Turf Sprinkler Irrigation

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Turf Sprinkler Irrigation
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Trenching for turf system mainlines and laterals
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A 3-inch mainline supplying a 2 ½-inch lateral
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Swing arm plumbing for large turf sprinkler head
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A plumbed sprinkler head ready for wiring and
backfilling
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Hunter valve-in-head turbine driven rotor
sprinkler
P 70 psi qs50.5 gpm Dw170 ft P 80
psi qs53.5 gpm Dw176 ft P 90 psi qs57.4
gpm Dw180 ft P100 psi qs59.5 gpm Dw184
ft 53 (53/128) range nozzle 24 (3/16)
spreader nozzle
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Valve-in-head sprinkler
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Wire to connect controller to valves
Individual Hot wires (Red typically 14 AWG) to
each valve A single Common wire (White
typically 12 AWG) for all valves
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Gel-filled waterproof connector cover for buried
wire splices
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Bundling extra wire to ease future repair
operations
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Newly back-filled turf head
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Low pressure drain for lateral lines
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Adapter for Funny Pipe riser and low pressure
drain
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Small turf head with Funny Pipe connector
attached
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Home Landscape Irrigation
4.6
4.6
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Separate meter for home landscape irrigation
system Irrigation rate for city water (no sewer
charge)
Meter Size, inches 5/8 ¾ 1 Maximum Capacity,
gpm 20 30 50 Recommended Capacity,
gpm 15 22.5 37.5
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¾-inch Electric Diaphragm Valve
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Golf Course Irrigation Zones

• Different zones because of differences in-
• Turf varieties bent, bermuda, etc.
• Soils sand-based greens, native soil fairways
• Traffic load tee boxes, greens, walk-up areas
• Canopy maintenance fairways, rough

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Golf Course Irrigation Zones
- Putting Green Zone
-Tee Box Zone
- Walk-up Area Zone
- Fairway Zone
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Lateral Line Layout for Parallel Fairways (2
conventional sprinklers per valve)
Mainline Supply
Valve
Water Flow
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Looped Supply Lines on Parallel
Fairways (Valve-in-Head Fairway and Tee Box
Sprinklers) (Conventional Green Sprinklers)
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Fairway Runoff Research Plots at OSU Turf
Research Farm
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Effect of Slope and Sprinkler Leveling on Coverage
Sprinkler axis perpendicular to ground slope
Sprinkler axis vertical
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Irrigation Control Software
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Adjustment of Watering Time
Watering time can be increased or decreased
according to prevailing water use conditions
(ET). ET can be taken from a weather station on
site provided by the supplier, or taken from some
generic source (eg., Mesonet). Adjustments can
be system-wide, or for any subset of zones within
the system.
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The terminology and capabilities of each
controller/software package will vary.
On-the-job training (RYFM) and/or a training
seminar from the manufacturer will be necessary.
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Irrigation Timing
The ON/OFF timing of the irrigation system must
be coordinated to avoid interference with play,
mowing, and other maintenance while not exceeding
the capacity of the water supply.
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Time and Flow Rate Constraints (Q t kv A d)
Most controller software will allow you to
program in constraints of available water flow
rate. Once you program the on time for each
zone, the controller will sequence the zones to
maintain total flow within the constraint. A
graphical output will show the time required to
determine if irrigation will be completed within
the available time.
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Record Keeping Most controller software can also
be programmed to maintain a history of on times,
depths applied, gallons pumped, etc. These data
can be extremely helpful in budgeting,
troubleshooting and other management decisions.
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Antenna Transmitting Signals from Main Controller
to Satellites
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Typical Satellite Irrigation Controller
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Electronics Linking Satellite Controller to Main
Controller
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Connections from Zone Valves to Satellite
Controller
24-volt AC hot wires from each zone valve on 3
holes
Common wires from 3 holes
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Completed valve-in-head sprinkler installation
ready for back-filling
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Valve-in-Head Sprinkler Components
Housing/Case Main Nozzle Rotor Cover
Spreader Nozzles
Water supply tube for valve operation
Solenoid
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Large Turbine-Driven Rotor Sprinkler for Fairway
Irrigation
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Diaphragm Valve (24-v. AC) to Control a
Multiple-Head Zone
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Electrically Operated Diaphragm Valve Cutaway
Solenoid Solenoid plunger Port carrying
pressurized water to inflate diaphragm Port
allowing water trapped behind diaphragm to be
vented
Optional flow control screw adjustment Diaphragm
Valve seat
Spring
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Manual flow control adjustment
Internal/external bleed port
24 VAC solenoid
1-inch Electric Diaphragm Valve w/ Flow Control
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24-VAC Solenoid
Auto Manual Drain Bleed Port
Valve
Valve Cap Diaphragm
Pressurization Port
Spring Valve Body
Solenoid Plunger Drain Port Seal
Drain Port Valve Seat
Water Flow
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Topside
Manual External Bleed Valve
Pressurization Port
Auto Bleed Port
Cap Underside Diaphragm
Diaphragm Valve Seal
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Inexpensive 4-zone controller with transformer
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Lateral Lines
Conventional Sprinklers Electric Valve
Control Wiring
Valve-in-head Sprinklers
Controller
Mainline
Turf Sprinkler Control
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Pumping Plant Installations
Water Power Security Access
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Vertical Turbine Surface Water Pumping Station
Allowable water level fluctuation
Pond
Intake Gallery Pump Well
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Typical Golf Course Pump House
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60-HP Holloshaft Motors on Vertical Turbine Pumps
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Electric Pump Control Panel

• A complex control panel to operate and protect an
  electric irrigation pump may include
• over-current protection
• phase protection
• lightning arrestors
• computerized control for
• soft start
• reduced speed operation

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Computerized Motor Control Computerized motor
control allows soft starts, which reduce the
current flow when the motor rotor is not yet up
to full speed. Computerized control can also
artificially alter the frequency of the electric
supply, allowing the motor to operate at speeds
other than nominal synchronous speeds (3600,
1800, or 1200 RPM).
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Computerized control panels can log performance
data
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Pulse-count Water Meters Provide Feedback to
Irrigation Controllers
Signal wire connected to irrigation controller
Magnetic pick-up counts meter revolutions Paddle-w
heel water meter
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Pressure Regulating Valve Controls Output
Pressure from Pump Station
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Pressure Gauge Schrader Valve Schrader Valve
Fitting
Some diaphragm valves are equipped with a
Schrader valve that will allow measurement of
pressure in the valve during operation
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Pitot Gauge for Measuring Sprinkler Outlet
Pressure
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USGA Putting Green Profile
Titleist
Root Zone Mix Coarse grained material (loamy fine
sand fine sand) (Hyd. Conductivity gt 6
in./hr) Intermediate Layer (coarse sand fine
gravel) Crushed Stone Native Soil
12 in. 4 in. 4 in. 8 in.
Drainage Lines
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Green Irrigation(USGA Specification Greens)

• Flushing once per week
• Heavy irrigation that wets entire profile depth
  and produces leachate to the drainage system
• Hand watering daily
• Concentrate on areas that dry out quickly
• Shoulders of elevated greens
• High spots in undulating greens
• Late summer (August)
• Increase flushing schedule to every 6 days or
  even every 5 days

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Elevated portions of greens will dry out quicker
Hand watering will supplement irrigation system
watering on areas which dry out more rapidly due
to elevation contours
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Fringe areas of elevated greens will dry out more
quickly
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Backflow Prevention

• Protects water source from contamination by
  non-potable water in case of unexpected pressure
  loss in the system. Required by plumbing code
  in the case of permanent sprinkler systems.
  Required by federal law on irrigation systems
  which apply fertilizer and pesticides
  (chemigation systems).

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Backflow Preventers

• Gooseneck pipe loop with Pressure Vacuum Breaker
  (PVB)
• Reduced Pressure Zone device (RPZ)
• Double check valve (Not approved for public
  water systems)

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2 ft min. above highest outlet
Gooseneck pipe loop w/ PVB backflow preventer
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Reduced Pressure Zone (RPZ) Backflow Preventer
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Electric Piston Valve with Anti-siphon Valve
24-VAC solenoid
Manual flow control adjustment
Anti-siphon AVB valve
Flow Path