3 Ways to Connect Sprinkler Heads (irrigation system repair)

I show you the 3 main ways of hooking a sprinkler head up to it's supply pipe. This video is part of our online video training course, Irrigation 101: All About Sprinkler Heads
.
www.proirrigat...
.
Download our Free Troubleshooting Guide PDF. 9 pages that covers the 9 most common issues with irrigation systems.
.
www.proirrigat...
.
Para subtítulos en español, asegúrese de que los subtítulos CC estén activados, luego haga clic en Configuración (la rueda dentada) y luego haga clic en Subtítulos y luego en Español.

[@pastorlugo121]

Thank you for the video. It is exactly what I needed to know to replace my sprinkler heads.

[@Proirrigationtraining]

Thank you so much for watching and commenting!

[@diver291]

Thank you so much! Didn't know the terminology for the part I needed, but you nailed it. Saved me so much time.

[@Proirrigationtraining]

You're welcome. Glad the video helped you!

[@tmaddrummer]

Thanks and blessings, you just taught me a lot, and now a new subscriber!

[@Proirrigationtraining]

Great! Glad you learned something. Thanks for watching.

[@heroknaderi]

This video was very informative I liked the way you explained everything cheers 🥂

[@Proirrigationtraining]

Thank you!

[@Carter_Moody]

Thanks for the video. I've heard it's wise to reduce the diameter of the piping on the "last mile" to the destination (sprinkler head) to encourage smooth pressure and flow throughout the system. I have 7.5GPM 35PSI running or 55PSI closed. 3/4" supply pvc piping running to 4 sprinklers. Each 3/4" sprinkler attached via reducing 1/2" swing arm assembly. I will be sure to keep total GPM for those 4 sprinklers below 7GPM and also less than 4GPM per sprinkler (max flow rate of 1/2"). Do you see any flaws with this setup? Thank you!

[@Proirrigationtraining]

Hi there Duck, thanks for watching and commenting. Reducing the diameter of pipe is part of an installation method called 'Pipe Sizing." Really what that means is to only use a large enough pipe to carry the flow that you need, which is usually a step down for the last mile to the head. It can help you balance the pressure at the heads and also save money. It sounds like you have a good grasp of flow and what you said is good to go. Good luck with your install, hope it goes smooth.

[@Carter_Moody]

@@Proirrigationtraining thanks

[@ruliz3]

I noticed I had a lot of water pooling in between 2 sprinklers and dug out to view whole pipe. ZERO cracks in pipe but I notice it’s leaking from the elbows. Wondering if with time that happens maybe they have never been changed? Any recommendations?

[@Proirrigationtraining]

That's hard to say. A lot of weird things we see as irrigation repair techs, we are usually guessing as to the cause. Maybe expansion and contraction from temp changes? Maybe they had small leaks when installed and just got worse over time? If we're talking about threaded elbows, just put a little more teflon tape on than usual, or replace everything connected with new parts.

[@dfelixrx7]

Lay the Tee down and then add a swing joint to make a proper adjustment. This is your swing joint: Street elbow Nipple Street elbow Street elbow Now add your sprinkler head and make a proper height adjustment. You want to be at grade level.

[@wizardmaster6639]

Would it be ok to use PEX pipes instead of PVC for underground.. It is more durable for lower temperatures -

[@GPM116]

Hi..good info in the video you might be the guy I need...I have an old school system, 1995?...It all seems to spray water out of broken sprinkler heads... considering what I have repaired in the past..this is a different type of system and repair for me..A PVC valved 3" main intake from water source then is connected to a 3 zone valve set up about 2.5 to 3 inch with heavy duty rainbird 4" length heads. It is a property that prior owner did not use the system. It looks like all is PVC glued... bottom glued riser ends with threaded sprinkler head top end of the riser. Inflexible. It is in thick Bermuda grass. 1 head is broke at elbow turning up to head... it is broke 5 inches deep to the elbow turning up to the riser and head. I'm trying to resurrect the system because the water is free from a golf course unpotable river source. Do PVC threaded risers exist ? Can I cut to fit the riser to the threaded head? I'm in a minum freeze area of way very South Texas. I can regulate the 95psi ? (I'm told) if needed I suppose. It was in use 10 years ago according to neighbors. It seems regulated all but 1 head is broke others (miscellaneous mess) are just worn out, 15 years old. Any thoughts on disconnecting (I used to use the funny pipe snippers) the glued to replace elbows, risers and heads?

[@Proirrigationtraining]

Thanks for watching and the comments! There are a couple different kinds of threaded risers that you can use to connect the heads. Lowe's and Home Depot have some different kinds like PVC, and also cut-off risers that you can cut to adjust the length. If the elbows connecting the heads are damaged, just cut the funny pipe and push a new barbed elbow in. You probably should regulate the pressure in the system down to 75-80 psi.

[@sailork3506]

A great video. However, the last method, self-constructed flex joint for higher flows, was not clear. I see the connector to the PVC and the (hard) pipe threaded on each end, but what is the part that pivots? Can't see it in the video.

[@Proirrigationtraining]

The self-constructed one is really a last resort if no pre-constructed ones are available. The pivot action happens by the threads rotating, so use a bunch of thread tape, maybe 5 or 6 wraps around. I would personally use a pre-constructed one, even if you have to order online. Thanks for watching!

[@Jake-Curious]

Could you help me please: 1) I have my garden tap marked as 1/2" - what size of PVC pipe should I use to get water from the tap to pop-up sprinklers? 2) What type of irrigation should I use for flower beds: pop-up sprinklers or drip hoses? The beds are ground level, along the fence (about 3-4 feet wide and 26 feet long).

[@Proirrigationtraining]

Hi Jake, thanks for the question. First you need to know how much flow you can get from the faucet. Use a combo gauge to read the flow rate or a 5 gallon bucket test. Then figure out what nozzles you want use on your pop-ups. Check the manufacturer's data to find the flow rate for the nozzle. So, let's say that you're getting 10 gallons per minute from that faucet. 3/4" PSR 200 pipe will handle 10 gpm. Let's say the nozzles you want to use are 1.5 gpm each, you could put 6 pop-ups on that 3/4" pipe. You can find the flow rating for each pipe size and class of pipe in "Friction Loss Charts." Question 2: I use both, depending on the bed and the person's temperament towards drip. Drip is superior, but requires a little extra care. Drip is also lower flow, so you can cover more ground with less water.

[@Jake-Curious]

​@@Proirrigationtraining Wow, didn't expect you, a pro, to answer my simple questions. Thanks a lot! But could you specify please: As far as I understand, I need to measure the water flow on the maximum allowed pressure for the pop-sprinklers I decide to use. For this, I need to attach a pressure gauge to the tap, open the tap to that wide when the gauge shows the maximum allowed for sprinklers pressure and only then measure the water flow. If this is right, what size of pipe should I use to attach the pressure gauge to the tap (it would be a T-connector I guess)? If I use the wrong size it could affect the measurements of the water flow (or even the pressure)? And having this unique possibility to ask you: What happens with pressure and water flow if I have 1/2" tube going from the house (via a garden tap) and decide to use 3/4" instead of 1/2" to deliver water to my sprinklers? I know that funny/flex hose is 1/2", but how would pressure & water flow change if I use 3/4" supply/main line just to deliver water to the funny types? It may be so that 1/2" pipe is OK for the water amount I need for the system, but maybe 3/4" pipe will keep more pressure for the fartherst sprinkler in the system? Just trying to get into details as much as possible :)

[@Proirrigationtraining]

@@Jake-Curious Jake, I'll try my best to help you here, but you're really asking about all the critical issues in system design. To do this properly, you need 10-12 hrs of instruction. But let me try in a paragraph, lol. You need to find your available pressure and flow at the faucet. Maximum allowed pressure at the head isn't the issue (unless it's over 80 psi at the head). The issue is to make sure you deliver enough water flow to that head to fill it's gpm rating with at least 25 psi to push up the head, and we want this to be true for each head on that "zone." So you measure your static pressure at your source point, tap, or faucet. Every bit of pipe and fittings the water goes through are going to reduce that pressure through what is called friction loss. All the loss values for the pipe and fittings are published in "Friction Loss Charts". So you add up the friction loss numbers and subtract that total from your source pressure to make sure you have enough pressure left at each head. The next issue is the flow. Measure this at your faucet with either a combo gauge (pressure and flow) or a 5 gallon bucket test. Open the spigot or faucet wide open, you need to know the maximum. The total flow values for all your heads can't exceed this max flow number. And you have to use pipe large enough to carry that flow. 1/2' poly will only carry 4 gpm, 3/4" PR 200 PVC will carry 10 gpm, 1" PR 200 PVC will carry 16 gpm. If you want to really understand this watch my Water Hydraulics videos as well as How to Read A Friction Loss Chart. So to further clarify: when you measure your pressure and flow at your source, you want it wide open. Your 3rd and 4th sentences aren't correct. You don't want to measure the flow at a certain pressure. You want to know the maximums. If it exceeds the manufacturer's maximum pressure rating (typically around 75 or 80 psi) then you need a pressure reducer, but that's a separate issue. You're really trying to ensure that you meet the minimums. The flow is the most important. People get really tripped up on the pressure but don't realize that the flow issue is what you have to get right. I've seen people put too many heads on a zone or plumb an entire zone in 1/2" poly. When the heads barely spray out any water, or the heads don't even rise up fully, they say "I have a pressure problem." No, it's a flow problem. Only so much water can be pushed through a pipe, and if you try to get too much, it scrubs all the energy (pressure) out of the water via "friction loss". Ok, this probably didn't help much, hope I didn't scare you off it. There's some important concepts in there, but none of it is rocket science. Watch my other videos, you can sort it out.

[@Jake-Curious]

​@@Proirrigationtraining I got everything you said, thank you!! For some reason, today I measured ~5.4 gpm at my garden tap (which is supplied by a copper 1/2" pipe, so I expected 4 gpm as max) - should be a mistake in my measurements. Anyway I understand now that I should use 3/4" PVC pipe (even despite the fact that the tap is supplied by 1/2" copper pipe). Am I right? And the last question please: If I have too much pressure and use a pressure reducer will it also reduce the flow? And if it will, should I measure the flow after the pressure is reduced to suitable?

[@Proirrigationtraining]

@@Jake-Curious Hi Jake! Ok, we're not concerned with the type of pipe or anything that comes before the outlet of your tap, our calculations begin here. Go with the measurement that you've taken, 5.4 gpm. And if you really want to get precise, take your pressure and flow measurements at the time you're going to be running your system. And you can plumb your zone line with 3/4" Class 200 PVC, 3/4" SCHD 40 PVC, or 3/4" Poly tubing. If a pressure reducer is necessary (really over 85 psi at your source is where you should consider using one,) it shouldn't affect the flow.

[@polloloci21]

I need to relocate a few heads. I want to use flex pipe but my pressure is 83psi 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@Proirrigationtraining]

It will probably be ok. I've seen those fittings holding good at more than that. It just depends though: not every fitting is exactly the same size. But if you're just moving heads, it will probably be fine.

[@polloloci21]

@@Proirrigationtraining really appreciate the info. Thank you.

[@gaypreator8547]

Thank you for saying flow-rate. Seems like 88+% do not understand the relationship of flow and psi.

[@Proirrigationtraining]

You're absolutely right. I was one of those knuckleheads way back when. That's why I made this school. A little bit of basic knowledge goes a long way in this business.

[@teresapace4504]

Fit polymer tubing to pvc slipfit