Blowing out the sprinklers is a must-do thing that needs to be done before the winter. Otherwise, water could stay in the pipelines and may turn to ice in the winter season which may lead to the cracking and damaging of underground pipes. Hence, it is better to winterize the sprinklers every year.
What size compressor for blowing out sprinklers?
There is no atomic science in blowing out sprinklers or winterization. You can easily do it yourself by following a few simple steps. But the question is what size compressor you need for blowing out sprinklers?
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There are many types of air compressors available in the market. All of them are different because of their specific characteristics, properties, and features. You just need to choose an air compressor having these properties that I am going to list below.
Air volume:
Air volume is the amount of space occupied by the air. As per experts’ recommendation, the air volume of 20 to 25 cubic feet per minute is best to completely blow out sprinkles. It depends on the pipe diameter. You may require higher air volume when the pipe’s diameter is smaller than usual. The larger the pipe’s size is the lesser air volume it will need and vice versa.
Air pressure:
It is asked to avoid over-pressurizing during the whole procedure. Higher air pressure can blow off the heads and damage the irrigation system. The air pressure of 40 to 50 PSI (pound per square inch) is enough for winterizing.
Flow rate:
The flow rate of the air compressor is its ability to perform continuously for a specific time. After ensuring the air pressure and air volume of the air compressor, you will need to keep the flow rate longer than 2 minutes. In short, your air compressor should have the capability to deliver around 20 CFM for more than 2 minutes to get the job done.
Power options:
An air compressor can run on either gasoline or electricity. Electricity is comparatively cheap and easily available as you can connect the device directly to your house or job area. You will have to use a rubber nose instead of an extension cord to extend its reach as the extension cord can be riskier to use with an electrically powered compressor.
A gas-powered compressor, on the other hand, is only best when electricity is unavailable at the workplace. It is noisy, heavier in size, and costly as compared to the electric one. For a better experience, you should prioritize an electric air compressor over others.
Tank size:
The size of the tank also matters as an air compressor of small tank size requires you to refill it more often. Refilling takes a lot of time especially when you are working on a large scale with an air compressor that is taking 5 gallons to refill. If your working area is small then go with a normal size otherwise tank should occupy around 10 to 15 gallons.
FAQs:
Here are the answers to a few frequently asked questions about the above article.
Can I use my air compressor to blow out my sprinklers?
A home air compressor can only perform simple and small-scale tasks. When it comes to the job of blowing out sprinklers, only equipment of specified characteristics can perfectly do this. Although, you can winterize your sprinkler system by covering each zone separately.
How many PSI does it takes to blow out sprinkler lines?
As I have mentioned above that the air pressure of around 40 to 50 PSI is enough to completely blow out the sprinkler lines. The air pressure exceeding 50 PSI can damage the pipelines.
Is it necessary to blow out sprinkler systems?
Experts recommend blowing out sprinkler systems especially when the winter season is about to reach. The presence of water in sprinkler lines increases the risk of damage. The temperature of 4 degrees Celsius is too cool to use sprinklers. You should not use sprinklers at that time and water should be blow out.
Does the tank size impact the air volume?
There is no linkage between the tank size and air volume. So, it does not impact the air volume.
Conclusion:
This was my article explaining the compressor size for blowing out sprinklers. I have explained it in details. I hope this is going to help you winterize your irrigation system. I have tried my best but still, if you have any further queries, feel free to ask below in the comments. Have a nice day.
