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

Quoted from "Central Irrigation"

Remember, it's the CFM rating that clears the water from the line.

Actually, the CFM dictates the length of time one can sustain the correct PSI, yes? Hunter recommends nothing above 50 PSI for pipes 2" and smaller, so if you can sustain that long enough with the compressor that has enough CFM everything is golden, correct?

If your heads are too low you may be able to easily raise them if the installer used swing joints or funny pipe. But I think you can just check before you turn on the system and cut away any problem thatch.

I don't need to blow out any water, as we only get grass frosts
here; no ground freeze. But what of the turf mat/thatch? The
grass keeps growing in winter here. One helluva lot slower
than in summer, but growing nonetheless. Is it possible that
a mat/thatch will intertwine over the rotor heads during the
months when irrigation is not necessary and cause problems
in the Spring/Summer, when irrigation again becomes necessary?

Is it prudent to stand at the controller once-a-month (say) and
do a manual run of all zones for (say) a minute, to ensure no
thatch gets too tight? Or will the heads driven by 60psi water
just pop up in due season, regardless?

Quoted from "Wet_Boots"

Quoted from "seansy59"

At my local Home Depot, you can also rent an air compressor (gas) for $40 a day. It is about a 10 gallon one. Don't know if that would do the job. Probably, beacause as a homeowner, you don't have to do many systems a day. Just yours. For me, I don't mind taking a day to do it, as long as its done right, and its a good price.

A lot of work to save $35, sez me

Everybody around here we asked (about 3 companies) say that they'll do a 5 zone system blowout for the cheapest, $125, most expensive one was $250 somethin'. Very expensive. A blowout should Never cost that much, not even close unless its like a 24 zone system! I dont know if im going crazy or what, but I asked 3 companies and they were all that much.

Quoted from "seansy59"

At my local Home Depot, you can also rent an air compressor (gas) for $40 a day. It is about a 10 gallon one. Don't know if that would do the job. Probably, beacause as a homeowner, you don't have to do many systems a day. Just yours. For me, I don't mind taking a day to do it, as long as its done right, and its a good price.

A lot of work to save $35, sez me

At my local Home Depot, you can also rent an air compressor (gas) for $40 a day. It is about a 10 gallon one. Don't know if that would do the job. Probably, beacause as a homeowner, you don't have to do many systems a day. Just yours. For me, I don't mind taking a day to do it, as long as its done right, and its a good price.

In my case my longest run is 80 feet of 3/4 poly. I have a small tankless comprssor and my neighbor has a pancake tank compressor. If they can't do it I'll call in the local pro.

Depends on the size of the zones. I know alot of homeowners that refuse to pay the money and opt to do it themselves. Though, I don't condone using a shop compressor, many people use them. It will more than likely take you all day to do it.

Yes, I've read about CFM but what if I have all day to do it? Will regular 30 ish gallon compressor do the job?

For the average residential system we use anywhere from a 160-185CFM compressor. It's a good sized compressor, but we're in the business of getting them done quick! We typically run them about 60-70 psi. At these settings we can actually blow out roughly 15 Rotors at a time. Remember, it's the CFM rating that clears the water from the line.



Blow out time varies depending on size, layout, and type of zone being cleared. Run the compressor until the last head/s have been misting for 30 seconds.