Irrigation, Landscape, Waterfalls, Fountains

    There is more to a sprinkler system than just sprinklers!

Products available:

There are many different styles and types of irrigation equipment and many manufacturers. This just provides some general information of the capabilities, capacities and uses of the various types and products within the industry. Also, there are some that is manufactured for the professional installer and some that is manufactured for the "do it yourself" market. While some of the professional products are available at retail outlets, retail outlets also carry products that are less expensive, poorer design, lessor quality or grade than what is designed and manufactured for the professional market. Care should be taken when comparing product costs and cost - benefit analysis should be considered that includes future maintenance and life of product.

Rotor and Impact Sprinklers:

These sprinklers heads can be popup or fixed-up and can be impulse (older style), gear or rotor drive powered turning by the water passing through the head. These type heads typically shoot a single stream (although there are a few with multi-stream) of water and rotate that stream in a circle or part circle. Depending on the type, they can be set to cover a near full circle or a portion of a circle with some being fixed at full circle only and no adjustment. Typical these style sprinklers cover approximately 45 to 80-foot circle depending on the design and nozzle size within and whether to be used on commercial properties or residential and have flows of from about 2 to more than 10 gallons per minute. Application rates of these heads can be 1 inch per hour or more depending on nozzle size and pressure. These type heads are typically used for large lawn or turf areas.

Rotor heads are useful in covering large areas, and typically apply water more uniformly than spray heads. Rotors can spray in full or part circle patterns, and some brands are adjustable to a wide variety of angles. The application rate of a rotor is usually lower than that of a spray head given the square footage of coverage by each type. Typical values are 0.6 to 0.8 inches per hour for rotor and impact heads. This slower output allows them to be used on various types of soil conditions and can assist in deep watering because of the lower rate of application. Another pro for them is that they are usually less expensive to use than spray head to cover large areas. Although they do have a setback in that there is not as much control over the water application and are easily affected by wind.

Spray Heads:

Spray heads can also be popup or fixed-up. These heads typically come in pre-set patterns of throw (90 degrees, 180 degrees, etc.) and angles of spray. These spray water over the entire coverage area at the same time. Nozzles are replaceable to get the desired degree of coverage and there are a variety of nozzles that also spray at low angles, low gallon, strip spay of 3 or 4 feet by 15-30 feet. The flexibility of these replaceable nozzles gives the ability to use for a variety of coverage areas such as Typical spray heads cover an approximately 30 to 36-foot circle and have flows of from 0.25 to about 4 gallons per minute depending on nozzle and pattern of spray. Application rates of spray heads can by about 2 inches per hour. Spray heads are typically used on shrubbery and small lawn areas.

Spray heads either pop-up out of the ground or are a stationary head such as those that are put on risers in bedded areas. Spray heads are most commonly used on small areas; turf, shrubs or flower beds. The most common spray patterns are full, half and quarter circles. Some heads are adjustable to a wide variety of angles. In addition to circle patterns, spray heads can also spray rectangle and square patterns

Spray heads put out a lot of water in a short amount of time. This means they have a high application rate. There is a large range of precipitation rates for different types and brands, but the average output is about 1 3/4 inches per hour. Spray heads work well on flat surfaces and with soils that can absorb the water quickly, such as sand. If spray heads are used on steep slopes or with a clay soil, the watering times should be cycled to allow the water to infiltrate into the soil instead of running off or the run off should be considered when watering area that receive it. Runoff should not be wasted water though and should not be allowed to go where it is not needed such as down roadways or into areas where irrigation is not needed, desired or beneficial to.

Drip irrigation:

Drip irrigation a "low pressure" irrigation technique that is characterized by a poly pipe with "emitters" located at various points and 1/4 inch tubes, referred to often as spaghetti tubing, that extend from the emitter attached to the thick polyethelene pipe to the root area of the vegetation. Drip irrigation is often included in the catagory of "micro irrigation", discussed below. Drip irrigation applies water much more slowly than sprinkler systems and therefore can and must be applied for a longer period of time. Flow rates are expressed in gallons per hour (GPH) and typically a half gallon per hour up to 2 gallons per hour at each emitter. Drip systems are generally rated at about 95 percent efficiency and therefore have almost no loss due to evaporation or runoff. It is primarily used for shrub areas, home gardens and often tree areas. Drip products do not leave the leaves or foliage wet and can be run at anytime as a result without fear of adverse affect. Drip irrigation always requires filtration for extended maintenance free performance and the small 1/4 inch lines should always be placed on top of soil but mulch can be used to cover them.

Micro irrigation:

Micro irrigation is a low-pressure irrigation system that apply irrigation with a small spray or mist. Sometimes drip systems are considered Micro ittigation as well but we differentiate between the two here although they certainly have similar natures. The water discharge patterns differ because emission devices are designed for specific applications due to agronomic or horticultural requirements. Micro-irrigation components include pipes, tubes, water emitting devices, flow control equipment, installation tools, fittings and accessories. It is challenging to select the proper type of equipment to assemble in a suitable fashion for best results.

The actual application of water in a micro irrigation system like drip systems is done though an emmitter. Emitter is basically a metering device made from plastic to regulate the water flow to a small and precise discharge amount and that amount is usually expressed in gallons of water per hour, just as in drip systems. Emitters are available that are also pressure compensating meaning they discharge water at a constant designed rate over a varied range of low pressures. This allows for even water discharge along a line that may have pressure variance because of the slope of the line or pressure loss because of discharge prior emitters. Most common devices used for home and business other that agriculture or large scale greenhouses are micro sprinkler and bubbler type.

Micro sprinklers have varied water throw patterns and are referred to as mini-sprays, micro sprays or spinners. The sprinkler heads are external emitters individually connected to the lateral pipe typically using "spaghetti tubing," which is usually 1/4 inch diameter tubing although 1/8 is sometimes used. The sprinkler heads usually mounted on a support stake or spike but can be anchored to the plant itself or even to the supply line.

Some advantages of micro irrigation and drip irrigation:

• Water economics area great, loss and water waste are extremely low, evaporation is reduced. Water supplies with limited flow rates such as wells or low pressure municipal can be easily utilized as the source.
• Weed and disease reduction. Because of limited wetted area from non-spray type of micro-irrigation, weed growth is inhibited and disease incidences reduced.
• Virtually no interference from wind.
• Micro irrigation systems can operate properly regardless of elevation changes and with extremely small to no runoff.

NOTE: Different style heads should NEVER be mixed and placed on the same irrigation sections because a even rate of water coverage can never be achieved when doing so, especially when mixing rotor or impact with any spray type heads since sprays will provide a greater amount of water on the smaller surface area than rotors or impacts will on the larger areas.

Timers or Controllers:

Timers (or controllers) are used to operate a sprinkler system automatically. Timers can be electronic or electro-mechanical and have various features and numbers of operating zones or stations. Generally timers use a 24-volt AC power source transformer going through the controller to operate electric valves in a sprinkler system. This amount of voltage and the current it supplies is virtually harmless (a shock cannot even be felt with your fingers usually). Current is carried to valves in wires buried in the ground usually in the same ditches with the irrigation pipe. Timers can be programmed to turn a system on at any given time and irrigate separate sections (zones) of the system for differing time lengths on varied days. The water cycle options are almost endless and with modern controllers are computer chip controlled with some being directly controlled by an external pc style computer and others even by radio control . Modern controllers even have inputs for other features such as rain or moisture sensors and freeze controllers which are required in some municipalities and certainly desirable ever when not required.

Electric Valve:

This is the most common used type valve in sprinkler systems although there are others such as hydrolic valves, valve in head and valves that are "actuated" by an electric pulse rather than a constant energy source. This valve that is turned on by applying a 24-volt AC power source and the valve turns off when the power is removed. Most electric valves may also be operated manually by opening a small "bleed" fitting on them but that feature is rarely used except when doing maintenance on the system. These valves are generally buried in the irrigation area in a valve box surrounding it to allow access to the valve underground. Some are sometimes attached close to each other in a "manifold" style above or below although that is not the common style of installation in areas that are more susceptible to freeze.

Backflow Prevention Device:

This is one of the most important devices on a sprinkler system and is usually required when utilizing ANY potable water. Municipalities and water providing companies all require a backflow device of one sort or another and they can also require this device to be tested by a state certified inspector (even though you may have installed the sprinkler system yourself). There are several types of backflow devices but the one that is generally used for sprinkler systems and meets most municipal requirements is one called Double Check Valve Assembly. These devices also usually have to be on the approved devices by the state. This device's purpose is to prevent the possibility of contaminated water from moving from the irrigation system back into the water supply. Water can become contaminated by use of insecticides, fertilizers or even naturally occurring items on or in the ground. When this contaminated water is "sucked" from there back through the sprinkler system pipes and into the potable water supply, it creates a tremendous health hazard to both yourself, your family, your neighbors and others.