Feedback on Layout

2886 Views 9 Replies 4 Participants Last post by g-man, Nov 16, 2017

cnet24

Discussion Starter · Nov 12, 2017

I'm looking for some feedback and some ideas on how I can improve my current layout of sprinkler heads. This year, we added a fence (orange line) to our house and now have 3 heads (colored in orange) that spray and hit our fence. The fence is a wooden privacy fence, and at first I didn't think it was a big deal, but after a season of usage the fence in those areas is already showing age. I'd like to change the layout so I have no heads spraying the fence, but can't come up with a good solution. Here is a picture of the current layout, as well as a list of current heads:

Sprinklers:
1,2,3,5: Rainbird 5000 Rotor
4: Hunter Rotor
6: Rainbird 1800 Series (stationary, currently sprays the 1/4 circle if grass next to the driveway)

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g-man

· #2 · Nov 15, 2017

Could you give some rough length dimensions? Like the length of the fence and some distance from fence to concrete driveway way?

Fyi, on Google map menu you could turn off the 3d view. It will give you a better image and you could use the Google measurements to get the distance(right click mouse).

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cnet24

Discussion Starter · #3 · Nov 15, 2017

g-man said:
Could you give some rough length dimensions? Like the length of the fence and some distance from fence to concrete driveway way?

Fyi, on Google map menu you could turn off the 3d view. It will give you a better image and you could use the Google measurements to get the distance(right click mouse).

G-Man- thanks for the info. I tried turning off the 3D but the image I provided looks like it is in the 2D format. Measurements are below, from head # to fence. Thanks for the pointers!

Sprinkler 1 to fence: 14 feet
Sprinkler 3 to fence: 12 feet
Sprinkler 4 to fence: 13 feet
Sprinkler 4 to driveway: 4 feet
Sprinkler 5 to fence: 10 feet
Sprinkler 5 to driveway: 16 feet

Total length of fence: 38 feet
Fence to driveway: 16 feet

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ken-n-nancy

· #4 · Nov 15, 2017

cnet24 said:
I'm looking for some feedback and some ideas on how I can improve my current layout of sprinkler heads. This year, we added a fence (orange line) to our house and now have 3 heads (colored in orange) that spray and hit our fence. The fence is a wooden privacy fence, and at first I didn't think it was a big deal, but after a season of usage the fence in those areas is already showing age. I'd like to change the layout so I have no heads spraying the fence, but can't come up with a good solution. Here is a picture of the current layout, as well as a list of current heads:

In general, the "best" layout of rotor heads is to put a rotor in each corner, with the spray from each adjusted to remain on the turf. Then add more heads on any side which doesn't have head-to-head coverage so that head-to-head coverage is provided around the entire perimeter. Once the perimeter is covered, are there areas in the middle of the lawn that do not have head-to-head coverage? If so, additional heads should be added to those areas.

Alas, your current setup is going to require significant modifications to do the above. You basically need to decide how much you are willing to rework your current setup in order to avoid watering the fence while maintaining (or improving) the uniformity of coverage.

There's also a very good web page for making "virtual measurements" of your lawn at FindLotSize.com. It really works quite accurately and greatly simplifies planning of sprinkler layouts and fertilizer coverage.

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cnet24

Discussion Starter · #5 · Nov 15, 2017

ken-n-nancy said:
cnet24 said:

I'm looking for some feedback and some ideas on how I can improve my current layout of sprinkler heads. This year, we added a fence (orange line) to our house and now have 3 heads (colored in orange) that spray and hit our fence. The fence is a wooden privacy fence, and at first I didn't think it was a big deal, but after a season of usage the fence in those areas is already showing age. I'd like to change the layout so I have no heads spraying the fence, but can't come up with a good solution. Here is a picture of the current layout, as well as a list of current heads:

Click to expand...

In general, the "best" layout of rotor heads is to put a rotor in each corner, with the spray from each adjusted to remain on the turf. Then add more heads on any side which doesn't have head-to-head coverage so that head-to-head coverage is provided around the entire perimeter. Once the perimeter is covered, are there areas in the middle of the lawn that do not have head-to-head coverage? If so, additional heads should be added to those areas.

Alas, your current setup is going to require significant modifications to do the above. You basically need to decide how much you are willing to rework your current setup in order to avoid watering the fence while maintaining (or improving) the uniformity of coverage.

There's also a very good web page for making "virtual measurements" of your lawn at FindLotSize.com. It really works quite accurately and greatly simplifies planning of sprinkler layouts and fertilizer coverage.

The uniformity in coverage is my problem- the simple answer is to move 1,3,4, & 5 to their closest respective corners of the fence. But then I fight too much overspray on the driveway, as well as uniform coverage in the backyard.

I'm willing to do some significant updates here to get better results. Just wondering what some suggestions might be, as I haven't really been able to come up with much.

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JohnP

· #6 · Nov 15, 2017

I've not used it but some on here have installed Irrigreen. Check into that, you use their app to control the layout of the head.

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ken-n-nancy

· #7 · Nov 15, 2017

ken-n-nancy said:
In general, the "best" layout of rotor heads is to put a rotor in each corner, with the spray from each adjusted to remain on the turf. Then add more heads on any side which doesn't have head-to-head coverage so that head-to-head coverage is provided around the entire perimeter. Once the perimeter is covered, are there areas in the middle of the lawn that do not have head-to-head coverage? If so, additional heads should be added to those areas.

cnet24 said:
I'm willing to do some significant updates here to get better results. Just wondering what some suggestions might be, as I haven't really been able to come up with much.

If I were approaching this as a new installation, I would follow the approach I described above - corners first, then add along perimeter, then consider if additional heads are needed in the middle. Doing so, I came up with the following (see image below), which still completely ignores the long narrow area on the far side of the driveway. These head locations would avoid watering the fence, driveway, etc., and would give greatly increased coverage, but require about twice as many heads as you have currently.

The only one of your existing heads that would remain in the same location is the one set up to water the semi-circle ("6"), presuming that head is already correctly ranged to water that area.

For the new head locations, nozzle selection will need to vary according to head placement to give appropriate throw distance. In general, heads A-E are nominally around 16' each (as long as possible without watering the fence and driveway). Heads F,G,H can throw a bit farther (around 20') to give head-to-head coverage. Heads I,J,K.L could be longer still (maybe 22' to 25'). Appropriate nozzle selection and adjustment of Hunter PGP or I-20 rotors would work for this situation.

The "straw man" layout I made may still be a little light in the center of the back yard (where the shadow of the swingset(?) is located) but I think coverage may be okay there without adding a couple heads right in the middle (which would be an improvement, but might not be necessary). I also couldn't tell from the image if the lawn is level or has high/low areas, which could also affect head placement decisions a bit.

Just my two cents...

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cnet24

Discussion Starter · #8 · Nov 15, 2017

ken-n-nancy said:
ken-n-nancy said:

In general, the "best" layout of rotor heads is to put a rotor in each corner, with the spray from each adjusted to remain on the turf. Then add more heads on any side which doesn't have head-to-head coverage so that head-to-head coverage is provided around the entire perimeter. Once the perimeter is covered, are there areas in the middle of the lawn that do not have head-to-head coverage? If so, additional heads should be added to those areas.

Click to expand...

cnet24 said:

I'm willing to do some significant updates here to get better results. Just wondering what some suggestions might be, as I haven't really been able to come up with much.

Click to expand...

If I were approaching this as a new installation, I would follow the approach I described above - corners first, then add along perimeter, then consider if additional heads are needed in the middle. Doing so, I came up with the following (see image below), which still completely ignores the long narrow area on the far side of the driveway. These head locations would avoid watering the fence, driveway, etc., and would give greatly increased coverage, but require about twice as many heads as you have currently.

The only one of your existing heads that would remain in the same location is the one set up to water the semi-circle ("6"), presuming that head is already correctly ranged to water that area.

For the new head locations, nozzle selection will need to vary according to head placement to give appropriate throw distance. In general, heads A-E are nominally around 16' each (as long as possible without watering the fence and driveway). Heads F,G,H can throw a bit farther (around 20') to give head-to-head coverage. Heads I,J,K.L could be longer still (maybe 22' to 25'). Appropriate nozzle selection and adjustment of Hunter PGP or I-20 rotors would work for this situation.

The "straw man" layout I made may still be a little light in the center of the back yard (where the shadow of the swingset(?) is located) but I think coverage may be okay there without adding a couple heads right in the middle (which would be an improvement, but might not be necessary). I also couldn't tell from the image if the lawn is level or has high/low areas, which could also affect head placement decisions a bit.

Just my two cents...

Ken this is great! How much do I owe you?!?! :lol:

I do like the layout here- and no worries on the part that isn't covered- I have a zone that covers that little stip by itself.

I'm learning the original layout was a builder special, aka use as little number of heads as possible. I've already had to make some modifications, and this is next on my to-do list.

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ken-n-nancy

· #9 · Nov 16, 2017

cnet24 said:
Ken this is great! How much do I owe you?!?! :lol:

Glad to be of some help. By no means am I an irrigation expert; others may have some suggestions of how to improve upon the layout. My experience is limited to systems with rotor heads. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

In all honesty, I think trying to reduce the number of heads is often false economy -- the heads really aren't very expensive -- only about $10 each!

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g-man

· #10 · Nov 16, 2017

K&n layouts looks like I was mentally thinking. I would add one more head between a, e, b if you don't want to water the driveway. Mp1000 would be great in this area. Is that a swing near the fence? You you(or wife) minds if it gets wet just before the kids want to use it?

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