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Why won’t four sprinklers open fully on one irrigation line?

We have a 10*4 m2 lawn area at the back. my husband is trying to install irrigation so we can control the watering with automated tap timer so when we are out of town the grass doesn die. he has installed four rainbird 360 degree sprinkler and connected them to recycle water. it doesn open fully when all four are connected. when only two are connected it opens up fully. pressure seems to be issue. Is there any advice for this issue? We are newbies to diy so struggling a bit with this.We did a pressure check before the start of project and it seemed to be a perfect pressure. Also I suggested my husband that connecting with solenoids and the tap timer might improve the performance but he s not convinced saying solenoids is more for tap timer control related how that will help with pressure.

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Comments

StevieB

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, @Harini_sekar. It's great to have you here.

@DexterOz ran into a problem with sprinklers a few weeks ago and I wonder if the suggestions in this discussion may help you too. Let me also mention @MitchellMc who will check in with you about this when he's back on the site on Friday.

Stevie

redracer01

Hello @Harini_sekar

Welcome to Bunnings Workshop. Can you please tell me all the parts that you used for your system ( which model of the rainbird ) and what size hose did you use to connect the system. I'm only concerned that you may have used a small diameter hose hence the low pressure. One way to test for pressure is to attach your regular garden hose to the main garden tap not the recycle tap. There are several tests we can perform but we need to know what you have first.

Thanks

Red

MitchellMc

Hi @Harini_sekar,

It's fantastic to see that @redracer01 is keen to troubleshoot your issue. As he's mentioned, some additional details on the products you've used would help us identify potential problems.

Running the sprinklers in pairs would be a work-around, and you could use an Orbit 12mm Tap Timer 1 Dial 2 Outlet to run two separate lines to them. The tap timer has the ability to switch between its two outlets running the pairs of sprinklers independently. However, you will need to run another line to isolate the pairs from each other.

I look forward to hearing more about your setup and offering a solution.

Mitchell

Harini_sekar

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/12902#Comment_12902

@redracer01

Hi Red,

Thanks for the response. We are using 19mm poly pipe and Rainbird 1800 - 360 degree sprinkler. This sprinkler got 4 inch pop up height and and spray distance from 2.4m to 4.6m. When I did the bucket test, it was 20 litres of water in a minute from the tap.
Please advise the best possible way to fix this issue. Thanks.

Cheers,

harini

redracer01

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/68931#Comment_68931

Hello @Harini_sekar

We might have to do a bit of trial and error.

Did you plumb the rain bird sets in series as in one after the other or did you do a manifold system with their own source of water?

If you did a series there is likely a pressure drop as it reaches the second rain bird. By the time it reaches the third rain bird set the pressure has gone down too much and is no longer viable for the end of the run. I agree with @MitchellMc 's suggestion that you need to isolate the other 2 and run a new line to the other 2 and attach a timer to switch over.

In perfect conditions water pressure would not drop and continue on to provide equal pressure to all your rain bird sets. But as you have described there is a drop in pressure. Adding more one way valves and by passes will not fix the issue as there is just not enough pressure to carry through. A manifold set up is even more labor intensive as it will require you to run an independent line to each rain bird from a central hub. To minimize the amount of money for the fix I suggest we go with Mitchell's suggestion that way we know that the pressure coming from your tap will run at least 2 rain bird sets. Good luck and stay safe.

Cheers,

Red

robchin

Hi @Harini_sekar .

I understand your frustration. Some good feedback from others in the chain. If it took you 60 seconds to fill up a 20 litre bucket - then you only have about 20 litres per minute (LPM) available to you - this is FLOW not pressure. Each one of those sprinklers will use about 14 LPM. The problem is simple - you don't have enough water to run them all at once (as per the below comments). In fact spitting it into 2 lines won't even help as you will need 4 lines to do this properly 🙁

Can I suggest that you have got the wrong sprinklers or the right sprinklers with the wrong nozzle in them.

Given that you have probably already installed the sprinklers and don't want to dig your lawn up again - there may be a relatively simple solution. But I would need to know what configuration you have installed the sprinklers in before I can offer any meaningful suggestions. Did you install them in a straight line down the middle of the lawn?

Let me know if you still need help and how they are installed and I can help you with this for sure. There will be a solution.

Harini_sekar

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/12975#Comment_12975

Hi @robchin

We have dug in the middle of the lawn in straight line. we haven’t installed it yet fully. just connected with the pipe and testing it out. Haven’t closed it yet as we are still thinking and sorting it out options.

Harini_sekar

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/97447#Comment_97447

thanks @redracer01 . That seems to be only option. 😕*sigh*

robchin

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/68968#Comment_68968

@Harini_sekar Ok. Don't panic. Not ideal but we can find a solution. I have a bit on right now but come back to you with a possible solution in the next couple of days.

Harini_sekar

Hi All,

Now as per some advices here we ran two separate lines connecting two sprinklers each and that seem to be working perfectly and solving our issue. Now my question is to make it automated can we connect it to a three way tap splitter and put an individual tap timer on each line so its easier to maintain. Initially was considering getting the Holman 6 line automatic water distributor but saw the review for 6 line automatic water splitter is not good .Also do I need to put a solenoid? what is the use of solenoid in such set ups.

redracer01

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/13129#Comment_13129

Hello @Harini_sekar

Perhaps you can use the Gardena multicontrol duo water computer. I'm guessing that if you do go away for a certain period of time you wish the unit to be able to turn itself on and off during the week. It is very flexible and is easy to program. I suggest speaking to the gardening specialist at your local Bunnings and see if this is applicable to your situation. I often recommend that if you wish the unit to last, I suggest making a small sun shade for it so that it does not cook in the open air. The more protection we give it the longer it will last. Please keep us updated to what you've decided to use.

Red

Screenshot_2021-04-29 GARDENA MultiControl Duo Water Computer.png

Harini_sekar

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/69056#Comment_69056

This product is for only two lines. we have a veggie patch with separate line. That s why I thought of using a three way tap with individual tap timer. Do we hve similar product for three outlets?

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/97510#Comment_97510

Hi @Harini_sekar,

I'm glad to hear you're making some progress.

The Orbit 12mm Yard Auto Water Tap Timer Kit would be suitable for running three separate sections independently. It is available through our Special Orders desks. You will also need to order an additional solenoid allowing it to operate the three sections instead of the two it is currently configured for.

Please let me know if you need further assistance or have questions.

Mitchell

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