by Bryan Uber

Created on: September 01, 2009   Last Updated: September 12, 2009

Lawn Sprinkler System & Components

The installation of a lawn sprinkler system is comprised of several components in order to achieve optimal performance and operation. A standard irrigation sprinkler system is comprised of a controller, sprinklers, valves and sensors. The controller is responsible for turning the irrigation system on and off at the desired times of operation to ensure an adequate application of water to the lawn. The purpose of installing sensors is to detect breaks or clogs in the irrigation system, freezing conditions, and normal rainfall. The installation of these sensors will protect the irrigation system and ensure optimal performance. Sprinklers are used to apply water to the lawn. The locations of sprinklers are dependent upon the specific application in order to ensure that the lawn obtains a sufficient supply of water. The valves are an extremely important aspect of an irrigation system. Valves are used in order to create zones for a lawn sprinkler system. There are multiple valves installed in a sprinkler system to increase the efficiency of water consumption and to create zones. For example, flowerbeds need to be watered more frequently then the lawn. In order to achieve this requirement the flowerbed would be designated as zone one and the lawn would be designated as zone 2. In order to water the flowerbed with out watering the lawn, multiple valves are used to direct the flow of water to the desired location. The function of a valve is to turn the water supply on or off to a specific zone. There are two types of valves: mechanical and electrical. The majority of lawn sprinkler systems do not use mechanical valves because it requires an individual to manually turn the valve open and closed. A mechanical valve is more simplistic and can not be used with a controller unit because a mechanical valve can not be controlled with electrical timers. It does not make it a likely candidate for an modern irrigation system. An electrical valve is identical to a mechanical valve except for its ability to be controlled electronically. An electrical valve has a solenoid that electronically controls the opening and closing of the valve. The electrical valve is connected to the controller which enables the valve to be open and closed at the desired times of operation by an electrical signal. The benefits of electrical valves range from better performance and increased efficiency to improved cosmetics. Installing electrical valves allows the

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