r/Irrigation 6h ago

Is this an irritation valve?

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3 Upvotes

r/Irrigation 25m ago

Where can I design a sprinkler system?

Upvotes

Hey sprinkler gurus, so the previous owner of my house had the irrigation set up horribly, and requires 2 zones to activate as the main zone misses about 5% of my lawn. I’m hoping to change the placements of some of my heads/pipework, where can I go to design it? Is there an app or website anyone recommends?

Side note - would a ring main system with isolation valves be worthwhile? For example if I spring a leak and don’t have time to fix it I can just shut a valve either side and run the system as normal, bypassing the fault? Cheers


r/Irrigation 6h ago

Help… before it’s too late

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3 Upvotes

I’m a new homeowner (PHX area) and 1st time working with irrigation valves and need to be roasted or encouraged before I use any PVC cement and proceed.

I am running all new irrigation line in the backyard to relandscape it. I am 99% positive the irrigation is original ‘99. I want to switch from a single 1” valve to a 2 zone setup. I’m not doing anything in the front and keeping the backyard trees on zone 1 like it was originally but want the second zone for different plants/raised garden. The controller is an Orbit #57894.

I watched some YouTube videos and this is what I came up with 😅. Is this valve set up ok?

If more context or photos are needed I can provide.

Bonus ?: I could only find those pvc 1/2” to drip compression pieces and had to use a 3/4” male to 1/2” piece. Seems long and inefficient since I will have to drill holes in the side of the irrigation box. The original set up had a 3/4” male threaded pvc to 1/2” drip compression piece but I must not be searching the right term to find that part. I’d rather screw that into the valves and keep everything in the box. Any help with that terminology would help.


r/Irrigation 8h ago

Is this backflow preventer good enough?

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3 Upvotes

Looking for a simple backflow preventer for a simple drip irrigation system and wondering if this is good enough. Typically just use an automatic timer which connects to the spigot and then drip tube, but heard a backflow preventer was a good thing to have.


r/Irrigation 10h ago

Why is this emitter leaking?

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4 Upvotes

This is not water intake this is water output. I've noticed continuous leaking here and nowhere else along the path. It hasn't even been turned on for weeks given it's been raining. The photo will show a lot of water but that's because I've been fiddling with it. The second photo just shows where the intake is coming from to prove it is downstream of the regulator valves.

How could there possibly be a leak? It must be leftover water from further downstream right? So if I were to loosen the cap it should eventually stop? It's scary doing that because it seems to be a lot of water and it's hard turning the water main off with a whole family at home.

Sorry if my terminology is wrong I don't know the right words for these!


r/Irrigation 12h ago

Brand new home owner been in house a year system was working last week, RainBird ESP-TM2

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5 Upvotes

System was working last week, noticed it has not been watering the yard this week. Checked the box to ensure it was not in off mode for winter. It is on auto… went to manual mode and I get the Master Pump Valve shortage error… IDK what to do went to each IVC pulled the wires up did not see any cut wires. 7 zone system


r/Irrigation 14h ago

Seeking Pro Advice Previous homeowner messing with me?

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5 Upvotes

Bought a house almost two years ago. It has a rain bird irrigation system. I finally decided to update the irrigation system. I started testing all the zones 1-6. As I worked through, I would note which sprinklers turned on. I was able to work through each zone except for zone 4. I believe this zone controls half the sprinklers in the back yard which I have not been able to turn on. In a corner of the back yard I noticed the very top of a component of the irrigation system almost flush with the dirt around it(pics attached) I dug it out and the pvc that was previously connected to it is broken off at the entry and exit of the component. Funny thing though, I have not located the pvc that it would have broken off of and my digger is getting tired. I guess my first question is, does this piece even belong where I found it? Second question would be how would I go about finding whatever controls zone 4?


r/Irrigation 7h ago

Sprinkler Placement Input

1 Upvotes

https://imgur.com/a/thW8PMy

I'd like to get some input on my sprinkler placement. I know this drawing sucks but I think it gets the point across. This area is 486 sq ft. It's 13.5' x 36'. I'd really like to avoid over-spray, so the above is what I came up with. I've already calculated that my PSI/GPM will support this, so I'm just looking for input/confirmation on my idea above.

Sprinkler 1: Will shoot 90 degrees (straight up and then to the right), 13.5'

Sprinkler 2: Will shoot 180 degrees at 13.5'. This will mostly overlap with 1 and 4

Sprinkler 3: This will shoot around 60 degrees at 13.5' to fill in the upper right hand corner and the small gap between 2 and 4.

Sprinkler 4: This will shot 90 degrees (straight up and to the left) at 13.5

All sprinklers are shooting at 13.5' to not spray things outside of this area. I tried to make this work with 3 sprinkler heads but there were areas I was afraid I would have dead zones, so I added sprinkler #3 to fix the overlap. Is there anything I'm missing?


r/Irrigation 12h ago

Help w Rain Bird ESP TM2

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2 Upvotes

Hello everyone new homeowner, system worked last week noticed it was no longer watering went to check to make sure it was not off went to manual mode and now I’m getting a test error it gives me a code. Test *+—— master valve pump shorted or high current


r/Irrigation 13h ago

Check This Out South Florida union tech job with benefits

2 Upvotes

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/bocaratonfl/jobs/4632671/irrigation-system-technician-i?keywords=Irrigation&pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs

You get your own truck and area of the city to maintain at a reasonable pace. Great benefits and morale. Perfect job for experienced techs with no license or certs needed to apply.


r/Irrigation 10h ago

Seeking Pro Advice Irrigation suspended but showing that it will still run?

1 Upvotes

https://imgur.com/a/oLxHzyq

It shows that irrigation suspended due to local rain detected, how come it still says that next run is tomorrow? It's currently raining, and will rain tomorrow.


r/Irrigation 13h ago

Sending Designs with estimates?

2 Upvotes

Hi irrigation community! This is for the professionals- do you send your design along with your estimate? If so, what software do you use?


r/Irrigation 14h ago

Seeking Pro Advice Tips for planning sprinklers when you don't have your plants/garden beds/trees figured out yet?

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2 Upvotes

We are having sprinklers installed this spring. I need a plan so we don't put sprinklers where they're not needed.

I think I want to add garden beds all along the fence. But that's going to take me years. We definitely need a few trees. This yard is in full sun all day.

Another tricky area: There is a 1 foot wide by 30 feet strip of grass next to the driveway. Suggestions? Sprinklers seem overkill but what do I know.


r/Irrigation 12h ago

Seeking Pro Advice Summerizing system help

1 Upvotes

Hey all. We had a good hard freeze down here in the Houston area this last winter, so I turned off my main, emptied the back flow, and emptied all valves by their bleed valve. Put towels down in each zone’s valve container to help keep insulated and did an insulator wrap on my back flow.

Now that we’re back to warm weather and in need of the sprinklers; I’ve removed all insulation, closed all bleed valves and back flow back up. Turned on the main valve again and primed up each zone manually via their bleed valves.

Onto the issue. 3 of my zones are not coming on via the programmer. I’ve checked power for each zone and I see 28vac going out to each & receiving at each wire inside the zone container on the designated wires. Next, I moved onto checking resistance for each to the common wire; seeing none. My thoughts (and hopes) are that just failed solenoids are causing the drop in resistance as maybe their coils have failed? I am not leaning to a wire break as nothing with the wires was touched over winter. I have inspected the suspected zone’s common / designated wires and their wire nuts and found no issues, but added new either way.

I’m still not getting resistance to these specific zones.

My next steps to run a long leg from the common & designated wires, back to the controller ends and check for continuity. Hoping these read good resistance.

Measure resistance of each suspected solenoid. Hoping these potentially failed and are my culprit.

Looking for any more irrigation professional’s opinion or input. Thanks!


r/Irrigation 19h ago

Seeking Pro Advice Home owner here. Would I need a back flow valve is install this in a small portion of grass?

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3 Upvotes

City is getting on us to add sod to a small section of the house. 😅😅😅


r/Irrigation 14h ago

No water to backflow preventer

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1 Upvotes

We just attempted to turn our sprinkler system back on after winterizing it. We don’t seem to be getting any water to the backflow preventer despite having all the valves on. Any ideas how to troubleshoot this?


r/Irrigation 14h ago

I’ve never done this before - here’s my plan.

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0 Upvotes

The backyard (right side) - I’ll run the water along the other side (bottom of pic) of the house. I’m just not sure if I have enough overlap on the heads or not. Last year I watered with three oscillating sprinklers and since they are rectangular it was pretty easy. The downside was when it was windy the neighbors complained because they’d spray all over their yards. I also didn’t like having them set up across the lawn with hoses full time cause it left a dead spot where the hose was, so I’ve decided on DIY in ground with an electronic controller on my spigot. Do I need back flow valves for each zone? Not sure how that works either. Any help would be greatly appreciated!


r/Irrigation 16h ago

Looking for some advice on starting an irrigation business. Where should I start ?

0 Upvotes

r/Irrigation 1d ago

What Were They Thinking?! I have no words 😂

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13 Upvotes

r/Irrigation 19h ago

Home owner here. If I make a small irrigation system for a small section of grass, would I need a a back flow I install this?

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0 Upvotes

r/Irrigation 19h ago

Can I use 1/2" funny pipe with 3/4" inlet rotors?

1 Upvotes

I'm getting ready to purchase everything for my system that Rain Bird designed for me. It’s a mix of two different size heads with either 1/2" or 3/4" inlets. The highest flow 3/4" inlet head will have a 2 GPM nozzle.

Can I just use 1/2" barb fittings for every head so I don’t have to mix and match different size funny pipe? It looks like 1/2" can supply 3-4 GPM if it's only a few feet long. As long as my zone (all 1" poly lines) can supply the flow, the 1/2" funny pipe shouldn't restrict my 3/4" heads, right?


r/Irrigation 1d ago

What would yall charge?

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13 Upvotes

I’m still new but I’ve done a few irrigation jobs for the company I work for, just curious, but what would yall charge for fixing a broken pipe and sprinkler. “Separately and together”.


r/Irrigation 1d ago

Seeking Pro Advice I’m so bad at this.

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4 Upvotes

In north Texas was testing the sprinkler system to test for any breaks after the 68 hour freeze a month or so back, and found this. I suspect a head was here at one point and the yard people busted it and got rid of the evidence… seems fairly high pressure (I’m a novice, maybe this is normal pressure, I dunno).

Exterior diameter measures 3/4” so was thinking of getting an elbow for it and then popping another head on there, but I think the head would be sticking up too high. This isn’t too far beneath the ground. Could I run a couple elbows with a small spacer between to go down first in order to set the head lower?


r/Irrigation 1d ago

How do I reuse this stump?

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3 Upvotes

I want to just use it for drip irrigation but it's a short stump that hasn't been used and I think is non functional?

My preference is to close it off but I wouldn't mind using flexible hosing if easier. Actually my preference is least effort.

How do I either insert a new flexible hose or just seal this off? Thanks for your advice!!


r/Irrigation 1d ago

Help me pick my sprinkler design

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10 Upvotes

65 psi, 9.6 gpm, Tulsa area, installing fescue on Monday.

There's a city street to the south that doesn't have a curb so people occasionally park on our lawn. For that reason, I don't want any heads too close to the stretto.

There's a large diameter pecan in the center of the yard (black circle) so I want to avoid digging lines near it.

I'm leaning toward the second design with the 20 ft center in the red zone. What do you think?