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esigning a Sprinkler Systemhttp://www.extremehowto.com/xh/printpage.asp?article_id=603351 of 817/09/2006 1:39 PM
Designing a Sprinkler System
 Jess StrykerThe first and one of the most important stepsin designing a sprinkler system is to gatherinformation. A mistake at this point in theprocess will affect everything else, soaccuracy and care are important.Many irrigation system problems are tracedback to inaccurate measurement of the area tobe irrigated, so use a measuring tape or otherreliable measuring device to get started. Goahead and round off numbers to the nearestfoot, but keep in mind that a minor deviationof a couple of feet can result in dry spots.Draw the area to be irrigated to scale on apiece of graph paper as you measure it. Use ascale of 1 square = 1 foot, or 1 square = 5 feet,if needed. Drawing as you go allows you toquickly catch errors. If there is a building adjoining the irrigatedarea, start by measuring the building's perimeter. Most buildings are built with square corners and straightsides, which gives you a good, accurate base for the rest of your measurements.Measure the distance in a straight line from each corner of the building to the edge of the area to beirrigated. Draw in property lines and double-check everything by measuring the length of each actualproperty line.Next, draw in the other items that are present in the area. For example, you would need to show the edgesof lawns, tree locations, the location of your pool house, etc. With these items on the graph, you have amap of where you can and cannot plan the irrigation lines. 
Measure the Water Supply
The next step is to measure the water supply. In the United States, water pressure is measured in poundsper square inch (PSI), and water flow is measured in gallons per minute (GPM). Water pressure is the energy that powers your sprinkler system, so it is very important. If you work withit, it will make your sprinklers do the “rain dance.” If you ignore it, it can bite you hard in the wallet.Water flow is the traveling companion of water pressure. Pressure is the “energy” that moves waterthrough the pipes. Flow is the measurement of how much water is moved in a given amount of time. You want to start by figuring out what the maximum water supply would be if you had perfect conditions,such as a very short pipe from the water meter to your house, lots of water pressure, a small yard, etc.Then you're going to modify that number to reflect your actual conditions (long pipe, lousy water
 
esigning a Sprinkler Systemhttp://www.extremehowto.com/xh/printpage.asp?article_id=603352 of 817/09/2006 1:39 PM
pressure, etc… More on this later …). The end result will determine what the exact, optimum watersupply is for designing your sprinkler system. This means the sprinkler system will use less water, lastlonger, and there won't be dry spots. This will take a bit more work than “guesstimating,” but it will beworth it. The method used to measure the water supply depends on the source of the water. The measuring processdiffers between (a) city water systems, (b) water pumped from a well, pond or creek, or (c) water from atank or pond located up a hill. The specifics of measuring these different water sources are rathercomplicated and could easily occupy all the space for this magazine article. For a helpful, highly detailed(and free!) tutorial on measuring your water supply, complete with an easy-to-use Design Data Form,check out the web page www.irrigationtutorials.com, which is the source of information for this article.Once you have measured your water you will have determined a Maximum Available Flow (GPM) andwhat is called “Static Pressure” (PSI). You need to write these values down, you will need them later.
Selecting Equipment
The next step is to select the irrigation equipment. There are multiple components of a sprinkler systemand multiple options for each component. Here's a look at the basics. 
Backflow Preventer
– You must have a backflow preventer on your irrigation system. In most places thisis the law, everywhere else it's just the smart thing to do. Usually the local authorities will prohibit certaintypes of backflow preventers from being used with irrigation systems, because they do not provideadequate protection. In some cases, the authorities will dictate the exact type of backflow preventer youmust use. Your landscape has all kinds of nasty things in it that will make you sick if you drink them. Thusirrigation water is considered a contaminant (health hazard) rather than just a pollutant (objectionable incolor or odor). Irrigation water often contains toxic chemicals (fertilizers, pesticides, etc.) and animalwaste. These things will come back up your irrigation pipes and into your drinking water if you don't stopthem with a backflow preventer. The manual or automatic valves that turn on and off your irrigationsystem are not sufficient to stop backflow. The purpose of the backflow preventer is to protect the systemwhen the valve leaks, which all valves will do eventually. Saving a little money by skipping the backflowpreventer will not seem so smart after you spend a small fortune on hospital bills (or funeral expenses) fora poisoned family member. All backflow preventers must be installed correctly. Follow the instructions that come with the units. 
Mainlines
– The mainline consists of all the pipes from your water source to your irrigation valves. Youwill likely have two mainline sections, the existing house mainline that goes from your water source to thepoint where the irrigation system connects, and the irrigation mainline from the irrigation-systemconnection point to the irrigation control valves. In most cases I recommend using Schedule 40 PVC pipewith the letters UPC and NSHF stamped on the pipe for new mainlines. The requirements for the type of pipe are usually written into local laws. If your house mainline is polyethylene (a flexible black plastic that usually has a slightly oily feel to it), then you will probably want to use heavy-wall (rated 125PSI) polyethylene pipe for the mainline also, however it is not as durable as PVC and you should check local codes to make sure it is still permissible.
 
esigning a Sprinkler Systemhttp://www.extremehowto.com/xh/printpage.asp?article_id=603353 of 817/09/2006 1:39 PM
 Run pipes from each control valve to the sprinklers that are in the zone operated by that control valve.I do not recommend that you use poly pipe for mainlines if you have a static water pressure over 65 PSI.Normally the pressure rating of the pipe should be double the actual water pressure. You can also usecopper or galvanized steel pipe for new mainlines if you wish. Copper is expensive, but a great choice asit is very durable. Galvanized steel is not such a great choice, because it corrodes from the inside and willslowly choke off the flow over time. If the water pressure is higher than 65 PSI and you want to use apolyethylene mainline, then you should install a pressure regulator at the beginning of the mainline toreduce the pressure to 65 PSI. Any new mainline pipe should be installed at least 18 inches deep, or below the frost level, in order tomeet code requirements. So, what size should the new irrigation mainline be? I wish there was an easyanswer, but, unfortunately, there is not. You will have to guesstimate the size at this point. I suggeststarting with a pipe the same size as the house mainline. Then calculate the total pressure loss in themainlines and add it to all of the other pressure losses in the sprinkler system. If the pressure losses are toogreat, you may then need to increase the size of your new mainline. (More on pressure loss later.) 
Valves
– There are many different kinds of valves available. You will need at least two different types foryour irrigation system.
 An Emergency Shut-off Valve
should be installed at the closest point possible to thewater source, that is, the location where you tap in for the irrigation system. Without this valve you willneed to shut-off the water to the entire house when you want to work on the mainline or irrigation valves.The most commonly used valves for this purpose are “gate valves” because they are inexpensive.Unfortunately the cheap gate valves also tend to not close completely and fail after a short period of time.While a gate valve will get you by, I recommend using a “ball valve.” 
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