Plumber Plan for Automatic Sprinkler Plumbing System Installation
Owen Walcher
Installing an automatic sprinkle system requires some planning and
effort, but once you install it, it is worth all the efforts. It can
save you from the hassle of dragging hoses around every time you want
to water the lawn.
Moreover, an automatic sprinkle system comes with a built-in timer that
prevents your lawn from becoming too wet or too dry.
However, before you actually start installing it, make sure that you
have following tools ready with you.
Tools
- PVC primer and cement
- PVC pipe cutter
- Measuring tape
- String
- Gravel
- Shovel
- Gloves
- Safety glasses
- Hacksaw
- Gas-powered Trencher with vibratory plow (you can rent it for about
$150-$200 per day)
Basic Preparations
Now that you are ready with all the required tools, you have to do some
basic preparations as discussed below.
- Get information about your water supply. If you do not know about
that, call your utility company.
- Check the meter capacity, and make sure that how many sprinkle heads
you can install per zone in your irrigation system.
- Gather information about some other things, such as climate, soil
type, wind conditions, water flow rate, water pressure, etc.
- Gather information about what are the installation requirements in
your area. If you are not sure, you can get this information from the
building-codes enforcement agency.
- There can be underground pipes or cables, so before you begin your
installation project, locate these things with the help of your utility
company.
Installation Procedure
1. The best way to start the procedure is to draw a map of your lawn on
a paper. Now, mark all the important locations with specific
measurements as applicable, such as the location for the water meter,
sprinkle timer, sprinkle manifold, sprinkle heads, etc. It is better if
you mark other things as well, such as the location of your house,
driveway, mailbox, etc.
2. Now as per the measurements and location of your map, place your PVC
pipes along the supply lines. Place some markers on the manifold,
valve, and each sprinkle head. You can use some colored flags as the
markers.
3. Take a string that is equal in length to the spray coverage and
stretch it from one marker flag to another. This way, you can have an
idea of how much spacing is there between the sprinkle heads.
4. Now you have to dig a trench. You can use a gas-powered trencher
with vibratory plow for this purpose. It will not only dig the trench
but it will also place the PVC pipe simultaneously.
5. Switch off the water supply.
6. Cut a two-inch piece from the pipe that is leading to your house.
You can use a PVC pipe cutter for this.
7. Clean both the "cut ends" of the pipe and put a PVS T-fitting, with
the T-points upward, at that position, and glue it with PVC cement.
8. Take a short piece of PVC pipe and attach the same with a 90-degree
elbow.
9. Connect the PVC sprinkle supply lines from the main water supply to
the backflow preventer or an anti-siphon valve, whatever is applicable
as per your building codes.
10. After you are through with the required connection, use short
pieces of PVC with T-fittings to assemble the manifold. Do not forget
to follow your manufacturer's instructions.
11. Use PVC cements to attach timer valves to the manifold, and then
attach this assembly to the main pipe.
12. Assemble all the sprinkle risers.
13. Once, you are through with assembling sprinkle risers, this is the
time to attach the sprinkle heads.
14. Cut the risers to proper heights as per the manufacturer's
instructions.
15. Attach the proper sprinkle head to each riser, and make sure to
keep it vertical while establishing it.
16. Use soil to fill all the trenches but leave a little gap at the
top. Make sure to tightly fill it so that there are no air pockets.
17. Place the timer in a dry location or in a weatherproof box.
18. Use wire nuts to connect the ground wires of each valve together,
and the circuit wires of the valves to the terminal screws at the
timer. Do not forget to follow the manufacturer's instructions in this
regard.
19. Now fill the gap at the top you left, and bury the cable, which is
leading to the manifold, under it.
20. Connect the timer to the power supply and set the time.
Note: After every connection, do not forget to turn on the water supply
to check the leaks.
Hence, here we see how easy it is to install an automatic sprinkle
system.
However, make sure that you have done the basic preparations and all
the necessary tools are available to you before you actually start the
installation process.
Owen Walcher is a freelance writer, helping you with your plumbing
problems at
http://plumbers.besthomeresource.com/ and supporting your
need to find a plumber in New york here: http://plumbers.besthomeresource
.com/NewYorkPlumbers/
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