You are not logged in.

Sprinklers vs rotors

Dear visitor, welcome to SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers. If this is your first visit here, please read the Help. It explains how this page works. You must be registered before you can use all the page's features. Please use the registration form, to register here or read more information about the registration process. If you are already registered, please login here.

DogT

Active Member

Posts: 28

1

Thursday, May 1st 2014, 9:08pm

Sprinklers vs rotors

I've got 21 zones of sprinklers and rotary spray heads. The sprinklers are RainBird and the rotors are PGP. I notice that the zones that were installed for the rotors were 4 to 5, mostly 4 rotors, that's fine at 8 to 10 GPM at 60 psi. However, the sprinklers are rated at 30 psi and the zones have anywhere from 5 to 8 sprinklers and they seem to range around 1.5 to over 2 GPM at 30 psi. When I turn down the sprinklers to only cover the area they are supposed to cover (like a van-8 to cover 8') does that mean when I'm giving them 60 psi, they are acting like they really only are putting out their rated 1.5-2 GPM? I'm trying to figure out what the GPM I'm really getting per zone, especially with the sprinklers. This has to do with my other post on the pump forum about a new sub pump I'm putting in.

Dave

SmartEarthAustin

Senior Member

Posts: 19

Location: Austin Texas

2

Saturday, May 3rd 2014, 10:39pm

If you just trying to figure out the flow of each zone. Simply just watch your water meter for each zone.

If you are trying to figure out the flow of each head then you will need a pedo tube gauge to measure accurate head pressure. Then you will use the pho nozzle chart to deter main the flow for what nozzle you have in the PGP.

On a PGP the flow does not change no matter how far the radius or arc is. The only thing that will change flow on. PGP is pressure or a nozzle change.

Hope this helps!
http://www.smartearthsprinklers.com/

Cheers!

Gabriel
Licensed Irrigator
Austin, Texas

Central Irrigation

Supreme Member

Posts: 364

Location: Central Minnesota

3

Saturday, May 3rd 2014, 10:45pm

Hard to say. Even the performance table doesn't go above 30 psi. They even put a disclaimer on the data they provide. Reducing the distance through the radius adjistment screw will reduce flow, but to say it will match the 30psi figures is anybody's guess. My theory is that it would be close, but determining the flow accurately according to the arc adjustment would be difficult, since the VAN nozzles are, well, variable.

SmartEarthAustin

Senior Member

Posts: 19

Location: Austin Texas

4

Sunday, May 4th 2014, 8:09pm

Another easy way to check the flow for rotors is the bucket test.


Use a 4" piece of pipe with a elbow at the top that. Goes into a bucket. slip it over the rotor and measure how long it takes to fill the bucket. Or you can make gallon marks on the bucket.

I really like this method. It's really illustrates just how much a rotor head puts out.

I'll try and load a picture from the one I have.
http://www.smartearthsprinklers.com/

Cheers!

Gabriel
Licensed Irrigator
Austin, Texas

Tom1

Starting Member

Posts: 1

5

Wednesday, May 28th 2014, 11:45am

buckner traveling rain mobile

I need to find a repair kit or repair parts for my Buckner #190 rain mobile traveling sprinkler...

Similar threads

Rate this thread