I've watched probably 50 sprinkler/irrigation videos in the last week, and I've learned more from this one video than probably watching half of those 50. As someone said below, and I know you just repair and don't install (as you said down below), the sprinkler should be set a few inches from any curb/sidewalk/driveway. It lessens the chance of a car driving over it, and makes edging with either a blade or string trimmer. As a detailed edging guy on my lawn, I can say that a sprinkler up flush (no pun intended) against the concrete slows down the job of edging. Multiply that by 30+ sprinklers, and you can see the landscaper frustration. Our irrigation system was installed 6 years ago and I wish the installer used those slip joints. It sure makes positioning the sprinklers much easier, as well as provides more cushioning/give if a car or truck drives over the sprinkler. Again, one of the best sprinkler videos out there for showing a. how to dig properly, b. how to replace the sprinkler head properly, and c. how to easily adjust a VAN nozzle.
Well done. I like that tool you have. Think I am gonna get me one. Also I like the way you cut the lawn that way you just fold it over and back when done! Thanks
Big O, glad you found this helpful. That tool is a trenching shovel. I appreciate your comments, Subscribe and tap notifications to follow our channel (it’s free) we have monthly Giveaways and will be adding a few more videos in August too.
Great video especially on folding over the grass verses cutting the grass. I have replaced 3 heads. All 3 heads that have the funny pipe have a leak at where the funny pipe connects to the 90 degree elbow At the pvc end . Is that because I’ve moved ahead and the funny pipe is not as old liable. I forgot to mention this to 13-year-old irrigation system
How do u find a sprinkler that didn’t pop up? This is my first time starting the sprinkler for the first time and was so excited that I figured it out myself! But then I realized one sprinkler head didn’t come up. I know the general area since the grass area is water logged. But I don’t see where the head is?!? Any tips on how I can find it? Thanks!
Sometimes you can let them run for a few minutes and walk around the lawn until you hit the wet area. Then lightly tap the grass with you hand or shoe to make it muddy, sit back and watch for the area the clears 1st. Most likely your spot, poke area with your finger once you find it tear the chunk of grass out, it will pop up. Another way is to measure the distance between sprinklers (perimeter of lawn) and go to where one is missing. Look for the wet spot. Lastly, turn the nozzles on the working ones off and the increase in pressure will force the hidden one up. Hope that helped, please take a minute to Subscribe to our CZcams Channel it helps us too.👍
I had a rainbird leaking slowly from the cap. replaced with a new one and it did same thing? any suggestions? All the videos show a repair without an active leak.
It’s not the sprinkler it’s the sprinkler control valves leaking water into the pipe. Rebuild or replace your valve....problem solved. Hope you enjoy my channel and wish to Subscribe to help us grow. We also have videos on replacing bad valves on our channel.👍
Thank you but how to I make them come up higher when they turn on. When I turn mine on it seems like water pores out of the tube that goes up 1/4 of it suppose to. Any advice?
Might be time for a few new pop ups. The white seal might be worn out letting water past the shaft portion causing the issue. You might also check the electric valve to that zone to see if it’s restricting the flow. Only other issue possible cracked pipe. Hope this helped, be sure to Subscribe to Bookmark our channel ✌️
How do you lower the whole sprinkler? I have a Rainbird sprinkler that the landscapers have hit with their lawnmower. I’ve had to replace the head twice now because of damage.
Either get a shorter sprinkler (ex: 3” vs 4”) or remove the sprinkler and cut the bottom threaded riser short by one notch. Hope that helps, don’t forget to Subscribe to our Channel for more great advice.👍
Replace the irrigation control valve. It’s not shutting off all the way. Watch my video on my Channel. “How to Check For a Leaky Valve” czcams.com/video/mZ8PENOhmuc/video.html
You can test them for leaks, but I’ve been at this for 31 yrs. I will, if the customer needs to see with his own eyes there are no leaks before I can cover it up.
Not impressed because you are too close to that curb. Sprinkler should be 1 to 1.5 inches away, so the metal blade of an edger doesn’t hit the plastic body of that Rain Bird 1804. I would have raised it about half an inch because grass will grow over it more otherwise and grit is more likely to get caught between the body and pop up stem preventing the head from popping up or retracting. Lastly always flush because sometimes there are bits of plastic leftover from manufacturing... you don’t want to restrict that screen. That’s what the red cap is used to do. Usually you burry it first. Then you adjust that L to the left by turning the stem not by how tight you thread it on. After adjusting you need to fire it up to dial in that 12 VAN nozzle’s right most throw and get it perfect.
Not my yard......... The developer installs them i just repair them. Not trying to impress anyone, just helping homeowners left with this situation with a quick fix. In California most gardeners don't use edgers they use weedeaters, eliminating the damage from edgers. Thanks for your thoughtful comments. Always nice to see someone in the business watching my videos.
@@garyssprinklerrepair It is still good work compared to most. The annoyance of putting the sprinkler slightly away from the curve is that now you need to water slightly behind the head. You might put the L just a few degrees counter-clockwise of the curb then open the VAN slightly more than 180, and I am talking a "sketer leg" more on both adjustments. Have you tried the new Rain Bird RD 1800 series? They are built to much better standards including three seals, a better flush on popup and retraction, they lock more water tight between the chassis and the seal, and they are ultimately built well enough to survive the usage of reclaimed water and 20,000 watering cycles. They cost about twice as much per sprinkler body unit. Also have you tried the new High Efficiency VAN Nozzles? Like the 12 HE VAN nozzles? Especially in California, those would probably make sense to purchase (when you run out of the regular VAN nozzles). They allegedly allow you to scale back on the water usage on the timer by up to 35%. I doubt they are really that much better, but where they shine is putting the water on target better coping with the wind and any evaporation. They work out to about $1.07 per nozzle vs about 82 cents for a regular VAN nozzle. Recommend checking them out. They install and adjust identically to the Rain Bird VAN nozzles.
I've watched probably 50 sprinkler/irrigation videos in the last week, and I've learned more from this one video than probably watching half of those 50. As someone said below, and I know you just repair and don't install (as you said down below), the sprinkler should be set a few inches from any curb/sidewalk/driveway. It lessens the chance of a car driving over it, and makes edging with either a blade or string trimmer. As a detailed edging guy on my lawn, I can say that a sprinkler up flush (no pun intended) against the concrete slows down the job of edging. Multiply that by 30+ sprinklers, and you can see the landscaper frustration. Our irrigation system was installed 6 years ago and I wish the installer used those slip joints. It sure makes positioning the sprinklers much easier, as well as provides more cushioning/give if a car or truck drives over the sprinkler. Again, one of the best sprinkler videos out there for showing a. how to dig properly, b. how to replace the sprinkler head properly, and c. how to easily adjust a VAN nozzle.
Thank you, appreciate the compliment. Hope you had a moment to Subscribe to our Channel too👍
Well done. I like that tool you have. Think I am gonna get me one.
Also I like the way you cut the lawn that way you just fold it over and back when done!
Thanks
Big O, glad you found this helpful. That tool is a trenching shovel. I appreciate your comments, Subscribe and tap notifications to follow our channel (it’s free) we have monthly Giveaways and will be adding a few more videos in August too.
Gary's Sprinkler Repair ... just subscribed. I am lucky #600 sub. Congrats.
Thanks for being our 600th Subscriber!
Thank you actually for doing this video because now I know I have been shoveling wrong
i realize I am pretty off topic but do anybody know a good place to stream new movies online?
Amazon Prime
Great video especially on folding over the grass verses cutting the grass. I have replaced 3 heads. All 3 heads that have the funny pipe have a leak at where the funny pipe connects to the 90 degree elbow At the pvc end . Is that because I’ve moved ahead and the funny pipe is not as old liable. I forgot to mention this to 13-year-old irrigation system
Sometimes the funny pipe fitting can turn and get a little loose while replacing a head. Just make sure to tighten everything before back filling.
How do u find a sprinkler that didn’t pop up? This is my first time starting the sprinkler for the first time and was so excited that I figured it out myself! But then I realized one sprinkler head didn’t come up. I know the general area since the grass area is water logged. But I don’t see where the head is?!? Any tips on how I can find it? Thanks!
Sometimes you can let them run for a few minutes and walk around the lawn until you hit the wet area. Then lightly tap the grass with you hand or shoe to make it muddy, sit back and watch for the area the clears 1st. Most likely your spot, poke area with your finger once you find it tear the chunk of grass out, it will pop up.
Another way is to measure the distance between sprinklers (perimeter of lawn) and go to where one is missing. Look for the wet spot. Lastly, turn the nozzles on the working ones off and the increase in pressure will force the hidden one up.
Hope that helped, please take a minute to Subscribe to our CZcams Channel it helps us too.👍
I had a rainbird leaking slowly from the cap. replaced with a new one and it did same thing? any suggestions? All the videos show a repair without an active leak.
It’s not the sprinkler it’s the sprinkler control valves leaking water into the pipe. Rebuild or replace your valve....problem solved. Hope you enjoy my channel and wish to Subscribe to help us grow. We also have videos on replacing bad valves on our channel.👍
Thank you but how to I make them come up higher when they turn on. When I turn mine on it seems like water pores out of the tube that goes up 1/4 of it suppose to. Any advice?
Might be time for a few new pop ups. The white seal might be worn out letting water past the shaft portion causing the issue. You might also check the electric valve to that zone to see if it’s restricting the flow. Only other issue possible cracked pipe. Hope this helped, be sure to Subscribe to Bookmark our channel ✌️
How do you lower the whole sprinkler? I have a Rainbird sprinkler that the landscapers have hit with their lawnmower. I’ve had to replace the head twice now because of damage.
Either get a shorter sprinkler (ex: 3” vs 4”) or remove the sprinkler and cut the bottom threaded riser short by one notch. Hope that helps, don’t forget to Subscribe to our Channel for more great advice.👍
Thanks. How to get that type of Plyer to repair my sprinkler.?
Good question, you can find that tool on Rainbird.com. Search “spray head pull up tool” Hope that helps, don’t forget to Subscribe to our Channel. ✌️
Name of tool that holds shaft of sprinkler. Enjoy your videos.
Rainbird spray head pull up tool, I know Lowes sells them for $10.47
Hope that helped, don’t forget to Subscribe for more answers down the road.🤙
How do u stop the water from linking on the top of the sprinkler?
Replace the irrigation control valve. It’s not shutting off all the way. Watch my video on my Channel. “How to Check For a Leaky Valve” czcams.com/video/mZ8PENOhmuc/video.html
Hope my suggestion helps you out. Hope you Subscribe to our Channel it helps us too.✌️
Don't you test it for leaks or to see if it works?
You can test them for leaks, but I’ve been at this for 31 yrs. I will, if the customer needs to see with his own eyes there are no leaks before I can cover it up.
This replacement, definitely not repair of head.
?
Not impressed because you are too close to that curb. Sprinkler should be 1 to 1.5 inches away, so the metal blade of an edger doesn’t hit the plastic body of that Rain Bird 1804. I would have raised it about half an inch because grass will grow over it more otherwise and grit is more likely to get caught between the body and pop up stem preventing the head from popping up or retracting. Lastly always flush because sometimes there are bits of plastic leftover from manufacturing... you don’t want to restrict that screen. That’s what the red cap is used to do. Usually you burry it first. Then you adjust that L to the left by turning the stem not by how tight you thread it on. After adjusting you need to fire it up to dial in that 12 VAN nozzle’s right most throw and get it perfect.
Not my yard......... The developer installs them i just repair them. Not trying to impress anyone, just helping homeowners left with this situation with a quick fix. In California most gardeners don't use edgers they use weedeaters, eliminating the damage from edgers. Thanks for your thoughtful comments. Always nice to see someone in the business watching my videos.
@@garyssprinklerrepair It is still good work compared to most. The annoyance of putting the sprinkler slightly away from the curve is that now you need to water slightly behind the head. You might put the L just a few degrees counter-clockwise of the curb then open the VAN slightly more than 180, and I am talking a "sketer leg" more on both adjustments. Have you tried the new Rain Bird RD 1800 series? They are built to much better standards including three seals, a better flush on popup and retraction, they lock more water tight between the chassis and the seal, and they are ultimately built well enough to survive the usage of reclaimed water and 20,000 watering cycles. They cost about twice as much per sprinkler body unit. Also have you tried the new High Efficiency VAN Nozzles? Like the 12 HE VAN nozzles? Especially in California, those would probably make sense to purchase (when you run out of the regular VAN nozzles). They allegedly allow you to scale back on the water usage on the timer by up to 35%. I doubt they are really that much better, but where they shine is putting the water on target better coping with the wind and any evaporation. They work out to about $1.07 per nozzle vs about 82 cents for a regular VAN nozzle. Recommend checking them out. They install and adjust identically to the Rain Bird VAN nozzles.