How to install automatic sprinklers

You will learn how to lay the lawn irrigation pipes and connect them so they make an efficient watering system.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• PVC pipe
• PVC cement
• handsaw
• shovel
• tape measure
• PVC valves
• irrigation wire
• sprinkler risers or heads.

1. 
   landscape watering system

   First of all, we'll need to dig where we're going to install the pipes. You can rent a landscape pipe digger if you want, but if you have good soil, you can just use a shovel.
   
   Either way, be sure to keep the sod because you can put it back and it will keep growing to eventually fill in the scars on the lawn
   
   The depth of the sprinkler lines depends on the type of risers you will use.

2. 

   The depth just needs to be deep enough so the heads or risers fit into the hole without protruding too far above ground. Remember to leave a little height for the thickness of the lawn or sod.

3. 

   We'll take our 3/4-inch PVC pipes and measure them to fit the pipe routing plan. We can use PVC couplers, tees, and elbows to connect the irrigation lines to form the outline.

4. 

   The pipes will need to be deburred after being cut. It's important to get all the plastic slivers out of the inside of the pipes.
   
   The adhesive is a solvent that you put on both pieces to be connected. PVC cement is the only solvent for PVC pipes.

5. 

   Form the pipes in a Tee formation to make sure each sprinkler head has equal pressure.

6. 

   Place the PVC irrigation pipe valves at the beginning of each yard watering section. Each valve will control a certain section of lawn and these valves can be controlled by a timer.

7. 

   Connect the main line to the water supply. The main line will come directly from the outside spigot or waterline and it will feed into all the lines controlled by valves.
   
   The valves will be controlled by low voltage wire that goes from each valve, back to the timer/controller box. I like to use diferent colors of wire for each lawn section so I can keep everything straight.
   
   That way I know which wires are controlling each lawn section when I wire the controller.

8. 

   An outside spigot can be a good water supply if it has a high flow rate.
   
   Adding an automatic watering system to your yard can add thousands to the value of your home.

Resources

• www.make-my-own-house.com

[iamageniuster]

on 10/19/2008 Great tips. Thanks for sharing. 5 stars!

[Todd12]

on 9/24/2008 This is good material but it is missing some key items. First thing that needs to be determined is the water output of your source, Gallons per minute. This will help in setting up how many heads will be on each zone or set of heads and how many zones you will need. Head placement is also important so you do not waste water, Rainbird.com has a do it yourself section that can help with both. If tapping into your house water system you also need to install a backflow preventer. Some municipalities require this to pass code.