# Buried PEX for irrigation system



## TSGarp007

I'm redesigning my irrigation system and will have several new zones, some of which will have to wrap all the way around my house. So I'll have several very long runs of pipe for the zones on that side. I was thinking of using PEX for the pipe from the valves to the zones. Good idea? Any thoughts on best practices? Types of fittings to use? How to adapt to swing pipe? Can I put several pipes in the same trench?

NE Florida
Static water pressure: 56 psi
15 gpm at 17 psi

Thanks in advance!

Edit: corrected syntax


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## Ware

TSGarp007 said:


> I'm redesigning my irrigation system and will have several new zones, some of which will have to wrap all the way around my house. So I'll have several very long runs of pipe for the zones on that side. I was thinking of using PEX for the pipe from the valves to the zones. Good idea? Any thoughts on best practices? Types of fittings to use? How to adapt to swing pipe? Can I put several pipes in the same trench?
> 
> NE Florida
> Static water pressure: 56 psi
> 15 gpm at 17 psi
> 
> Thanks in advance?


I would say the two biggest issues with using PEX for irrigation are probably the ID and the cost. Assuming 1" mainlines, you'd have to step up to like 1-1/4" PEX to get the same ID as Schedule 40 PVC. So for example, it looks like 1-1/4" PEX is like $2.95/ft, versus $0.397/ft for 1" PVC.

If you're wanting to use coiled pipe, Blu-Lock Pipe might be a better option for you.

That said, you mention you have some "very long runs", so I would make sure you triple check your pipe sizes/pressure losses. Irrigation Tutorials is an incredible resource for designing your own irrigation system.


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## g-man

^+1. Polypipe is another great option (160psi rated).


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## TSGarp007

Thanks!

Yes, I could see some runs being 170 feet long just to get to the zone area. May need 1.5" PEX pipe for that which is certainly pricey. I've actually never heard of this Blu-lock pipe, I'll definitely look into it more. Quick search makes it look like it only goes up to 1". So poly pipe would be good also for these long runs?

Thanks again!


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## adgattoni

TSGarp007 said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Yes, I could see some runs being 170 feet long just to get to the zone area. May need 1.5" PEX pipe for that which is certainly pricey. I've actually never heard of this Blu-lock pipe, I'll definitely look into it more. Quick search makes it look like it only goes up to 1". So poly pipe would be good also for these long runs?
> 
> Thanks again!


If that's going to be 170 feet of mainline, you probably shouldn't do Blu-Lock. I don't think it is meant to handle constant pressure, but rather for "everything you do from the valve out" as they advertise. In your case PVC is probably the best choice.


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## Ware

Good catch @adgattoni - they do call it "lateral pipe" and say "Blu-Lock is for non-constant pressure, valve-out, cold water, outdoor direct burial irrigation connections only."


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## TSGarp007

Well, this is actually for after the valves... The long runs are from the valve to the sprinkler zone. I considered the idea of putting some valves on the other side of the house to reduce the distance from the valves to the zones. My concern is then having to extend a main line all the way over there. I'd prefer to limit how much pipe in my yard constantly has pressurized water. Does that bring poly and Blu-lock back into play?


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## g-man

Add a master valve. This will turn off the main line supply. The controller turns on the master valve first and then the zone valve.

Check irrigation tutorials.


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## TSGarp007

Thanks guys!


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## TSGarp007

(note I posted some of this info already in a separate post, i'm combining and deleting the other)

Thanks everyone. I ended up using a master valve and 1.5" PVC anywhere else the 1" Blu-lock wouldn't cut it due to pressure loss. The Blu-lock was really easy to work with. I don't know how easy the poly pipe would have been, but I would have given up if i had to use pvc cement on all those fittings!

Original setup: 5 zones, three of which served the front yard which is considerably smaller than the rest of the yard. The front 3 zones served a little over 3,000 sq ft. That left 2 zones to impossibly handle approximately 10,000 square feet.

New setup:
Rachio gen 3 (16 valve) with outdoor enclosure
10 new zones
2 additional zones have valve installed, waiting on future drip irrigation connection
3 valve box locations (each location has one 4 valve box and one 1 valve box)
Total of 13 operating zones currently.
1.5" PVC - 200 feet plus required fittings
1" Blu-Lock - 1,000 feet
1/2" Blu-lock - 200 feet
A bunch of Blu-lock fittings...
32 new rotors (Hunter I-20 6"), 2 rotors re-purposed.
16 new Rainbird R-VAN rotary nozzles and bodies

I kept the front the existing three zones (replaced the valves), and added 10 more zones. One zone only has one sprinkler on it as I will probably enhance that zone later. I also have 2 more zones plumbed for future drip irrigation in my flower beds. I installed a master valve and 15 new valves in three different valve box locations. The master line run uses 1.5" PVC, and runs around 150 feet long to the farthest valve box. In a couple locations I started the zone run with 1.5" PVC and then transitioned to 1" PVC. The rest of the laterals are all 1" Blu-Lock pipe. I could have used 3/4" in a lot of spots, but just kept to one pipe size to be able to use all the same fittings. I think I installed 52 sprinkler heads, reusing two of them from existing layout. Max GPM anywhere is around 12 gpm.

Original valves, they were buried and not even entirely inside the perimeter of the old valve box:


Here's the new valve boxes at various stages (I have three valve stations now):






And some pictures of the work while ongoing:







And that last zone again in operation (with some annual ryegrass covering the trenches):



Now I need to add some sprinklers to one zone and add the drip line to two zones...


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## Gilley11

So envious.....I dream of soil like that.


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## hsvtoolfool

I'm also jealous. It looks like you could dig those trenches with a plastic "spork" from KFC. In my area, you jam a commercial 8" Ditch Witch on a Chert rock every time you engage the chain. A 100 foot trench takes two days.

Good job!


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## TSGarp007

Perhaps it will make you guys feel better to know that 1) My soil is really just sand, it was wet in most of the photos making it look richer (so easy to dig, but water just goes right through it), and 2) One of my side yards had so many roots in it I had to dig under a bunch of them in order to get my pipe where it had to be. Also, I didn't trench deep enough in some spots so did a lot of hand trenching...


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