sprinklers

[dabuddha]

So I'm looking to purchase a couple of sprinklers for my lawn. It's not a very big lawn and I think 2-3 sprinklers would be enough to cover the whole front and maybe 2-3 in the back as well. Would have to be above ground because I'm not about to shell out 2k for an underground system. Any suggestions for sprinklers? I was thinking I could plant 2-3 of them in strategic places and get shorter pieces of hose to connect them in series.

Also I was thinking of putting in a splitter on my backyard faucet and run a hose to my veggie garden. Would like a suggestion for a single sprinkler that'll nicely water the garden (8'x16' raised bed).

TIA

 

[bignateyk]

It takes 3 for me to cover my whole lawn, but I'm not sure you'll be able to run them in series (or parallel). I have 1 in the front, and 2 in the back off a splitter. I have to run them 1 at a time though, but the splitter makes it nice so that I don't have to move hose around.

Unless you have the volume and pressure of a fire hose, you'll probably have to run 1 at a time from each hose bib. Otherwise the flow gets cut in half to each sprinkler if you split them, and they hardly do anything.

 

[dabuddha]

Tap into the fire hydrant, check
What kind of sprinkler do you use? I don't mind spending a little extra money in order to get something that does a good job and will last me a long time.

 

[bignateyk]

Tap into the fire hydrant, check
What kind of sprinkler do you use? I don't mind spending a little extra money in order to get something that does a good job and will last me a long time.

I don't remember the brand. I got them at lowes. They are plastic, and will probably break at some point. I think they were about $20 each.

You can adjust all 4 directions on them individually (how far it goes in each direction, and how wide it is on both sides). This makes it nice for shaping it to your lawn so you aren't irrigating the sidewalk or something.

 

[spidey07]

The rainbird design really can't be beat. It's the one with the rotating head - tic, tic, tic, tssshsssshhshshshs. Plus I love the sound. Get ones that look sturdy and are heavy for their weight, all metal. Big deep spike to keep it in the ground and not moving. NO PLASTIC.

 

[compbuilder00]

Sorry this thread is now about Ollie Williams

 

[BoomerD]

So I'm looking to purchase a couple of sprinklers for my lawn. It's not a very big lawn and I think 2-3 sprinklers would be enough to cover the whole front and maybe 2-3 in the back as well. Would have to be above ground because I'm not about to shell out 2k for an underground system. Any suggestions for sprinklers? I was thinking I could plant 2-3 of them in strategic places and get shorter pieces of hose to connect them in series.

Also I was thinking of putting in a splitter on my backyard faucet and run a hose to my veggie garden. Would like a suggestion for a single sprinkler that'll nicely water the garden (8'x16' raised bed).

TIA

If you have a small lawn, a good underground sprinkler system would only cost a couple hundred $$ to put in if you do the work yourself.

 

[dabuddha]

If you have a small lawn, a good underground sprinkler system would only cost a couple hundred $$ to put in if you do the work yourself.

That's true. I guess if there was an easy way to dig those trenches to lay down the PVC pipes I'd gladly do it. I did ours in Texas with my dad and uncle and it wasn't too bad (cept all the digging )

 

[Crusty]

Hire someone to dig the trenches, a days labor is cheap.

 

[BoomerD]

That's true. I guess if there was an easy way to dig those trenches to lay down the PVC pipes I'd gladly do it. I did ours in Texas with my dad and uncle and it wasn't too bad (cept all the digging )

Rent a ditchwitch trencher at home depot...You can cut hundreds of feet of trench in a couple of hours with those. VERY little hand-work required.

Depending on your climate, (frost depth in winter) you may only need a 1' deep trench...or 2' if it gets really cold. Of course, if it gets THAT cold in the winter, you'll have maintenance to do to prevent everything from freezing and cracking.

 

[dabuddha]

Rent a ditchwitch trencher at home depot...You can cut hundreds of feet of trench in a couple of hours with those. VERY little hand-work required.

Depending on your climate, (frost depth in winter) you may only need a 1' deep trench...or 2' if it gets really cold. Of course, if it gets THAT cold in the winter, you'll have maintenance to do to prevent everything from freezing and cracking.

I live in the Northern Virginia area (woodbridge) for what it's worth. I'll head out to home depot this weekend to check it out. If I could, I would much rather have an underground system honestly.

 

[darkxshade]

I think 3 UPS drivers should cover your lawn just fine. :awe:

 

[dabuddha]

lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2ZSHrRdtOA

Ok now I'm really interested in the underground system. That makes it look so easy! Especially since our back and front yards have so much stone underneath the grass (fucking builders used our yards as "dump sites")

 

[BoomerD]

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/undergroundsprinkler

http://www.irrigationtutorials.com/install.htm

 

[EagleKeeper]

Get the PVC pipe laid out in the pattern you need. Get couplings and risers, PVC cement and a pipe cutter. Use the rented ditchwitch to cut the trench along side where you have the pipes laid out.

Either cut into a water pipe or setup a connection to the water source
Place a PVC shutoff valve right near the connection if you are connecting directly into a water line.

Start connecting pipe. At every split; add a shutoff valve on each departure. You may wish to mark the spots and cover them with a large plastic garden pot. The valves are incase a line breaks; you can use the rest of the system.

If you want the system to be an automatic; you will need control valves for each area (zone) instead of just the shut off valve; run wiring to the control box and protect the valves. It is probably best to have the control valve for each zone to be located together for maintenance purposes.

Make sure the horizontal lines are deep enough so that if you drive over them they will not be cracked.

This should be planned for a 2 day job. The ditchwitch will speed up but may tire you out afterwards. Advance prep will be the key to a clean and swift job.