# Few questions re: DIY irrigation install



## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

So as I have been prepping for my lawn reno, I think I have decided to install a quick DIY irrigation. 80% there.... but I have a few questions.

I will be running off of my hose spigot. I have measured and have 60 psi and 6 gpm. Plan is 3 zones total (4 actually but 4th would be dripper).

*First question is, if I had the manifold go off the spigot now, could I get a plumber come to tap the main in the future without issue?*. The planned location of the manifold installed near the spigot is 10-15 ft from the main water supply from the street.

My plan is to use 1 inch Blu Lock pipe for the main and half inch Blu Lock Swing Pipe. The goal is to install this as quickly as possible. For that reason, I would like to limit the trenching I need to do. *Second question, any reason why it wouldn't be okay to run this pipe through mulch beds where possible and just cover it with mulch? Then trench and bury anything out in the turf?*. I am open to burying it in the future.... but I just don't have the lead time to do ALL of it now.

One zone would be to the whole back yard which is about a 1500 sqft rectangle. I ran some tests and I can get pretty good coverage with 3 Hunter PGP heads in a triangle setup. I have to use small nozzles to keep under 6 GPM but I think it should work pretty well. *Third question. One of the heads will be on the far side of the back lawn.... do I need to run the 1 inch main all the way out there for 1 head, or can I have 30 ft of the 1/2 inch swing pipe powering that one head?*

I think that covers my questions. Thanks in advance!


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

My biggest feedback is that there is no quick dyi irrigation. I fear that you will rush at this and then regret it with a lot of wasted money. Focus on the Reno and do the irrigation later or viceversa.

Question
1). You will need a backflow valve in the future. It will all depend on how easy or hard you make it to the plumber.

2) you want the pipes away from shovels, edgers in the future. I ran some of mine in a mulch area but they are deep and covered with dirt. I know they are there and I won't go crazy in that area.

3) I don't think you can do a rectangle with 3 heads and cover it pretty well. 
3a) you don't run mains, you run laterals. It is all going to depend on GPM for that run. I would not use 30ft of funny pipe if the gpm is high. I would use 3/4 poly.


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## Eric (Aug 15, 2017)

Just an FYI, from my research blu lock is not designed to be under constant pressure, so the mains should be constructed out of poly or PVC. From the valves out blu lock is fine!


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

Thanks @g-man. I hear you loud and clear on the no quick irrigation. I should have expounded on my motivations. I have previously used a few 3 or 4 way times attached to my 2 hose bibs. This meant hoses all over the lawn and running across the driveway when I needed to run automatic cycles.... and I still didn't get great coverage. I just didn't have enough hoses.

So in planning my reno, I set out a few weekends ago to see how I could get a better setup going. Before I knew it, I had like $200 worth of timers and hoses in my cart... It was then I saw someone, i think @Eric powering a manifold with a rachio that I got to thinking... instead of spending a few hundred adding to my already ridiculous hose collection, why not build a manifold and use poly pipe instead of hoses... then i progressed to bury some.

Anyway, I pulled the trigger on some parts... but am going on the budget side. Bought an orbit 3 zone manifold, 200 ft of 3/4 poly, 4 Hunter PGP for my backyard and a handful of MP Rotators for the front. We shall see how it goes....

In terms of burying the mains... I already have a long run of 1/2 inch poly that runs through all of my mulch beds (around the whole house), so I plan on just running it right next to it.

@g-man. I was planning on 2 PGPs at 90 degrees in the lower corners. That would reach all the way to the top corner (will actually overspray a bit into the shrubs). Then a PGP at 180 degrees in the center of the upper part..... if that makes sense. What would be best for a rectangle? One in each corner? If I put one doing 360 in the middle I would be watering the neighbors.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Ideally, reactangles are divided into squares.


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