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

When I bought my house, I went out and bought K-rain K-2 rotors for my front yard. I was pretty satisfied with the results I was getting. However, I began listen to others and reading others' forums and based on name, switched to Rainbird 5004's and now to Hunter PGP's. The result - wasted money following a name! I never really had a problem (other than my own error) out of my K-rain's. The distance of throw and the "around the head" coverage is just as good and maybe better than the Hunters and Rainbirds. I should have stuck with them from the beginning and saved my money. Pfinger1 hit it dead on the head; the K-rain rotors kick but!

13 x 13 area?

I'd go with 15' quarter nozzles on 1804prs heads in each corner on a separate flow control valve.

1. I use the prs heads so the pressure is regulated to 30 psi for each head. I actually use these heads as a standard practice on all my systems.
2. The flow control valve will allow you to adjust the flow downward on this zone, although you must be careful with this since this zone is only requiring 4 gpm or less. This may not even be necessary if you follow step 3 below.
3. By using the 15' quarter nozzles you'll have some overspray, but you can adjust the radius down with the screw on top of each nozzle. And since your using the prs heads this "adjustment" should stay fairly consistent.

Or you could have added a PGM......a smaller sized rotor shoots about 15-25' and works with regular rotors!

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">This means that: In 30 minutes of watering you will put down 1/4 inch of water on the majority of your lawn...and the small 13x13 area will get about .75 inch of water...3 times as much. And, if you do what RVLI tells you, it will be a friggin flood zone with all those heads...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

One way to alleviate this situation is to install a valve between the two systems. That way, you could have the main valve on for the 30 minutes to water with the rotor, but for a ten minute window during that 1/2 hour you turn on the valve so that both are getting watered.

Ditto on the K rain rotor

I came up with 2 possible solutions...the first one was to use Toro side strips...those friggin things are too unpredictable for me with the low angle nozzle and they spurt like pigeon with a diarrhea....the other solution was to use 15' adjustables on the corners....that's what I did and I am getting good coverage.....this design work is so tricky...there are always so many decent solutions....I've tried just about every product Home Depot sells to learn how the stuff works...I've ****ed up every possible thing you can and, unfortunately, that seems to be the best way to learn this kinda stuff...

There are so many fancy (bull****) products out there...that Toro multi-stream sprinkler is the most beautiful sprayer but ain't worth a ****......The simple products seem to be the best....I've used those cheaper K-Rain rotors and they kick ass.....

Ok, so your saying to use like a 5-6 foot nozzle in the middle, or nothing at all?

I know...I would hate to see what is around that grass area that you are going to soak with water if you put a 12 foot full spray head in the middle of a 13x13 square....wouldn't you?

The truth is....a 13x13 square is difficult to water with 12' heads is it not? You cannot get head to head coverage unless the pressure is WAY up there....so if you use 12' heads you will probably have dougnuts..unless the slope helps, we don't know the terrain and/or soil type. BUT...I wouldn't ever tell a guy to put a head that sprays 11-12 feet in "Radius" in the middle of a 13x13 foot square without knowing the terrain either....would you?

I didn't think so. 5 - 6 feet of overspray is never good.

Tony I was talking about spray heads not rotors.

Smart man. If a job is worth doing itis worth doing right. You did the right thing.