# Acting up after adjustment



## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

I just had my sprinkler system installed. I tried to get out and do a quick irrigation audit. The installer had me run each zone for 20 minutes. My catch cup measured .05" in that amount of time.

Having only used an oscillating sprinkler all these years, is that amount about what to expect? Obviously every house is different, different water pressure, etc. How long does it take you to get an inch of irrigation in one week?


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

That's pretty low. My MP Rotator system was designed for about 0.4 in/hr, and I think that is considered one of the slowest precipitation rates in the industry. I guess my first question is what kind of heads did they use and did they achieve proper head-to-head spacing?


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## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

They used Hunter heads (PRB I20?). Valves are Rainbird DV 100 and a Hunter Hydrawise controller. The spacing looks good. They spent a great deal of time, one person at each end making sure that there was minimal overlap. Then again, I may not have put the catch cup in the right spot. The ground does look pretty saturated.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Jeff_MI84 said:


> making sure that there was minimal overlap.


what? You want the stream from one head to hit another head.


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## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

@g-man that is what I meant. I think I meant to say minimal as in not too bad of an overlap. I was out there when they were testing the system. Looking at my videos, the streams do in fact go head to head. I think my cup placement was off. The installer told me that in my area, average runtime was about 40 minutes to get an inch off of three days of run time.


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## lbb091919 (Apr 26, 2020)

The pic in your journal looks like either Pro Sprays or MP Rotators in the parkway.

I have three zones of I-20s with about a 0.6 in/hr rate and three zones of MP Rotators at about 0.4 in/hr. So your 0.05" in 20 minutes seems low. Maybe try placing several cups around the yard.


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## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

@lbb091919 i have both Rainbird 10Q's and Hunter I20's. It's been a few years since I had to do the cup test. I used the same sprinkler head since 2014, so this is new to me.


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## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

I had one of the main installers come back on Tuesday to readjust everything. I watched him on camera while I was at work. Yesterday morning I turned the system on to see for myself.

This morning, several heads are back to either not going the full adjusted position, head to head seems off on some and the same head is possibly sputtering.

Could it be a pressure issue, a leak or both? 4:30am and nobody around me is up and using water.


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## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

The type of sprinkler heads I have, are they supposed to be flush with the dirt when off, or stick up a little?


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## lbb091919 (Apr 26, 2020)

Slightly above grade is ideal


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## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

@lbb091919 thank you. I was trying to find this diagram earlier but could not locate it. I actually called the installation company, and they sent the same installer back out.

This was after guy who is doing aerating for me this year came to check out my property and told me that several sprinkler heads were way too high for mowing. So I called the installer, he came back out earlier this evening and showed me a technique of slightly lowering them (wetting the area and gently pushing down to make them flush). I moved my lawnmower across, and blade obviously was nowhere near hitting it. My understanding, is that you can go over the heads gently while mowing and not cause any harm.

The I20's where are the ones that were sticking out too far, but the rain birds were perfectly level. We went over every single head, ensuring that it was not sticking out too far above ground and that the spurting issues were stopped. As well as backfilling a little bit better.


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## lbb091919 (Apr 26, 2020)

Sounds like everything worked out!


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## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

@lbb091919 i hope so, for now anyways. Even though the installed was still on the clock, I gave him a $20 for coming out after 5:00.


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