# How Not To Do Irrigation



## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Saw this in a FB ad for irrigation installation.

-No shutoff on the feed line
-Vacuum breaker instead of a true backflow preventer
-valves unevenly spaced, and too far apart
-no valve box (and they're way too spread out to fit in one)

It's listed as including a "smart irrigation clock".

$445 per zone for this abomination.

I sent him a message with some pro tips.


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## SeanBB (Jul 11, 2020)

yikes. no box was most shocking to me!


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

SeanBB said:


> yikes. no box was most shocking to me!


I mean, presumably hes going to do SOMETHING, but the way that its laid out, thats not fitting in a box.


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## SeanBB (Jul 11, 2020)

@SCGrassMan maybe a coffin? LOL


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

SeanBB said:


> @SCGrassMan maybe a coffin? LOL


LOL! He responded to my message by saying he had done 300 installations this year, and they try to do 2 entire systems a day, and he's going to use round individual valve boxes. <facepalm>


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## SeanBB (Jul 11, 2020)

Ohhhh boi.....


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## Vtx531 (Jul 1, 2019)

My shutoff valve is in the basement so you wouldn't see one outside - same as the hose bibs.

I have the same style vacuum breaker and I have never seen anything different on any other install.

???

Why do the valves need to be evenly spaced and what would happen if they are too far apart?


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## spaceman_spiff (Feb 5, 2021)

I just saw a post on r/irrigation where someone cemented the valves/PVC in. Oof.


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## ricwilli (Feb 18, 2019)

Vtx531 said:


> My shutoff valve is in the basement so you wouldn't see one outside - same as the hose bibs.
> 
> I have the same style vacuum breaker and I have never seen anything different on any other install.
> 
> ...


Yeah, I see nothing wrong with this install if its laid out like stated here. Is it different? Absolutely.


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## JohnnyBGreen (Apr 19, 2021)

Must be the grandson of the guy who installed the system in my yard 30+ years ago. 
Valves strewn all over. 3x 9-wire harnesses zigzagging through the yard. 
15 spray zones for a 7,000sq ft yard, and nominal 50% efficiency layout after catch-cup testing. 
Head to head coverage optional. 
(thumbs down fart noise)


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Vtx531 said:


> My shutoff valve is in the basement so you wouldn't see one outside - same as the hose bibs.
> 
> I have the same style vacuum breaker and I have never seen anything different on any other install.
> 
> ...


Nothing would "happen". But it's sloppy. And more expensive than putting everything in one big valve box. And those little circular ones tend to disappear under dirt and grass.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

spaceman_spiff said:


> I just saw a post on r/irrigation where someone cemented the valves/PVC in. Oof.


😬 😬 😬

Wow.


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