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blowing out sprinklers
A query about making an attempt to enhance my setup for blowing out my sprinklers.
Some background information:
- I’ve an historic 11 gallon air compressor that auto shuts off at 80psi, and no regulator
- we have now a small lot – 0.1 acres – with three sprinkler zones that have been put in in the summertime of 2023
- final 12 months I used the air-compressor to blow out the system, however the compressor was repeatedly switching on/off because the tank stress dropped under 80 then reached 80, dropped under 80, and so on.
- regardless of the compressor being taxed, my system was principally profitable – there was one frost-break that I found within the spring that our panorama firm fastened for $200.
My two objectives are to 1) clearly do a extra thorough job this 12 months and get the water out of the portion that froze and a pair of) enhance my system in order to not tax my air compressor a lot. My transient analysis is telling my that I am not restricted by stress, reasonably I am restricted by quantity of air obtainable. So I am pondering of getting an auxiliary 11 gallon tank from Harbor Freight for $60.
Some questions:
- some other recommendation that you simply assume would assist?
- is 80 psi usually an excessive amount of for a sprinkler system? ought to I get an in-line regulator downstream of the exterior tank?
- is including an exterior tank an affordable option to ‘buffer’ the system in order that the compressor itself is not turning on/off so continuously? may that present that cfm wanted?
Thanks prematurely – I respect your collective recommendation.
Re: blowing out sprinklers
I do my very own irrigation system repairs as this stuff at all times go to most entropy like every thing else within the Universe, so such a restore is about $5 in elements. It does learn like you’ll be able to spend as much as $200 a 12 months in enhancements to your air compressor.
Re: blowing out sprinklers
I might additionally discover ways to restore your individual sprinkler system. Sprinkler methods are really easy to restore. You probably have good soil, it’s so straightforward. You probably have rock and clay soil like I do, the digging is the toughest half. As livesoft stated, the elements are low cost. The costly half is the three journeys to House Depot to get every thing you want. 
In case your sprinkler system is on the newer aspect, in a couple of years you will not have to fret about freeze breaks. The system will leak a lot it will likely be self draining. 
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Re: blowing out sprinklers
I had no downside doing mine at 20#.
I’ve a 20 gallon tank and will most likely do it with a 3 gallon pancake. Maintain the stress low sufficient to do job and name it good.
Re: blowing out sprinklers
Your stress most is greater than enough to do the job. The important thing with utilizing air to empty the system is to not fill the system with air too shortly as a surge can lead to a stress spike. When water is filling the system, that stress spike is named water hammer and can lead to spikes of 300 psi ranging from a nominal stress of say 60 psi. Air exits the heads a lot sooner than water, so when the air pushes a water slug by means of the pipe, the water slug hits the pinnacle at full velocity then stops abruptly and that spikes your stress. The “break” you had from final season may simply have been a water hammer break you precipitated when flushing the system versus a freeze break.
So add air regularly, and handle your stress rigorously. I would guesstimate that 40 psi needs to be sufficient to maneuver the water except your system has a bunch of sags.
And $200 to repair a single break? Yikes! Rent a teen that is the son or daughter of a commerce employee and so they’ll be blissful for the work and solely really feel a tiny bit like they took you by charging you $50 plus elements.
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Re: blowing out sprinklers
My recommendation is to close the whole system down and by no means reopen it once more. Underground irrigation has acquired to be one of many prime 25 dumbest innovations. It’s far more problem than it’s value and requires fixed upkeep and monitoring.
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Re: blowing out sprinklers
See web page #2 of Hunter’s information https://www.hunterindustries.com/sites/ … zation.pdf
Do NOT exceed 60PSI, as a result of there might be potential for air hammer /compression within the system a lot larger than that. Plenty of poly line has an 80# ranking. Water doesn’t compress, air does.
I might not ignore blowing it out and hope for “gravity drain”, as a freeze within the valves / manifold and/or the backflow will be actually costly. And if PVC pipe, it could actually shatter for a lot of toes from a small freeze space. (btw, manually drain the backflow, by no means blow by means of it)
Take note of their recommendations on 1/4 flip ball valves, and so on. It does matter.
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Re: blowing out sprinklers
Perhaps simply pay the price of having it finished professionally. The $200 restore may have paid 2 or 3 years of the service doing it, to not point out your time. Until you want tinkering. . .
Re: blowing out sprinklers
It prices $80 for our man to do that and provides us the documentation to current to our metropolis which regulates irrigation methods.
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Re: blowing out sprinklers
A a lot less expensive factor could be to discover ways to do your individual sprinkler system upkeep and repairs. The elements are low cost and available, and just about the one device you want is a hacksaw.
Re: blowing out sprinklers
Put a hand valve/shutoff in line in your air hose.
When you find yourself prepared to begin blowing the water line open the valve. When the air tank is empty shut the valve till the compressor shuts off.
I do every of my zones 3 occasions.
Re: blowing out sprinklers
quantAndHold wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2024 11:02 am
The elements are low cost and available, and just about the one device you want is a hacksaw.
This 12 months I bought a PVC/tubing cutter. It’s so good and quick. It makes a extremely clear reduce.
One most likely additionally wants digging instruments.
52% TSM, 23% TISM, 24.5% TBM, 0.5% money
Re: blowing out sprinklers
JimmyJoeMeeker wrote: ↑Solar Sep 15, 2024 8:16 pm
There are many articles about this. It is all about CFM, not stress. So a bit store compressor with a tank won’t be a good suggestion.See web page #2 of Hunter’s information https://www.hunterindustries.com/sites/ … zation.pdf
Do NOT exceed 60PSI, as a result of there might be potential for air hammer /compression within the system a lot larger than that. Plenty of poly line has an 80# ranking. Water doesn’t compress, air does.
I might not ignore blowing it out and hope for “gravity drain”, as a freeze within the valves / manifold and/or the backflow will be actually costly. And if PVC pipe, it could actually shatter for a lot of toes from a small freeze space. (btw, manually drain the backflow, by no means blow by means of it)
Take note of their recommendations on 1/4 flip ball valves, and so on. It does matter.
THIS
As stated, it is not the PSI of the compressor, it’s how a lot air it could actually push repeatedly. Some 11 gallon compressors solely ship low single digits CFM (cubic toes per minute) and others are over 5 or 6 CFM. For a really small yard and three zones I would assume the upper CFM 11 gallon ones are okay. I at all times do all of the zones twice and I am utilizing a 30 gallon 10+ CFM compressor. The sprinklers was my “excuse” to purchase the compressor 
