Popup Impact Sprinklers

[FatFndr]

I just moved into this house last year, it came with a built in sprinkler system in the front and back yards that hasn't been used in over 6 years. I have dug up most of the sprinkler heads that I can find and they are Rainbird Maxipaw Popup Impact Rotor #2045 (AG-5 Maxipaw from Home Depot). I was going to replace all of them with the same version BUT in reading all the reviews, they are junk units requiring Maxi Maintenance. What equivalent should I be looking for?

 

[48RON54]

Seems like every sprinkler head I buy is a pop up piece of **** that breaks rather quickly...... I'm not sure I'd put that much thought into it personally.... If it's not the plastic degrading or cracking on a seam, then it got hit with the weedwacker, mower, some idiot turning around in my driveway broke it driving into my grass, etc.

If you find a great sprinkler head that doesn't cost a fortune please share as I am DONE with replacing them.

 

[info2x]

Have a bunch of them on my property. I don't use my sprinkler system regularly but I do test it once a year. I can't say that I've had an issue with Maxipaw units.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Rainbirds all the way...

Tommy

 

[Qualitytools]

I have them and they run every-other day for about 15 minutes without any issues, had them for 14 years now!

 

[NKlamerus]

Rain birds x2!

I also recommend building a 3 peice 90 degree angle setup under each head. Or a flex peice. That way it should have plenty of give of anyone ever steps on it or anything

 

[Chaz]

Stay clear of Maxi Paw. they are fraught with issues. Gear driven rotors are the way to go. I was in the business for a lot of years I always liked the Toro 300 series, but they were discontinued last year. Stay away from Hunter, and Rain Jet. Rainbrd rptors are about the best out there for the money right now.

 

[Jobes]

All Hunter here after 10yrs Ive replaced some parts but not many

 

[No Sweat Photos]

Hunter PGP's for long life !!

 

[Norcal]

Stay clear of Maxi Paw. they are fraught with issues. Gear driven rotors are the way to go. I was in the business for a lot of years I always liked the Toro 300 series, but they were discontinued last year. Stay away from Hunter, and Rain Jet. Rainbrd rptors are about the best out there for the money right now.

Used a few Hunters & not had any issues with them, nor w/ Rainbird gear driven heads.

 

[jabin]

The open impacts get filled with yard debris like mulch, go gear driven for Ohio.

A LONG time ago Toro was OK but not for awhile. Nelson tried to compete but went the DIY route which has made them a lot of money. Hunter rules the south and Rain Bird has been successful for a long time. Spend the money up front for the Hunter PGP and forget about them. The flexible feed line is very important but should already be there since its installed, you hope.

 

[gayler]

Hunters work well for me.

 

[Falcon67]

I have 32 heads on 8 zones - All are Rainbird and no specific complaints. More problems with the valves than any heads.

 

[kellymc]

Second on Hunter PGP, I have 60+ of them installed and they work well and can be serviced. They have newer ones with a stainless barrel which are working better than the plastics ones but cost more.

 

[gball]

The Hunters are ok but the guy i work for is a Toro dealer and their new stuff is pretty nice compared to the older stuff that we replace. i will add that the heads and other parts that he gets are not the same as what you can go to home depot and get.

 

[justsam]

I had the Maxipaws on a large yard in Texas. They got the job done, were easy enough to adjust, but as has been stated the large base would fill with mud and debris and cause issues. Get the special wrench to use with them to make it a little easier.

I have since moved, and now in a zero lawn, minimum care, all drip system for irrigation. Got to say I don't miss paying to have all the lawn mowed, and messing around on the ground fixing sprinklers!

 

[nolimits76]

No sprinklers here, but one of my other homes had Rainbirds. They were good outside the fact I kept taking them out with the riding mower. Finally I marked them with rocks to avoid the repairs.

 

[lynnbilodeau]

I have used Rainbird, Toro Hunter and Orbit.

Right now have a mixture of Hunter and Orbit. Orbits are available at Home Depot or Lowe's for about 11 bucks a piece. As the Hunters slowly die, each one is getting replaced with an Orbit. We have not yet had to replace an Orbit, but then don't have any over 4 years old.

I have no idea what Rainbirds are like these days. The ones I had in the 80's were ****. Worked great and great coverage, unless they are in Bermuda grass. The grass grows down into them under the heads and messes them up.

That is not a problem with any gear drive unit I have ever used.

X2 on mounting them with a short length of flex pipe.

 

[rick carpenter]

We've had several Toro popups in the yard plumbed with a quick-connect at the same height as the head for about 2 years. A garden hose feeds them, no need for buried lines/anti-backflow/etc. The hole is filled with pea gravel for easy removal, but I've never had to do any maintenance on them.

 

[Mattguy]

I am a Toro dealer and can tell you the difference between commercial and home depot residential is drastic. Upsets me because people think less of Toro products due to how cheap they are made for big box stores. Hunter has to be the worst, leaky seals on pgps, controllers that burn up.

Try to find a Toro dealer or a John Deere landscapes branch.

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