Don’t panic! It looks like a lot to cover, but much of it you will skim over because it applies only to very specific situations that don’t matter for most sprinkler systems. (But if it turns out one of those specific situations applies to YOU won’t you be glad that we included it?) You will find that the tutorial goes quickly once you get started. Just take it step-by-step and it is easy.
- Start Here! Introduction to Irrigation Design: How to use this tutorial, information on software programs to design your sprinkler system, and a few suggestions on those “free designs” offered by the sprinkler manufacturing companies.
- Step #1 Collect Information:
- Measure Your Yard: How to measure your yard easily and accurately for your sprinkler irrigation system.
- Measuring your water supply (critical that it be done right! One size does NOT fit all.):
- City-Slicker Water: How to find the PSI and GPM if you get your water through a pipe from a water-company.
- Country-Bumpkin Water: How to find the PSI and GPM if you pump water from a well, creek, lake, etc..
- Backwoods Water: How to measure the GPM and PSI for other types of water supplies (Moses would use this section).
- Step #2 Select Your Equipment:
- Selecting Your Sprinkler Equipment: Pressure loss is the key to selecting sizes!
- Water Meter: Water meters.
- Backflow Preventer: How to select a backflow preventer. Do you savor the flavor of dog pee? Nope? You want to get this right!
- Mainlines: What type of pipe to use and how to calculate pressure loss in an irrigation system mainline.
- Valves: Types of irrigation valves.
- Elevation Pressure Loss: How to calculate pressure variations in your irrigation system that are caused by elevation changes.
- Sprinkler Heads: How to select the best sprinkler heads for your needs. How to avoid the ones that aren’t so hot.
- Laterals: Type of pipe to use between the valves and sprinkler heads which are called “lateral” pipes.
- Types of Sprinkler Risers: How to connect your sprinklers to the lateral pipes. Get this wrong and your yard will look like Yellowstone with all the geysers shooting water in the air!
- Adjustments: Making pressure loss adjustments to balance the system. Boring but very important if you want the sprinklers to actually spray correctly.
- Selecting Your Sprinkler Equipment: Pressure loss is the key to selecting sizes!
- Step #3 Figure Out Sprinkler Head Locations: How to determine the correct sprinkler spacing, and which nozzles to use. Where to place the sprinkler heads. The rules on this have changed since the 70’s when a lot of the guidelines online were written. New low water sprinklers make sprinkler layout much more critical. You get this wrong, you get dry spots!
- Step #4 Create Valve Zones and Draw in Pipes: Identify hydro-zones, create valve zones, draw in the sprinkler pipe routes.
- Step #5 Lateral Pipe Sizes: How to calculate the size for each lateral pipe in the irrigation system. There’s no easy way for this one and lots of bad advice on pipe sizes in Internet help forums and the aisles of your local big box hardware store.
- Finished! Some Tips. Automation, Freeze Protection, Costs, Contractors, and of course a whole tutorial on Do-It-Yourself Installation without winding up in the hospital.
The pages of the sprinkler system design tutorial follow in logical order. To work your way through the entire irrigation design tutorial, simply select “Next Page” when you finish each page.
Provided free of charge to empower homeowners and professionals, this tutorial has been continuously refined since 1995 to teach professional irrigation methods. Although the content is optimized for Western U.S.A. environments, its scientific principles are applicable globally. By using this information, the user agrees that no warranties or guarantees are provided, and they assume all responsibility for the suitability of the design for their specific project.