Choose the Best Rotor for Residential Applications

Advances in technology can save you time and money.

Technologies such as smart controllers, central control and drip irrigation systems continue to improve irrigation system efficiency by using less water to keep landscapes looking their best.

Simple on the outside, hi-tech engineering inside: the intricacies of a Rain Bird 5000 series rotor

These advances are impressive, but what about one of the most well-known components of any irrigation system — the rotor? We see rotors applying water to turf and dense landscape plantings, seemingly operating just as they have for years. While today’s rotors may look the same as their predecessors, what lies beneath the surface definitely is not your father’s rotor.

Here, Mike Wendel, rotor product manager for Rain Bird’s contractor division, answers questions about rotor technology and how contractors can ensure they’re choosing the best for their applications.

What features make today’s rotors faster to install and maintain?

One of the most important features that makes rotors easier to maintain is a wiper-seal design. The wiper seal typically is a soft plastic material that interacts with the riser-stem to keep debris from entering the rotor and “sealing off” the rotor as the riser-stem pops up.

It’s not glamorous, but it’s one of the most critical components of the rotor. And choosing a rotor that has an inferior or poorly designed wiper seal can make or break a contractor’s year.

Speed of installation and adjustment are critical considerations, as well. For example, the slip-clutch feature in the Rain Bird 5000 Series rotor line helps adjust the left edge of the rotor’s stream to line-up with the landscape being watered. Instead of tools, use your fingers to adjust the left edge.

Contractors often get into the habit of installing the same rotor over and over, even when it may not be the best solution.

Rotors with self-flushing ports incorporated into their arc-adjustment slots also save a lot of time. As the riser-stem on these rotors pops up and retracts, a little burst of water clears the arc adjustment slot of dirt or debris. Without this feature, dirt builds up and bakes into the arc adjustment slot resulting in a rotor that has to be replaced because it cannot be adjusted.