How to replace a sprinkler head without digging

[@shoaib1029]

I just paid someone couple of hundred of dollars month ago to fix my two broken sprinkler head. Well now I know how to fix this problem. Thank you for the wonderful tip mate. You're the best.

[@SilverCymbal]

Thank you, glad it was helpful.

[@usahome]

I really like how you demonstrated how to do this without any special tools. Thanks!

[@danieljohnson2295]

Thank you. I have replaced a number of sprinkler heads on my property over the years. I did my spring check of system yesterday and found two that were sprinkling but not moving. Thought I would check for a video to see if there were any tips and tricks. Your video showing the two plier method AND leaving sprinkler head in the ground was extremely helpful. Thank you!!

[@dubs3400]

Well, another great video; I appreciate your demonstration to replace an unworkable head. Keep them coming! Thanks!

[@SilverCymbal]

Thank you very much

[@larinoriani]

Nice, Thanks to this video I was able to quickly replace a sprinkler head.

[@SilverCymbal]

That's awesome to hear glad it helped. Thanks for watching.

[@mikejanczura1540]

14 yr irrigation master here. Use a pocket knife cut a hole around the head. Pull out the "donut" of sod, use your channel locks all the way opem and twist out the entire head. Slowly retract so as to not let dirt fall in the hole. Replace with new head. As a contractor, through my parts house, you would have a 5yr warranty. You the homeowner would have a hard time getting your warranty. Mine could be in a fire, but as long as the datecode was visible they would take it in under warranty. Any other questions @mikesbft on facebook. 😁

[@mikevv7542]

This was very helpful just now… thank you you I was able to quickly unscrew our existing Toro T5 and replace it with a new T5. Thanks!!!

[@MrSalsa123567]

A few months ago I replaced one of these sprinklers, digging the entire thing up; that was a LOT of time/work. This is MUCH simpler and quicker. Thanks for making this video. I will do it this way next time one of the rotor sprinklers breaks.

[@edwardmoran1739]

Your method is a big improvement over my truck driver cussing and tugging !!! Thanks.

[@lownova3124]

I have been watching your videos for the last three days and im hooked . This tip is awesome especially because I just turned on my sprinklers for the season and 2 dont move.

[@jvcyt298]

That's great! I don't need to pay $75 for a special tool, I'm sure that I have the tools that I need already, very helpful.

[@captainlarrynosleepfishing5350]

Wow great video 😁. What a time saver 👍🏻 now I can replace them myself and save $$$ 😁

[@kumarbhatia6566]

Thank you! Need to do this for my Hunter system.

[@BudgetLawns]

Love DIY hacks like this! Super informative! I'm still in the manual sprinkler game but I'll put this one in the vault for the future!

[@SilverCymbal]

I really appreciate that. I probably dug 20 heads out before doing it this way. Much nicer. Thanks again for watching.

[@TheDylan6908]

Very interesting. So there's no wear or deformity that happens to the old outside body canister in 20 years??

[@rymaster4385]

Exactly how I do my repairs! I stopped using the sprinkler company when I bought my house. Sprinkler systems are very easy to service. Only only need a plumber to test and certify my RPZ every year for state records.

[@blueplasma5589]

RPZ, restricted parking zone?

[@forthefunofit5487]

Thank you!! Just what I needed to know!

[@MannahWar]

Love this dude - thanks for everything

[@SilverCymbal]

I appreciate that thank you

[@strongisland7015]

Awesome tip, no one ever told me about doing it that way. Thanks!

[@SilverCymbal]

Glad it helped. It makes it a lot easier to do and they are some special tools available but they are very expensive for a homeowner. This lets you do it basically for free with regular tools.

[@strongisland7015]

Silver Cymbal any tips on how to raise the heads with digging them up? 😁 Mine keep sinking lower and lower. So annoying 😖

[@SilverCymbal]

@@strongisland7015 Depending on how much you need you want to buy a thing called a close nipple. Just remove the sprinkler head and shell. The shell can usually be removed just by hand and unscre it out. At the bottom of the hole there will be the 3.4" socket. The 3/4" close nipple screws into the bottom of the sprinkler and will give you about .75 inch to 1.0 inch height. This is handy sometimes for heads that are too low.

[@strongisland7015]

Silver Cymbal awesome thanks man :)

[@robvolpi3247]

Nice job! I’ve done the same thing today. But I took the entire rotor out and carefully replaced. No mess!

[@mikel.laughridge9480]

I will try this ...............I just blew a sprinkler head and I dont wanna dig. I thank you. Would you happen to be a drummer?? Not many know how to spell Cymbal.

[@forthefunofit5487]

very good observation......cymbal

[@steveb3862]

Outstanding tip!

[@SilverCymbal]

Thank you very much

[@ericalewis1084]

This helped me out a bit since I didn't know if I needed to remove the base/body to fix my sprinkler but I tried putting it in the ground but it's too big apparently idk. I got a 1/2'' Orbit body but I guess I need a smaller body. Is there a standard or smaller size sprinkler head?

[@SilverCymbal]

The pipe fitting comes in 1/2" or 3/4" but it sounds like you have the pipe part right. There are a couple of body sizes just like you are saying, A larger and smaller. It sounds like you may need the smaller version. Lowes sells a couple of sizes that hopefully can get you fixed up.

[@briangallant5973]

Great video! I think maybe even I could do it.

[@brucechapman7542]

Nice demonstration, thanks much. How are you on 1968 BSA 650 carbs?

[@SilverCymbal]

I haven't done a BSA but I have rebuilt a lot of carbs in my day. Made a lot of money on it too, not by people paying me, but by bring "dead" equipment back to life that peopel gave up on. I used to have a carb rebuilding video but it was one my early videos and it was like 40 minutes long, I ended up deleting it. I should do another since its useful to know and cam get you out of a jam

[@Raorl173]

Great video!! No bs straight to the point

[@SilverCymbal]

Much appreciated!

[@AJCoReTV]

For me, The “body” kept spinning along with the top, so you got lucky that your collar/top was not “stuck”. As I turned just like you showed, the entire body came out! So I just slid the entire new body in & screwed it right into the plastic hose connector.

[@rickyterbovichjr.3149]

Cross threading the plastic fitting will make it leak. Also if on swing pipe fitting will leak.

[@maiseydoodle]

But if the body of the sprinkler head is not screwed on tight to the elbow pipe then the entire head spins off the pipe. Every one of mine did this so I had to dig every one of them.

[@eduardodelgado4133]

Great 👍and simple

[@SilverCymbal]

Glad you liked it thank you!

[@Handd4u]

Great video & thanks for sharing your method. Your method of digging only below the top cap of the head and disconnecting at the bottom concerns me. This can result in dirt or mud falling into the lower or main line thus causing problems. I will continue to dig below the bottom connection to prevent any mud or dirt from entering the main line.

[@ceez3841]

Useless comment.

[@Handd4u]

@@ceez3841 Do I detect your need to put a blot on my escutcheon along with doubting my voracity? Your wasting your time if that was your intent.

[@louieb9750]

Pretty good tips. Thanks

[@KP-sg9fm]

Do you have to to worry about the dirt that falls in?

[@SilverCymbal]

Generally no, they are built to allow most things like that to pass through.

[@rickfarrell9688]

K P b

[@-Vee_]

Do I need to turn Off water before replacing sprinkler head?

[@urbanothepopeofdeath]

so its August. I have 2 lawns to try to get like yours. One is HUGE and the other small. If I could ask about timing it would be great! (I searched thru your stuff to no avail). anyhow: start this fall? and 1.aerate 2. lime (in fall?) 3. pre emergence (spring?) 4. fertilize, with the Lesco products you mention, every 6 weeks thru fall and then again come spring? 5. humid acid and the 2 other ingredients you mention in your video every 2 months (so once come fall and then start again every 2 come spring?). when is the ideal time to seed? I am in the northeast as well. tenacity as needed after the pre emergence etc? thank you for any response!

[@urbanothepopeofdeath]

top dressing for leveling anytime?

[@urbanothepopeofdeath]

ha! see aug 4th video!!!

[@TehSoupa]

You're forgetting that the nozzle used must be determined, as not all ROTOR irrigation heads come with one. Depending on a homeowner's setup, having the wrong nozzle could either reduce the overall pressure, or increase the pressure (for which some homeowners whom happen to have a well) resulting in their well cycling, or if on city water, increase in water bill. Admittedly while it might not be a massive change, or a massive difference. With the exception of a well cycling, which could lead to potentially more expensive repairs down the road. It's also worth noting that not all rotor head caps would unscrew as easily as the one featured in your video. In a lot of cases the whole head will unscrew, which it's always good to keep a spray bottle handy, as lightly spraying the dirt wall after carefull extraction will help keep soil in place when putting in the new head. Because lets face it, there's no point in putting the shell body back in if you have the whole head out. Jus save the parts that are good for reuse later.

[@MATIF73]

Hi, Can you please do one video how to water the lawn efficiently, I am in Long Island, NY and I am watering my lawn twice a day and still brown spots and also fungus in some of the areas.

[@DigitalN]

You should be doing one, maybe two depending on how hot it is, DEEP waterings a week. Doing it twice a day won’t let the roots of the grass go deep into the soil. Especially that often too you aren’t letting it dry out which will help lead to fungus and mould. Get a cat food tin or something and measure how long it takes to put down 1.5” of water and do that instead of many small ones and your lawn will be much better off!

[@whoknows1972]

Hunter PGP 04 changed a while back. If it has a red nozzle, the new ones have a blue nozzle. I was told you need to change the base. You can't intermix the old base with the new top that has a blue nozzle.

[@AJCoReTV]

False.

[@pepsicolachao4537]

Clever idea!

[@tomjones4318]

Looks like a Columbia Boonie to me. One of my favorites next to open weave Pith. Put a 1/16" brass wire around the outside bead for better control.

[@SilverCymbal]

Damn you know your hats! You hardly even see a 1/8th of it in the video, well done!

[@matthewimi]

Keep something else in mind. I observed several landscaping companies using a tool, rounded with jagged edge, where they would saw the edges of the dirt from around the sprinkler head to keep the sprinkler head moving freely. You're packing the dirt in at the end.. idk.

[@SilverCymbal]

Thats a professional tool for digging it out. The outside doesn't move at all. You want to pack it in firmly so it doesn't move on the outside the inside always moves.

[@jcsrst]

Thanks!!! Super helpful!

[@SilverCymbal]

Thank you so much for watching my video. *Please Thumbs Up & Subscribe* - I have updated this for 2020 with an even EASIER way to replace a sprinkler head with even less work with some new tricks. See it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKaco359jMeVg9k

[@sheddski2942]

I’m replacing a head today after I dug down you scoop out remaining dirt around head then unscrew with you’re hands slide down new head hand tight then insert key and lift up head put hand under then adjust

[@Poolboy28560]

What keeps the can from spinning off the plumbing NPT pipe thread. for me the cover doesn't come off the can spin off the pipe.

[@juanreyes25]

Very cool!

[@debow803]

I am newly in a home that was built 20 years ago, and found that I may need to change all heads in the system. I am sure that they were not maintained, because I tried one head, and the entire body turns went I try to remove the head. Do I need to dig a little deeper, and if so, what should I do then?

[@AJCoReTV]

Unscrew the whole body… & slide the new body in… it worked for me.

[@williammuenster7386]

how to remove a cracked 14 in riser tube (NOT THE RISER) with side water inlet....can't find any info anywhere

[@trevormcmanis]

I need to eliminate one of my sprinkler heads. Can I cap it off with a simple 3/4 inch pvc cap?

[@TheDylan6908]

Yes, I believe so.

[@Smokedog1968]

Do I have to turn the water off before replacing the sprinkler?

[@TheDylan6908]

Terrance, No, you do not have to shut the water unless you choose to do the job just before the time that the zone is set to turn on and water.

[@habbadabbado5765]

You can hear the grit/grinding sound as her put the new head in the old body.

[@zhalloween5060]

We're did you get the head I know they don't sell hunter I 20s in stores

[@TheDylan6908]

Lowe's or Amazon. Probably HD as well.

[@dson39]

brand?

[@rickyterbovichjr.3149]

Problem with this method. Need to clean up threads on body pretty well. If get dirt in the seal of the cap will leak. Even one grain of sand. Will make it leak around cap. Pull dirt away more before taking cap off. So it has better chance of beeing clean when reinstalling. Also check for leaks before pushing dirt back in.

[@larsord9139]

Small leaks are not important. Remember you are watering the lawn. Small is the key word here

[@nopeno6514]

Not gonna happen that way. Most of the type the top of the head is stuck. So, when you try to unscrew, the whole body will come of.

[@gregwagner7550]

Noticed you didnt check filter ,if its blocked this can cause a lack off pressure and it wont rotate .

[@Eddybarrett84]

A lot of times it twist the entire head… YOU CAN NOT DO THIS MOST OF TIME. Depending on dirt type and how tight the body of head is screwed on to the barb 90/marlex 90’,Because YOU DO NOT TIGHTEN THE HEAD VERY TIGHT FROM THE INSTALL(or repair), because one side of radius’s rotation is SET and the entire head most be turned to SET stopping Point. Sorry but I’ve replaced 1000’s of heads and this may work 20% of time.

[@guysweenie]

If your sprinkler is more than 5 years old, it is not advisable to replace just the sprinkler head. There are seals that seals the water within the body and invariably the seals would have worn out. So it is always advisable to replace the entire sprinkler including the body!

[@bwhite661]

I don't see any seals or gaskets in the plastic case that the sprinkler head screws into. I have Orbit. Maybe it depends on the brand.

[@BC-mu9df]

Just get 1 pair of slip joint pliers

[@1DreamAmericanThe]

I struggle with the angles. I dont know how to close the angle

[@TheDylan6908]

There's a number of tutorial vids on KZbin showing how to adjust the radius of watering. Hunter and Rainbird adjust similarly but opposite. I have both.

[@guitarplayernoteworthy2857]

Thanks for the video, my guys want $27.00 for the head...plus labor! I don’t think so.

[@angelz8962]

Pretty cheap

[@mb3775]

But you're leaving a 20 year old sprinkler casing in the ground.

[@titaniumfire3957]

We always call it gut swapping at the company I work for and we only charge the 8 bucks for the head when we don’t need to dig like that no labor just the service call fee and 8 bucks a head

[@Bryan-fc9dv]

Poor knipex being mistreated :(

[@SilverCymbal]

That is true, it does deserve better!

[@MalanGracie]

The head of our system are different from the one you have. We're in a new home and the system is very different from the old you are showing in the video. The control into the garage is programmable and is not friendly to comprehend. Do you have a moment to reply? Since the pandemic started I have not been able to get the right person to look at it.

[@MaddyBAdventures]

This dude is using latex gloves

[@griffmillerii1885]

Nitrile, I bet.

[@joshgust32]

Using the handles of the tool is very awkward. Save yourself some frustration and make sure the business end of your channel lock pliers doesn't fit in the head slots before screwing around with using the butt end of the tool.

[@krzyszko]

first :)

[@SilverCymbal]

Glad to have you - thank you

[@justinwilkens1620]

I can't begin to tell you how bad of an idea this is

[@blueplasma5589]

What's with the gloves. Doing brain surgery? LoL Because you didn't remove all the dirt close to the cover (collar) you can even here all the grit on the threads when your tightening the collar back up.That grit will make it harder next time you need to remove the rotor (head). Some shortcuts aren't the best choice. Give it a little wiggle to see if you broke it. LoL

[@elcamino6421]

hunter is the biggest garbage out there. Toro t5's is where it's at.

[@angelz8962]

Lmao toro is the biggest thrash

[@elcamino6421]

@@angelz8962 you are an idiot

[@TheDylan6908]

Really? I did a fair amount of research and Hunter seemed to be very well thought of.