There are a variety of sprinkler supplies that make up a sprinkler system. The type of supplies needed for a successful sprinkler system depend on the type of sprinkler system used. Sprinkler systems are used for a variety of applications, and the type of sprinkler system used depends on its purpose. Many homeowners use a small sprinkler system to irrigate their lawns during the dry summer months.
The commercial use of sprinklers is widespread. In agriculture, sprinkler systems are used to provide water to fields of wheat, corn and other crops. In the industrial setting, sprinkler systems are used to reduce the dispersal of dust in an area where excessive dust presents a health or safety issue.
Sprinkler supplies vary depending on the type of sprinkler system being used. In general there are several components to the sprinkler system that is shared by different designs of irrigation systems.
The water must be moved from the source of water into the area that is to be irrigated. To transport the water, the sprinkler system will use a water hose. For the homeowner wishing to keep the lawn in top shape, a traditional garden hose will carry enough water to properly irrigate the lawn. For larger agriculture use, the water hoses may resemble a fireman's hose.
Sprinkler systems use a gun or series of connected pipes to send the water out into the area to be irrigated. Smaller sprinkler systems, for home use, commonly use a small bar with holes in it that can be moved from place to place to irrigate the lawn. A more permanent solution for the homeowner is a small rotating head that goes into the lawn. In this case, the sprinkler supplies are imbedded in the ground, with only the sprinkler head showing. When the water is turned on, the sprinkler sends out a circular pattern of water around each sprinkler head.
In the industrial setting, the nozzles that release water onto the ground are larger. In some cases, each opening in the nozzle will have a diameter of 1.9 inches, or 4.8 centimeters. The sprinkler supplies in the industrial setting works in much the same way as the smaller scale lawn system. Spray heads can be mounted overhead on permanent risers. This is known as a solid-set irrigation system.
There are also high-pressure sprinkler systems that rotate, using a gear drive or ball drive. These sprinkler systems are called rotors, and irrigate in a full or partial circle in a field.
Finally, many of us have seen the sprinklers that travel on a moving platform, from one end of a field to the other. Once they reach the end of the field, they automatically shut off. These sprinklers use a complex set of sprinkler supplies. A flexible hose is wound around a steel drum. Using either existing water pressure or a small engine, the platform is propelled across the field. When the hose completely unwinds from around the drum, the system shuts down.