# recommendation for new sprinkler heads for backyard?



## hkfan45 (May 11, 2019)

I'm redoing my St. Augustine grass backyard and the existing sprinkler heads are rainbird fixed heads. I don't like them because they never seem to water the area closest to the head. I see that Orbit makes dual spray nozzles, but I'm not crazy about their quality or durability. I want pro-level quality and durability, while at the same time giving me complete and accurate coverage. What should I use?


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

I like hunter mp rotators. check out minute 4 in this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmsZtby1iOw&feature=emb_logo


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## hkfan45 (May 11, 2019)

Interesting. However, my sprinkler heads are almost exclusively located against exterior walls (my backyard is walled in - south Texas style) so at most I have 180 degrees of allowable coverage. Would a rotor be good for this?


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

hkfan45 said:


> Interesting. However, my sprinkler heads are almost exclusively located against exterior walls (my backyard is walled in - south Texas style) so at most I have 180 degrees of allowable coverage. Would a rotor be good for this?


Yes, they come in a few arcs. You would want the 90-210 degree for that application. They can be adjusted from 90 to 210 degrees. Adjustment is super easy. They also come in 210-270 as well as a full 360 arc, which is not adjustable. You can see 180 degree set up in @Ware's video here.






Added bonus they look really cool.


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## hkfan45 (May 11, 2019)

I currently have rainbird bodies for my sprinkler heads. Will these MP rotator nozzles fit or will I need to buy Hunter bodies? Or should I look at the comparable R-VAN from rainbird that may use my existing bodies?


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

I don't know if they fit the rainbird heads. I kind of doubt it. The hunter bodies are intended to be used with these and have built in pressure reducers, I believe.

I don't know anything about the RVANs and how they compare with the rotators except I have seen videos where they spin really really fast vs the hunters.

Edit:
Looks like it has been discussed here:
https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2411


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## Carsonc1974 (Apr 24, 2020)

Rainbird has a rotator (RVAN I beleive) aswell. Thats what i put in last summer


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## Teej (Feb 27, 2019)

Another vote for Hunter MP Rotators as well. I redesigned my above ground system this year with them and they've been phenomenal. About your Rainbirds not getting the area closest to the head, you'll want to design your system with head-to-head coverage to solve this issue.


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## hkfan45 (May 11, 2019)

Can I mix MP rotors with regular fixed spray heads? I have a good number of heads in my backyard and I don't think I need all of them to be rotors.


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

hkfan45 said:


> Can I mix MP rotors with regular fixed spray heads? I have a good number of heads in my backyard and I don't think I need all of them to be rotors.


It is highly discouraged. The precipitation rates are very different.


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## hkfan45 (May 11, 2019)

Hmm. My issue is I probably have 20 heads in a unique shape backyard. The yard includes 1 narrow (4ft wide) path on the side of the yard that connects to a gate to the front yard. No other sprinklers can reach it due to the narrow width and long length of the path. It is not on a separate zone. On the other side of the yard is a narrow strip of grass (8ft wide) where the a/c is located. Currently there are about 8 heads in total on both sides. It doesn't seem like rotors would make sense for the 4ft wide path, but leaving the heads there while using MP rotors on the remaining parts of the lawn sounds like it creates problems. Any solutions?


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

Im not sure I understand the layout. They do make a strip pattern as well with 5 ft wide coverage.

https://www.dripdepot.com/item/hunter-strip-mp-rotator-thread-male-pattern-side-coverage-5-feet-by-30-feet?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2dXY3P6B6QIVGoTICh0_CQSvEAAYASAAEgJb7vD_BwE


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## jht3 (Jul 27, 2018)

I just replaced Rainbird sprays with rvan rotators. Couldn't be happier. I have had one with a square pattern for years in a bed but never in a full turf zone.

They also have square and strip patterns.

It is your aren't scared to dig up and relocate heads, that is another option


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## hkfan45 (May 11, 2019)

See pictures for what I'm talking about. I just finished ripping up the old St. Augustine. The flags represent where my heads are. Double flags means two heads side by side. They are 1800 series Rainbirds, which I hate! The one side is roughly 5 feet wide. Given where my heads are now, do people still think MP rotators are a good fit? I'm willing to replace all heads (24 of them in the backyard) if they would work well given my layout.

Thanks!


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## TSGarp007 (May 22, 2018)

If you have 1800 series rain bird bodies then just switch to the R-VAN nozzles (they fit the 1800 bodies). They work great. I just switched a zone from VAN to R-VAN. Much better. Also I added a couple new R-VAN zones also.

I really don't think it's worth the effort to replace the bodies to hunter. Now is the time though to check distances to between each head. Better to add or move a sprinkler now before the sod goes in.


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## hkfan45 (May 11, 2019)

I figured I would need to switch out the bodies because I would need the pressure regulated ones for MP rotator or R-VAN. Are they not necessary?


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## jht3 (Jul 27, 2018)

Pressure regulated bodies are not required. Your yard is flat so you won't have downhill heads seeing more pressure. Are you getting the advertised nozzle throw at each head now?

If you have all 1800 bodies in good shape, the cheapest fix is to swap to rvan nozzles. Your yard is basically a bunch of rectangles and at quick glance looks fairly well laid out.

I suggest you get some graph paper, compass, and a long measuring tape or wheel. Map out your yard and head locations. Then figure out which nozzles work best. Plan for a little extra overlap to account for wind, etc.


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## hkfan45 (May 11, 2019)

jht3 said:


> Pressure regulated bodies are not required. Your yard is flat so you won't have downhill heads seeing more pressure. Are you getting the advertised nozzle throw at each head now?
> 
> If you have all 1800 bodies in good shape, the cheapest fix is to swap to rvan nozzles. Your yard is basically a bunch of rectangles and at quick glance looks fairly well laid out.
> 
> I suggest you get some graph paper, compass, and a long measuring tape or wheel. Map out your yard and head locations. Then figure out which nozzles work best. Plan for a little extra overlap to account for wind, etc.


Thank you. I am leaning this way. I'm assuming I want the strip r-vans for the 5ft wide rectangular path on the side of my house? There are 4 heads there. All strips?


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## TSGarp007 (May 22, 2018)

Probably the strips (SST LCS RCS I think are the models) but it all comes down to the distances between sprinklers.

Also when you do your layout, if you notice you need a larger radius somewhere (I think R-VAN is max 24ish feet), then you can replace one with a rainbird 5000 with a matched precipitation nozzle. Ideally you'd be all R-VAN, but that's a reasonable compromise I think, if necessary.


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## hkfan45 (May 11, 2019)

I went ahead and bought an assortment of R-VAN heads, mostly the 13-24 variety since it seems the 8-14 ones have many bad reviews. I also bout some strip ones and one 360 degree for my middle head.


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## TSGarp007 (May 22, 2018)

Good luck!

Does grass ever grow on that little strip? Looks pretty shady...


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## hkfan45 (May 11, 2019)

I did not have good luck the first time around. Not sure how to remedy if at all possible.


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## jht3 (Jul 27, 2018)

hkfan45 said:


> I went ahead and bought an assortment of R-VAN heads, mostly the 13-24 variety since it seems the 8-14 ones have many bad reviews. I also bout some strip ones and one 360 degree for my middle head.


what do these bad reviews say?

i just put in a couple of those, plus the yellow and red ones. thinking about swapping the 8-14's for the next size up as i could use a little more throw. basically i don't think i'm getting the advertised throw.


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## hkfan45 (May 11, 2019)

At what height should my heads be in relation to the dirt? I don't like sunken in heads into the dirt since they always seem to clog and I tend to want my st. augustine to grow med-high length. So, how much above the ground/dirt should the heads be for R-VANS to work well?


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