Sprinkler system repairs

[Ole Anderson]

Last fall I modded my underground sprinkler system that I originally installed 42 years ago. I pump out of a lake with a 1.5 hp pump. I always was able to get by running it on one zone until recently when pressure began to drop as I added a hew heads to try to get full coverage. So I split it into two zones be adding two 1.5" Toro valves. Pressure went from 18 psi to 35 psi at the pump, greatly increasing my coverage. But the increase in pressure is playing havoc with my old black poly pipes. Today I am working on locating and fixing my third major break in the 1.5" main. Of course they aren't out in the open, the seem to occur either under a flower bed, a curb or in an area where roots from my maples and cottonwoods go berserk. In one case I started digging 5 feet from where the break was. I found that one by walking the route of the main and suddenly I felt like I was walking on a eight foot diameter waterbed. In each case the break is associated with heavy roots trying to push the pipe out of the way and each break takes at least 3 hours of digging and trips to the hardware store to fix. so tired of snipping, chopping and sawing roots. I will be happy when I can finally get it back to normal and just enjoy summer.

On the good side, I replaced my simple pump timer with an Orbit b-hyve WiFi timer. So now I can start and stop the pump from my smart phone while while standing next to a bad sprinkler or main. https://www.amazon.com/Orbit-57946-6-Station-Sprinkler-Controller/dp/B01D15HOIQ/ref=asc_df_B01D15HOIQ/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=193150648923&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6124005723732507725&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016992&hvtargid=pla-375566685117&psc=1

[Tom Bender]

Ole I feel your pain, It's right here in my back! My system is 30 years old and the trees have grown. They have crushed a couple of lines flat which meant a lot of digging. Each year I have to replace or relocate 2 or 3 heads and rarely with the same connection so that takes a while.

[Matt Schrum]

Are there any regulators you can pipe in at the pump exit to drop the pressure? Granted, they were much more powerful pumps, but in a past job we used to put in a bypass loop (from the pump exit back to the pump inlet with a valve in between) and you could open the bypass valve a bit to control flow/pressure to the system.

[Ole Anderson]

Are there any regulators you can pipe in at the pump exit to drop the pressure? Granted, they were much more powerful pumps, but in a past job we used to put in a bypass loop (from the pump exit back to the pump inlet with a valve in between) and you could open the bypass valve a bit to control flow/pressure to the system. Matt, retired civil PE here. Last year I split the system into zones to increase my pressure from 18 psi to 35 psi at the lake pump, with about 12' of elevation to the front of the property. Now I am finally getting a decent spray pattern from the various heads even at the end of the line. The WiFi zone controller is awesome. I can turn the zone on and off with my phone app while working on a bad head. Auto rain delay based on the weather forecast. Line is rated 100 psi, but old nicks and tree root pressure is giving me fits. Hopefully I have all of the weak spots fixed. for this year at least.

[Matt Schrum]

Line is rated 100 psi, but old nicks and tree root pressure is giving me fits. Hopefully I have all of the weak spots fixed. for this year at least.
Ah, skimmed too fast and missed the part about the roots causing your havoc. My bad and good luck!