Lawns - Is it normal to use this much water all at once?
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Amy_2009
08-04-09, 09:26 AM
Hi,
This is a very broad ballpark question. We have about 18 rotary Hunter sprinkler heads for larger areas of our lawn and about 12 Rainbird static heads for smaller areas. Here's what the watering session looks like:
6 rotary heads run for 35 min
6 rotary heads run for 35 min
6 rotary heads run for 20 min
6 static heads run for 10 min
6 static heads run for 10 min
After the system is done running it uses over 3000 gallons of water in a single session. Does this sound right? This is about what we use during the entire month in winter!
A gentleman who owns an irrigation company told us the system with these heads should use from 1800 to 2200 gallons per session. He didn't see the actual system, we just exchanged emails through a mutual acquaintance. He recommended inspecting our system for leaks or checking the seals on the heads.
We checked for leaks, and didn't find any. The water meter stays still if the system isn't operating. If we leave the house and spend a few days elsewhere and no water is used at all, then our meter would stay on the exact same mark as we left it. There are no soggy spots anywhere in our lawn after watering it. So unless the leak occurs deep under ground during the 110 minutes when the system is actually running, and the 5-gallon-per-head average rule is correct, then 3000 gallons should be correct. Or is the gentleman right about 1800 to 2200 gallons?
We can reduce the flow on all those heads to get it down to 1800 gallons, but then the lawn would receive very little water. Far less than recommended 1 inch. Actually it already gets a little less than that. What are we doing wrong?
Thanks for your help!
This is a very broad ballpark question. We have about 18 rotary Hunter sprinkler heads for larger areas of our lawn and about 12 Rainbird static heads for smaller areas. Here's what the watering session looks like:
6 rotary heads run for 35 min
6 rotary heads run for 35 min
6 rotary heads run for 20 min
6 static heads run for 10 min
6 static heads run for 10 min
After the system is done running it uses over 3000 gallons of water in a single session. Does this sound right? This is about what we use during the entire month in winter!
A gentleman who owns an irrigation company told us the system with these heads should use from 1800 to 2200 gallons per session. He didn't see the actual system, we just exchanged emails through a mutual acquaintance. He recommended inspecting our system for leaks or checking the seals on the heads.
We checked for leaks, and didn't find any. The water meter stays still if the system isn't operating. If we leave the house and spend a few days elsewhere and no water is used at all, then our meter would stay on the exact same mark as we left it. There are no soggy spots anywhere in our lawn after watering it. So unless the leak occurs deep under ground during the 110 minutes when the system is actually running, and the 5-gallon-per-head average rule is correct, then 3000 gallons should be correct. Or is the gentleman right about 1800 to 2200 gallons?
We can reduce the flow on all those heads to get it down to 1800 gallons, but then the lawn would receive very little water. Far less than recommended 1 inch. Actually it already gets a little less than that. What are we doing wrong?
Thanks for your help!
TheCaptain
08-05-09, 05:44 PM
Hunter heads have a nozzle inside each of them that tells you the Hunter number for how much water it uses. Hunters website tells you how much this water is under certain pressure conditions. I can tell you it is highly unlikely your heads are using 5 gallons per minute each. You are probably running about 2-3 gallons per minute from each head, on average.
But this depends on who designed your system and how much they know about irrigating. Most companies put the same size nozzle in each head irregardless of where it is placed because it is easy for them. This provides unbalanced watering but is easier to calculate how much you are using.
The hunter heads will leak at the seals, and depending on how deep they are in the ground, you probably don't even know it. Your friends estimate on how much water you are using is pretty much correct given the average way a system would be set up.
Check your controller again for extra runtimes, start times or a secondary program that is running. Its also possible you have a leak and are unable to detect it. That, or your system is nozzled way high and we just don't know it, or would not expect it.
By static head I imagine you mean spray heads (they do not turn at all).
Another possibility is the addition of dripline that would run with your rotary heads or something along that idea.
First, check your program.
But this depends on who designed your system and how much they know about irrigating. Most companies put the same size nozzle in each head irregardless of where it is placed because it is easy for them. This provides unbalanced watering but is easier to calculate how much you are using.
The hunter heads will leak at the seals, and depending on how deep they are in the ground, you probably don't even know it. Your friends estimate on how much water you are using is pretty much correct given the average way a system would be set up.
Check your controller again for extra runtimes, start times or a secondary program that is running. Its also possible you have a leak and are unable to detect it. That, or your system is nozzled way high and we just don't know it, or would not expect it.
By static head I imagine you mean spray heads (they do not turn at all).
Another possibility is the addition of dripline that would run with your rotary heads or something along that idea.
First, check your program.
Amy_2009
08-06-09, 07:57 AM
Thank you!
You are right, as far as I remember all rotating heads have the same nozzle in them. I'll check for the numbers on them. There's no secondary program for sure, already checked for that. I will double check the runtimes though, we adjusted those a couple of times this summer.
Does each nozzle allow the same amount of water to flow through it per minute, no matter what radius or arc settings are? Seems like if the little screw on top of one head is set to allow smaller radius, then there's less water that actually goes through that particular head..
You are right, as far as I remember all rotating heads have the same nozzle in them. I'll check for the numbers on them. There's no secondary program for sure, already checked for that. I will double check the runtimes though, we adjusted those a couple of times this summer.
Does each nozzle allow the same amount of water to flow through it per minute, no matter what radius or arc settings are? Seems like if the little screw on top of one head is set to allow smaller radius, then there's less water that actually goes through that particular head..
TheCaptain
08-06-09, 06:22 PM
If you have, for example, a number 8 nozzle in a 90* head and a full circle, they will both throw the same volume of water per minute (assuming the pipe supplying the water is large enough to carry the correct volume).
It makes little sense to throw the same water in a corner as one in the middle of the yard that is doing a full circle. You can tighten the set screw at the top as much as you want. All this does it shorten the distance it throws but the same volume of water is still coming out, it just doesn't go as far out. The only real reason to shorten the distance, ever, is if its hitting something it should not--like a window or part of the house or going into the street too much, etc.
Hope that helps to answer your question.
It makes little sense to throw the same water in a corner as one in the middle of the yard that is doing a full circle. You can tighten the set screw at the top as much as you want. All this does it shorten the distance it throws but the same volume of water is still coming out, it just doesn't go as far out. The only real reason to shorten the distance, ever, is if its hitting something it should not--like a window or part of the house or going into the street too much, etc.
Hope that helps to answer your question.