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

The Rainbird ESP-ME can run multiple valves at one time. Wire in the two valves to one station port and both will activate when the zone is on.

On the nozzle charts, GPH doesn't mean as much as the precipitation rate the nozzle has. If you are using MP Rotators, they have around a 0.39 inches per hour precipitation rate for the MP1000's. Contact a local greenhouse and see what your grass needs in inches per week to thrive and set your timer accordingly. If you needed 1 inch per week to keep your grass thriving, then you would need 2.5 hours of total run time for the week. Running 7 days, you would only need a run time of about 20 minutes a zone per day.

As I tell everyone that is looking into MP Rotators, or like products, you will need to install PRS (pressure regulating stems) heads instead of a standard 4" pop up. The nozzles will flow 80 PSI if you provide it to them and you can quickly overflow a zone or two.

Thanks Scott, that's good to know. I suppose the expansion modules, like the ESPSM6 are just relays and the limit on how many valves the controller will switch is limited by the power supply to the controller and the draw of the valve? Not that I would probably ever want to try 3 or more valves. It's already switching a master valve along with the zone valve, plus a booster pump which probably doesn't pull much current off the 24V. I don't know what type valves I have, I need to look.

Actually, I was thinking of sticking with the 15VAN nozzles, with them adjusted down to only spray about 6' (and I already have them and the rotary's spray 8' min. plus the prs) I need to measure one for GPH and figure the prec rate, but I bet with that 15' nozzle shut down that amount I could probably run 2 zones of 5 or 6 heads easily of course for a longer time. All the nozzles are running 180° or less. I must be running about 60 or more PSI (booster pump with private well) because the 6VAN and 8VAN both spray out over 8'. What I like about turning down the 15VAN is it sprays up so it gets over the perennials better than the flat spraying 6 or 8VAN which hit the plants and stop there. I have one zone with 9 - 15VAN in it(most at 180°) and there's no loss of pressure there that I can tell.