pumping rainwater

[terapin]

In the planning stages of setting up a rainwater collection system. Ideally I would love to pump this water through a 20-30ft hose to a rotary sprinkler head. Im guessing I would need a submersible pump. Not sure if they have enough head pressure to actually operate a sprinkler without self destructing.

Anyone do this before, any ideas, plans, photos or videos would be appreciated.

thanks T

[Harry Chickpea]

Get a Harbor Freight "shallow well pump" for about $100.
http://www.harborfreight.com/34-hors...9305-8595.html

It will keep the water pressure within the range of pressures needed. If you can't gravity feed it, you might want to use a very small pump like a fountain pump to prime it.

[jwal10]

Rotary as in rainbird? How big of tank, underground? There are much better ways of using water so less is lost to evaporation. More info needed....James

[terapin]

Thanks Harry.

James - 300gallons - No above ground- Yes rotary as in rainbird.

[jwal10]

300 gallons is not much water to run through a rainbird. Does it rain often? What are you watering? Point of use would be a better application than sprinkling a large area. There are some rainbirds that you can make different patterns with, but they do not apply evenly. Drip, under mulch works good....James

[terapin]

Originally Posted by jwal10

300 gallons is not much water to run through a rainbird. Does it rain often? What are you watering? Point of use would be a better application than sprinkling a large area. There are some rainbirds that you can make different patterns with, but they do not apply evenly. Drip, under mulch works good....James

Drip under mulch would work better, but not in my particular circumstance. That's why I was looking for a suggestion for some sort of submersible pump.

[DirtyHowi]

nothing is more effiecient than a rainbird impact sprinkler, you can get nozzles that only put out 2 or so GPM.

get one that mounts to the end of a pipe, not the popup kind, they tend to collect debris in the seals and then leak like a sieve.

<--former irrigation engineer

[jwal10]

Does the tank(s) have an outlet in the bottom? The pump shown above will work. There are submersible pumps, more expensive and they need some kind of sump in the tank or you lose part of the available water in the tank. How big of an area? Lawn? Type of tank(s)? A rainbird is an option but loses a lot of water to evaporation both to the wind in application and after application. 300 gals is not much water for sprinkler irrigation. Use it up and then wait for/if the next rain?
....James