NJ Lawns Community

Hey everyone, just bought my first house in Ridgewood and finally got around to setting up my Rain Bird sprinkler system. It's a 5000 series rotor setup with the standard Rain Bird valves. I honestly have no idea what PSI I should be running at and just set it based on what seemed reasonable - went with around 45 PSI because that was near the middle of the adjustment range on my pressure regulator. Now half my yard is getting muddy and the other half looks dry as a bone. My lawn is mostly tall fescue with some KBG in the back. Did I totally mess this up? What's the proper PSI for residential in this area? Any help from the experienced folks here would be awesome. Thanks!

Welcome to the club Nate! You've definitely got some troubleshooting to do but don't worry, it's fixable. For Rain Bird 5000 series rotors in residential setups, you're generally looking at 25-65 PSI operating range, but optimal is usually between 35-50 PSI depending on your head spacing and nozzle selection. Since you mentioned you've got wet spots AND dry spots, that's almost never a pressure problem - more likely your nozzle sizes are inconsistent or your zoning is off. What nozzle #s are you running? And are all your heads the same type? Also - where in Bergen County are you? If you're up near Mahwah or Alpine you might have lower municipal pressure than someone in Hackensack or Englewood.

I'm going to respectfully disagree with the pressure focus here. Nate - before you go adjusting PSI, have you checked your soil condition? I see this all the time in the forums - people blame the irrigation when really the soil can't absorb water properly. Tall fescue and KBG both benefit hugely from good soil biology. Are you topdressing annually? What's your mowing height? If your soil is compacted (and most lawns in newer Ridgewood developments are), water will either run off or pool depending on the slope. I'd suggest doing a simple percolation test before touching your pressure settings. Run your system for 15 minutes, then stick a screwdriver in the ground - if it goes in less than 6 inches, your soil is the problem not your PSI.

Quick answer: For a standard 1/2 inch residential line with Rain Bird 5000 Plus rotors, start at 35 PSI and adjust from there. That's the sweet spot. That said, @CompostQueen raises a valid point about soil - but honestly in Bergen County, the bigger issue I see is homeowners running older nozzles. If you haven't replaced your nozzles in 3+ years, they're probably clogged or worn. Pick up some Rain Bird NAV-075 nozzles (or whatever matches your spacing) at Kennedy Hardware in Hackensack or any of the irrigation supply places off Route 17. They're like $2 each, way cheaper than redoing your whole system. Also check if your rain sensor is working - half the systems I service in the county have non-functioning rain sensors and that's causing the overwatering issues.

Thanks for the quick responses! Okay soPSI around 35 seems to be the consensus. To answer some questions - I'm in a newer development near Ridgewood Village Hall area. I'm pretty sure the nozzles are original from when the system was installed (2018 maybe?). I honestly have no idea what size they are. I've been mowing at 3.5 inches. I haven't done any topdressing since I moved in - bought this place last fall. Should I be doing that now? It's mid-April so I know I'm running late on the pre-season prep. Also - what's the easiest way to check if my rain sensor is working without waiting for a storm?

Don't stress on timing - you're actually perfectly fine for April work in NJ. You've got until early May for core aeration and topdressing for cool season grasses. I'd hold off on the heavy dethatching though, we're a bit past prime window for that. Easy rain sensor test - take a paper clip, straighten it out, and manually push the little plunger thing on the sensor housing a few times. It should click and your system won't run while it's engaged. If you don't hear that click, sensor's shot. They're like $15-20 at any big box store. Better yet, just replace it now - you'll thank yourself come July when we're in the middle of another drought summer like 2022. Bergen County water restrictions kick in fast.

One last thing since everyone's focused on PSI - make sure you're not confusing static pressure with dynamic pressure. Static is what you measure at the valve when system's off (just hose bib or gauge at the bleed screw). Dynamic is what matters while running, and it's ALWAYS lower. For residential in this county, expect 10-15 PSI drop from static to dynamic with standard residential flow. Get yourself a Rain Bird pressure gauge kit (about $12 on Amazon or at Irving Supply in Garfield), connect it to a nearby hose bib, run your closest zone and take readings. Compare static vs running. Then you can dial in your pressure regulator properly instead of guessing. Good luck and keep us posted!