Lawn Sprinkler System Installation

Timer

• The lawn system controller acts as the "brain" of the entire irrigation system. A timer can be mounted inside of the home, such as the garage, or outside the home in a controller box. Obtain a controller wire, which features multiple wires for future expansion, strip the wire tips 1/2 inch with a wire stripper, and connect the necessary number of wires to the water valves. The white wire is connected to all water valves while the individual color-coded wires are each connected to just one water valve. After the time is connected to the water valves, it's ready to be hooked up to a power source and programmed.

Valves

• One water valve controls one zone. Usually there is more than one zone in a single system; therefore, there are several water valves, one for each zone in the yard, according to plan. The valves are connected together using pipe sections and fittings. After that, the connected valves, known as the valve manifold, are now connected to the irrigation line after the shutoff valve and to the pipes leading to the zones. A box called the valve manifold box is placed over the valve manifold, and the trench is filled in around the box. When the timer activates the sprinkler system, the valves open altogether or one at a time as designated by the timer.

Pipes

• Pipes link the irrigation line to the main line, water valves to the irrigation line and sprinklers to the water valves. They are a very important part of the irrigation system, so you need to ensure that the pipes are installed correctly. For instance, if you're using PVC pipe, sand the ends, prime them and use the proper glue to glue them into the fittings. Lawn system pipes can be made of various materials, like galvanized steel, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or copper. Check your local codes to determine if there are any pipe restrictions before planning.

Sprinklers

• The sprinkler housings are among the last components to be installed. A section is cut in the zone line and a fitting is installed to accommodate the sprinkler. A swing-line assembly is attached to the fitting and then the housing is attached to the assembly. Confirm that the sprinkler housing is installed vertically as the trench is filled in with dirt. The housing should be buried, but the spray head should be just above and level to the ground. If the sprinkler is a rotary sprinkler with a fixed edge, confirm that the fixed edge is aligned with its corresponding lawn boundary, or the housing might need to be dug up later.