DIY Sprinkler Blow Out with Small 6 Gallon Pancake Air Compressor and 11 Gallon Portable Air Tank
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- Опубліковано 30 лип 2024
- Tip Jar...Thank You!: koji.to/k/9sWr
October 26, 2022 Update: Check out the following post regarding how I use my Hunter Pro-C zone controller to program my sprinkler blow-out sequence: • Post
October 26, 2021 Update: See Mohammad Fesanghary's comment where he painstakingly documented all the components he used in his build.
Fall in Michigan, it's time to blow out my in-ground sprinkler system. I've paid landscape companies and sprinkler businesses to come to my house and use their giant trailer air compressors to blow the water out of my inground sprinkler lines. Turning off the inside valve isn't hard so I'd do that for them because I don't like strangers coming in my house. The simply had to connect their air hose to my flow-back preventer on the side of my house but I still had to be home to let them access my Hunter Sprinkler control box in my garage. I've even had to explain to the "experts" how to use the controller and helped one guy figure out how to use the air pump which was two smaller, gas-powered air compressors in the back of a pickup. They had decent air flow but weren't huge. I speculated about blowing out my own sprinklers.
Of course, the danger is water freezing in underground sprinkler systems can be very costly. It can cause the lines themselves to crack and burst open, break the under-ground valves and break the sprinkler heads. That's why I can't recommend anyone do this themselves. For myself, I'm willing to take the risk that I'm blowing out enough water that even if there is some remaining, much of it may leak out or even evaporate in the months leading to when the ground is actually cold enough to freeze what water remains in the system. After getting tired of writing checks every Fall, I decided to experiment with using my small pancake air compressor. I knew it was way under-powered and under-sized but I was curious even at risk of ruining my sprinkler system if I could expel enough water from the sprinkler system to avoid problems when Spring arrived. For the past three years, it seems to be working and I'm loving the savings. I also like the self-reliance and convenience it provides allowing me to blowout the sprinklers on my schedule, not someone else's scheduled. I added the portable air tank the last two years and that has improved the process.
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Sprinkler System Blow Out Air Adapter
amzn.to/3fM3XJg
Note: This adapter is slightly different than the one in my video because mine is out-of-stock. This one has an added valve which I think is actually a nice addition.
PORTER-CABLE Compressor, Oil-Free, Pancake 6-Gallon, 150 PSI
amzn.to/3jMV2oN
Performance Tool 11-Gallon Horizontal Portable Air Tank
amzn.to/2ZdvGqH
Harbor Freight Central Pneumatic 11-gallon Portable Air Tank
www.harborfreight.com/11-gall...
⚠ DISCLAIMER: While the creator of this channel strives to make the information presented in this video as accurate as possible, they make no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or applicability of the content. No information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. All do-it-yourself projects entail risk. It is the sole responsibility of the viewer to assume this risk. The channel creator is not responsible or liable for any loss damage (including, but not limited to, actual, consequential, or punitive), liability, claim, or any other injury or cause related to or resulting from any information or actions posted in this video.
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#sprinklers #diy #aircompressor
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Sprinkler System Blow Out Air Adapter amzn.to/3fM3XJg
Note: This adapter is slightly different than the one in my video because mine is out-of-stock. This one has an added valve which I think is actually a nice addition.
PORTER-CABLE Compressor, Oil-Free, Pancake 6-Gallon, 150 PSI amzn.to/3jMV2oN
Performance Tool 11-Gallon Horizontal Portable Air Tank amzn.to/2ZdvGqH
October 26, 2021 Update: Please see the comment from Mohammad Fesanghary where he painstakingly documented all the components he used in his build. Thank you Mohammad!!
Fantastic instructional video, very detailed. I shall give it a try this coming winter. Do you have a video on how to turn it on for the spring?
@@carlosdelllano2277 thank you for watching and your kind praise! I just posted a video on turning on the system last week. Please check it out and good luck this Fall blowing out your system. Please be safe around air compressors! I recommend you watch a couple “fail” videos about air compressors here on UA-cam to see what I mean. Disturbing to watch but has me rethinking where to place any air compressor or portable air tank to be sure they’re kept a safe distance away from any person or animal. Please be safe!
Great video i have done this for years with success.
My controler has an unused program so I programmed a full sequence with time delays between zones to let the compressor recharge and relax . This way I can just plug in the compressor and let it do its thing.
@@ACKCSC2024 Hey, that’s so great to hear! Thank you for watching and commenting you do it, too. I just slapped my forehead and said a Homer “doh!!” regarding you using one of the extra programming! That’s brilliant! I run back and forth to the controller…man, do I feel stupid 🤣. Thank you for that tip…I’ll start doing that!
Do you really need the external tank?
I'm a professional irrigation contractor. You did a great job on figuring it out how to shut it down with a small compressor.
We use big compressor because like you said it's way faster and efficient. I shut down between 11-14 houses a day. Most people just get a professional company because it's more convenient and people don't want to have a bunch of compressors at home sitting around most of the year.
Keep up the great work sir!
Nice of of your to watch and leave me your nice comment! Your customers are lucky to have REAL professional like yourself. Happy Thanksgiving!
I just purchased a new home and it has an irrigation system. The first time I've had one. During a walk through with the builder he mentioned the system and getting it winterized. I did some research and eventually found your video. I just got all the parts ordered so I can do it myself instead of paying someone to do such an easy task. Thank you so much for making this video on your process!
Congrats on your new home! I feel honored to have you research and come upon my video. Please do take care working with compressed air tanks and lines and I am a homeowner like yourself now just learning as I go. Do cut yourself some slack and if you feel intimidated or uncertain, reach out to a professional and even if you have to pay them to do it one season, you can learn by watching what they do assuming their competent. Best of luck to you and stop back again to let us know how things go when the blow-out season starts later this year. Thanks again for watching and taking your valuable time to leave your nice comment! 🙏
@@WorksIRL After I get a good look at the system I might just have a 'pro' do it. It's a very small system so if it can be done for under $50 then I might just have them do it and not worry about it. But I'll be ready to do it myself if they want to charge too much. I'll check back in later this year with an update.
Thank you for the DIY Sprinkler Blow out example! I was concerned about spending a bunch of $ on a big compressor to do the job. Your video is really helpful in showing me how to get the sprinkler blow out completed with a small compressor and low $. Great video!
Thanks for watching and be safe doing it. I’ve recently seen some horizontal air compressor tank fail videos that are rather disturbing so I’m now trying to keep the compressor and tank away from myself or where they might cause less damage if either tank split open. Not trying to scare you but be aware and be sure your tanks dry out condensation afterwards. Please subscribe and keep us posted how it goes.
Love the descriptions you use about viscosity, density, surface tension, and other physical properties you talked about. You got a thumbs up from this nerd for applying science to sprinkler blowout.
Haha! That's great! Thank you for watching and leaving nice comment. If you're not already subscribed, please consider doing so as I plan to drop more videos where this nerd tries to keep doing things himself to save money. Stick around so I know I'm not the only nerd around :-)
@@WorksIRL subbed
Excellent video - I have the exact same pancake compressor and was thinking about doing the exact same thing with an external tank to blow out my system this coming Fall. Now I am definitely going to give it a go.
That's great to hear and I appreciate you taking the time to let us know. Please take precautions around any air compressor and portable air tank. Placing the air compressor and portable air tank a safe distance away from people or pets may be prudent in case of catastrophic failure in either of the air tanks. Keep us posted how it goes and thanks again for watching!!
Your supplemental visuals to coordinate with your scientific statements are great! 😂. Exemplifies when “Hyperbolic” is effective... lol! Love learning! You’re a great teacher - thank you, greatly!
Wow, thank you for such kind praise and especially from a clearly intelligent person as yourself who appreciates the lyrical weight of language. That’s increasingly rare in our seemingly truncated social exchanges. If you’re not already subscribed, I hope you consider doing so as I’d really value your honest feedback on current and future videos. Thank you for watching and making my day! Stay healthy and safe!
I appreciate the video. I too have been hiring folks to blow my lines in Boise ID. My neighbor tells me I can do it myself with the small compressor I have. Now that I've seen your video I feel much better about his opinion :-)
Oh, I loved visiting my Aunt and Uncle in Boise as a kid in 1976! What a great place to live! Thanks for watching and leaving a nice comment! Good luck, be safe and let us know how it goes with your own blow-out!
I really respect that you try to retain information like physics and apply it to real life. Good tutorial.
Thank you so much for your kind feedback…that really means a lot to me. Thanks for watching and taking time to leave such a nice comment! I hope you’ll stick around.
38k views, almost 500 likes…. You, sir, are an unsung hero.
Wow, you are far too kind and I thank you for your super nice comment of encouragement. You made my day a whole lot better…thank you sincerely. I appreciate you subscribing…peace and good health to you!
Thank you for helping me learn how to do this. I shouldn't ever again have to replace a blown valve or pipe in my shop due to freezing. I ordered the hose attachment you linked.
Thanks for watching , taking time to leave a comment and use the link to the hose connector! Good luck and be sure to work safely around air compressors. Lately, I’ve tried keeping the compressor away from anyone in case it ever fails after seeing some disturbing videos when compressor tanks ruptured due to rust. Let us know how things go.
Excellent video, every move, what, where and why, are very well explained . Thank you for taking the time to share your ideas.
That's really kind of you to take your precious time to share such a nice comment like that! I truly appreciate your positive remarks! As I generally remind everyone that might tackle blowing out their own sprinkler system, please do take care for safety as working with any compressed air and tank carries varying levels of risk. I recommend watching a few air compressor "fail" videos here on UA-cam to see what I mean when old or poorly-drained compressor air tanks catastrophically burst open...it's very disturbing. In fact, I plan to move the compressor and tanks away from where I'm sitting in the future just in case either tank ever failed. Thanks for watching and please be safe!
Functionally operates just as it should ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxiiMg_x4gIWeXMWfBnDdRnME4qJUAva4w holds pressure perfectly when not in use. Glad one of the other reviews pointed out that the bottom pressure release valve was open; thought it was defective at first.
So glad to hear that! Keep us posted with how it goes if you decide to do it yourself and work safely around air compressors of all sizes...they can be dangerous if not well-maintained. Good luck!
Great video. Thanks for the link to the adapter...exactly what I was looking for. Also, gotta love how inexpensive harbor freight products are especially with the 20% off coupon. I've been hiring a company to winterize my system for the last 4 years, but this seems easy enough to do myself. I already have a compressor so just need the additional 11 gallon tank.
You're welcome and hope this saves you some money. I did blow-out with just the compressor one year and it worked but having the extra portable tank really seems to give more "oomph" to the initial blow-out. Compressor still turns on relatively soon after opening zone valve but not nearly as quickly as it did before I added the portable tank. Word of warning...taking off that portable tank inlet valve was a bit of a bear and I had to use a pipe-wrench to get the leverage I needed to twist it out while I sat on the tank to hold it down...so watch yourself and don't pull a muscle. Also, the coupon may not apply to Harbor Freight's brand "Central Pneumatic" so read the fine print on your coupon....though, I think they recently sent an email with 15% off "everything" through Nov. 1 so maybe that one might apply. If you have subscribed, please do and stay in touch to let us know how it goes.
@@WorksIRL You bet! I've looked over a lot of the titles for the videos you have already created and it doesn't look like I am going to learn a lot here but it is fun to be a part of the discussion. Another channel I enjoy because of how well she explains things is "See Jane Drill". You are probably familiar with her channel? Again, I don't learn a lot of new things from her but I have an appreciation for how well she explains things, especially to new the less experienced. Thanks again for being a source of good information that is explained well. I look forward to enjoying your future content and watching your channel grow.
@@philliptoone I appreciate your feedback and positive well wishes. I am familiar with See Jane Drill and I should check out more of her content as inspiration/learning. Please let me know what type of content you would watch...feel free to email me under my About tab. Thank you!
Thank you for the great video. I forgot to have my sprinklers blown out with my regular guy and by the time I asked him in November, he had already put away his compressor. I have a pancake compressor so I purchased the tank and accessories per your video and it worked like a charm. Thanks again for the informative video and keep up the good work!
Hey, that's great! Good on you for doing it yourself! 💪Thank you for taking your precious time to leave me your nice comment. Have a Good and Happy 2023!
This is a great video and the comments from all the participants helped a great deal. Thanks Jim and everyone.
I finally got it setup and winterized my lawn sprinklers!! also learned as a part of the process.
Here are couple of notes from my side that I would like to share:
1. The manifold on the 11 GL external gas tank from HarborFreight has some adhesive which keeps it super strong (which is good) and it was not easy to break in with pipe wrench even with leverage. In order to break in, I used a heat gun on the lower setting (around 700 deg F) for 15-20 secs and boom.. the manifold came out super easy.
2. Per @JK Nair comments, I added a safety release valve as well on the external gas tank. Felt easy after that!!
3. I was shopping around in HomeDepot for adapters, tee's as required. I was told by an experienced guy that it would be right if you match the fittings e.g. best case would be NH to NH, NPT to NPT and like wise. In my case for the spigot attachment from Amazon is a NH, so I had to buy a 3/4" (male to male) adapter and so based on the best case match and testing the samples in Home Depot I bought a 3/4" MH (to the attachment) x 3/4" MIP (to spigot). So, if you are in doubt, take the attachments with you to match when you buy.
All in all, it took little more than hour to clear 9 zones. I did a third run for a quick check and it took about 20 mins. Anyway, finally I was able to clear out the water.
Thanks a ton.
Super congratulations on doing it all yourself!! Also, really appreciate the time you took giving us your findings and conclusions…that’s what makes this video great are the super time-generous folks like yourself making the effort to pass your hard-earned knowledge forward and helping others…Thank YOU!!
Great information....I had no idea it was this difficult. I've never owned a house in an area where it freezes so I assumed I could do it myself. It's too late for me to get all the equipment this week but I will definitely prepare for next year.
It is easier to simply pay to have it blown out if you have a decent irrigation company to hire. I did pay to have it done for years but the annual string of characters the irrigation companies around me sent to do the job and seeing them fumble around trying to figure out what goes where and even had one I had to remind to turn the main valve off first 😵💫… got me realizing even if I got most of the water out myself I’d likely do just as good a job as those clowns 🤣. But, most people in my neighborhood still pay the menagerie of characters to come and blow out their systems. I just got tired of having to babysit them and then write them a check. Thanks for watching and good luck 👍.
Out of all videos out there, you’re the most helpful one! Thank you !
I truly appreciate hearing that! Thank you for watching and making my day by taking your valuable time to leave me your super nice comment!! Peace, brother!
I have been doing this with the same compressor minus the additional tank for years and no problem. Thanks for the video
I always love hearing from fellow “small compressor blow-outers” sharing their years of success 😎🤣. I appreciate you watching and taking your valuable time to share your experience!
Great video sir. First year for my irrigation and I will be using your video to winterize my system. Thank you!
I wish you best of luck and hope it all goes smoothly. Be sure to work safely around compressed air systems and inspect air tank(s) to be sure everything is in good condition. Also, I used to use just my small air compressor without the external tank. The external tank just helps give my tiny compressor a bit longer "stored-air blow time" before the compressor kicks on. Keep us posted how things go. Thanks for watching and leaving your nice comment!
Very nice video and extremely well done! I had to replace the buried (38 inches down) shutoff valve in my yard and used your video and the same compressor without the tank before I cut into the lines which would have made it impossible to blow it out had I hit a snag before winter. The double check valve backflow preventer is the most expensive individual part of the system and I agree that air should not be pumped through it. My neighbor and I have the same model bfp installed in the same year and both failed inspection the following spring after the same company blew out the system with them attached, That was conclusive enough for me. I installed fittings that allow the preventer to be easily removed and replaced with a bypass that has a shutoff on the side going to the valve boxes and a male connection for the air compressor. On the water shutoff I mentioned, i installed another male connection with its own valve for isolation during the operational season. Having the two connection points allows me to blow out the piping between them. I bought the 11 gallon tank today, i think my modification will include female quick connects on both ends so I can still use it as a portable tank. Obviously I will need to make a custom double male hose.
Wow, good on you for doing all that rework. I know how tough and dirty this work on unground irrigation can get so I always respect those that tackle it themselves. Also, appreciate you sharing your flow back preventer experiences. Be safe modifying the auxiliary tank as it comes with a safety release valve and I think some other comments under this video have viewers reminding others to bear that in mind having a safety relief valve set lower than the tank’s maximum PSI rating is a prudent idea. Thanks for watching and sharing your experiences, too! Happy Holidays to you and I hope you’ll stick around to keep us posted on your happenings. 👍😎
I've used a 30 gallon Craftsman compressor for the last 20 years. The cost saving has paid the compressor about 10 years ago. I set my regulator to 80psi and I go through the zones twice. I'm sure this is overkill, but it gives me peace of mind. I don't have a spigot connection so I connect to the test valves. I haven't had any issues with doing it myself. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching and sharing your experiences using the test valves. It's always comforting to hear others that have been doing it successfully for so long and I do think your 30-gallon compressor is a great size. Thanks again for sharing!
I have the same compressor and have blown out my 9 zone system for 17 years successfully. No issues
That’s great to hear and it is validating to hear when there are dissenting comments stating there’s no way this method is adequately blowing it. My response is always the same which is like you’re saying…it hasn’t been a problem. Thanks for watching and sharing your experience. I hope you’ll stick around and keep sharing as I send up more posts. Happy Thanksgiving to you!
I'm in Michigan as well. I did my own for the first time this year after getting a crazy deal on a 30gal. Compressor. I have a friend that wants to do his but lives too far away for me to help. He has a pancake compressor and forwarded him this video.
Hey, that's great to hear you did it yourself and 30-gallons is a nice size to own...not too big but big enough to do most things! Thanks for forwarding my video to your friend...I hope it works out for them. I presumed from your username you were in The Windy City...I always like hearing from my fellow Michiganders! I just blew out my sprinklers yesterday as it seems we're heading into routine lows down in the low-30s so it's time. Take care, brother!
I’m in my second house with a irrigation system, and after my second year of having a professional blow out my system I have been doing it myself ever since. The one thing you need to realize is that professionals use that large volume compressors because they like to blow out the most zones at one time as possible, this therefore taking less time per job. I watched them jumper the controller, so that more zones were open at one time. As a home owner you can get the job done just as well by blowing out one zone at a time with a lesser volume compressor, it will just take a little longer with zero cost, if. you already have a compressor, the only cost maybe being the adapter to hook up the compressor at the water faucet. If need to, cycle air through each zone a couple of times! 👍
Always enjoy having a fellow DIYer share their successful ingenuity doing their own blow-outs…good job! 💪 Thanks for sharing your observations of the pros doing multiple zones at once. I think good pros like to be sure every drop is vaporized out of the system to minimize risk of any freeze damage and I don’t think we’re wrong by blowing out the vast majority of the water with our tiny compressors, either. I can only say that I’ve not had issues once Springtime arrives in all the years I’ve done it myself and here in Michigan we have plenty of frigidly sub-zero temperatures for weeks on end throughout our seemingly endless months of Winter 🥶😶🌫️. Thanks for watching and sharing your DIY experiences with us!!
The guy that installed my system before I bought my house, was who came when I called for a winterization. He was very helpful and told me that I could do this myself. He actually told me what to buy to do it. I kept using him each year until his company started sending other people. They had no knowledge of my setup and in the spring it seemed as if rotors were aimed differently. I remembered what the original guy said and I did it myself for the first time last year. I have a 30 gal compressor in my garage. It worked fine. I do agree that diy can't compete with the huge compressors, it still works. I blow each circuit out about four times. I have a fan that I put up to cool my compressor and I give it time between blow outs to cool. I take my time and do it over a few days. It's extra work, but I save $100 plus and don't have to rely on people I don't trust.
That's awesome! I love hearing your experience and that's a great idea to aim a fan at the compressor to help it from overheating...Smart! Thanks for watching and sharing your story!
I've been in construction my whole life. I've seen these pancakes cycle on and off all day non stop. Yeah, they get hot, they are designed to, worrying about it cooling off seems a Lil like overkill me. I've used many pancakes, running them non stop, and no one in my field worries about it overheating. Why the extra tank. Is it because your worried about the pancake overheating. I don't get it. Couldn't you have done this with just the pancake.
That’s great to hear your professional experience using these pancake air compressors. Mine is now pushing 25 years old and I’m still impressed with its durability. I definitely successfully blew out my system with just the pancake compressor itself for a number of years but concocted adding the auxiliary air tank simply to get that additional initial “blast” directly from the stored pressure at the regulated 50-ish psi before the tanks are depleted and air movement is only from the compressor alone real-time. It does seem like I get a slightly more effective blow-out in the initial blow on each zone with the auxiliary as compared to when I used to use just the compressor. Thanks for watching and sharing your keen insights and opinions! Happy Holidays!
I've been blowing down my sprinkler systems for years with no problems. The 1 thing I do different is after blowing out a zone I pour in a 1/2 gallon of rv antifreeze and blow it thru til I just see the pink mist coming out sprinklers. My reasoning is if for whatever reason I still have a little water in the line lowspots, this might keep it from freezing and breaking the pipe... 👌😁
@@nancyhart7357 look up how much water expands when frozen. Off the top of my head, it's less than 10 percent. Blowing each circuit out until mist comes out probably gets out over 90 percent of the water. A little water in the lines can't do damage when it freezes. The antifreeze thing is probably way overkill. But, if it works for you keep doing it. Just my two cents. Anyways, I upgraded to a 60 gallon compressor and now I can do the job so much quicker now. It's a 120/240V two stage that rocks!
Ok. Alright!!! You got another subscriber. Am installing my sprinklers. I do have the same compressor, thanks for the tip on the external tank. I am puting automatic drains on the zones and the manifolds.
That’s a smart move you’re doing on your installation!! I truly appreciate you watching, subscribing and letting me know! Keep us posted on your system and how things come together.
Great video with music! 🤩You inspired me to wait and purchase on sale a Fortress 26 gallon compressor for 359.00 from HarborFreight. I also purchased adapters and 50ft of hose. I have 17 stations with 5 heads per station. It worked like a charm! The only critique I have is that I needed more volume for my stations that were far away from the house. Thinking about adding an external tank to my 26 gallon tank. We shall see. I’ll also probably start at 30 or 40 psi, seems to work better. Thank you for your informative video.🙏
That’s fantastic to hear and I truly appreciate you taking time to write your comment to let us experience what you accomplished! That is a large system with so many zones and that’s very Impressive you did it yourself. Be sure you work safely around air compressors and properly empty condensation from within it per the compressor user manual to get as much safe use from it. Best of luck and kudos to you for figuring out what works in real life to save yourself money over the coming years!
Great video! The cold weather snuck up on me this year. I couldn’t find a large compressor to rent for winterizing my sprinkler system. I gave this a try and it worked perfectly. I can rest easy tonight knowing that the freezing weather will not damage my sprinkler system.
I was skeptical about this at first, but HF had all the parts for cheap prices, so I went for it, and I’m so glad I did. Big smile on my face, and feeling very accomplished.
Way to go!! It does feel good being independent of paying someone else…love that feeling and good on you for making it happen under pressure at that 👍💪. Stay warm and thanks for watching and leaving your nice comment!
So lucky man... Im in Michigan and it snowed yesterday and the weather quickly shot down to 20 degrees.. my sprinkler guy screwed me last week and did not show up to our 9am appointment.. no call no show nothing.. even though i waited all morning. Long story short im fed up and can't find anyone in Michigan willing to do it... Home Depot seems to be out of compressors for rentals .. so i bought a pancake compressor and realizing now this is not adequate enough.. found a lady on offer up selling a used 25 gallon craftsman that has 5hp and blows out 9.4cfms at 40psi..for $100.. im thinking to grab it today.. and do a piggy back setup to end up with 31 gallons... Or the other idea is to just return the pancake one and keep the big one ... Not sure if it's worth trying to do a piggy back with that little pancake.. either way i cant do anything today as the temperatures are in the 20s outside and im waiting for Tuesday when it goes up to 40s to attempt this one last time before the winter really comes. Or maybe its too late and my system is frozen and effed? I hope not...
Good luck, and sorry to hear that contractor didn’t show up. I don’t know if you will be able to do a piggy back with two compressors. You need to install the T and I don’t think you can do that on a compressor that’s why the expansion tank works so well. Try the larger compressor it might work. Hoping for warmer weather!
@@floofsale I’m sorry to hear of your trouble with pro no show 😖. That 25-gallon having 9cfm is likely able to do the job on its own. That’s probably twice or more CFM than my pancake can kick out AND has 25-gallon tank already. Be careful around compressors, especially used ones. They need to be properly drained if condensation after every use or else rust can weaken weld seams, especially horizontal tanks where welded seam is often right at the bottom of tank and catastrophic explosions can occur so keep any air compressor away from any person, animal or structure in case it ever lets go. Good luck and hopefully ground is still warm enough to avoid freezing but drain your back flow preventer as it’s on side of house and exposed.
Just came across your video. Great job, thank you for sharing. I’m in northern Indiana so I’ll be doing mine tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing more of your videos.
Thanks for watching and leaving me nice feedback. I just did mine today as it’s looking like we’re heading into consistently colder nights, too. Good luck tomorrow and let us know how it goes.
It went well, a bit colder than I was hoping for. We live on a creek and use the creek water for watering the lawn. Part of my winterizing involves wrestling a 20’, 2” suction hose and making sure it is drained also. The system has 4 large zones with each zone having about 12-14 heads. Maybe someday I’ll break it down into more smaller zones.
@@paultakoy7091 wow, that sounds like a job and those are some big zones. I only have 5 rotary heads on each of 7 zones and 11 spray heads on 1 zone and 16 on another. Always nice to have one more task checked off for the season. Take care and hope you’ll stick around on the channel.
It takes me all day pretty much. I plan on sticking around. Subscribed and checked the bell, looking forward to your videos!
@@paultakoy7091 Full-day job but you can be proud you do it yourself! Thank you for subscribing and even checking the bell...you're awesome and I sincerely appreciate your support!!
I’ve been doing something similar on my system for years. Great vid.
Always nice to hear positive backup from a fellow DIY blow-outer 🤣. Thanks for watching and taking time to let me know your nice feedback. I hope you’ll stick around. Happy Summer to you!
Helpful tip for zones with fixed pop-up sprayers: unscrew the nozzle (and remove filter) on the sprayer at end of the line. This will allow most of the water in that zone to escape on the first attempt.
Thanks for sharing!
No need
Well done Jim! Kudos to your editor
Thank you for watching and your kind words here…My “editor” will be delighted and now he’s going to expect a raise 🤣. Peace!
Great video due to the fact that compressors, 20+ gallon ones have gone up in prices in the past decade. Your setup allows for better storage and flexibility. The 6 gallon pancake compressors are still reasonably priced.
I appreciate you watching and taking time to leave an insightful, positive comment...Thank you!!
I got a Metabo 6 gallon compressor for Christmas. Thank you for putting this together. I'm going to do this myself because it's like $70 to blow out my irrigation here in CO. If I'm successful, I'll go around and sell services for like $35, it'll pay for all these materials! I've never seen "landscaper" (everyone and their brother is a landscaper in CO) use one of those big trailer compressors. They all use small compressors in the back of a trailer they're pulling loaded with rakes and shovels.
Congratulations on getting your new compressor! I wish you success with blowing out your own system next season and keep us posted how it goes for you. Thanks for watching!
After watching this video, I copied the exact components except the adapter connecting to the water supply which mine uses a 1/2" male adapter. I attached this to a 4" riser with a 1/4" reducer on the other end to accommodate a male air hose plug. This worked perfectly. Many thanks. I can now blow my lines out at my discretion.
Good on you for doing it yourself and adapting as needed to make it work in your situation! Seriously, I grew up with folks who did EVERYTHING themselves and that was the norm to now where everyone around me just writes checks to have others do it for them so give yourself a huge pat on the back for your self-reliance! 👏
Thank you Works IRL and Mohammad Fesanghary! It worked for me, even though the longest plumbing line that ends in a faucet is 200 ft away. My faucet outside has a leak in it (when opened), so at first I thought this won't work for me. I tried connecting it to the faucet inside the house in the basement and it worked like a charm. BTW - a few years ago my external rainfall detector stopped working. For not much more than the cost of a replacing just that part, I replaced the Hunter controller with Racchio, which accesses hyperlocal weather conditions (past, current and forecast) and automatically adjusts schedules. I can also control the system from the iPhone app.
Way to go!! Good for your for figuring it out and making it happen! I appreciate you sharing your experience of the Racchio controller...I've seen those on-sale occasionally through Costco and have been tempted to replace my Hunter controller with it. I really like the sounds of that "smart" watering based on actual local rain forecasting. Thanks again for watching and taking the time to come back and leave us your nice comment...good on you for getting it done!
Great video and lots of good info here for the DIY’s. Depending on the size and number of your zones, you can literally spend all day doing this with a pancake compressor and not get all the water out. If you cannot maintain an adequate psi (approx 50) for long enough, the remaining water can settle in the low spots, freeze, & burst the lines and/or fittings. I would strongly recommend a 60 gallon + tank to take on this project. If that isn’t in the cards for you, hire a professional & potentially save yourself a huge headache come next spring. I promise you don’t want to half ass this one!!! Even with a big compressor, it is going to cycle several times during this task.
Doing this with such a small compressor and jury-rigged external tank is likely leaving some water in the lines and as you mentioned that water will settle in the low spots. I wouldn’t risk on a new system and only started doing it myself after having dug up countless heads to be replaced due to wear and tear with most of that time paying “professionals” to blow out the system. It wasn’t until some years ago I saw the sprinkler company had hired a guy that knew less about in-ground sprinklers than me and had sent him out with two portable air compressors that leaked terribly. I noticed he connected the hoses wrong so only one was actually connected to my system and the other was just making noise 🤣. That’s when I realized I may as well save that money and just be patient blowing out each zone a few times myself and saw the effects similar to what the “professional” had gotten and he only did each zone once. So, I’m definitely taking a risk but it’s seemed to be fine each Spring the past many years now after some brutally cold Michigan Winters. I appreciate you watching and sharing your advice which is spot-on!
@@WorksIRL So true 😂 I will never let the “professionals” come out to start up or shut down my system again now that I have adequate resources to tackle it myself. A man could become a millionaire in my town if he got certified to do back-flow testing and bought a big compressor. And you would only have to work a few months in the spring & fall. The irrigation company I was using showed me exactly how to do it when I asked, so it doesn’t hurt to try. Either way, it pays to DIY in most projects and I appreciate the effort & time that you folks put into these videos so us other poor saps can give it a go 👍🏻
Neither the capacity of your compressors tank nor the psi it releases is relevant to clearing a sprinkler system, the only stat that matters is CFM - volume.
@@chrislatella4249 Correct, but most of us DIY guys will never have a compressor with that many CFM’s. So size does matter 😅 & buys us the time we need to complete a zone while maintaining an adequate PSI.
@@chrislatella4249 you’re right, no questioning that this is a kluge way to blow out my sprinkler system to save a buck. I can simply say for my system, the amount of water initially expelled in each zone using this kluge method mimic what I used to see when I paid to have it done except the final “fogging” mist part only lasts about 20 seconds compared to about a minute before they’d switch to the next zone so I’m confident this kluge leaves some water in the lines. After many Spring seasons, so far no freeze damage is observed. Thanks for watching and reiterating high-air volume makes a difference.
Exactly what I was looking for. I have a secondary house and it is very cumbersome to transport a larger Craftsman compressor back and forth. I need something less expensive and smaller to keep at the second house. This looks like the perfect set up. I appreciate your vid and would buy you lunch if I lived near you.
Hey, I’m really pleased it was helpful and keep us posted how it works for you. I appreciate you subscribing so that’s a great virtual reward for me...thank you!
@@WorksIRL actually, while at Harbor Frieght, I ran into a McGraw 29 gal oiled compressor for $219. I have yet to test it on blowing out the sprinklers.
@@vernonsteinkamp1088 I think that would be a nice size. If it’s horizontal air tank, watch a couple videos about cataclysmic, dangerous tank failures. I don’t remember brands but i got the impression horizontally aligned air tanks with seams welded along the bottom were the style I saw in those videos implying rust may develop and weaken those seams. Like all air tanks, be sure you empty condensation after use to dry out tank interior and after watching those fail videos has me rethinking how close to be while they operate. Be safe and keep us posted on your experience.
@@WorksIRL thanks for the safety reminders. I'll be trying it out this week.
Correction, it is a 20 gal tank. I just tried it on a 6 sprinkler station and it worked fine, just enough air at 40lbs of pressure to blow the water out.
Thank you. Going to try to do it myself this year. Shall let you know.
Thanks for watching, subscribing and commenting. I truly appreciate it! Please be safe, good luck and I look forward to hearing how it goes!
Great video, thank you so much! Just bought a house and I will use this info to try and winterize my system.
Congratulations on buying your house and I’m delighted this helped. Please work safely around air compressors and keep us posted on how it goes Winterizing your system. Thanks for watching! 👍
I have the same compressor you do. Short on cash this year, so I simply found a plastic female garden hose thread fitting and connected it to my air hose. I let it run ten minutes for each zone. No problem! I used to pay about $200 to get this work done.
Good “MacGyver-ing” 🤣. Seriously, that’s great. Hope 2022 brings some cash relief to you, brother…I do understand those times. Thanks for watching and sharing with us!
Wow!, $200 is a lot of money to blow out a sprinkler system. You saved yourself a nice chunk of money. Here in SE MI you can usually get it done for $40-60 on the typical 4-5 zone system. Wishing you good fortune in the coming year.
@@WorksIRL I watched your video because I was curious how well a small compressor would do the job. Good idea on hitching up an external tank. It obviously works in a pinch. Since I also have a larger compressor, I will opt for that over using my little oil-less unit I typically use just for finish nailing. First time for me blowing out my own system. My guy had already finished for the season and wasn’t available. Since I already have the equipment, I’m thinking why am I paying someone else? 👍🏻
@@bondpit8750 thanks for your nice comments! I hope it works out for you or if you did it already I hope it worked out. With a bigger compressor I’ll be curious how it goes/went. Thanks for watching and stay warm my fellow Michigander! 😎
@@WorksIRLIt went great! I learned something and actually had fun doing it. I used my larger compressor, a 2 cylinder oil lubricated, Craftsmen Professional w/25 gal tank mounted horizontally. Set it at 60psi and blew out 5 zones within 20 minutes or so. A larger tank helps but it’s a lot of air to push so the compressor ran pretty much continuously after the first zone cleared. Having a larger compressor with more volume output makes the job go by quickly. I estimate this compressor puts out about 6 CFM @ 60psi based on specs in the manual. I’ve owned the compressor for over 10 years. Had I been doing it myself all along, I’d have more than covered the original cost of the compressor. 👍🏻
I have your same compressor, and I'm getting the same extra tank. Thanks a bunch for this video so I can feel confident to DIY this job!
👍
One thing: the safety valve on the pancake compressor would have a higher set point than the extra tank's maximum pressure. It would be worth having a 2nd safety valve on the extra tank side to insure against an accidental over pressurization of the extra tank. The tank says 125psi max, so maybe a 120psi safety valve would be good.
I know how easy it is to forget something like this, at least for me.
I think extra safety and erring to the side of caution is absolutely the right thinking and what you’re saying makes complete sense! I keep awaiting my now nearly 25-years old pancake compressor to die so I can feel justified in upgrading to a new compressor with a much larger tank but this thing keeps going even with this annual blowout which I’m sure is not what it was ever intended for. Please work safely around air compressors and compressed air storage tanks. It sounds like you’ve got the right mindset toward safety which is smart! Keep us posted how it goes. I suspect I’ll be doing the blowout myself again here in about a month unless we get a cold-snap before then. Good luck!! 👍✌️
I have a sprinkler system with 7 zones that was installed 18 years ago. The first fall the installer blow out the lines. The second year I bought a compressor with a 22 gallon tank. I figure with the money I saved I have been blowing out my system for about 15 years for free.
Perfect!! I love hearing that and what a smart move for you to recognize doing it yourself so early-on which has as you say, 15 years of free blow-out and I say you’ve earned that money!! Well done, you! Thanks for watching and sharing your accomplishment!
I've been using my Porter cable pancake compressor on 40 psi to blow out the lines on my camper before I winterize it.
Hey, alright that’s great to hear. I think that 40 psi is a good pressure as I think the CFM that Porter-Cable puts out at that pressure is likely a bit higher than at higher pressures. Thanks for watching, sharing and sticking with with me. Good to hear from you and stay healthy brother!
If you design and dig your sprinkler system like a drainage system, so that it grades from higher at one end to lower at the other, without any low spots, you do not need enormous air pressure to blow out all the water in the fall.
I took the time to design my sprinklers to do just that, and I easily blow it out dry with a very small compressor. One zone drains into a ditch with an auto valve about three feet below the timer, and the other zone drains into a dry well I dug with about the same grade. The compressor is just used as insurance that every drop gets out.
All the compressor has to do is help gravity, if you dig it correctly.
It's been six years and I have never had a broken line or sprinkler head due to water freezing in the system and I live at over 9,000 feet in Colorado where ground frost can go six feet into the ground in the winter and we may get surface frost in any month of the year.
All summer long about 90% of the water drains from both the zones within 20 minutes of the timers shutting off.
My neighbors have to pay the the same landscaping company who dug their system about $100 to blow out their lines. Sometimes they get broken lines and heads during early and late frosts during the sprinkling season. The landscapers have a negative incentive to dig the system properly. They make money from designing the system badly so the customer needs them to do repairs all summer and blow them out thoroughly at the end of the season with their huge compressors.
Design it properly and your system can be nearly maintenance free..
That’s brilliant!!! You’re a smart cookie to have thought that through ahead of time and I’m super jealous! Now, I want to build a new house and incorporate all the “lessons” learned from thoughtful folks like yourself and all the other mistakes I see built-in to most house construction unless you’re designing all the things right yourself from the start. Thanks for watching and sharing your efficient sprinkler design which clearly has proven itself. I hope you’ll stick around by subscribing. Peace, brother!
Great explanation of the key details. Much appreciated!
You're welcome and thanks for watching and letting me know! If you're not already subscribed, please consider subscribing as I'd love to grow our community here to share more money-saving DIY tips and ideas. Stay healthy!
Not a bad video... I've been in irrigation for 40 years in Denver Colorado. Back in the 80's we just opened the drains on the main line, and tan the timer through a cycle, and the poly pipes were flexible enough that any water wouldn't hurt anything. The key to your operation is the additional storage tank that triples the capacity. Febco says don't even blow out through the backflow device as it will damage the bonnet & popit, but rather blow out through a connection point after the backflow. I would concur if it was a commercial application where you're spending couple hrs blowing out. The hot air would melt the plastic. But I've been blowing out for 30 years through the test-cocks and keep my air temp low by not exceeding 80 psi. and haven't had any problems. I believe that water expands 9% volume. So theoretically if you get out even half the water one would be ok with ploy lines( not PVC). Plus a nice wet snow can reintroduce water into the lateral lines via the nozzles... especially the full radius nozzles. Also the force of freezing water is 114,000 psi. That takes it toll on the brass ball valves on the Backflow device if not drained properly. For replacement of cracked ball valves, the ones with a freeze-plug are nice www.freezeproofvalve.com.
Wow, I can’t thank you enough for not only watching my video but granting so much time for such an informative comment! I’ve had my suspicions about rain and snow melt water making its way back inside the lines through the heads so it is really great to hear you address that possibility. I’ve got a couple heads in my back yard where we’ll get cold snap then freezing rain then rain and it’ll collect right over a couple of my rotary heads and I’ve speculated they have to have some back leakage. It’s also good to hear you confirm not blowing through the backflow. I’d read that in the instructions but in my professionally-installed system, I have no options but to blow-out through the PVB unless I install a blow-out port and valve on out-flow side of PVB. Thanks again for sharing your strong knowledge and I hope you’ll stick around by subscribing. Take care, brother!
@@WorksIRL Thanks for this! We just moved back to Michigan after 20 years in a milder climate, and I've never had an irrigation system before. I didn't even know this needed to be done until a couple days ago, and I'm already late to do it. So late that all the irrigation companies in my area are booked for the season (or want $200+). My set up is exactly like yours, with the hose bib installed upstream from the PVB. Glad to see a professional's opinion that the dire warnings about sending air through it may be little overstated for a residential application. All I have is that pancake compressor for now, so I'll do what I can quickly - lows are in the mid 20s for all next week. With the money I save, I'll buy a 30 gallon for next year!
@@fstump1 welcome back to Michigan and the cold that make most people move away in the first place 🤣. I did blow out my system using just my pancake air compressor a few times before adding the auxiliary tank. Do try to give each zone a couple blow outs each. It takes awhile each time for the little compressor to cool down so it takes patience. Getting the water out of the above ground components like the PVB is key with these colder air temps as the underground parts take longer into Winter before they hit freezing but snow and ice on top of heads will hinder blow out, too. Good you get onto it. You could also consider renting a larger compressor from big box home stores or local rental equipment shop. Thanks for watching and commenting…stick around and keep us posted how it goes!
Thanks, I found this video very helpful.
Thanks for watching and taking time to leave a nice comment!
Thanks for the video. It incentivized me to try blowing out my own sprinkler system. Full disclosure, I "cheated." I found a used 220V 30-gallon compressor on facebook marketplace for $50. It worked great!
That's not cheating, that's just plain smart right there! 😀Well done doing it yourself and thanks for watching and coming back to leave your nice comment. Be sure you drain your air compressor of condensation after every use and watch for any chance of rust at the seems as compressors can be dangerous if they weren't properly maintained. I hope you'll stick around and good find on your sweet air compressor!
Very helpful. Thank you sir!
You’re welcome! Thank you for watching and leaving a nice comment. I hope you’ll stick around!
I have been using this pancake compressor to blow out my house and rental houses for over a decade with no problem. Just connect directly to the the back flow preventer bottom test port with 40 lbs. of air pressure. Never had any frozen pipes on any of the homes. It just takes a little bit longer because after the initial water is out of the circuit you move to the next circuit and then do one more time which further clears out low spots that recollected water. No Problem!!!
Great hearing validation that it’s been working for someone else! Thank you for sharing your details and good to hear how you connect and pressure you use. I may give that method a try rather than use the spigot to see how it works next Fall. 👍
So you say hook up to the back flow preventer, but the author said don't?
Also how do you hook to the back flow preventer? Will I need a fitting, if so, what kind? Thanks guys!
@@user-cg7jp7jt4v I’ve heard/read not to connect to the test ports but I have observed two “professionals” on my house and neighborhood inject the air using the test port/cock as the commenter above does it. They had to screw in a 1/4” (I think it was 1/4”) threaded male to male quick-connect connector then attached the air hose to that. Try snooping around in other videos herein YT and Google it to see what others have to say. I had found enough to say not to use those test cocks but like I said, I have seen “pros” use them to blow out 🤷. Good luck and let us know what you decide to do and how it turns out.
@@user-cg7jp7jt4v Been doing it for a decade on multiple houses. I use the bottom connector on back flow preventer with the quick disconnect connector with a 1/4 inch male. Also have to turn screw vertical on this Back flow protector connection to open it. That 1/4 inch male quick disconnect adapter is cheap to buy at Home Depot. I have several on hand. Easy to do this
Thank you for explanation! :)
Thanks for watching and taking time to leave me an appreciative comment!
Thanks for posting. My irrigation system is completely underground (southern state). So I'll need to add a Sch 40 T-fitting and connection. I experienced two blown pipes due to hard freeze we enjoyed last winter. Your solution should prevent that from happening again.
I'm sorry to hear you had some blown pipes last Winter and hope your modifications and blowing out the system keeps it from happening, again. I appreciate you watching my video and taking your valuable time to leave me a nice comment.
Only 377 subscribers? I'm going to make it 378. You explain things very well. Thank you. I expect this channel to really grow.
Hey, thank you! That’s very kind of you and really appreciate you watching, leaving nice comment and subscribing! If you’re in the U.S.A., I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving and if not, I hope you have a great rest of your week!
Now 577 + 1 =578
Subscribed because
1) This is a great how to video
2) Looks like you also have a Jeep :D
Thank you for subscribing and for your reasons 🤣. I do have 2 LJs and a Liberty…I used to have a JKU but had to raise a bit of cash to help kids with college expenses so did the biggest sacrifice a Dad could do…give up a Jeep 🥴. Hopefully they’ll be successful in their careers, get rich and buy Dad a new Jeep…yeah, right 🤣. I’m glad to have you around!
Very nicely done video. Not too much superfulous info, but enough detail to actually walk someone through the process. Kudos for using proper terminology. Donning / doffing, bung, ball valve, etc. Many other videos the guy says, "See that hole in there" or "I just turn this handle open." Two questions: how long was the entire process (not the filming, just the first time cleaning out the lines)? Do you store the compressor and tank with the bleed valve open for condensate to evaporate?
I thank you very much for your kind feedback and comments. The entire blowout process takes me about 3 hours from pulling everything out to putting everything away but also because I have nine zones and blow each zone out twice and like to leave enough time to let my little air compressor cool down....a leisurely Saturday morning is how I look at it where my wife knows I’m “busy” so keeps me from having to handle more “honey-dos” 😎. I’m very careful about releasing pressure via emergency release valve to exercise it down to about 10 psi then I open the compressor condensate valve to let that pressure blowout any liquid collecting in tank. Yes, I leave that valve open and tilt the compressor to make condensate valve lowest point for storage in my garage on a dry shelf until next use. I flip the external tank upside down to let any moisture drip out of -connector and leave a couple quick release male connectors in it after uprighting it for storage on dry garage shelf. You’re right to be concerned about compressor and external tank integrity over time. I may even change how I place them next time to place them further away from me. I’ve since watched a couple air tank fail videos that are very scary due to long-term rust weakening lateral tank welds and seems. Please be safe if you attempt doing this yourself. Thanks for watching and keep us posted how it goes for you if you tackle this. Peace my friend!
SUPER Helpful Thanks!
Thanks for watching and your nice feedback. Stay well!
Good video. You asked for comments... one think l would avoid doing is draining you condensation drain on the bottom of your compressor on a finished patio or in your shop space. The water is usually contaminated with oil, rust, water and stinks
You make a very good point and ironically, I just blow-out my sprinklers yesterday and left a brown stain on my front porch from draining the condensate from my pancake air compressor! Thanks for watching and leaving your helpful tip!
you made it look simple, but it seems to be very complicated to adapt all the little steps to my situation. I think I'll sell my sprinkler haha
Thanks for watching and I fully understand. It does look easier condensed into a video which doesn’t properly show the energy and sweat removing the necessary parts to modify the external portable air tank. The blowing out takes patience and it may not be the worst just spending the money to have it done. If I was making more income vs my expenses I might just go back to writing the check 🤣. Good luck to you and believe me, I get what you’re saying. Thanks for commenting!
great video , that's pretty much how I do mine here in Montreal Canada thanks for the great video
That’s great to hear you do it yourself same way! 💪. Thanks for watching and taking time to leave me your nice comment 👍. Always like hearing from our Canadian neighbors and hope you’re all starting to warm up a bit…been a bit coolish down our way still but at least Spring has sprung 😎. Hope you have a great Summer!
@@WorksIRL my pleasure , I gotta watch more of your videos. Lots of interesting things to see. Yes it's finally starting to warm up , hope you are staying warm also Bud 👊🍻
@@brianb1179 great having you here and hope you’ll stick around…honor sharing your time! 🙏
You are AWSOME. you saved me $$$🥰
That’s so very kind of you to say and may I say YOU are AWESOME for doing it yourself!! 👏. Thanks for watching!
last year was the last straw. old sprinkler guy age 80 ($100/ per visit) had retired. new 'professional' showed up-- (advertising themselves as THE only 'irrigation professionals ' in my town. ) 2 guys try to hook up to my Febco 825Y backflow compressor (because they're missing the proper air hose connector into my boiler valve. then they try to charge me $175 for their 'visit' because i forbade them to hook into my febco (having 1st shown them the Febco's printout saying you cannot do that...) ?)so...... i'm buying all the parts in this video and am going to DIY. . had i done this 30 years ago, i could have saved $3,000 and a lot of aggravation. THANKS !! a bouquet of roses to your wife for buying you the air compressor, and a case of beer to you.
I fully understand that feeling of “wished I’d done this many years ago” 🤣. I truly hope it works out for you. I do hear from a few pros in comments saying this isn’t proper without a huge air volume compressor but I can say it’s been working for me for many years now so I’m not convinced it’s wrong. Do be safe around your air compressor and air tanks please. If they’re not properly drained after use the tanks can rust and catastrophically fail like bombs if their seams rust out. Keep in touch and let us know how it goes for you. Thanks for watching and your kind comments. Good luck!!
Thank you for your tutorial video. I have a 8 gallon compressor w/o tank for now. Im assuming once all or most of water is pushed out heads will drop down, or is it because not enough air pressure coming thru? I repeat process 3x. Questioning if I have done a good enough job? Any suggestions/comments would be appreciated. Ty
That sounds similar to my system even with the auxiliary tank. I have to emphasize that "enough" is the key subject. If you review the comments on this video, there are a number of viewers who claim themselves as professionals in irrigation stating we're wrong to be using such small compressors. The risk we're accepting is not having compressors with huge air-flow volume like the big compressor-trailers good professionals bring to blow-out sprinkler systems. The risk is leaving some water in the lines or any water in the lines settling in low-spots where if it freezes and damages wherever that water collected. So there is an element of gambling here. In my system, I've not had any damage come Springtime when I turn the system on after many years of blowing it out myself this way. It sounds like you've blown each zone out three times and if you witnessed a "normal" streams coming out of each head at least initially, then I think the bulk of the water has been excised. Take a look through all the comments (there are many) and you'll have to decide for yourself if you think you're comfortable with what's been blown out. I tend to think there's even water infiltration back down through the heads even when blowing out by professionals and hopefully there's room in the lines and heads to freeze and expand without causing damage. The big part is making sure your PVB is clear of water which for me is exposed on the side of the house. I wish I could give you a 100% certainty you're good but this is the risk we're taking to save money doing it ourselves. I can only speak to my system and I'm will to take the risk after seeing the bulk of the water excised through the heads. Thanks for watching and commenting. I wish you luck and hopefully come Springtime, all of us will have had no problems.
Haven’t read the other comments yet, so w that caveat here are mine:
1) Subscribed and a thumbs up !!
2) You’re a natural at this. And the Muzak was even enjoyable.
3) Thanks for showing the PSI live during blow-out - was hoping to see how well this set-up held pressure.(40-ish psi looked steady)
Now, A question for anyone. I currently use an aging 25-gal upright, and would like to invest in new (smaller, cheaper) equipment as shown here. Yet within a minute of my air release into a single zone, the big tank’s PSI drops from 125 and can reach
Thanks so much for watching, subscribing, Liking and commenting...a "quad-fecta" in my book. 🙂 My two-cents regarding a new but still small air compressor that may be capable of blowing out my sprinkler system...The following two options aren't inexpensive but on-paper, I like their somewhat higher cubic-feet-per-minute air-moving ratings and I'm speculating they'd work much better than my super-small, super-under-sized pancake air compressor if I combined them with my auxiliary air tank when blowing out my sprinkler system. The Home Depot's RIGID OF45200SS rated at 5.1 CFM at about $319 and the Makita MAC5200 rated at 6.5 CFM at about $383. I'd like to think I might be able to get either one when I have one of those Home Depot coupons for a percentage off. Let us know what you go with and good luck to you!
@@WorksIRL 6 zones, 3 heads per zone, 10,000 sq ft property whose perimeter is 300 ft. Basically 0.2 acres. Would your Home Depot recommendations above work?
I just found this video and need to go to bed. Will watch it tomorrow. Sifting through the comments ahead of watching. Looks like everyone really has great questions here, so look forward to watching.
@@peternyc I do think those compressors I mention above would certainly do the job better/easier than my tiny, old pancake air compressor...at least "on-paper." I say that based on their "CFM"...cubic feet-per-minute ratings being almost twice what mine is which means they can push more air volume through which is what you want for blowing out the sprinkler system. Remember, I'm going off the "norm" by doing this "kluge" setup so you have to make your own best judgment. Good luck and hope you get some insights from it. Do work safely around any air compressor of any size, though. Fall is here and I'm already behind on my own blow-out this season so need to take the time to re-watch my own video to remember what I'm doing 😄
I DIY'd for the first time last year with my dads 30gallon 155psi compressor with an extra 30gallon storage. I have a .41 acre lot with 6 zones and I was not satisfied with the results even with 2 rounds per zone. Residual water collets at the lowest head after a blowout, and if the head is low enough where water fills the volume of even a small area at the end of a line, that head or line will break regardless of if their is empty volume uphill. The 11% of the whole line statement was a bit misleading IMO. This year I ponied up and bought a 60 gallon 155psi and paired it to the 30 gallon storage tank from last year to give me 90 gallons of volume and I still gave my most downhill zone 4 full rounds. That zone also has a long path from the outlet from the house and their is no way a small system could have blown it out sufficiently. The other 5 zones blew moisture free air from every head for a while after only 2 rounds. Thank you for making this video and I'm glad it works for your system, but it didn't make me regret my purchase. Couple extra years of DIY and it will pay for itself as well, plus I now have a kick butt compressor lol. Thanks again!
You make a valid point how the zone layouts and topography is another wildly varying set of variables. I do think this is a judgment call each homeowner needs to make on observations and “gut” gamble whether their system gets properly blown out this way. After all the sketchy “professionals” I encountered with not always the most deluxe compressor setups, that’s what lead me to realize maybe it’s not quite necessary to get out every last drop of water. Sounds like you got a great compressor setup no matter what which by itself is a great investment. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Very good video keep growing 👍
Thank you very much! Truly appreciate that!
Great tutorial! Thanks for sharing! I replicated the system today: here is the list of items: (bought from HF and HD):
1 Air compressor (I have a 6Gallon, last year I did the sprinkler blow out just using it, took a long time though!)
1 CENTRAL PNEUMATIC Brass Industrial Quick Coupler Set (it comes with 2 male plugs,1 female plug and 1 female coupler) $3.99
1 Sprinkler System Blow Out Air Adapter (see @Works IRL link, I made my own last year so I did not need this)
Tank & T assembly:
1 CENTRAL PNEUMATIC 11 Gallon Portable Air Tank $40
1 Husky 1/2 in. Male x 1/4 in. Female NPT Coupler $4.68
1 MERLIN 1/4 In. NPT Brass T-Connector $3.99
1 Male plug from Quick Coupler set
1 Husky 1/4 in. Universal Male Coupler $3.68
Hose:
1 CENTRAL PNEUMATIC 3/8 In. X 8 Ft. - 15 Ft. Rubber Air Hose $5.99
1 Female coupler from Quick Coupler set
1 Female Plug from Quick Coupler set
Regulator:
1 CENTRAL PNEUMATIC 150 PSI Air Compressor Regulator Kit With Dial Gauge $5.99
1 Husky 1/4 in. Universal Male Coupler $3.68
1 Male plug from Quick Coupler set
I recommend to get couplers from HD, they have better quality and only cost a few cents more.
Wow, you are my Superstar my man!!! Thank you so very much for taking your precious time to itemize all these items and painstakingly list them here for us! Outstanding work and I super-appreciate your help and support. Huge cheers to you!!
I just updated the video description and pinned comment referencing folks to look at your comment for your fantastic listing of build components...thank you again! Peace, brother!
@@WorksIRL Thanks for your great video. It was very helpful to me. I just tried to compliment your great work by listing the parts. Hope this can help fellow DIYers to save some time.
Great video. Tips for blowing out drip irrigation lines? I have a pressure reducer in the drip line. I believe set at 25 PSI. Would I set my air tank pressure to no more than 25 PSI to blow out the drip lines?
I think that’s the right idea to keep the air pressure no more than what your pressure reducer is regulating. Those drip irrigation tubes are usually relatively small diameter so it shouldn’t need much air volume to blow them out. Good luck, let us know how it goes and thanks for watching!
Good Video
Thank you…I happen to be doing it today myself incidentally. I’m using my Hunter controller’s hidden delay valve timer I’d wished I’d found years ago. So nice to sit inside and let it run on its own all day through a program of all zones with the delay allowing my little compressor and tank to recharge and cool down 😎. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for this great idea. I also have a Porta cable doing 2.6 CFM at 90 PSI but it's not enough. So with this contraption, how much CFM are you achieving? Most of my research says you need at least 10 CFM compressor but it appears that extra tank will also work. Ok i'm running to Harbor Freight and buy the parts you showed.
First, you do need to make this decision yourself as there are risks to yourself, others, animals, tools, equipment and property including damage to the sprinkler system. Modifications void warranties and ability to return products not to mention their safe usage. You raise a good question on whether this actually raises the CFM. I’m theorizing the CFM is still limited to only the Porter-Cable compressor’s 2.6 CFM but the 17-gallons worth of air regulated to 40-50-psi which I use for my sprinkler system provides that volume of air to expel a good quantity of water when pressed through each sprinkler zone. Repeating that at least twice on each zone is what I think expels the bulk of the water, not necessarily any increase in CFM. I’m speculating it removes enough water to allow expansion if remaining water in the system freezes. Again, you assume the risk you’re taking modifying the portable tank and whether this will sufficiently work on your sprinkler system since they’re all different. I found it was a real bear removing the original air tire inlet orifice fitting on the portable tank. I resorted to using a pipe wrench while sitting on the tank to get the leverage to remove it. Make your own judgement on risks involved in such modifications and whether it properly expels enough water to protect sprinkler system from freezing damage. I provided this video for your observational curiosity to see how I chose to do it myself. I encourage you to hire a professional to blow-out your system. I do thank you for watching and stay safe!
Get a Wi-Fi controller for your irrigation system. I used to have Hunter controller in perfect working condition and swapped it out for a Racchio 12 zone. It is SO NICE to be able to use my smartphone/PC/tablet to control my irrigation. And sooo much easier to program.
I love the sounds of that! I've come close a couple times on pulling that trigger when I've seen those Racchio controllers go on sale at Costco. I'm such a "Yankee" miser and hate replacing something that isn't broken 😄...but in this case, it sure would make it easier than running back 'n forth when blowing out the zones to be able to control it from wherever I am around the house. Glad to hear someone that's replaced their Hunter with one of those to know it's even possible. Thanks for watching and letting me know about the Racchio controller!
@@WorksIRL I agree, I don't/never like to replace something that is not broken. Hunter's are a pain to program. But not having to run back and forth to my controller is the BEST. And it makes winterizing a breeze. Also, (way)off topic--if you have a portable generator, consider converting to propane. Propane in tanks never go bad and usually runs longer than the gas tank on most gens. Many conversion kits out there and youtubers.
@@davidlindsey1835 you’re absolutely right and thank you for reminding me about what a PITA it is to program the Hunter…not intuitive at all! That’s reason enough…I’m sold 🤣! Regarding generator off propane…that’s a fabulous idea! Makes complete sense over gasoline. I’ll have to look into one of those kits. Thanks for that tip!
Hello... Thanks for the great video! And, by the way, I've subscribed! :) And thanks to Mohammad for the parts list.
I am trying to set up the same configuration, but unfortunately, Harbor Freight is out of stock on the 11 gallon tank! :((
I'm in SE Michigan (hi neighbor!); none of the stores have it anywhere near here. When I check online, the closest store that says it's in stock is in Sandusky, OH. However, when I called, they said they don't have any :((
Wow, bummer on the lack of supply on the portable tank! You might check farm and fleet stores like Tractor Supply. They had a very similar one back when I bought my HF one. Since you're a fellow Michigander (Hi Neighbor!! :-), you might check out Meijer as well...I vaguely think I saw they had one as well. Thanks for subscribing and I wish you luck sourcing a portable tank. I haven't blown mine out this Fall, yet, and we've already had some sub-freezing temps a couple nights so I'm really pressing my luck. If worse comes to worse, I guess you could try renting a larger compressor and in the end, may do a better job, too. Let us know how your situation turns out!...One more thought...you might also check auto-parts stores...Advanced Auto, Auto Zone, NAPA, etc. They also may sell those portable tanks.
@@WorksIRL Ended up buying this one last night (similar deal as the HF, but with an extra shipping cost $13):
Performance Tool® W10011 - 11 gal Horizontal Yellow Air Tank (from TOOLSiD)
Once the original attachment on top of the tank is removed (to make way for the reducer fitting), the tank loses its max-pressure-safety-release-valve feature. Many pancake compressors go upto 150 psi, but the air tanks seem to be only rated to 125 psi. So, I am also thinking of adding a 125 psi safety valve, to the newly assembled system, right between the reducer and the tee above it. I'll have to use an extra 1/4 inch M-F-F tee. The valve and the tee from Amazon:
New 1/4" ASME Safety relief Valve 125 PSI American made
Nigo Brass Pipe Fitting, Forged Brass Tee, 3-Way, NPT Female X NPT Female X NPT Male (1, 1/4" x 1/4" x 1/4")
My winterization was done already mid-October, by the same company that has done it for me for 17 years. He charges about $40. I have a 6-gallon pancake compressor, and once the new 11-gallon tank is home, I am thinking of using the new compressor/tank setup at an investment home that I have that has a small 1-zone in-ground sprinkler set up. Last night, we had our first sub-zero night of the season here in Troy, MI. Thanks for the recommendations and suggestions.
@@jknair1 that’s a really smart idea adding the safety-release valve! Glad you were able to source a tank and what you described is very helpful. $40 blow-out charge is a decent price for your home. I hope the setup work as you need at your investment property. Thanks for keeping us updated and good luck!
@@WorksIRL
@JK Nair
Thank you for the video.
Just curious - how difficult is it to remove the manifold from the external air tank?
I am not sure if I picked up a returned item from Harbor Freight. I see some glue like thing around the manifold thread and the pressure indicator. I tried couple of wrenches but it is super tough to break in. Any tips on removing it?
@@UreshKuruhuri I had to use a large plumbing pipe wrench and it took every foot-pound of torque my arms could muster to finally get it to budge. I think at one point I was practically sitting on the external tank as I used my body weight to budge the pipe wrench. Once it broke free it finally spun it out. Leverage is the key...good luck and don't bust your knuckles or smack yourself in the mouth.
nice vid.
Thank you and thanks for watching!
So far so good. I have a central pneumatic 3 gallon compressor hooked up. Optimal time looks to be running sprinklers 45sec which brings the pancake tank down to approx. 50-60psi. Recovery time is about 15min. So 2 zones per hour. I have 11 zones. I've split it up to a few days since it will take approx. 5.5 hrs to complete. Was wondering if there are any optimal pancake compressors on the market to help speed up the recovery time. I saw 'The Tank' which does 200 PSI, 6 gal, 4 CFM @ 90 PSI. Would it even be worth it for these compressors that claim 25-30% more airflow? If it was significant enough, might be worth investing in. If it only trims a few min. off the recovery time, easier to just break the job up into 2 days.
Glad to hear so far, so good! That is the crux of these small air tank volume compressors and relatively low CFM ratings is that recovery time. I even wait for the one-way valve in mine to cool a bit since it can become so hot it can’t be touched. I’d found a couple compressors I liked that weren’t huge tanks but had higher CFM ratings…one was a Home Depot and one was DeWalt. At some point, my tiny pancake has to give up the ghost and I’ll finally be looking in earnest but until then, I’m still abusing my 20+ year old Porter-Cable 6-gallon pancake…what a trooper. Keep up the good work and thanks for keeping us posted!
Great video but one small correction: yes fluids can be compressed. Regardless great video.
I concede, you’re right with approximately 3,000psi necessary to compress water just shy of a marginal 1%, very roughly. I do stand corrected nonetheless and appreciate your attention to facts. Thanks for watching and commenting. Hope you’ll stick around by subscribing to keep me honest in my other videos 👍.
Great video. I went through the steps and am struggling to get my sprinklers to pop up when I turn on the control box with the water off. Any trick to getting heads to pop up with the water turned off?
Bummer…you’re not the only one to have that happen. Others in comments here have experienced the same thing. I had it once early-on and I removed my air line. Turned water supply back on and made sure heads still came up using water pressure then I did the blow out without a problem. Others here have done that but still can’t blow out. I suspect it’s your pressure vacuum breaker (flowback preventer). I’m speculating water pressure on the sprinkler side is greater than the air pressure so the flapper/bladder in the PVB is closed doing it’s job to keep water from backing up into the fresh water supply side and contaminating it. You may need to resort to having it blown out but watch what they do so you can learn if there’s a sequence they follow in regard to your PVB when they introduce the air. I mentioned in other comments some ideas I had where you turn the input and out valves on both sides of the PVB off/closed. The open the test cocks to relieve any pressure. Close the test cocks then slowly open and close and open the input side valve to slowly introduce the air then do same with the output valve. This is where things just may need a “professional” but always try to watch what they do as it might be the smallest step that makes the difference. Good luck and keep us posted.
Thanks for the video and alll the great direction. I followed the steps but the air is not going through to the sprinkle heads, instead it is coming out of the pressure valve breaker. Water is going out to the heads fine, just not the air. What am I doing wrong??
If you have a similar configuration with the air connected to a water spigot beneath the PVB and the air is being pushed through the PVB, it sounds like it’s doing it’s job of keeping higher water pressure on the sprinkler side from back-flowing into the house supply line. If so, with the main water supply turned off, you could try closing the valves before and after the PVB then slowly open the test cocks to release any air pressure to equalize both sides of the PVB. Close both test cock valves then very slowly open the input side valve leading to the PVB. You may need to oscillate that open and close slightly until you no longer hear air escaping. Then fully open that input valve once it sounds like air is no longer venting out. Then slowly open the outgoing valve on the other side of the PVB. The goal is getting the air passed through the PVB without the flapper inside reacting to a back-pressure situation where there’s more pressure on the sprinkler side than the air being supplied. This is where being able to inject air after the PVB is nice to bypass the PVB which is the right way but like my system was installed without that so I have to push air through the PVB same as you. Good luck and be careful. When things don’t go as expected you may need to pay to have it blown out. If you do, watch what they do on your system so you’ll know next time to try exactly as they did it. Please keep us posted how it turns out.
Good stuff thanks. Just so I’m clear, one would not need the auxiliary tank if the compressor holding capacity was greater?
In my opinion, the larger the capacity storage tank, the better. If your air compressor storage tank is 26-gallons, that's 9-gallons more air storage volume than my pancake air compressor and auxiliary tank combined so your air compressor will likely provide air into each zone longer before the air compressor cycles-on. My intention is using stored air capacity to blow out each zone in lieu of higher-volume air-flow provided by a larger air compressor. Check the "CFM"...cubic-feet-per-minute rating on your air compressor. The higher that rating, the better since it shows how much air your compressor can push through the sprinkler lines. I'm using more air tank capacity to try compensating for my relatively small compressor. I appreciate you watching and commenting...let us know the size of your air tank and your compressor air-flow rating and how it goes if you give it a shot. Good luck!!
Another video I watched said you should open valves on your sprinkler before applying air pressure. Said it can cause damage to the valves.
Thanks for your thoughtful input. I’m emulating what the “professionals” do for the years I did pay them to blow it out and so far, these past years I’ve done it this way seems to be holding up. Thanks for watching and your helpful feedback!
Thank you for hiw to video! It was awesome! I have a quick question regarding the "T" you installed on the 11 gallon tank. What was the series of adapters you used? I going to try this myself! Thank you for any help!
Thank you for watching the video and be sure to use your own best judgement on whether you decide to do something similar yourself. I posted a couple photos on my channel Community tab showing more details of what I chose to do with adding male and female 1/4" (type I/M?) quick-disconnect adapters to my auxiliary air tank. I installed mating quick disconnects on an air regulator so I could easily connect/disconnect it to the t-connector. Remember, this type of work has to be done at your own risk. Keep us posted if you decide to do it yourself and be sure to work safely around compressed air tanks, hoses and connectors. Here's my recent Community tab post:
ua-cam.com/users/postUgkx0XCd4C6jeBtTx99Xzlu54A9I_-7cbtK8
Great video! Could you post up the detailed list of hardware you used to modify the 11 gallon tank? That's the hard part. Thanks in advance.
I do wish I’d done that from the get go…I’ll try to review my video clips in my edit “junk box” to try and identify the exact sizes/parts and get a list added to description. Thanks for watching and letting me know!
In the meantime, I know some other viewers had compiled a list they’d come up with if you review the other comments…just FYI.
Great video! Thanks! Would a 1/4 hose be too small for the job?
I presume you're referring to the diameter of the air hose...I'm using a 1/4" air hose which is the one that came with my Porter-Cable pancake air compressor combo kit over 20 years ago. I think it's about 25-feet long. Thanks for watching and your nice comment. Good luck and keep in touch!
Looking to see what you might think is the most affordable full woeking kit for pop up sprinkler heads and a simple straight forward timer. I heard amazon, just not sure what kit would be best for my money. Any help is appreated
Like everything in life, it all depends on the application. Depending on the size of your property, the size and shape of the area to be irrigated, the contents of the area in terms of lawn/grass vs. trees/shrubs/garden space, etc. I've got an in-ground sprinkler system installed when my house was built and in hindsight, should have waited to have all grass, plants, beds, etc. established prior to installing the sprinkler system. I've already had to dig multiple relocation holes and trenches and have many, many more sprinkler heads to move as I've installed new beds, trees and hedges as well as others have grown, etc. In fact, I've almost regretted having in-ground sprinklers and think maybe an above-ground temporary interconnected network of heads might be a better idea. Sorry to not directly answer your question but let us know more details so we can offer a better opinion. Thanks for watching and looking forward to your reply.
For the quick fit connections, is there much difference with using a 1/4" connection vs. a 3/8" connection? Having trouble finding the 3/8, so wanted to know if there is much air volume flow difference between the two. Thanks!
I don’t think it will matter much since I think the hose on my pancake compressor may have 1/4” quick-connector. I hope it works out for you and be conscious of safety working around an air compressor. Keep us posted how it goes 👍.
I’ve been trying this way but there wasn’t enough pressure to shut the pressure vacuum breaker, it’s rated at 175 psi, I connected to one of the small valves after the vacuum breaker.
Glad you figured out a way to make it work. Had your system not run water through it for a few weeks possibly? I usually run the system through each zone before blowing out if the sprinklers haven't turned on for a few weeks before just to be sure the PVB bladder hasn't lost its seal.
Just about setup with my tank and connections. One last question, did you do a trial between using the test cock connection vs. the bottom of the tube with the hose spicket connection? Just wondering if there was a difference as it looks like the test cock connection is either 1/4 or 1/8" connection that would need to go up to 1/4" to connect with a quick connect. Thanks for the great info!
I didn't try connecting to the PVB test cocks, though, I think when I used to pay "professionals" to blow-out my system many years ago, I remember one of them connecting to one of those test cocks but I'm pretty sure that's not their intended purpose...which is one of the reasons I stopped worrying whether I doing anything wrong my way compared to "professionals" since I'd witnessed entire bandwidth of those characters each doing it a different way. Ideally, moving as much air volume is the goal so trying to keep as large a diameter as possible throughout the system. This process is "cobbling" together as best we can so at least being aware of restrictive diameter points is good if you find you're not passing enough air...some tweaks may be necessary. Good luck and keep us posted how it goes!
Liked the video! I need to get a new compressor and wanted get a portable one that had more capacity. I don't use it tons. If you would chose to get a bigger unit without going crazy, how big of tank and motor would you get? How much would you spend?
If this little pancake air compressor of mine ever gives up the ghost (I can't believe how much abuse it's taking!), I think I'd go for a 30-gallon electric, vertical-oriented air tank. Though, I have seen some twin tanks with decent CFM (cubic-feet-per-minute) numbers. I'd like at least 6 CFM at 90-psi...just going from memory here but was thinking that was about what the Lowe's and/or Home Depot models for 30-gallon are. I think those do cost about $200-300 but I like to wait for sales or until I get 10-20% off coupons to make major purchases. Keep us posted what you decide to get and thanks for watching and nice comment!
@@WorksIRL good info. I plan on this replacement this spring. Several years ago I helped a friend who owns a sprinkler company do shutdowns for fall. I think I did about 40! The only thing stopping me on my 24 zone system was thinking I needed a big compressor. Now that I'm retired, if I arm myself with something like you recommended, I will try it next season!
@@kurtschwannecke1235 wow, 24 zones! Your experience doing blow-outs professionally on 40 systems, you already have more experience than me 😎. You must understand this DIY method is likely leaving some water in the system and not as “dry” as those huge compressors can perform. I can say I’ve got similar experiences turning on my system as I did when I paid for it in terms of length of time my water runs when turning it on and time for each zone to charge which isn’t scientific but I haven’t had any freeze damage after more years than I can remember since doing it myself. Good luck and look forward to hearing how it goes with all your zones and what you go with. Happy Holidays to you!
Nice job and video. Have you ever had a control valve on a zone get stuck open so could not continue to blow out the remaining zones? If so how did you fix it? Thanks
I have not had that happen and I’m sorry I can’t help you on that problem. I have dug down to many of my zone control valves and saw they appeared to have the ability to manually rotate them. Hard to locate them sometimes without listening equipment. I wish you luck and appreciate you watching and commenting. Let us know how it turns out.
@@WorksIRL Thanks for the quick reply
Great video! I think you mentioned early in the video that blowing air through the backflow preventer is not recommended, but isn't that what is happening in your configuration? You attached the air supply to the drain valve on the water supply line that sits before the backflow valve, so the air would have to pass through the backflow valve to get to the sprinkler lines, right? I will be attempting this over the next few days. I have a small 2 gallon compressor with the 11 gallon piggyback tank. I was going to connect the air supply to the upper petcock on the Febco 765 as I've seen this done in many other videos. I can rig it to connect the air supply as you have done but not sure if it makes any difference.
Hey, I appreciate that! When I connect my air line to the lower spigot it may well be the same as connecting to the test port directly on the flow back preventer as you indicate. In fact, toward the end of my video, you can see and hear the air pressure still in the water lines from the preventer to the underground valves is released when I open the top test port. The drain spigot is on the same water supply path leading up into the flow back preventer and to the sprinkler system so to me it makes sense to simply replace the township (or city/well/sprinkler pump) water pressure with air pressure to force water out of the lower portions of the flow back preventer itself which won’t be allowed to flow downward and out the drain if the flow back preventer is functioning properly and potentially leaving a small amount of water inside the vacuum air-gap lock area of the flow back preventer diaphragm. I suspect water freezing in there could be one bad spot that might expand and break the flow back preventer itself. Thanks for watching and commenting! Good luck doing your system and I hope it’s successful. Be safe, please subscribe if you haven’t already and keep us posted how it goes for you!
@@WorksIRL I added a piggyback tank to get a total 13 gallon capacity. I regulated pressure to 60 PSI. I have 9 zones that cover 25K square feet of lawn and landscaping. I was able to blow out a zone for about 30 seconds, then close the petcock and recharge the compressor for about 3 minutes. I did this for each zone, twice. I let the compressor rest a couple times during the process to let it cool down. The poppet or stopper at the top of the Febco 765 backflow valve was a little finicky. If it didn't seal right away after I opened the petcock, I just pushed down on it slightly with a screwdriver and let it pop up quickly, then it would seal right away. At the end of the day, I think I was able to blow out the majority of the water but I'll have to wait until the springtime to see if this was successful or not.
In addition to what you have shown in your links, here's the additional parts that I bought to configure the extra tank:
Air Compressor Regulator: www.harborfreight.com/150-psi-air-compressor-regulator-kit-with-dial-gauge-68223.html
Hex Bushing to replace the fitting that comes with the 11 Gallon tank from Harbor Freight: www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-2-in-MIP-x-1-4-in-FIP-Brass-Bushing-Fitting-802639/207176802?NCNI-5
Brass T-Connector: www.harborfreight.com/14-in-npt-brass-t-connector-63567.html
Various Quick Connect Fittings
@@knockitstiff Wow, that’s fantastic to hear how you did it...well done!! Thank you for posting your process details and providing all those links for the components you used!! That’ll be really helpful for me and the others for future reference. I think this method blows out the majority of the water as I’ve not had issues when I turn the system back on in the Spring. I’ll keep my fingers crossed 🤞 and again, thank you for sharing your details and experience. Please give us an update in Spring and stay in touch. Stay healthy and warm until then!
@@WorksIRL many videos I've watched on the matter push air through the backflow preventer or through test ports on the PVB. Many are saying not to push air through the test ports or PVB/BFP yet it begs the question why professional companies are not installing a blowout valve after the BFP. It seems so easy to install a tee for a blowout valve, are you able to provide any bit of insight as to why contractors didn't bother to take the "necessary" precaution to install a tee after the BFP? I just got my irrigation system installed last year and you'd think they would have perfected their craft after all these years of the do's and dont's.
@@KusHome12 I entirely concur with you questioning why professionally installed in-ground irrigation systems don't accommodate proper connection(s) for seasonally blowing out the system after all these decades without any appreciable differences in technology. I literally sit here shaking my head thinking back upon the myriad of...I'll politely state..."characters" whom I've encountered as the "professionals" sent by my area's premier irrigation companies to blow-out mine and my neighbors' systems. The spectrum of knowledge spanning from completely clueless as to what they were doing to overtly outspoken spewing rhetoric that completely contradicts what the previous year's "professional" from the exact same premier irrigation company espoused as the proper way to blow-out the system. It's sitcom-worthy comical 😆. I think we're doing the best we can which is no worse than what the "professionals" are doing and depending on which character shows up, we may actually be doing better than the "professionals"...sadly. At minimum, I think blowing out the PVB is rather important since it would be very susceptible to freezing being fully-exposed to subfreezing temperatures even more than in-ground valves which at least have some Earthly-protection. Allowing the air-supply to enter the system similarly to the water supply seems to me the best solution to push out the majority of the water in the system, including the PVB. My township has future plans to routinely inspect and test home in-ground irrigation system back-flow preventers as those are there to prevent potential contamination of area potable water systems. My understanding is residents' of the township will be required to have their irrigation PVBs pass their test (actually putting the test ports to work for a change) before being allowed to use their in-ground irrigation systems. I wholly plan on asking those inspectors plenty of questions and ideally, asking if I may record interviewing them for my channel so we can hear first-hand from the "authorities" what's right and what's wrong...so please consider subscribing and turning on the "bell notifications" as I'm eager to find out the truth on this entire matter. Thanks for watching and adding your comments to the discussion...best of luck on your new system!
I have a question, I connected to the water spigot below, run through the first zone and then paused to give compressor time to recharge. When I switched to zone 2, nothing happens now, except the back prevention valve makes a noise like air is letting air escape. What am I missing? I used 40-50 PSI for the first zone and worked fine.
I’ve run into that sometimes and I’ve found turning the large shut-off valve on the PVB “input” side “off” (between the PVB and the water spigot) then slowly open that same valve and you’ll hear the “bladder” inside the PVB flutter then flap into position. You may need to shut off the down-stream valve on the other side of the PVB as well then slowly open that one. I suspect a slight leak in the system or a zone valve may cause that condition. I hope this helps as this is where these systems can be “quirky” especially as they age. Do be careful dealing with pressured air in any fashion has its dangers so if you’re not comfortable it’s not wrong to seek “professionals” then ask them questions so you get as much benefits from paying them as you can in hopes of trying it again yourself the following year. Good luck!
I'm planning on building out one of these set-ups in the next week. Would you ever consider adding an additional air tank? I'm thinking that if i'm going through the effort to build this, might as well go big or go home?
That's an interesting idea...If one extra is good, then two extra would be better! I would think it's like adding another "lung" to provide even more initial capacity to expel water. Ideally, my plan was to buy a larger portable air compressor with a larger tank and bigger compressor capable of moving more air. I presumed my Porter-Cable 6-gallon compressor wasn't going to last much longer so I didn't want to invest too much but still have slightly better performance from it for blowing out my sprinkler lines. However, I suspect I'll still use my extra portable tank even if I got a larger compressor and tank combination to provide that additional 11-gallons. Having another well, it's not like it would go to waste...yes, it'll eat another spot on the garage shelves for a year but your idea is worth considering. Thanks for watching and offering thoughtful feedback. Please keep us posted how your setup goes and if you decide to go big!!
@@WorksIRL It seems like the primary benefit with more volume is better sustained air flow? How long does that pancake compressor take to reach max PSI? The downside of an extra tank system would be that it might take forever to fill up? I'll keep you posted if I do anything crazy.
@@teaguehall17 Yes, the extra tank provides that initial "blow" of volume and when I didn't have it, my compressor almost immediately cycled on. With the extra tank it goes a few seconds before the compressor cycles on and the extra tank maintains a pressure in the lines longer until all the air has been released from the tanks and it's primarily just air flow from the compressor. You're right, filling those two tanks adds that much more time for the compressor to bring not just it's own tank up to capacity but also the external tank. As I mention in the video, the fill tube on the compressor leading into its tank gets pretty hot. I try to let it cool down between zone blow-outs. Modifying like this is definitely outside design parameters for these compressors so please be safe. Also, I will likely start putting my compressor and tanks away from myself and others in case there's a catastrophic failure. Check out some of the videos on UA-cam regarding compressor tank "fails". It's a bit alarming so just be careful whatever you decide to do.
A wonderful video: informative, innovative, and clear!
Do you really have to turn off the valve (under the backflow) to recharge the system, in addition to closing the zone itself?
No, to recharge the system I only turn off the zone at the sprinkler system control box. Once the compressor has refilled the pressure in the tanks, I allow the compressor to cool down by periodically touching that short tank fill-hose built onto the pancake air compressor connecting the compressor pump to its tank. I wait for that hose to feel cooler before turning on a single zone at the control box. I repeat that process at least twice on each zone. I only close that spigot valve underneath the flow back preventer when I initially connect the air tank system when I begin the entire blow-out procedure. I like to allow the tank system to charge and then I slowly open that valve once before I’m ready to start the blow-out process but leave it fully-open until I’ve completed blowing out the sprinkler system. Thanks for watching and leaving such a nice comment. If you’re not already subscribed, please do so we can stay in touch and I can continue sharing more money-saving tips I’ve learned over my years. Stay safe and healthy!
@@WorksIRL Thanks for answering my question in such detail!
As I don’t have a drain valve like the one you have under your backflow, I’ll be attaching a valve to the end of my air hose so that I can properly set the regulator (with the valve closed) and prevent that initial burst of air (by opening the valve slowly).
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On a separate note: due to my use of low-flow Hunter MP-Rotator heads and small zone sizes, the max flow of any zone is at most 3 GPM.
That’s just 0.4 CFM.
I get why most people with multiple Rainbird 5000-style sprinkler heads with 9+ gpm capacities can need 10 CFM or more just to make them stand up.
But I’m hoping just a standard 6-gallon pancake compressor will work for me.
I’m trying this tomorrow. Wish me luck!
@@kuanjuliu interesting what you’re saying regarding the style of sprinkler heads in relation to air flow and hopefully you’ll have even more effective blowing-out results using a smaller air compressor. In regard to the valve I have under my flow back preventer, I probably could leave that spigot valve open and slowly pressurize the air line connected to it by slowly opening the regulator from my air tank system until it’s at my desired pressure. I choose to close that valve since it’s there and slowly opening it as just another measure to control the air flow in stages. It’s probably an unnecessary step. When you’re done, let us know what you think regarding your idea installing the valve on your air line going into the system and whether you think it’s necessary or not. I wish you luck and hope you have success! Keep us posted.
@@WorksIRL It is interesting, isn’t it? 99% of the articles out there about blowing out sprinkler systems talk only about some arbitrary minimum CFM requirement without regard to the possibility that different sprinklers can have a wide variety of flow rates, at least where water is concerned.
There’s only a single article from Colorado State’s extension school which made me realize we were all maybe missing a rather salient factor:
extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/home-sprinkler-systems-preparing-your-sprinkler-system-for-winter-4-719/
“To figure out the best sized compressor for the system you need to know the gallons per minute (GPM) that flow through each zone in the system. When the system was designed it should have had a GPM rating for each zone marked on the irrigation plan. If this information is not available, a quick estimate of GPM per zone can be made by adding up the GPM rating for each sprinkler head nozzle on the zone. GPM data is available on the manufacturer’s web site.”
“Divide GPM by 7.5 to determine the cubic feet per minute (CFM) needed. This is the ideal sized compressor to ‘blow out’ your system.”
Now, I don’t know how airflow compares to water flow when it comes to GPM ratings for sprinkler heads. Maybe my 0.25-0.5 GPM MP-Rotator heads can handle far more airflow.
But I imagine there’s got to be some correlation between liquid GPM and air CFM capacities - if not 1:1, then at least pros should be able to tell us what the ratio is, or if not linear how to go about calculating it.
But they don’t, which makes me suspect they don’t know. They need high CFM to blow out their largest systems anyway, so that’s what they’re packing regardless.
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I’ll certainly let you know how I get on. I may in fact let my usual company still blow out my lines afterwards just to see whether their high CFM can bring out any more water.
@@kuanjuliu man, excellent information you uncovered there and I really appreciate you taking the time to post it here for all of us to reference and peruse! I think you’re being very wise about how you’re approaching this task and I’ll be super-curious if you do decide to get it professionally blown-out afterwards how much more water it expels. Peace and good fortune to you my brother!
If I have a small sprinkler system for less than a 1/4 acre lot can I just use the 6gal compressor with no additional tank?
I actually blew-out my system you see in the video with only the 6-gallon pancake air compressor for a couple years before I decided to add the additional external 11-gallon air tank. It still worked but it took a little longer because I would hit each zone with another blast after the pancake air compressor had refilled then I’d have to wait awhile for the output tube to the tank to cool down since it was getting pretty hot constantly running. That’s what lead me to thinking having an additional amount of stored air might help the little compressor having to work so hard. Please work safely around air compressors no matter what you decide. I’ve started keeping mine further away from myself, others and pets in case of a catastrophic tank failure as mine is now over 20 years old. Keep us posted how it goes. Thanks for watching!
Nice video. Thanks so much. You used an external tank (the yellow one) for extra capacity. Is it necessary or can I just cycle the compressor a couple of more times?
I used to blow-out my sprinkler with just the 6-gallon pancake air compressor. I added the auxiliary tank to try gaining a few more seconds of time before the compressor turns on and has to take the full load of blowing out the pipes. I've always blown each zone at least twice to try removing as much water as possible. There's always a risk this method isn't getting all the water out and it could settle in low spots like the underground valves and if that freezes it could damage the valve. I've not had any issues come Springtime in all the years I've used this small compressor but there are many variables making all our in-ground sprinkler systems unique. Use your best judgement and good luck if you do it yourself and keep us posted.
I have been successfully blowing out my 7 zone system for 25 years using a Sears 3 cfm, 100 PSI compressor with no tank. This year I had to rebuild the guts of one of my zone valves that wouldn’t turn off. It now works fine with water however when I charge the system with my air compressor the valve will not seal the air and I lose all my pressure from those zone heads. I am off to rent a larger compressor.
I'm sorry you have to go through the added hassle of renting a bigger compressor. Not sure what pressure you regulate your blow-out to but I've found keeping it at around 50psi keeps the air contained in the valves but going higher and I start to experience some leakage on the zones...not sure if that explains what you're experiencing. Pretty good doing it for 25 years yourself and only now having valve rebuild. I've got multiple neighbors that have always paid to have blow-outs and their systems are quarter as old as mine but they've already had to shell out to have valves replaced. Might be just the quality of the valves to begin with but your 25-year service sounds pretty good. Good luck!
Thanks for the helpful video. I’m curious what would happen if you used just the 6-gallon compressor and not the 11-gallon tank? I have a small 2-zone system and am wondering if I can just use the 6-gallon compressor by itself. Thanks!
I did use only the 6-gallon by itself for a number of years and it worked! I added the 11-gallon auxiliary mostly as a curiosity and continue to use it to supplement the Porter-Cable. The main observation I’ve had is the compressor delays turning on a few seconds later after I turn on a zone as that extra air volume at-the-ready upon starting the zone helps push more water before the burden falls onto the compressor by itself. You’ll have to make your own judgement. Good luck and keep us posted! Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@WorksIRL thanks! I was able to blow out my sprinklers yesterday using just the 6-gallon compressor. Took some time letting the compressor refill with air but given my small yard of ~300 sq ft w/ 2 zones, it was no big deal. Your video gave me the knowledge and confidence to do it myself. Many thanks and blessings to you 🙏
@@DanMcKelvey I’m delighted to hear it worked out for you and well done to you for doing it yourself!! Thanks for taking your valuable time to stop back and let me know. I hope you’ll stick around. Peace to you, brother! 🙏
I have question. My compressor is set at 85psi my 11gal portable tank only fills to 50psi. Is there something I’m not doing right
I cannot explain why that would be. I have a regulator on my pancake air compressor which regulates the air coming out of the compressor’s air tank. The compressor itself triggers on when pressure in the tank drops to a preset level and triggers off once the tank reaches about 120-125psi. So it seems to me the portable air tank would be whatever pressure is set on the regulator leaving the air compressor air tank sending air to the portable air tank. If you installed a regulator on the portable air tank be sure to install it according to the air-flow arrows on it. Maybe it’s reversed? Be very careful around this equipment. If you don’t feel it’s right then stop and release the pressures carefully and consider having it blown out by a qualified individual. This can be dangerous to you, people and animals nearby and property if something isn’t connected properly. Good luck and let us know what you determine or decide to do.
Oh hi! Like we snuck up on him and he was surprised to see us.
You were so quiet, you startled me! 🤣
Thank you for the tip. I need to do my system and was planning on getting the Porter 6 g tank without the added tank.
Is that a continuous charge system?
I'm not sure what you mean by a continuous charge system. If you're referring to my air compressor, most air compressor systems have a compressor that works until it's attached air tank reaches a fixed pressure (Ex.: 125psi) then shuts off. When it's pressure tank expells air and the pressure drops lower than a certain threshold (Ex.: 80psi) the compressor automatically turns back on to attempt pressurizing the tank back to 125psi. Compressors often have a duty-cycle meaning how long it can safely run then needs a certain amount of time to cool down. That's where my method of blowing out my sprinkler system is definitely stressing my little air compressor as it is running much longer than it's likely designed to run before it overheats. Sorry if that's not what you're asking. Thanks for watching and let us know how it goes for you.
@@WorksIRL
Thank you very much. This is what I wanted to know. They will automatically come on when the psi drops below the threshold