Hello everyone,
We moved into our new house last summer (oh God, that already sounds so long ago). Since then, there has been a lot to do—and there still is. Now, however, the remaining work is increasingly shifting outdoors.
The well has already been drilled. At that spot, I installed a small pit, and the garden shed will be placed on top of it. Now I’ve been thinking about the irrigation system again and realized that it will be difficult to access the pit underground once the garden shed is in place, as I would then be undermining the base slab.
So, I’ve been giving it some thought and reading a lot, but not everything is clear to me yet.
Firstly: before I pour the base slab, I need to run the necessary pipes out of the pit. That means drilling a hole through the pit ring and laying 1 to x PVC pipes (KG pipes) extending 1 to 2 meters (3 to 6.5 feet) beyond the edge of the base slab, so that I can later feed the water line through them when the time comes.
By the way, the garden shed will also house the sub-distribution for the outdoor electrical system. So, I also need to run a cable from the pit through the base slab to the distribution board in the garden shed for the pump. Additionally, I need 2 to 3 PVC pipes from inside where the distribution board is mounted, under the base slab to the outside, for all the electrical wiring on the driveway—such as the gate, lighting, and control cables for the irrigation valves, etc.
Now to the main topic: the automatic irrigation system
In this forum, it seems @rick2018 has good knowledge about this subject. Maybe you could give me some tips as well.
Below is a plan of our property:
Except for the house, none of this has actually been implemented yet. The plants are just planned and may still change. The second terrace on the drawing is currently 10 x 10 meters (33 x 33 feet). It won’t actually be that large; that’s just a placeholder for the approximate future location. However, it definitely won’t be built in the next five years. That brings me to my first point:
1. How do you take that into account now? For example, regarding the second terrace, I would mostly plan the sprinklers as if the terrace will never be built, since it’s still uncertain whether and where exactly it will be placed. What about the trees? If I install the sprinklers now and then plant a tree 1 or 2 meters (3 to 6.5 feet) away next year, there will be shade along the axis behind the tree. In the first few years, this is probably negligible due to the small trunk diameter, but what happens when the trunk gets thicker?
2. What exactly should be irrigated? Lawn, flower beds, and vegetable garden are clear. I’ve read differing opinions about hedges, especially regarding adaptation to watering. What about trees? They should be able to cope on their own, right? Is it really overkill to install irrigation just for the first and maybe the second year?
3. For my large lawn areas, I’m considering Hunter gear-driven rotors. However, these are said to be rather sensitive to wind. Here, it’s usually windy because we’re on a small hill. But once everything around is planted, there shouldn’t be much wind close to the ground, right? @rick2018, why do you prefer rotators like the MP3000 over gear-driven rotors like the I20, for example?
4. My father-in-law took care of the well. I believe a Grundfos SQ2-55 pump is installed “in the hole.” The borehole depth was about 20 meters (66 feet) and the pump hangs at roughly 15 meters (49 feet) depth. The property slopes upwards by almost one meter (3 feet) to the right, so the pump has to push water up about 16 meters (52 feet). The pump is capable of 54 meters (177 feet) total head. So that leaves about 38 meters (125 feet), which corresponds to roughly 3.8 bar (55 psi) and, unfortunately, only about 2 cubic meters per hour (around 880 gallons per hour).
If I understand correctly, I can only operate two gear-driven I20 rotors with the 4.0 nozzle on one zone, since each requires 0.81 m³/h (about 360 gallons/hr) at 2.5 bar (36 psi) with a 11.9-meter (39 feet) radius (planning uses 10.5 meters). That will mean a lot of zones. Alternatively, I could try to return the pump to the well driller (as it wasn’t used before) and get one with 4 m³/h (about 1760 gallons/hr) or more. The question is whether that would make my well wear out faster (clogging?).
5. Let’s say I keep the existing pump and end up with 30 zones. How would that work in practice? Would each lawn irrigation zone run for 30 minutes? And every 3 days? That would cause problems with my planned robotic mower that will almost always be running over the large area. In the end, I won’t have time to enjoy the yard because either the mower is running or the sprinklers are on.
6. It is recommended to start the design in a corner of the property. So, for example, I start at the top right and place the first sprinkler in front of the hedge. The thing is: the hedge is currently very narrow, but will become 1 to 2 meters (3 to 6.5 feet) wide over time.
7. The sprinklers extend during operation and retract afterwards. How durable are these if someone steps on them? It looks like I will eventually have a “carpet” of pop-up sprinklers. The children should, of course, still be able to play freely.
That’s enough for now. Have a nice rest of the Sunday!
We moved into our new house last summer (oh God, that already sounds so long ago). Since then, there has been a lot to do—and there still is. Now, however, the remaining work is increasingly shifting outdoors.
The well has already been drilled. At that spot, I installed a small pit, and the garden shed will be placed on top of it. Now I’ve been thinking about the irrigation system again and realized that it will be difficult to access the pit underground once the garden shed is in place, as I would then be undermining the base slab.
So, I’ve been giving it some thought and reading a lot, but not everything is clear to me yet.
Firstly: before I pour the base slab, I need to run the necessary pipes out of the pit. That means drilling a hole through the pit ring and laying 1 to x PVC pipes (KG pipes) extending 1 to 2 meters (3 to 6.5 feet) beyond the edge of the base slab, so that I can later feed the water line through them when the time comes.
By the way, the garden shed will also house the sub-distribution for the outdoor electrical system. So, I also need to run a cable from the pit through the base slab to the distribution board in the garden shed for the pump. Additionally, I need 2 to 3 PVC pipes from inside where the distribution board is mounted, under the base slab to the outside, for all the electrical wiring on the driveway—such as the gate, lighting, and control cables for the irrigation valves, etc.
Now to the main topic: the automatic irrigation system
In this forum, it seems @rick2018 has good knowledge about this subject. Maybe you could give me some tips as well.
Below is a plan of our property:
Except for the house, none of this has actually been implemented yet. The plants are just planned and may still change. The second terrace on the drawing is currently 10 x 10 meters (33 x 33 feet). It won’t actually be that large; that’s just a placeholder for the approximate future location. However, it definitely won’t be built in the next five years. That brings me to my first point:
1. How do you take that into account now? For example, regarding the second terrace, I would mostly plan the sprinklers as if the terrace will never be built, since it’s still uncertain whether and where exactly it will be placed. What about the trees? If I install the sprinklers now and then plant a tree 1 or 2 meters (3 to 6.5 feet) away next year, there will be shade along the axis behind the tree. In the first few years, this is probably negligible due to the small trunk diameter, but what happens when the trunk gets thicker?
2. What exactly should be irrigated? Lawn, flower beds, and vegetable garden are clear. I’ve read differing opinions about hedges, especially regarding adaptation to watering. What about trees? They should be able to cope on their own, right? Is it really overkill to install irrigation just for the first and maybe the second year?
3. For my large lawn areas, I’m considering Hunter gear-driven rotors. However, these are said to be rather sensitive to wind. Here, it’s usually windy because we’re on a small hill. But once everything around is planted, there shouldn’t be much wind close to the ground, right? @rick2018, why do you prefer rotators like the MP3000 over gear-driven rotors like the I20, for example?
4. My father-in-law took care of the well. I believe a Grundfos SQ2-55 pump is installed “in the hole.” The borehole depth was about 20 meters (66 feet) and the pump hangs at roughly 15 meters (49 feet) depth. The property slopes upwards by almost one meter (3 feet) to the right, so the pump has to push water up about 16 meters (52 feet). The pump is capable of 54 meters (177 feet) total head. So that leaves about 38 meters (125 feet), which corresponds to roughly 3.8 bar (55 psi) and, unfortunately, only about 2 cubic meters per hour (around 880 gallons per hour).
If I understand correctly, I can only operate two gear-driven I20 rotors with the 4.0 nozzle on one zone, since each requires 0.81 m³/h (about 360 gallons/hr) at 2.5 bar (36 psi) with a 11.9-meter (39 feet) radius (planning uses 10.5 meters). That will mean a lot of zones. Alternatively, I could try to return the pump to the well driller (as it wasn’t used before) and get one with 4 m³/h (about 1760 gallons/hr) or more. The question is whether that would make my well wear out faster (clogging?).
5. Let’s say I keep the existing pump and end up with 30 zones. How would that work in practice? Would each lawn irrigation zone run for 30 minutes? And every 3 days? That would cause problems with my planned robotic mower that will almost always be running over the large area. In the end, I won’t have time to enjoy the yard because either the mower is running or the sprinklers are on.
6. It is recommended to start the design in a corner of the property. So, for example, I start at the top right and place the first sprinkler in front of the hedge. The thing is: the hedge is currently very narrow, but will become 1 to 2 meters (3 to 6.5 feet) wide over time.
7. The sprinklers extend during operation and retract afterwards. How durable are these if someone steps on them? It looks like I will eventually have a “carpet” of pop-up sprinklers. The children should, of course, still be able to play freely.
That’s enough for now. Have a nice rest of the Sunday!
Sprinklers are also available for connection to DN32. The short supply line to the sprinkler (1m (3 feet)) is then DN25 or even smaller.
Here, you only need to consider the flow rate for the respective sprinkler. The quantities are more than sufficient.
At the valve box, you reduce from DN40 to DN32.
The distribution inside the box is DN32 and is reduced to DN25 at the valves.
After the box, in the circuits behind the valves, you go back to DN32.
If you connect another valve box in series, do this again with DN40.
Of course, 2-inch valves would be better, but with a normal cistern and standard pump, this no longer makes sense.
Pressure losses in the pipes should not be underestimated. Therefore, it is better to use larger diameters from the start.
If you have the filter and main shut-off valve shortly after the pump, you don’t need to blow out the line. The water level in the pipe slowly drains through the pump. If you want to play it safe, you can install two compressed air connections, one on each side. I have also seen solutions using a three-way valve.
We have larger valves, but we also have a pump that delivers over 40m³/h (around 17600 gallons per hour) and 8 bar (116 psi) in the main line.
This is DN75, with sub-distribution DN63, DN40 to and between the valve boxes, and DN32 in the circuits.
This setup is no longer comparable to a normal irrigation system for a single-family home.
If your property were not so long, you could also use DN32.
Here, you only need to consider the flow rate for the respective sprinkler. The quantities are more than sufficient.
At the valve box, you reduce from DN40 to DN32.
The distribution inside the box is DN32 and is reduced to DN25 at the valves.
After the box, in the circuits behind the valves, you go back to DN32.
If you connect another valve box in series, do this again with DN40.
Of course, 2-inch valves would be better, but with a normal cistern and standard pump, this no longer makes sense.
Pressure losses in the pipes should not be underestimated. Therefore, it is better to use larger diameters from the start.
If you have the filter and main shut-off valve shortly after the pump, you don’t need to blow out the line. The water level in the pipe slowly drains through the pump. If you want to play it safe, you can install two compressed air connections, one on each side. I have also seen solutions using a three-way valve.
We have larger valves, but we also have a pump that delivers over 40m³/h (around 17600 gallons per hour) and 8 bar (116 psi) in the main line.
This is DN75, with sub-distribution DN63, DN40 to and between the valve boxes, and DN32 in the circuits.
This setup is no longer comparable to a normal irrigation system for a single-family home.
If your property were not so long, you could also use DN32.
H
Hausbaufaehig17 Sep 2022 11:12All right, now I understand!
I will ensure that the supply lines are installed in DN40 and the valve boxes are planned accordingly.
Thanks a lot again, I will get back to you if there are any updates!
Good luck,
Hausbaufaehig
I will ensure that the supply lines are installed in DN40 and the valve boxes are planned accordingly.
Thanks a lot again, I will get back to you if there are any updates!
Good luck,
Hausbaufaehig
Hello @rick2018,
You seem to know Hunter products very well, so based on your recommendation, I would like to set up a small, simple system using their rotors.
What caught my attention in the product descriptions regarding pressure and flow rates is that the technical data for the rotors does not include values at 1.7 bar and only starts from higher pressures. Does this mean the rotors are not suitable for use at this relatively low pressure?
Unfortunately, I will probably only be able to supply about 1.7 to 2 bar at the outdoor faucets, so this raised some questions for me.
Maybe you can provide some insight?
Thanks in advance!
You seem to know Hunter products very well, so based on your recommendation, I would like to set up a small, simple system using their rotors.
What caught my attention in the product descriptions regarding pressure and flow rates is that the technical data for the rotors does not include values at 1.7 bar and only starts from higher pressures. Does this mean the rotors are not suitable for use at this relatively low pressure?
Unfortunately, I will probably only be able to supply about 1.7 to 2 bar at the outdoor faucets, so this raised some questions for me.
Maybe you can provide some insight?
Thanks in advance!
@netuser
Please tell us more about your planned installation. Size, pipe lengths and dimensions, number of sprinklers, zones...
Do you want to connect the rotors directly to the outdoor faucet using a hose?
Why is there such low pressure at the outdoor faucet?
For the sprinklers to pop up and work properly, they need at least 1.7 bar (25 psi) at the sprinkler head.
That means the entire pipe losses have to be added on top of that.
With such low pressure, you also have too little flow. This won’t work as it is.
But there is a solution for this. I know of an installation where a programmable pressure booster was installed in the house plumbing.
It only runs when the irrigation system is operating. Of course, it can be installed only in the line for the outdoor system.
With such low pressure, though, I would actually use it for the whole house.
Ideal pressure at the sprinkler is 3-4 bar (45-60 psi). Then use pressure-compensated sprinkler bodies. This way all sprinklers in the system have the same operating pressure.
Take a look at, for example, the DAB Esybox (Mini). Depending on the required capacity, use the appropriate model. It can also be controlled by pressure fluctuations.
With such low pressure in the house, you’ll have very little water coming out of the showerhead on the second floor...
Please tell us more about your planned installation. Size, pipe lengths and dimensions, number of sprinklers, zones...
Do you want to connect the rotors directly to the outdoor faucet using a hose?
Why is there such low pressure at the outdoor faucet?
For the sprinklers to pop up and work properly, they need at least 1.7 bar (25 psi) at the sprinkler head.
That means the entire pipe losses have to be added on top of that.
With such low pressure, you also have too little flow. This won’t work as it is.
But there is a solution for this. I know of an installation where a programmable pressure booster was installed in the house plumbing.
It only runs when the irrigation system is operating. Of course, it can be installed only in the line for the outdoor system.
With such low pressure, though, I would actually use it for the whole house.
Ideal pressure at the sprinkler is 3-4 bar (45-60 psi). Then use pressure-compensated sprinkler bodies. This way all sprinklers in the system have the same operating pressure.
Take a look at, for example, the DAB Esybox (Mini). Depending on the required capacity, use the appropriate model. It can also be controlled by pressure fluctuations.
With such low pressure in the house, you’ll have very little water coming out of the showerhead on the second floor...
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