In modern times, farming has become lot easier. Thanks to the inventions of various tools, instruments and machineries. An example is the Orbit sprinkler, which is an instrument used to sprinkle water mechanically on gardens, farms and plantations, especially in areas of low or no rainfall as a form of irrigation system.
Usually, the head either pops up from the sprinkler body (lower canister) when water is to be sprayed and rotates approximately 1800 or is installed just above the ground level. Although the most appropriate time of making adjustment is before installation of the sprinkler, but adjustment can be made when the sprinkler contains or doesn’t contain water. Fortunately, the orbit sprinkler can either be used with a screwdriver or with a plastic adjustment key depending on the model you’ve gotten. Then some striking questions come to mind such as:
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How Can I Adjust An Orbit Sprinkler That Uses A Screw Driver?
To adjust an orbit sprinkler that uses a screw driver, it’s paramount to initially identify some parts on the top of the sprinkler such as:
- A great big screw: which is used to adjust the direction in which the spray travels (left and right)
- A small screw: which is used to adjust the distance of spray
- An arrow: This lines with the nozzle and gives the location of spray.
What Are The Steps To Take While Adjusting The Head Rotation?
- To adjust the head rotation, turn the inner mechanism to the left completely and then turn it back to the right. That right position is the set/lock position; it is the fixed position from where sprinkling starts from which the left side is the adjusted position.
- Then take a flat head screw driver and turn the big screw the right hand side (clockwise) so as to make the angle bigger; you’ll notice that as you turn it to the right, the angle of spray increases further. To reduce the angle, you’ll turn it to the left hand side (anticlockwise) and then only a smaller portion of your garden, farm, or plantation is sprayed.
- Next, the distance or watering arc is adjusted using the smaller screw. Take a flat head screw driver and screw it in (to the left hand side) to reduce the distance or arc of spray). Screwing it out (clockwise) will increase the distance of spray and enable a larger portion of your farm to be sprayed.Note that the water pressure also affects the distance of spray as a low pressure reduces distance while a higher pressure increases the arc of spray. However, be careful not to rotate the screw too far either in or out, else the nozzle or screw may come out!
- Also, the set location can be adjusted by using a screwdriver to pull up a notch located beside the inner mechanism so as to pull it all out (but not completely from the lower canister). Turn to the left first and then to the right to get your fixed position. Then to adjust this, turn or twist the entire inner mechanism to your desired direction (left or right). You’ll hear a click sound with every twist. After this, return back to position and use as required.
- Also, the rate of precipitation can be adjusted by replacing the existing nozzle with a larger one so as to increase the rate or a smaller one to decrease it. This is done by pulling out the existing nozzle completely using a flat head screw driver and inserting the new one.
How Can I Adjust An Orbit Sprinkler That Uses A Key?
To adjust an orbit sprinkler that uses a key, let’s start with identifying some parts on top of the sprinkler:
- The rubber arrow: located on top of the head and lines with the nozzle giving the location of the spray
- The nozzle: the point from which the water comes out of the sprinkler
- The centre piece: used together with a key to lift the internal mechanism/assembly of the sprinkler
- A distance adjustment socket
- The plus or minus adjustment slot or socket: used with a plastic key to adjust the left stop (from where the sprinkler stops on the left hand side before it returns to the right) or right stop (from where the sprinkler stops on the right hand side before it returns to the left).
What Are The Steps To Take While Adjusting The Head Rotation?
The right stop is a fixed position while the left stop is the adjusted position; hence the right stop is adjusted by following the following procedures:
- The scalp is unscrewed by turning to the left to remove the whole internal mechanism.
- Next, the sprinkler head (either green or yellow) is removed; underneath the sprinkler head is a filter that should be cleaned if it gets clogged with dirt or debris.
- Reinsert it back into the lower canister turning the position of the arrow into the direction of area to be watered.
- Twist to the left to check the adjustment of the spray, if it isn’t going far enough. Use the plastic adjustment key for adjusting this.
- Insert the key into the plus or minus adjustment slots and turn clockwise (one full turn of the key equals 90 degrees). The minimum rotation is 400 while the maximum is 3600.Adjust to any desired arc between the given specifications. Note that all adjustment must be made in the right stop position. Also, the sprinkler gives a clutching or ratcheting sound when the maximum arc is reached.
- Then adjust the orbit head by turning first to the left then to the right.
- You’ll notice that in doing this, the arrow has changed position towards a left side compared to the previous side thereby increasing the width of spray.
- To reduce the arc, turn counterclockwise and repeat the last two steps.
- In addition, the spray’s radius could also be modified by inserting the plastic key into the distance adjustment socket and then turn clockwise to reduce the radius or anticlockwise in order to increase it.
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