Add Sprinkler Head to My Current System

[Tabrizz]

I have a 6 zone sprinkler system (Hunter sprinkler system), and would like to add a half circle sprinkler head to one of my zones. Each zone has four 3/4" pop-ups per zone including the one zone I want to add the half circle head to.

My question is can I simply add the half circle by tying into an existing line, (one of the 3/4" pop-ups) or will this be too many heads on a single zone and lower my water pressure too much?

I currently do not know how much pressure I have for the entire system, or even how to find this out.

Thanks in advance,

Ryan

[Gary Swart]

I doubt if adding one more sprinkler to a zone would overload the capacity. I assume you have PVC pipes and you are going to add the new sprinkler somewhere in the middle of the zone. There are a couple of ways to do this. If you can dig up enough of the line to lift it up a few inches, you can just cut the line and glue in a tee. To do this you would want to cut between 1/8" and 1/4" from the pipe to allow the tee room to slip onto the pipe. If you can't get enough play in the pipe to do this, you can use a repair coupler to reconnect the line. These couplers work great, just cost a bit more than a plain old tee. The advantages with this method are less digging and being easier to make the connections.

[Tabrizz]

Gary -

I will probably go the tee route since I am able to dig up the line fairly easily. I just wanted to make sure that adding the extra sprinkler head wouldn't lower the pressure too much for that particular zone.

When I cut into the pipe should I cut into and tee off the larger section of the pipe (I think its around and inch in diameter) rather than the smaller section of piping (I think 1/2 inch pipe) just before it gets to the sprinkler head?

[Gary Swart]

If I follow your question correctly, you should cut into the large pipe which is most likely 3/4" PVC. If you are going to then run a pipe to where the sprinkler will be, that pipe can be 1/2". You can get a tee that is 3/4"x1/2"x3/4" so the reducing will be done right at the tee. It is possible that the line is 1", but I doubt it. If so, same thing applies except the tee will be 1"x1/2"x1". If the supply house does not have tees like that, you can just use a bushing to reduce one outlet on the tee. Just means an extra fitting, but PVC is too cheap to run around looking for parts.

[Mr_Pike]

It is not a great idea to mix the two types of heads you have pictured on the same zone.

A Rotor (3/4 inlet, that pops up and turns back and forth with a single stream) actually puts down 1/3rd the amount of water of a spray head (1/2 inlet pops up to a shaped spray of water.) The area coverd by the spray head would be drowned before you covered the areas with the rotors.

One solution to this type of situation is a special type of Spray Nozzle called an MP Rotator. They screw on to the smaller heads and provide a rotating finger effect that has the same precip rate as the rotor heads. See your local sprinkler supply house for these. Get the adjustment tool and the correct size and shape nozzle.

Another option would be a Mini Rotor. They are just a smaller version of a standard rotor that cover 7-15 ft radius areas.

How large is the area you want to cover? Can you post a diagram?

[Verdeboy]

All the sprinkler lines I have worked with are either 3/4" or 1" black polyethylene. Simply tee into that, as Gary suggested, and then reduce it either at the tee or at the sprinkler head itself. I'm not sure what Gary means by "glue" in a tee. Gluing or "solvent-welding" is done on true PVC, which, in irrigation systems, is generally found on the main lines only.

Also, I think Mr. Pike's advice is accurate, but not necessarily needed in this instance. Generally speaking, you don't want to mix a bunch of different heads on one zone, but people add spray heads all the time to existing zones to water shrubs or flowers. A little extra water is no big deal unless that area is prone to flooding.

[Gary Swart]

Lawn sprinkler systems in my area are virtually all Sch 80 PVC pipe. There are some smaller garden systems with the poly pipes, but not much in lawns. Guess this can vary for region to region. Good point on not mixing types of sprinkler heads.