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Category: Sprinkler Repair

03 Jan 2023
0 Comments By Sprinkler Master Sprinkler Repair , ,

How to Adjust the Rainbird 5000 (EASY)

Sprinkler Master Technician adjusting a Rainbird 5000 rotor.

Rainbird 5000 rotors are some of the most popular and reliable sprinkler rotors you can get. If you’re a homeowner with a sprinkler system, you know the importance of maintaining it to keep your lawn healthy and beautiful. Knowing how to adjust your Rainbird 5000 rotors can save you time and money in your quest for a perfect lawn.

We’ll go over how you can adjust your Rainbird 5000 rotors step by step below. Keep reading to learn more. 

Just want a professional to fix it for you? Contact your nearest Sprinkler Master by clicking Here.

1. What Tools will I need?

Before adjusting your Rainbird 5000 rotor, you’ll need to gather the essential tools. If you just need to adjust the spray, all you’ll need is one of the Rainbird adjustment tools. These tools look like small flat-head screwdrivers, except the screwdriver ends in kind of a cross at the end. This tool will allow you to easily pull the head up and then use the flathead to make all of your adjustments.

If you don’t have one of those tools you can also use a flathead screwdriver. It will just be harder to use without the pull-up tool. If you are going to be frequently adjusting sprinklers you’ll probably want to get one of Rainbird’s tools. You can get one of the tools at Sprinkler Warehouse for under $5. Most places that sell Rain Bird products will also sell the tools. 

Rain Bird also makes a tool to hold up the head while you work on it. These can be nice to have but are not strictly necessary for adjusting your system. 

The only other tool you might need is a shovel if your rotor has sunk too low into the ground and is sitting at the wrong angle.

2. Adjusting the Arc of the Rotor

These are the steps to adjust the Arc of the Rotor. The Arc is how far the rotor turns from side to side while operating. Rainbird 5000 rotors can be adjusted anywhere between 40 degrees of rotation and 360 degrees of rotation. 

  1. To adjust the arc of the rotor you’ll first want to go turn on your system. You’re going to adjust the sprinkler while it is on so you may get wet while doing this. 
  2. Check the current arc. Stand behind the water spray and grab the head of the rotor below the spray. The rotor will easily turn from side to side. First, turn the head to the left until it stops easily turning. This spot is the start of the arc. Then turn the spray to the right. Wherever it stops on this side will show you the current end of the arc.
  3. First set the start of the arc in the right spot. To change the starting point of the arc, turn the rotor head to the starting point and then, as gently as possible, force the rotor head to turn to the desired starting point. This will be the new starting point of the rotor. 
  4. Find the arc adjustment screw. The ark adjustment screw is on top of the rotor head, in the back of the head. Most heads will have a plus sign on the left side and a minus sign on the right side. Once you find that you can insert your adjustment tool or flathead screwdriver into the rubber slot there.
  5. Adjust the arc adjustment screw. To narrow the arc of the rotor, turn the screw counterclockwise. To widen the arc of the rotor, turn the screw clockwise. You’ll want to adjust this and then test the arc by turning the head again. Adjust this until the arc ends at the correct stopping point.
Rainbird 5000 rotors

3. Adjusting the Distance of the Spray

The distance of the spray or the radius is how far the rotor can throw the water away from itself. The Rainbird 5000 had an adjustable radius between 25 and 50 feet or 7.5 and 15 meters. The distance depends on the maximum range of the nozzle you have in place. The nozzles are replaceable and come in 5 feet increments.

These are the steps to adjust the distance of the spray. If you already have the correct nozzle skip to step 4. 

Changing the Nozzle

  1. First, choose the correct nozzle. You’ll want to choose the nozzle that is just larger than the distance you want the water to go. If you want the water to spray 32 feet for example you’ll want to choose the 35-foot nozzle. 
  2. Second, remove the current nozzle or space holder from the sprinkler. To do this you’ll want to use your adjustment tool to lift the head of the rotor. You’ll then need to either hold up the head with your hand or use a Hold-Up tool. Unscrew the radius adjustment screw. The radius adjustment screw is located at the front of the top of the rotor. Usually, it is inside an arrow that points in the direction of the spray. You’ll want to unscrew this screw counterclockwise until you can remove the nozzle. 
  1. Now add the new nozzle you’ll be using. You can simply push this nozzle into place and then tighten down the screw by turning it clockwise. You can now let go of the sprinkler head since you’ll need to turn on the system to make the fine adjustments. 

Adjusting the Distance of Spray

  1. Turn on the water. For the fine adjustments, you’ll want to have the water on so that you can see exactly how far the spray is going. If for example you need the spray to go 32 feet and you already put the 35-foot head in we now need to reduce the range. 
  2. Use your screwdriver to adjust the radius adjustment screw. Turn the screw counterclockwise until you see the distance of the spray shortening to the correct distance. Turning the screw counterclockwise will lengthen the distance of the spray.
  3. Make adjustments until the sprinkler hits the right distance. 
Sprinkler Master Technician digging to adjust the height of a Rainbird 5000 sprinkler

4. Adjusting the Height of the Rotor

Sometimes your rotor sinks into the ground over time as the soil settles and you need to raise it back up. To do this you’ll need to dig around your sprinkler head. You’ll want your sprinkler head to sit about even to the ground so that it’s not sunken down, but still low enough that nobody trips over it and the lawn mowers blades won’t catch it 

To dig up your head you can use either a regular shovel or a garden trowel. You’ll then want to use the shovel to cut into the grass around the head. You’ll want to be able to replace the grass afterward so set the chunks of grass carefully to the side. 

Be very careful when digging around sprinkler rotors not to damage the rotor itself or to cut the tubing connecting the rotor to your PVC.

Once you’ve removed some of the grass and dirt you can adjust the sprinkler height if the rotor has sunk a lot you may need to add a bit more dirt to the spot. Sometimes you can raise it just by pulling it up a little bit and letting some of the surrounding soil fall into place beneath the rotor. 

Once you’ve done this carefully replace the soil and the grass. It’s okay if the grass is sitting a little bit higher than the surrounding grass since it will settle over time. 

Hire a Repair Company

If the problem is bigger than you thought or if you just don’t have time to adjust and maintain your whole system yourself it’s time to hire a repair company.

Sprinkler Master has locations all over the country that are ready to help you. We’re experienced with Rain Bird products and can help you fix even the most complex sprinkler system problems. 

Click here to contact your closest Sprinkler Master and give us a call!

Resources

“Rain Bird Support: 5000 / 5000+ Series: Rain Bird.” Rain Bird Support: 5000 / 5000+ Series | Rain Bird, Rain Bird Corporation, https://www.rainbird.com/products/5000-series/support.

“Rain Bird Rotor-Adjustment-Tool.” Rain Bird | ROTORTOOL | Rotor-Adjustment-Tool…, Sprinkler Warehouse Inc., https://www.sprinklerwarehouse.com/rain-bird-rotor-adjustment-tool.

15 Feb 2022
0 Comments By Sprinkler Master D.I.Y., Lawn Sprinkler, Sprinkler Repair , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Repair Sprinkler Funny/Swing Pipe

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What is Funny Pipe?

 

Funny pipe, or swing pipe, is a small flexible pipe that's used to allow flexibility with installing sprinkler heads and other small parts of a sprinkler system. using funny pipe off of a lateral line allows you to have flexibility to ensure that your sprinkler heads are sitting level and at the right height in the ground.

 
 

Connections

 

Funny pipe is connected using a spiral barb fitting. The typical connection for a funny pipe is a spiral barb fitting on one end with a threaded end for a sprinkler head or the PVC connection. The spiral barb fittings are very tight, and simply press onto the pipe. The barb end is tight enough that it shouldn't leak or slip off. No hose clamps on spiral barb fittings are needed, though you should still use pipe thread seal tape on the threaded ends.
 
To connect a fitting to the pipe, take the fitting. Press the fitting directly into the end of the pipe as far as you can. Twist and press the fitting into the end of the pipe until no more barbs are visible. No hose clamps are needed.

 
 

Causes and Finding Problems

 

If you think you need to repair a section of the funny pipe, you can usually find a wet spot in the ground where the water has leaked from the pipe and caused the dirt to become water saturated and muddy. If the pipe is exposed,, it's usually easy to see a leak coming from the pipe when the system is pressurized.

 

Funny pipe can be easily cut or punctured by shovels or sharp objects, and the pipe can crimp on itself and cut off water flow when bent too far. If you have a problem with a section of your funny pipe,, it's best to replace that entire section of funny pipe rather than try to patch it. This means removing or replacing the fittings from the broken funny pipe, cutting another section of funny pipe, reinstalling the fittings, and finally replacing the funny pipe where it was before, and burying it again.

 
 

Where is Funny Pipe Used?

 

Funny pipe is used to connect sprinkler heads to lateral lines, and generally shouldn't be run longer than 1 or 2 feet. So make sure your system is using PVC or Poly pipe for longer Pipe runs.

 
 

Click Here to contact Sprinkler Master!

 

If you want professional help with sprinkler repair, see if we're in your area! Or, learn more about sprinkler repair by visiting our YouTube Channel!

14 Feb 2022
0 Comments By Sprinkler Master D.I.Y., Lawn Sprinkler, Sprinkler Repair , , , , , , , ,

Sprinkler Head Won’t Pop Up

 

 

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What to do if a Sprinkler Head Doesn't Come Up

 

Check for Debris

 

If you have a sprinkler head that won’t pop up, there might be something you can do to quickly remedy the problem. Some common problems are a leak in the sprinkler pipe, a clogged sprinkler head, dirt in

the body, a cracked sprinkler, or even just grass growing over the sprinkler head too far.

To start off, make sure there’s no grass or dirt covering the sprinkler head. Remove grass from the sprinkler head, and turn on the water to the zone with the problematic sprinkler head. Press the sprinkler 

head down while water is on, and  wiggle it around a bit to see if you can break it free from any debris. It might help to try to grab the head with your hands and pul it up as well. This helps break any debris from the sprinkler and it should get washed out by the water pressure.

If that doesn’t fix it, check the nozzle of the sprinkler head. If there’s any debris that you can obviously see, try to gently pry it out.

 

Check for a Broken Sprinkler

It’s also very common to have a broken sprinkler head. They’re pretty easy to find as well. Look for cracks in the housings, or heads, or plastic pieces around the sprinkler head. If a sprinkler head is broken, they usually have to just be replaced. We have a video linked in the description that goes over how to easily replace a broken sprinkler head.

 

 

Check for Low Pressure

If these haven’t solved your issue, it’s probably low water pressure. The easiest fix for this is to make sure that all of the valves and flow controls are completely open. If only 1 zone has low pressure, check the flow control on the automatic valve. 

Low pressure on a zone or a specific sprinkler head could also be a leak in the water line. The easiest way to see if it's a leak and to find where the leak is, look for a place in your lawn or yard that’s wet and muddy or lower than the rest of the ground around it. Random wet or green spots in your yard could definitely be the spot where a leak is. 

 

Repair the PVC Line

Repairing a leak can be a lot more complicated, and we recommend calling professionals to repair sprinkler lines. If you want to see if Sprinkler Master offers services in your area, visit sprinklermaster.repair, or the link right here. If you’re in an area where we are, we’d be happy to come help you repair a sprinkler line.

If you want to try to replace the sprinkler line, you do it at your own risk. Contractors that are insured are the much safer option. We’re not responsible for any damages you cause to your home by trying to repair or dig out a sprinkler line. But if you’d like to learn how to repair a PVC or Funny pipe line, CLICK HERE to find videos that can help. 

 

Water Source

If none of these work, it might just be a problem with the water coming into your home. If it’s been a long-term problem, you might have to resort to using low pressure sprinkler heads, or splitting your sprinkler zones. Again, we highly recommend using a professional to install a pump for you. 

 

If the issue is relatively new and isn’t caused by new construction of homes in the town or additions or changes you’ve made to your sprinkler system, it’s possible that your pressure vacuum breaker needs to be repaired or replaced, or a main line isn’t on all the way. If it’s only one zone in your system that’s got low pressure, double check the automatic valve’s flow control is completely open, and look closely for signs of a pipe leak somewhere on that zone. Another possibility is a tree root may be squeezing one of your pipes, reducing water flow. If you know of a sprinkler pipe running by a tree, you may have to dig up the pipe around the tree and cut and splice a new piece of pipe away from the tree roots.

 

Get the Sprinkler Masters on the Job

If you want professional, licensed and insured help with your sprinkler system, Click Here to find out if Sprinkler Master offers services near you. If you need advice or help on something, comment below. We’d be happy to respond, or even make a video to help you with your problem with your sprinklers.

Sprinkler Head Work

 

 

11 Feb 2022
0 Comments By Sprinkler Master D.I.Y., Lawn Sprinkler, Sprinkler Repair , , , , , , ,

Troubleshoot Automatic Valves

How do I know if my sprinkler valve is bad?

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Sprinkler systems may seem a little complicated at first. There's wires, and pipes, and they can all seem like they're tangled together like spaghetti. It's hard to make sense of it, sometimes.

 

When an issue comes up in your sprinkler system, it can be difficult to diagnose and find the problem. If you think you might have a problem with a sprinkler valve, we'll go over:

 

  • What and where is a sprinkler valve
  • How to diagnose a sprinkler valve
  • How to fix a valve

 

What is an Automatic Sprinkler Valve?

Sprinkler valves are usually found in the sprinkler manifolds in your system. These are most often found in the green boxes buried around your yard. Inside these boxes, you'll see an array of pipes and fittings with little black valves. On those black valves, you should see a cylinder rising out of the top of each valve, and wires running out of the cylinder. This black valve with the black cylinder is the electrically automated sprinkler valve. Complicated as they may seem, it's usually not hard to find -and fix- the problem.

 

Diagnosing the Problem:

 

There can be a few giveaways that a problem is almost certainly your sprinkler valve. This includes:

  • Sprinkler Zone not turning on consistently
  • Sprinkler Zone not turning off
  • Water leaking through sprinklers after zone is off
  • Sprinkler not turning on at all

If you look in the valve box, there's a few things you can look for to easily find a few problems.

 

Inspect the Sprinkler Valve

 

First, look for any leaks. If there's water in the valve box, particularly if the sprinkler zone hasn't been run in a while, this could mean either there's a crack in the sprinkler valve, or in the pipes immediately around the valves. Try turning off your main water shut-off valve for the sprinkler system, and let the box drain out. When the box is mostly drained, inspect each sprinkler valve and all the pipes. Look for cracks or punctures in all the plastics. Carefully make sure that all of the fittings are tightly secured as well, as these can loosen and leak water, causing pressure issues. While you're here, make sure the bleeder screw, pictured below, is tightened all the way.

 

If you haven't found any visible cracks or leaks, try turning the water back on, and going back to the box. Listen and watch for water drops. If you can see any water dripping out of a pipe, make note of where, and turn off the system again to make repairs.

 

Finding problems by Actuating the Valve

 

If you still haven't found any issues, we'll move on to actuating the valve itself. This is a good time to grab someone to help, if you haven't already.

First, take the flow control, that's the screw in the picture below (not all valves have this, so if yours doesn't, skip this step). All you're going to do is tighten this all the way clockwise, then loosen it all the way counterclockwise. Repeat this a few times.  This can help work dirt and debris loose from the diaphragm inside. When you've loosened and tightened fully, loosen it all the way counterclockwise and we'll move on to the next step.

 

Now, put your hand on the solenoid. That's the black cylinder poking out of the top. Rotate this about a quarter turn counterclockwise. This should activate the sprinkler valve, and allow water to pass through freely. If it does, tighten the solenoid again. This should turn off the sprinkler zone again. Put your hand on the valve, and listen. If you feel or hear water trickling through the valve when the solenoid is screwed all the way in, and the bleeder screw is tightened all the way, it might be time to rebuild or replace the automatic valve.

 

If the sprinkler has worked perfectly through the tests thus far, it's likely an issue with a sprinkler timer or wiring. These tests should have found a problem with your automatic valve, if there was one. You can still proceed to the repair section of this article to clean the valve, but the valve itself is probably not the issue.

 

If you're not sure what the issue is, call Sprinkler Master. We're happy to find and fix any problem with any sprinkler system!

 

Repairing and Cleaning an Automatic Sprinkler Valve

 

Sprinkler valves are often way less complicated than people think, and they're actually quite easy to repair.

To repair a valve, we need to start with disassembly of the valve. These are pretty simple steps, but it's crucial to keep all the parts clean and organized. As you remove pieces from the sprinkler valve, clean each piece, and keep them in a clean place while you finish cleaning and reassembling the valve. Be careful to remember exactly where each piece of the valve goes.

Here are the steps to disassemble a sprinkler valve. There is a gallery of images below for reference. Clean each part with water until visibly clean and to the touch.

  1. Remove the Sprinkler solenoid (Not necessary to clean this part, unless there is a large amount of debris on it.)
  2. Take the screws out of the top of the housing
  3. Carefully pry the top of the housing away
  4. Remove the spring from the sprinkler diaphragm
  5. Carefully remove the rubber diaphragm from the housing
  6. Clean each part, especially the surfaces between the diaphragm and the housing
  7. Reassemble

 

If any parts are damaged, you can buy most individual parts online (such as at Sprinkler Warehouse) or at your local wholesale sprinkler parts company.

 

Test the valve the same way as before, and hopefully your problem is fixed!

 

Still got sprinkler issues? We can help! Contact Sprinkler Master today!

 

 

 

10 Dec 2018
0 Comments By Sprinkler Master How a lawn sprinkler system works, How a lawn sprinkler system works, Sprinkler, Sprinkler Repair , , , , , , ,

3 Types Of Sprinklers Overview

There are only 3 types of Lawn Sprinkler heads. The main function for them is to water Lawn and vegetation.

1. Pop Up Sprinklers: spray in a fan pattern and are generally for smaller areas like park strip

2.  Gear-Driven Rotors: have one stream and move back and forth covering a bigger lawn area. They spray from 20’-50’ and can be customized to spray in any given pattern. They can spin all the way up to 360 degrees.

3. Impact Rotors:  have one stream coming out and move in a circle. The main benefit of an impact rotor is that it can take on dirty irrigation water with a lower chance of breaking and plugging up.  They are less efficient and use more water, but use basic technology that makes them last much longer.