As long as there is a pressure switch installed you should have no trouble with placing a pressure gauge on the pump outlet, (I assume you are trying to get a reading before the rest of the plumbing is installed). I would recommend that you ask your plumber about installing a switch with the maximum pressure that is safe for the system, i.e. 40/60.
I too have used the Toro 53351 flow/pressure meter and found it to be way off from the 5 gal bucket calculation method, (I am still trying to find someone who can explain that). To get a good idea of your flow at the design pressure, attach a hose to the hose bib near the meter inside the house. Run the water from there into a drain or sump crock and bring the flow up until the pressure stays constant at or above the design pressure (You may have to fasion a few fitings and a gauge to messure th...
Typically you would run a single line from the PVB that supplies all of the zone valves. That line can run from one side of the house to the other. Then simply tee the valves in where you would like and run your heads from there. If you really wanted to run back through the house after the PVB, you could, but I don't think there would be any advantage. You would actually have a second piece of copper exposed that would not need to be.
I have to side with FixItDaddy on the conservation issue. The water is not wasted! It runs off the sidewalk into the ground where it moistens the soil and the grass grows, period. If it goes down the storm sewer, it runs off into the streams, lakes, etc., where it evaporates and comes right back to the water supply, just like rain. Those who write the state and local codes probably understand clearly that if the system costs more, they will collect more sales tax. With that said, it is probably ...
