The nozzles of the Aqua S oscillating sprinkler continuously ensure even and highly precise lawn watering on areas of 90 to 220 m. The water is distributed in a single fan-shaped line that constantly moves back and forth across the lawn. Not absolutely, but I favor it for most applications. They may rub against each other or the body housing, or move out of alignment, causing the bar to move erratically or not at all. One oscillator may function fine with the water stream only 18 high, yet another gets stuck unless the water flows above 36 high. Taxes, shipping, discounts, promotions, and gift card charges do not count toward the minimum qualifying purchase. The gear assembly will not function well, maybe not at all, when it encounters an extra load from just a bit of external rubbing. The cam pushes the spray arm back and forth. Available low & high priced, get a cheap one for play. Level-spray sprinklers raise water conservation to an art form. Product Dimensions Trying to flip and go the other way while under high pressure may be like you trying to open a door against a wind storm. And an innovative drive design ensures that no gears will be stripped when the tube is twisted. You are here: Home Products Sprinklers Oscillating Sprinklers. But it does seem crazy that oscillators cost so much with no guarantee of satisfactory performance. Use the adjustments,to confine the spray pattern or spread it out wider, while keeping the length of throw at the distance you need. Use the needle located in the sprinklers screw cap to remove any lime deposits from the nozzles. Features & Benefits Just hold the sprinkler up-side down (and away from you!) Regardless of the brand or the price, they quit oscillating soon or sooner. In theory, you could create a little water-turbine electrical generator and attach it to your hose to create several watts of power -- you could power a flashlight bulb while you water your lawn at night! Why does it have a heart-shaped cam instead of a simple little crankshaft? You can see in the video that the turbine spins at several hundred rpm. Once I made that initial observation, I was amazed at how easily the sprinkler succumbed to interference just by placing it down on anything other than a compact, level surface. Just replacing an oscillating sprinkler that you liked, with the same model, may not give you the same performance. These items go perfectly with the brand new you're about to purchase. * For detailed warranty conditions, please refer to the enclosed operating manual or online at www.gardena.com/warranty. I have ordered several new models to put to the test and will write reviews on this site as soon as I can. FB Everything you need to know about the GARDENA products in your tool shed. Adjustment mechanisms can be difficult to interpret. as it rotates, then make the adjustment as it passes the boundary for the pattern you want. So be observant, evaluate thoroughly, and be smart to take the correct action as your situation warrants. You can see that this is an incredibly simple device at its core. Product Dimensions I suspect that the problem again is having such low tolerance on the gear specifications. In any mechanical gizmo, moving parts will break, get stuck or fail to remain in proper alignment. This article will address the use and care of oscillating sprinklers so you do not accentuate any inherent design flaws. Product Height (in.) Enjoy every inch of summer with the Aqua S oscillating sprinkler from GARDENA. The jets shooting away from you will display the position. Product Width (in.) Use the slider to set the range (717 metres) as well as the type of watering. Some situations may have abnormally high water pressure which can only be reduced by installing a pressure regulator. It can be removed so that you can clean it off easily under a tap. Oscillators dispense the water through a row of nozzles or jets spread evenly along a hollow tube. GARDENA products made in Germany stand for quality, reliable performance and durability. How do we explain Five Star and One Star Ratings on the same unit?Is that lousy craftsmanship by the manufacturer? (You dont need a contractors gauge,justmake it as level as possible.). Submit a warranty claim right online, 24/7! Depending on the quality of parts and the design, it may just freeze temporarily, or may try to force itself to the point of stripping the gears or dislocating their positions. My disappointment level with oscillators has been quite high, yet I When picked up, it immediately continued its rotation. In addition to performance issues, some of them are difficult to adjust to the pattern needed. Additional oversized freight charges may apply to some items. The negative side of those is the high water flow they dispense. Allow water flow to move the sprinkler bar to the correct position without rotating the cylinder or bar by hand to get it there. * Some items may not be eligible for free shipping and will be specifically marked as ineligible for free shipping. For every minute an oscillating sprinkler operates, any particular spot of ground is only being watered for about 5-10 seconds, depending on how you set the pattern. It allows you to water just one side (left or right) instead of watering both at the same time. If no alternative, water smaller areas with lower height streams. It's because a circular crankshaft would cause both ends of the spray pattern to get a lot more water than the center of the spray pattern. The spray arm would have that same problem. Whether you're a gardening expert, a new homeowner, or someone just starting to develop a green thumb, look no further than the Ray Padula brand of lawn and garden products. This offer applies to the 48 contiguous U.S. states only. This warranty does not affect your legal warranty claims. Assembling the oscillating sprinkler by hand and connecting a hose takes just a few steps. Anything higher will need corrective measures. You have to expect that the cheapest ones at $10-20 are going to be very suspect and unlikely to work well or last very long. Here ), Even when not misting, water streams can be thrown off course by strong wind. Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article: Marshall Brain I learned a few things through my Two suggestions to work around this without getting wet while you fine-tune the settings: 1. This gear train provides a 512-to-1 reduction in speed, so the cam spins at about 1 rpm. ), Solution: Increase or decrease the water flow at the faucet and watch for any change in response. One oscillating sprinkler with three dramatically different coverage options. Find the perfect product for your exact yard. PRO Thumb Control Ultra Heavy-Duty Metal 10-Pattern Hose Nozzle, 8-Pattern, 2-in-1 Turret and Spinning Sprinkler on Metal Decorative Base, Classic Metal Pulsating Sprinkler on Deluxe In-Series Metal Step Spike (2-Pack). Dont try to force the nozzle bar of an oscillating sprinkler when you need to change the pattern of rotation. Have a blast! Many of them will not continue to cycle properly, either immediately or eventually. The newer designs with extra adjustment options have a fat cylinder that is especially prone to rubbing against tall grass or weeds or thick mulch. Specifications Contact the Garden Counselor with your comments about particular models, both good and bad. Explore the uniqueness of the Original GARDENA System. Some of these may be obvious difficulties that people could decipher on their own. Solution:Make a framework that matches the degree of slope, on which the sprinkler can sit level, if you constantly will be watering a sloping area. Try using PVC fittings & pipe to make a square with legs on just one side. If the water level is too low, the distribution bar on an oscillating sprinkler may be unable to move at all, or it may move very slowly to the end of the cycle, then be unable to move past the pivot that sends it back in the opposite direction. The water connection of the Aqua S has a rust-free metal filter that prevents dirt particles from entering the oscillating sprinkler. Fitting the spray to each garden area is not really a bother, it's smart! Are they? (Some units may have permanent damage if the interference continued too long and caused the gears to strip or skip.). Water flows into the spray arm -- the aluminum tube -- and it sprays out through the holes or nozzles. Is that true? This sprinkler uses a three-stage planetary gear system! Just do it with a cheapo unit, instead of your temperamental oscillating sprinkler. So lets learn a few tricks. Think about a piston going up and down in an internal-combustion engine -- it is traveling slowest at each end of its travel, and fastest when it is in the center of the cylinder. :18700-20. Getting the best service and the most life from these irrigation tools is partially a factor of buying a quality model with appropriate features, but also requires a bit of smart thinking on our part. When shopping, if you know you have low water pressure, notice if the package mentions: "Good with Low & High Pressure" ). Would you like a few tips to keep this gentle watering device on your Must-Have List? We invite you to come garden with us, and join the gardeners around the world who rely on our exciting, innovative products to help with growing the yard of their dreams. The TripleSpray can water wide expanses, narrow strips, and those in-between sections with equal efficiency. Get tips and tricks how to clever water with GARDENA. Don't feel stupid and settle for a compromise method of watering. Or place a fat block under one side and a thin block under the other side. A simple twist of the spray tube lets you spray with 20 jets, 12 jets or only 6 jets to cover areas ranging from 56 feet down to 8 feet in width. Only if we are giving a device the best chance to perform can we realistically evaluate one model against another. But lets consider several factors that can affect performance on some models. Features & Benefits There is also the spray arm itself, which is a hollow aluminum tube with holes in it (on some sprinklers there are nozzles on this tube): The spray arm has a ferrule and an O-ring seal on it, and it screws into the body of the sprinkler. Its a great plan. This is NOT wasting water because you are covering more area but not all at once, as the water stream moves along. Misting vapors do not place water on your lawn or garden plot. Oscillating sprinklers look to be a rather simple device on the outside, but must be quite vulnerable inside. FTC Disclosure:If you make a purchase via a link on this site, I may receive a small commission on the transaction - at no added cost to you. Every time you reject this advice, remind yourself that the shortcut is costing you money. What's The Problem With Oscillating Sprinklers? Kids are curious critters. When the sprinkler sank down in dense grass or was on bulky ground cover or uneven mulch, it did not rotate. Ray Padula Holdings is not responsible for typographical errors or omissions. efficient watering from most oscillators. We're always standing by and ready to help! Grab the nozzle bar and spin it ahead to get it where we want so we can push the adjustment ring to the right place. DIY Network: The Right Way to Water Your Lawn. 8.58 FB They can make an area of lawn soggy in a short time, leading to compaction from all the jumping and sliding. How do they create patterns in a baseball field? Solution:Set a flat board or a couple of sticks under the frame of the sprinkler to raise it up and ensure proper clearance. BRING ON SPRING!A Stronger, Greener Lawn Starts Nowwith help from DoMyOwn, An Information Resource for Lawn Care & Garden Questions, garden-counselor-lawn-care.com and Garden-Counselor.com, are both and 2007 - 2021 / / Copyright and All Rights Reserved. In built-in lawn sprinkling systems there is a device called an anti-siphon valve. How does that work? Cheap materials? Check out the selection of these oscillating sprinklers at Amazon, read the reviews, and keep in mind some of the issues we addressed above. Hand tight should be good enough to prevent leaks here, which can diminish the volume going through the unit if it is turned on low for a small area. (If not possible, your water pressure requires an adjustment at the regulator. ], [Distraction Option: If you are curious how an oscillating sprinkler works, you can see one cut open to show the moving parts with pictures and a video at this site: How Stuff Works: Sprinkler]. How can the grass on the greens at a golf course be so perfect? If you make a purchase via a link on this site, I may receive a small commission on the transaction - at no added cost to you. One way to do it would be to use a small electric motor. Here you can find everything. Explore Ray's favorite items, and some of our most popular solutions for your yard. Moving parts within these sprinklers are problematic. If you cut open the body of the sprinkler, you can see that this is exactly how the sprinkler works. Inside there is a small turbine, or water wheel: If you look down the tube where you attach the hose, you can see a small restrictor that allows some water to flow straight ahead and forces some water to shoot to the left. (Product reviews will be offered in another article.). Would a family summer be complete, without kids running through the sprinkler? [Side Note: be sure that the sprinkler is not gushing water from the hose connection point. A follow-up article will evaluate different models with performance reviews, plus tips for adjusting them. FB It sprays out a fan-shaped curtain of water, and the metal arm oscillates back and forth to cover a rectangular area perhaps 20 feet by 30 feet (6 meters by 9 meters) in size. The width of the spray always remains max. Specifications Product Dimensions DONT DO THAT! Enjoy gardening tips, how-to's new product launches, exclusive promotions and more. Gardeners can get the full value from this investment by treating the sprinkler as a tool and taking care as they handle it, and watching where they place it. Product Height (in.) 13 metres. The uniform watering also prevents puddles from forming. Find dealers: But this method of irrigation is so beneficial that every gardener needs one. Bad design? Submit a warranty claim quickly and easily - right online, 24/7! This makes the expensive ones seem like the wiser purchase, better than buying 2 cheaper ones. Your garden at your fingertips: GARDENA smart App. A 20% slower oscillation speed improves absorption and reduces puddling while PrecisionFlow jets enhance distribution and coverage. Prices, promotional offers, and product availability subject to change at any time, without notice. An oscillating sprinkler efficiently throws large drops of water. Solution: Be Patient. Here, Find product FAQ: This design excels in reducing erosion or water run-off, since the ground has a chance to let the water soak in before the line returns to that spot. Prevent breakage by avoiding common practices that compromise the vulnerable traits of this moving sprinkler. Please contact customer service or have a look on our FAQs. Turn down the faucet until misting stops. Most domestic supplies have household regulators, normally set at 50-60 PSI, which should work fine. Move only the adjusting levers. There is a wide range of styles and prices of oscillators at all retail stores and online. These jets are capable of shooting streams of water a great distance, which enables this sprinkler type to cover very large surface areas. Some oscillating sprinkler models offer side-to-side adjustment in addition to length of pattern. Also very durable, the kids can stop the spinning arms and even try to dis-arm it, without hurting it or your wallet. Some are jet-powered rather than turbine-powered, but they are all using the force of moving water to create linear or rotational motion. If the water is too strong, it may force the gears to operate outside their design specifications. Oscillators have a wide price range, from $10 to $60 or more. We'll compile a resource page to enlighten other gardeners and improve the gardening experience for all of us! Adjust as the new edge boundary arrives, and let it cycle a couple of times to fine tune the oscillator. stepping on the bar, swinging the hose like a lariat, whacking it with whatever can be picked up Why take a chance on premature disability for your vital lawn irrigation tool? Order inquiries, shipment tracking, returns, and more. Call the manufacturer if you need to. Use a board or bucket to hold above one-half of the water jets to keep from being sprayed. If you have a lawn, then at some point during the summer, when it gets really hot and dry, you end up pulling out the sprinkler An oscillating sprinkler like the one shown above is one of the most common sprinklers around. We need a gear train that can reduce the speed down to 1 rpm.