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The Dirt On Basic Sprinkler Repair When it comes to sprinkler repair, Ahmed Hassan has some advice on how to get your head straight. From "The Dirt On..." episode DTDO-113

Ahmed Hassan shows the basic components in a lawn sprinkler system.

Sprinklers can take a beating. They can get clogged, stepped on, chewed on, knocked over and who knows what else. The good news is that, most of the time, repairing a sprinkler system is a quick fix you can do yourself and save big money.

Here are the basics for simple sprinkler repair as seen in DIY's The Dirt On, episode 113.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

In-Ground Sprinkler Repair

• Excavate the area. Carefully dig out the soil around and under the PVC pipe so you have enough room to work. If the pipe is filled with water, wait until it drains out.

• Remove broken parts. If your sprinkler broke but the "L" piece connecting it to the pipe is still intact, remove the broken part by twisting it out with a nipple extractor (figure A). A nipple is a short piece of pipe that has threads on both ends to connect it to other pipes.

  If this is the case, your job will be much easier. You can simply put together a < b>swing assembly sprinkler (figure B) and attach this directly to the "L" connector, skipping a lot of the work described below.

  If you find that you actually have a break in the "L" connector or on the PVC pipe itself, you'll have to cut out the broken area (figure C). A ratcheting handsaw is best for this. Cut around the broken area of the pipe, keeping the cut as small as possible.
  

  Figure D

• Build a swing-assembly sprinkler head. Instead of gluing and working one step at a time in the hole, build it above ground where you have room to work. You're going to replace the old system (where the sprinkler head attached directly to the PVC pipe and stuck straight up out of the ground) with a swing assembly system. This involves attaching nipples and elbows to a new sprinkler head (figure D). Attach an elbow to the bottom of the sprinkler, which will have an outlet for a nipple on the side. Attach a nipple (that small piece of pipe with threads on both ends) to the elbow. Attach another elbow to this, which will have an opening pointing down.

  With this new system, the water will come up out of the PVC pipe, run sideways for an inch or two, then back up to the sprinkler head. You will be able to adjust the placement of your sprinkler by moving it around in a circle and it will have much more flexibility the next time it's bumped by the lawnmower or family dog.
  

  	Figure E
  	Figure F

• Attach a slip fix. Attach your new swing assembly sprinkler to a slip fix (figure E). This will allow you to fit your sprinkler perfectly into the gap you've cut out in the PVC pipe. One end will connect directly to the pipe and the other end will actually slide out to reach the other side of the pipe, connecting it. Compress the slip fix so it is as small as possible and place it next to the break to see if you need to adjust the size of the hole you've cut. If you can fit the slip fix in between the two cut sides of the pipe without much excess room, that's the perfect size. If you can't fit your slip fix in between the cut in the pipe, make another cut.

• Prepare pipe for the new swing-assembly sprinkler. Just like painting a house, you have to "prime" the pipe before you glue anything to it. Put on latex gloves and paint the pipe with primer around the cut (figure F). The primer removes both dirt and the clear coating that is on the pipe so it will hold the glue better. Prime your slip fix that's attached to your swing assembly sprinkler next.
  

  Figure G

• Glue it together. There are slow setting glues and fast setting glues. Slow setting glues are stronger but take longer. Fast setting "blue glue" or PVC cement will work fine, but if you use these make sure you've been thorough with the primer so it will be that much stronger.

  Add glue to the pipe first (figure G) and then the fitting on your slip fix.
  

  As you push the two together, give it a slight turn. A quarter-turn (figures H and I) will help seal it in and get the air pockets out. Once you have the stationary end of the slip fix attached, pull the other end out until it fits over the other cut end of the pipe.

  Figure H

  Figure I

  
  

  Figure J

  Wipe off any excess glue (figure J). At this point everything is connected but the slip fitting is tapered a little so you'll have to hold this in place until the glue sets or it will squeeze out of position a little. If you use a fast setting glue, you'll need to hold it in position for about 10 to 30 seconds. With slow setting glues, follow the directions on the label.
  Once the glue has had time to set, position the sprinkler where you want it and you're done. Hold on to that primer and glue and you might even want to pick up a spare sprinkler head, some nipples and elbows too.