as a feeder line to go from my 1/2″ drip irrigation main line out to each plant that I want to water.
There are seemingly numerous different fittings for spraying, misting, bubbling or dripping that will fit onto the end of this micro tube to water different types of plants, shrubs, grasses and trees.
Be careful when buying the micro tube as it is easy to grab line that has emmitter holes drilled every foot or so. This is good if that is what you are looking for, and it works like a soaker hose, but not cool if you want a line that is not going to leak all over the place!
1/4″ poly micro tubing available in lenth of 100′ to 500′. the micro tube is made of the highest quality polyethylene resins and is UV resistant. The micro tube can be used as a feeder line from a 1/2″ poly tube to extend your drippers or micro sprinklers and for a complete 1/4″ system. Use with 1/4″ barbed fittings.
- Operating pressure: up to 50 PSI
- Maximum flow rate: 30GPH
Pipe No Comments »
28
October
2006
Drip Irrigation systems are primarily used to water non-grass landscaping, such as flower gardens, ground cover plants, trees, shrubs and vegetable gardens.
You can build your drip irrigation system onto your existing sprinkler system. When I design my system, I always plan on one extra valve on one of the valve manifolds to power the drip system. The main component that you will want to add when going out from your valve to the drip system line is a some type of pressure reducing valve to bring the water pressure down to around 25 psi. The parts of the drip system generally do not need, and probably will not tolerate a higher pressure, and unless your drip system is really, really large you will not need that much volume of water.
Usually you can get a kit, or at least some parts that go together to make the pressure reducer and a special filter. The drip system line and parts have smaller openings than most regular lawn sprinkler parts, and it is easier to clog. The filter will clean out extra particles that might clog the small lines, and you will want to find a filter that is easily removed to clean out and replace. It’s usually a mesh screen.
Depending on the brand of parts, there is a multitude of drip system parts and accessories. I usually run a 1/2″ poly pipe line around the main places where I will be using the drip system and keep it fairly shallow, and then run 1/4″ microtube out from the main 1/2″ line to wherever I want to water something. From the 1/4″ microtube you will be able to find all kinds of mini spray jets, drippers, bubblers and misters to name a few, but there are many. They are all pretty cheap but like most jobs with sprinkler systems, it adds up fast!
Once you get your valve, pressure reducer and filter, and the main 1/2″ line ran around the places you generally will be using the system, it is easy to go back and punch in the small 1/4″ line for the individual drippers and other parts as you go and as you add new plants.
I always set up the main 1/2″ line first and then add the 1/4″ lines to the plants when I can get to it, but once you have everything watering off of your drip irrigation system and on the timer, it’s a pretty nice feeling and very convenient.
Drip Irrigation No Comments »
13
October
2006
A valve manifold can sometimes sound like an intimidating phrase to someone dealing with a sprinkler system for the first time, but as complicated as it may sound, it’s really not that bad.
I don’t think any one part of a sprinkler system is every really complicated, but if something was this might be a litte more so than others. All a valve manifold really is, is a way for the water coming from the main line to be regulated with valves, and split off into the different zones.
In laying the pipe for your sprinkler system you will have a main line that comes from your water source. This line will have live water pressure on it all the time, but you don’t want it sending water to the sprinkler heads all the time, and you don’t want water to go to all of the zones all at once, either. (You probably don’t have that much water pressure and flow.) The valve manifold splits off that main line into multiple (usually 3-5) zones, and when it splits off to each zone, the water pressure will meet a valve on this manifold. Each valve on the valve manifold (if automatic) will have two wires that hook up to your timer so that the timer can activate your valves when you would like and send water to one zone at a time.
Most residential yards will have two sets of valve manifolds, one on each side of the house. The main line just runs across one manifold and on to the other before it stops. This manifold will almost always sit underground in a valve box. Usually I would build my own manifold using either poly pipe with T adapters and claimps or PVC pipe with adapters and glue and then make threaded adapters for the valves to thread on to, but you can also buy pre-made valve manifolds that have all the parts and are molded to what you need with different numbers of branches available. (The valves are ususally sold seperate.)
Valves No Comments »
11
October
2006
If you live in an area of the world where the tempurature is going to get below the freezing point of water for any amount of time during the winter, about now you need to be thinking about blowing out your sprinklers if you haven’t already.
You system may have line drains in it, which helps drain the water from your lines after each cycle of watering, but often this will not be enough, especially where it gets really cold in the winter. Line drains should be at the low points of you system if you have it to drain any water and avoid freezing inside the lines, but often some water may not all drain, or if you hook up your sprinkler heads from a side port, the bottom of the sprinkler will still have water that needs to be removed.
Blowing out your sprinkler system will involve using an air compressor with compressed air in place of water in your system to remove all the water out of the lines. When choosing an air compressor, you want one that can put out at least 10 cubic feet per minute, and can reach 50 psi. 50 psi is probably the maximum pressure you would want to use when blowing out your sprinklers. Your water pressure may be a little higher, but components usually do not tolerate the higher pressure of air as well as water since they are a different density. The minimum cubic feet per minute is just as important as the pressure. When you blow out each zone, you need a compressor that has the horse power or has a tank that can maintain the 50 psi pressure while blowing them out for a minute or two.
When I winterize my sprinkler system and blow out my lines I will connect the air compressor to a designated place as far up the line as possible, closest to the water source. When installing the system I will add a “T” to connect the air compressor fitting before my backflow valve. This allows me to use the air just as I would the water in the procedure to blow out the lines. Here are the steps I follow each fall to blow out my sprinkler system:
- Turn off your water source to the system, and go to your timer or manually open each valve for about 15-20 seconds to drain the pressure.
- Use what adapters you need to connect your air compressor hose to your sprinkler system, and a minimum before your control valves.
- Make sure all the valves are closed and turn on the pressure from you air compressor. This should pressurize your system just as the water would. If you have an above ground backflow preventor, it may make some noise as it tries to seal the main valve. You may need to help it a little with your finger if you can.
- Now go to your timer or to the valve manifold for each of the zones and turn on one zone. The sprinkler heads should pop up just like they would with water, and start spraying out water until it empties the line. Then it should start sputtering with air and water and eventually just air. If you compressor can’t maintain the volume of air you may have to close the valve and let the pressure and air volume build up in the tank again.
- Repeat this procedure with each valve (zone) until all the lines for all the zones have been blown out. Usually I will cycle through each zone 2-3 times to make sure they are dry.
- You can now unhook your air compressor, leave all the valves open, keep your timer plugged in and turn it to the “Off” setting so it won’t run the valves during the winter. Also be sure to leave your main water for the system off. This seems obvious but I thought I would mention it. If you turn the water back on, go back to step #1.
You can often find local landscape companies that will come out and winterize your sprinkler system and blow out your lines for you, and usually they will add you to the schedule to turn it back on in the Spring. This might not be a bad idea if you are uncomfortable with this procedure, and may not be much more than the rental of an air compressor.
Winterization, Procedures No Comments »
30
September
2006
This is another one of those tools that pays for themselves in a relatively short amount of time, even with one job. A trenching shovel can be a very handy tool when installing your sprinkler system, even if you are using a trencher or pipe puller to put most of the line in.
A 4″ trenching shovel is a pretty good size, and works great for digging trenches for your sprinkler line, but for me it works even better to clean out the trenches. Once you get them initially dug, there always going to be bunch of loose dirt and clumps in the bottom of your trench, and a regular shovel is too wide. Also using your hands to clean it out works real well, but then you are bent over the whole time. The trenching shovel fits right in the trench really nicely and makes it fast and easy to clean out the trench before you lay your line in it.
You can usually get these at about any sprinkler supply store or a sprinkler supply store online. Sometimes you might find a trenching shovel at the general hardware store, but not too often, and that may be why most people have never heard of or seen a shovel shaped like this.
The trenching shovel is not something that you would use very often aside from trenching, of course, but it will be well worth your money and time to have one.
Handy Tools No Comments »
27
September
2006
Controllers are an integral part of an automatic sprinkler system, and I wanted to make a post about controllers in general.
Many people call it a timer, and it is used to control when your sprinklers come on and turn off, and how long to run them. Without going into great detail about how automatic sprinkler systems are designed, your system will usually be divided up into different zones. Each zone controls a variable number of sprinkler heads, and each zone has a valve. The controller, or timer controls these valves. By default they are off, but when a small electric current is sent from the controller, it opens the valve and lets water through and out to the heads. Contrary to may beliefs, the pressure of the water is what makes the heads go up, the automatic timer only controls the valves that let the water through.
There are many different brands and styles of controllers / timers, and many accessories for them, from sensors for rain and wind to remote controls. But most automatic sprinkler timers have the same basic functions. The typical controller will have run times, start times and programs.
Run times are simply setting how long each zone will run. Depending on the type of heads and ground that is being covered the run times may vary per zone.
Start times are simply when you would like the zones to start running. You can usually set the start time to happen 3-4 times a day, and it will go through all the run times for each zone once for each start time.
Programs add another dimension to your start times. You can make a program that runs all your zones twice a day. You can then make a seperate program that runs only one zone once a day. An application for this would be if you want to water your lawn twice a day but only run your drip system once a day.
Controllers go on with many more features, such as percentages, response to sensors and many combinations of watering programs and start times, but this is basically how it works. Most controllers will also have a back up battery in case the power goes out. This usually won’t run the sprinklers when there is no power to the timer, but it will keep your settings so you don’t have to enter them again, and that is a good thing.
Pictured here are Virtualrain controllers, but there are many different brands each with their own pros and cons. Finding the right one for you involves first making sure that it covers the number of zones you have, and then it’s just desired features from there.
Controllers No Comments »
24
September
2006
A Rain Sensor is a device that hooks into your automatic timer/controller to regulate your watering when it’s raining out.
If you have automatic sprinklers on a timer, they are set to run on a schedule no matter what the weather, and if the weather or season changes, it is usually up to you to adjust the timer accordingly. Living in the northwest, often times I will be driving to work in the morning during the early or late summer when it is raining, and see the sprinklers going for homes and businesses. While it is raining watering your lawn the same amount, and often at all is a waste of money and resources.
A rain sensor can help you avoiding wasting water and money when it is not necessary. Most controllers for your automatic sprinklers will have a connection available for a rain sensor, and although different rain sensors use different methods for sensing rain, the hook up is generally the same. The idea is that it will just flip a switch electronically to tell your timer to stop watering, and the switch will flip back to tell the timer to water again when it dries out. This means that you can usually hook up any rain sensor to any controller.
You need to mount your rain sensor outside where it is going to be exposed to the same rain your lawn is. Some common places to mount a rain sensor is on the eave or rain gutter of your house, or on a wall or fence where it is exposed to rain from directly above.
Rain sensors are a small extra cost when installing your system, but they will pay for themselves quickly in the water that they save, and it is a good idea to conserve water resources in your community.
Rain-Click [Hunter Industries]
Controller Accessories, Sensors No Comments »
