Lawn irrigation - Sprinkler head placement?

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I am in the process of planning and installing a Rainbird DIY kit.

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I don't expect this to be anywhere close to a pro installed system, but will make it much easier to water the lawn on a scheduled basis. We are looking at a rather dry summer here, and our clay soils shrink when dry and cause foundation damage. I figure a irrigation system should keep the soil moist and keep the grass from turning into dust.

When it comes to sprinkler placement, I see that the general trend is to place sprinkler heads along the perimeter and have each do a 90 degree sweep. In this pic I found that resembles my backyard, you can see how they use 6 heads to get complete coverage of the rectangle area.
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But if the sprinkler heads can do 360 degrees of rotation, then I don't see why I wouldn't put the heads directly in the middle of the lawn and try to get circles of coverage that overlap by a foot. This way I can use 4 heads to cover 90% of the rectangle area, and the remaining 2 heads can be put on the sides where there is grass that needs watering. (not my pic but conveniently similar to what I am suggesting)
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Is there some functional reason to not put sprinkler heads in the middle of a lawn or is it just aesthetics/coverage?
 
If you don't do head to head placement (of the same family of sprinklers), you won't get even coverage.

You have to place a sprinkler in every corner and then fill in from there.

Rainbird will do a free design for you.
 
Originally Posted By: CharlieBauer
If you don't do head to head placement (of the same family of sprinklers), you won't get even coverage.

You have to place a sprinkler in every corner and then fill in from there.

Rainbird will do a free design for you.


+1 This.

Highly recommend you rent an aerator first to deal with your clay. Otherwise the water will run off and water unevenly even if you have good sprinkler coverage.

BTW - Milorganite is the best!! Beats Scotts junk by a mile and much less $$. I have clay soil, St Augustine grass and my lawn has never looked better since I aerated and switched to Milorganite. I probably have the highest water rates anywhere so have to do it right.
 
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My sprinklers only have 5 heads max on one zone. They changed the zoning in my town and you can no longer install heads between the street and sidewalk. Check your town for its rules. Also had to submit the drawings of the zones and head placement to the town for approval. My front lawn has the heads in the middle. The installer said it's better to put them on the perimeter but the town zoning wouldn't allow it for the front lawn.
 
I did mine years ago and I would recommend putting the heads in the planting beds, if possible, then you do not have to worry about running over them with the mower or hitting them while edging.
 
Originally Posted By: CharlieBauer
If you don't do head to head placement (of the same family of sprinklers), you won't get even coverage.

You have to place a sprinkler in every corner and then fill in from there. Rainbird will do a free design for you.


Yes. Rainbird should know their distribution patterns better than anyone else. Rotating heads don't shoot out even patterns. Their design engineers have run tests with computer analysis of each nozzle design to get the most uniform pattern possible, which is nothing near 100% even.

Also let them know your soil type so they can design an application rate that is efficient and doesn't exceed the soil absorbtion rate.

Fun stuff! I studied it years ago, but haven't kept up with it.
 
The reason for 90 degree placement is that when most rotating heads reach 90 degrees and reverse, the spray pattern is different as it returns and waters the underneath area. When a rotating head goes 360 degrees, the coverage usually is less complete.

I base this on my experience maintaining my Hunter 11 zone system for the past 14 years. Of course, your Rainbird heads may be different.
 
To clarify - I am installing this myself and NOT using a pro.

The kit is sold as a DIY solution and does not come with any support besides a product warranty.
 
Originally Posted By: Leo99
My sprinklers only have 5 heads max on one zone. They changed the zoning in my town and you can no longer install heads between the street and sidewalk. Check your town for its rules. Also had to submit the drawings of the zones and head placement to the town for approval. My front lawn has the heads in the middle. The installer said it's better to put them on the perimeter but the town zoning wouldn't allow it for the front lawn.


Do you get adequate coverage of the lawn with the heads in the middle? And does the grass grow in such a way that it is evident that water is not reaching the edges or corners?
 
You must have head to head coverage and 100 percent overlap.

Very important. You must match the precipitation rates of you heads. MPR. Very important.

Simple concept. A 360 degree rotor will only make 1 pass over a given area in the same amount of time a 90 degree rotor will make 4 passes over its given area. Therefore a 90 degree rotors gallons per min will be X, a 180 degree rotor will be x times 2, 270 degree rotor will be x times 3 and finally a 360 degree rotor will be x times 4.

This way all of the rotors are actually putting out the same gallons per min per square foot.

GPM per rotor is controlled by nozzle size and selection.
 
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Originally Posted By: NormanBuntz
The reason for 90 degree placement is that when most rotating heads reach 90 degrees and reverse, the spray pattern is different as it returns and waters the underneath area. When a rotating head goes 360 degrees, the coverage usually is less complete.

I base this on my experience maintaining my Hunter 11 zone system for the past 14 years. Of course, your Rainbird heads may be different.


Not true with geared rotors. True with impact rotors which are dinosaurs now.
 
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
To clarify - I am installing this myself and NOT using a pro.

The kit is sold as a DIY solution and does not come with any support besides a product warranty.
It says easy on the package!
 
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
Originally Posted By: Leo99
My sprinklers only have 5 heads max on one zone. They changed the zoning in my town and you can no longer install heads between the street and sidewalk. Check your town for its rules. Also had to submit the drawings of the zones and head placement to the town for approval. My front lawn has the heads in the middle. The installer said it's better to put them on the perimeter but the town zoning wouldn't allow it for the front lawn.


Do you get adequate coverage of the lawn with the heads in the middle? And does the grass grow in such a way that it is evident that water is not reaching the edges or corners?


You can either get adequate coverage and put a lot of water into the street or miss some edges. I miss a corner but it's near my utility box so it's ok. We had a big fight with the sprinkler people as they installed the head between the street and sidewalk not in accordance with what they submitted to the town. The town inspector said it had to be fixed. The sprinkler company told me to just turn them off and tell the inspector it was fixed. I was shocked they would even suggest that. They finally moved the heads and made it right.
 
Originally Posted By: ToadU
Not true with geared rotors. True with impact rotors which are dinosaurs now.
Really....didn't know that. I have the later. What ways are the former superior?
 
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
To clarify - I am installing this myself and NOT using a pro.

The kit is sold as a DIY solution and does not come with any support besides a product warranty.


They offer free design tools and easy to understand and apply advise and best practice info on their website.

I knew zilch about what, how and why to use, program and maintain a sprinkler system when I moved into my house with one. With the help of the site I have done all my maintenance, completely changed the programming and added heads and zones to mine and the original installer tells me it's as good as he has ever seen from DIY.
 
Originally Posted By: Balrog006
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
To clarify - I am installing this myself and NOT using a pro.

The kit is sold as a DIY solution and does not come with any support besides a product warranty.


They offer free design tools and easy to understand and apply advise and best practice info on their website.

I knew zilch about what, how and why to use, program and maintain a sprinkler system when I moved into my house with one. With the help of the site I have done all my maintenance, completely changed the programming and added heads and zones to mine and the original installer tells me it's as good as he has ever seen from DIY.


You blow them out yourself in the autumn? I pay a service to blow them out. Don't do any maintenance.
 
Originally Posted By: Leo99
Originally Posted By: Balrog006
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
To clarify - I am installing this myself and NOT using a pro.

The kit is sold as a DIY solution and does not come with any support besides a product warranty.


They offer free design tools and easy to understand and apply advise and best practice info on their website.

I knew zilch about what, how and why to use, program and maintain a sprinkler system when I moved into my house with one. With the help of the site I have done all my maintenance, completely changed the programming and added heads and zones to mine and the original installer tells me it's as good as he has ever seen from DIY.


You blow them out yourself in the autumn? I pay a service to blow them out. Don't do any maintenance.


Yeah, friend of mine is a contractor and has a large towable compressor, i just got the fittings I needed after watching the installer do it the first year and asking him some questions and reading up on it. My system also has a test mode that perfect for line blow out.

You really need a high volume/flow compressor, high PSI alone won't do a good job of it. The one I use can put out PSI but it's a 150 CFM which is how you get the lines blown out well.
 
Originally Posted By: Balrog006
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
To clarify - I am installing this myself and NOT using a pro.

The kit is sold as a DIY solution and does not come with any support besides a product warranty.


They offer free design tools and easy to understand and apply advise and best practice info on their website.
Originally Posted By: tom slick
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
To clarify - I am installing this myself and NOT using a pro.

The kit is sold as a DIY solution and does not come with any support besides a product warranty.


Rainbird offers design service without any purchase

http://rainbird.com/homeowner/design/index.htm


Yup
 
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