SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers

The 42sa is Rain Bird's retail version of the 5000 series rotor and the 32sa is Rain bird's retail version of the 3500 series rotor.

Retail or "consumer" grade sprinkler products are designed and built by the manufacturer to sell side by side on the shelf next to their competitors products. The focus is therefore, on price not quality. These consumer grade sprinklers are put out by the manufacturers to be as cheap or cheaper in price than the other competitors items. They know the average consumer will not be focused on durability or longevity but will be looking at the price. They use inferior parts (seals, springs, nozzle design, etc.) to assure a lower or competitive price verses the competitor.

On the other hand, these same manufacturers design and build a Professional or "Contractors grade" version of the same products.
The Professional series sprinkler products are designed and built by the manufacturer with a focus on quality and longevity. When a professional contracting company comes to your home or business to install a sprinkler system, they want to install a system that will perform well and will last a long time. They do this so you will refer them to your friends and so they will not have to come back to replace any of the items during the warranty period they offer. Retail versions of these products are not designed to last long at all. A contractor would be destine to have to come back during or after the 1st year to replace sprinklers or valves if they use consumer grade products.

It is very simple... The Professional series sprinkler system products are designed and built to perform well and last a long time since that is the contractor's focus and need. Consumer grade sprinkler system products are built with one thing in mind - price.

You should always use professional (contractors grade) series sprinkler products since they are now available at a price you would expect to pay for the consumer grade products. The internet has made these products available to consumers at prices that years ago you would have only seen if you were a contractor buying in pallet bulk quantities. Now you can get this pricing buying any quantity. In my eyes, anyone buying consumer grade sprinkler system products these days are doing it because they do not know any better and do not know about the availability of professional series products.

Here is a page that can assist converting Rain Bird consumer part numbers to the comparable professional series part numbers:
http://www.sprinklerwarehouse.com/articles.asp?id=195

I hope this helps.