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.
Pop-Up Maxi Paw vs. RainBird 5000 Rotors
I'm thinking about switching out all my Maxi Paw (some Mini Paw) heads with the Rainbird 5000 series heads. The rotors seem to cover the lawn more evenly. Is this a wise decision? I am also having water pressure issues do to the rain drought were i live. Will the 5000 series rotors work more efficiently than the Maxi Paw heads with lower water pressure? Thanks for your time. DC
I personally like the 5000s better. Easy to adjust and troubleshoot if there are any issues.
Thanks Lakeside for your feedback. Do the rotor heads perform better with lower water pressure? My max paws and mini Paws don't even pop up sometimes do to the low water pressure.
What nozzles do you have in those heads? Minipaw nozzles are not interchangeable, but Maxipaw nozzles might be switched for smaller ones.
The nozzels are the original ones from Lowes, but i have no idea which one's they are. <font color="blue">Do the Rainbird 5000 rotors fuction well with low water pressure?</font id="blue"> My Maxis pop up under low water pressure but stay in one position with no movement, not good. Thanks Wet_Boots.
Nothing can outperform a Maxipaw at low pressure, so far as distance goes. But sometimes gear drive rotors with tiny nozzles can reduce the flow in a zone, and by doing so, raise its pressure (assuming the supply pressure is high enough) to a point where the heads can spray as far as the original maxi/mini heads were spraying at a lower pressure.
From reading some of the other posts, in your opinion does the Rainbird 5000+ perform better than the 5000 series? Thanks.
There is no difference in performance from the 5000 series to the 5000 plus series. The only difference is features (water shut off feature). Wet Boots is correct on the Maxi-Paw as being the performer in low pressure, but with all impacts, the need servicing over the years. There is a low pressure setting on the Maxi-Paw that can aid in the performance. You can change the spring on the splash arm from one location to another. This is usually only recommended on the smallest nozzle sizes, but have found that it does work in many other situations.
As far as a recommended replacement, the 5000 series rotor should Sufic. It comes with some low gallon nozzles that will aid in your low pressure situation.
Best of luck!
Josh
Irrigation /Landscape Lighting / Pump and Well Specialist
I just ran across a 5006 rotor head on eBay. What are the differences between the 5004 and the 5006 heads? Thanks.
5004 is a 4inch pop up rotor and 5006 is a 6inch pop up. Stick with the 5004 if you have low pressure or the MPs. 5006 will need more pressure to make it all the way up!