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

On Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:25:51 -0400, (Edward Rice) wrote:

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

My suggestion is to design a proper irrigation for you lawn area. Do
it for free at http://www.rainbird.com/homeowner/index.htm

3/4 PVC of the schedule 40 or whatever, buried underground about four
inches (drain pipes in winter if needed) will work better than an
octopus all over the yard.

"Edward Rice" wrote in message
...
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

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?
www.heartsurgerysurvivalguide.com
Heart Surgery Survival Guide

On Jul 26, 2:25*pm, (Edward Rice) wrote:
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

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

On Tue, 26 Jul 2011 20:35:30 -0700 (PDT), Harry K
wrote:

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.

My solar pool panel pipes are 2 inches, painted with latex? No damage
from UV so far. Years old.

The system has a "positive drain valve" (PDV) on the highest area.
When the pool pump turns off, the pipes drain to prevent freezing. The
pump comes on and closes the PDV.

The positive drain can be found for irrigation as I understand. When
the system turns off it leaks into a small dry well at the end of a
water zones.. No need to flush/ blow the PVC lines in the ground. I
don't have the irrigation version. I'm in the desert. The solar PDV
works great for the rare occasion it freezes in Las Vegas.

Steve B wrote:

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

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)

Heart surgery pending?
www.heartsurgerysurvivalguide.com
Heart Surgery Survival Guide

Not quite yet, but ask again after I try this out.

Oren wrote:

My suggestion is to design a proper irrigation for you lawn area. Do
it for free at http://www.rainbird.com/homeowner/index.htm

3/4 PVC of the schedule 40 or whatever, buried underground about four
inches (drain pipes in winter if needed) will work better than an
octopus all over the yard.

Thanks for the link. You're right, and longer-term I expect to do
something more permanent. I want to try it out first, for a whole
season, see if I can actually get grass to grow well in this spot.

Harry K wrote:

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.

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

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.

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.

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

Oren wrote:

My solar pool panel pipes are 2 inches, painted with latex? No damage
from UV so far. Years old.

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

On Jul 26, 11:35*pm, Harry K wrote:
On Jul 26, 2:25*pm, (Edward Rice) wrote:





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

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- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

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.

On Jul 26, 10:21*pm, (Edward Rice) wrote:
Steve B wrote:

snip

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.

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.


snip

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

Edward Rice wrote:

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.

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.

What is your pressure without the boosater? My sprinkler pump cycles from 20 psi
to about 35, and works zones with up to 4 impulse sprinklers, 2 - 1/2" and 2 -
3/4". I will suggest that some impulse sprinklers will work, and some won't on
my system. I have had to select by testing. I suspect my 1" PVC piping makes a
bit difference in keeping things working. Pipe pressure drop can make a big
difference.

On Jul 26, 10:21*pm, (Edward Rice) wrote:
Steve B wrote:
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

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)

Heart surgery pending?
www.heartsurgerysurvivalguide.com
Heart Surgery Survival Guide

Not quite yet, but ask again after I try this out.

Oren wrote:
My suggestion is to design a proper irrigation for you lawn area. *Do
it for free at http://www.rainbird.com/homeowner/index.htm

3/4 PVC of the schedule 40 or whatever, buried underground about four
inches (drain pipes in winter if needed) will work better than an
octopus all over the yard.

Thanks for the link. You're right, and longer-term I expect to do
something more permanent. I want to try it out first, for a whole
season, see if I can actually get grass to grow well in this spot.

Harry K wrote:
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.

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

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.

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.

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
Oren wrote:
My solar pool panel pipes are 2 inches, painted with latex? *No damage
from UV so far. Years old.

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

Ed-

Check this out

http://www.torodesign.com/iguide2/tr...nal_step1.html

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’ 570 SERIES (BLUE) WITH 12° TRAJECTORY
PATTERN PSI GPM RADIUS
90° 30 0.40 10’
180° 30 0.71 10’
360° 30 1.49 10’
0-360° 30 2.11 10'

cheers
Bob