How to Clean Sand From a Rain Bird 42SA

Dig dirt away from the body of the 42SA, down to its base.

Grip the body of the sprinkler with the channel lock pliers and turn it counterclockwise to unscrew it from the buried irrigation line. It's normal for some water to spill from the line. Be sure the irrigation system is off while performing this procedure.

Pull the head of the sprinkler out of the main body and use the Rain Bird screwdriver to raise the stop screw from the top of the head. This screw is visible on the side of the pop-up shaft, in front of the blue nozzle. As you turn the screw counterclockwise, it raises out of the way of the nozzle. Do not remove the screw; raise it until the nozzle can be pulled out with a pair of needle-nose pliers.

Turn the main body of the 42SA upside down and flush it with water. Water will run through the system and out the hole where the nozzle is normally installed. This will flush sand from the interior of the closed body.

Unscrew the top section of the pop-up head to reveal a filter within the pop-up shaft. Separate the filter from the shaft and rinse it in clean water. Squeeze the open end of the filter over its mount within the pop-up shaft, screw the top head piece clockwise onto the shaft, slip in the nozzle on the side of the shaft, lower the nozzle set screw via the hole on the top of the pop-up head and allow the pop-up shaft to retreat back into the closed body.

Screw the reassembled sprinkler clockwise onto its mount on the buried irrigation line. Turn the system on at the Rain Bird control station and allow the system to re-pressurize. If the head is leaking at the base, tighten it. Make sure that the pop-up shaft moves up and down freely. Back fill the dirt around the main body to complete the reinstallation.