Orbit 50020 All-in-One Automatic Watering System

Purchased this kit and was excited to install. To my surprise, the install was even easier than anticipated. The water pressure gage, cutter and instructions were easy to use and follow. My issues and tips: My only issue was attributable to operator error, and my tip is for the Blu-Lock connectors. They feel somewhat secure and feel to fit. Just make sure you apply additional pressure until the tubing moves inward and seats further in. It may require more effort than you originally think. Once it properly seats, you will be unable to pull the tubing out without the release. My tips: 1. Before install, apx 1 week prior, begin overwatering your lawn to prepare the soil and make it easier for your install. 2. As mentioned in many reviews, use yard stakes and secure your sprinkler head. 3. As noted in the instructions, measure your waters PSI and then determine your sprinkler head spacing. 4. (Here is where I saved a ton of time) use a half moon edger/cutter and cut along the path for your tubing. 5. Use a flat spade to increase the depth made by your cutter and create a "V", to the appropriate depth. 6. Install the system and close the edges of your "V" trench. 7. Backfill any elevation needs with Mason sand to level. 8. I used a 0° pressure washer attachment to go under a 3.5' sidewalk (it made for an easy 15 min job) 9. Watch videos on sprinkler head adjustment and then try, try, and try again... lol. Easy to adjust once you figure out how. 10. I purchased a smart water timer and it maintains the lawn, soil moisture and grass health. So far, I am impressed. The photo shown is 3 hours after install. Very easy install that took half a day with minimal disruption to my overall lawn. I am writing this review 3 weeks after install and I receive comments that no one is able to tell where the trenches were dug.

This is the easiest way to implement a sprinkler system that I have ever experienced. It screws onto a garden hose bib. The pipes are easy to cut with the included tool. The pipes push into the fittings. No glue needed. The needed trench depth is shallow at only 8”. The timer is easy to adjust and gives you a choice of every 1, 2 or 3 days. Or you can run it manually. I like how you can change the battery without having to redo the settings. Everything for putting the zone together is included in the kit. The only thing you need to supply is a trenching shovel. I installed mine in 5 hours. No leaks in the pipes. I had a problem with the timer resetting itself randomly but Orbit customer service sent me a replacement and the replacement works perfectly.

THE GOOD: This system is AWESOME! I was quoted 2k to get sprinklers installed in my front yard. I bought the small kit, took me about a 2 days to plan, dig, setup, test, adjust. I got 75psi of pressure from my hose faucet, and every sprinkler can hit about 24-25 feet if needed. I did what the diagram said and did the single hose from faucet, into a Y split, and 3 sprinklers on each. The hose was easy to use after laying in the sun for an hour, as it uncoiled a bit. The connections are easy and simple, with no leaking. Sprinklers are pop ups and easy to adjust after you get the hang of it. I can't comment on timer as I haven't used it yet. I really couldn't be more impressed. THE BAD: They only give you enough parts to complete the sprinkler kit. So if you lose a part, something gets stuck, a thread is messed up, or you want to alter it in any way you are SOL. One of the T attachments failed on me, it was the last one in line that I connected the stopper/drainer on the end. Well the stopper kept shooting off, so I went to try to switch the side of the T, and then I couldn't get the house out even though I did the twist and pull (which I did successfully on the others). Anyways had to cut the line, and was on the hunt for a new part. By the way these attachments seem IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND, and if you do they are super expensive. Home Depot and Lowes (both online) has them for cheap, but stock and selection is very limited. I did manage to find a 90 degree 1/2 blulock to 1/2 thread, that ended up doing the job. I hope the end drain/stopper isn't a necessary item. I have one at the end of one strand but the 90 degree on the other end. Time will tell.

This thing is great. I got the one zone system and it is incredible. It is like a full in ground system for a fraction of the cost and can be put in in less than a day by even 1 person. The one thing you might want to make sure you know before buying is what your water pressure is. If it is above 80 you will want a water pressure regulator. It does come with a gauge to test this, but if you want to have it up and running immediately, you should check it earlier if you can. We hand trenched this in about 5 hours with one person at a time, and used the whole amount of flexible piping. Based off of our water pressure we used only 4 heads, and it watered the whole lawn we had, reaching everywhere we needed. Rather than doing a U shaped system we did an L shaped one. We might add the two other sprinkler heads before we fill in the trenches, but right now it works. If we don’t, we have extras just in case. This was a very easy installation process and made life soooooo easy for us. No more hand watering. The timer is super intuitive and easy to use. While the connection pieces seem like they can’t possibly hold up to high water pressure, they certainly have so far. Quite amazing. The tubing was easy to place after having it in the 75 degree shadowy sun for a couple hours. The throw of the water was about 25 feet with a water pressure of 80. I wish we had gotten this sooner. Our lawn would be greener, and it would have made life much easier. Awesome, simply awesome.

I had a home irrigation system quoted locally and it was $5,500. I found the Orbit system online and gave it a shot. It was very easy to install. I had pre-bored under my sidewalk and then I rented a walk-behind trencher from Home Depot. Not counting the boring, it was about a 3 1/2 hour job from starting the trenching until buttoning it up. VERY easy to put together. It doesn't throw the water quite the 24ish feet advertised at my PSI (at least from what I could tell). Which had me really concerned on day 1 because it seemed like it was going about 12 feet. BUT, that ended up being mostly an artifact of it being fairly windy and when it's been calm out, it seems like it's reaching a solid 20 feet, which is just fine for my needs. OVERALL: I'm sure this isn't as high quality as the $5,500 professional install I had quoted, but I don't really need it to be and for literally like 5% of the price (Orbit + $100 trencher rental) I think I'm going to be quite happy with this. I'll try and edit later this fall when I blow it out for winter.

I bought this with relatively low expectations, the kit comes with a pressure tester to make sure you’ll have proper pressure. According to the manual 30 psi is too low and 80 is too high, when I did my initial test I was at around 55PSI (well water). I proceed with the installation and I was impressed on how easy the joints fit together and did not leak. After everything was said and done I only ended up installing 4 out of 6 heads due to concerns on water pressure. I did not have battery’s for the computer programmer so I ended up just manually hooking it up to the spicket after everything was dug out and set. I tested and it and I was satisfied with coverage and had no reason to think the computer programmer would affect the pressure/coverage so I buried my lines and two days later sod was put down. Today I hooked up the computer programmer after purchasing batteries, the setup was very simple but once I hooked it up to the water line and manually turned the programmer on I was surprised to see that my sprinkler heads had SIGNIFICANTLY less pressure than it being connected manually. Automatically I checked all joints and heads to make sure none were leaking pressure, after my investigation I determined nothing was leaking pressure off causing the low pressure, i imminently removed the programmer and hooked up the water line manually to the spicket and boom, good pressure? To conclude, I was within the manufactures water pressure rating, I used 4 out of 6 heads that came into the kit, and insured no leaks caused the pressure leakage it’s easy to determine the programmer is affecting water flow. I dug over 150’ of line so I’m sure most will understand my frustration especially after my new sod has been put down.

Works pretty good but missing a hose to tubing connector.

Great product easy instructions to follow. Do it yourself type of project highly recommend save lots of money doing it myself. Came with everything I needed for my yard I did a U design came with 6 sprinkler heads on the instruction pamphlets they had other options for setting up your sprinklers also came with a timer which is pretty cool it took me about 8hrs to do hardest part was digging my trench

For the price is amazing. Everything works perfectly. Companies were asking 2.5k and i just spent 300 plus 3 hours of my time plus 160 dollars for a massage, cause afyer all that digging you will need one. Lol

Worked great, as long as you know what you are doing when installing. Easy DIY project.

I've bought 4 of these kits so far. I've expanded on one and added a full new system at a different house, so I'm a little familiar with them by now. I wait until they come on sale, or better yet buy it at a huge discount as "used" (typically untouched, open, or missing a couple fittings). the price is right considering the kit includes the timer, 6 sprinklers, tons of tube, the pressure gauge, tubing cutter. buying these seperately, even off the Orbit website, would be significantly more money. installation isn't bad at all. I've rented a trencher, but not only is it expensive, big, cumbersome, messy, and difficult for recover your lawn... but you simply done need to go that deep or wide for this system. A simple flat head shovel, dig it in 4 to 6 inches in a straight line, and go back and "pry" up the sod and you can feed the tubing under/between the grass quite easily. you will probably need to tamp the dirt around the sprinkler so it stays put and doesn't lean under pressure . PROS: complete installation kit, all you need is a shovel. the blu lok technology is just push to connect, can release it to make adjustments. value is pretty good. sprinkler adjustments and replacement are pretty straight forward. best of all, you CAN adapt the blu lok onto a 1/2 PEX fitting if you need to expand using different fittings or hose. However, PEX won't fit into the blu lok fittings. I've also bought some underground valve boxes so l can just run a hose to that and hide all the timers. CONS: the fitting selection is okay at best. the sprinklers all have the same nozzle size, limiting your options. this kit is really designed to give you a couple specific sprinkler layouts. a few extra fittings & nozzle selection pack would go a long way, especially because these fittings and parts are hard to find in stores (in Canada). The auto-drain fitting and the blu-lok to Hose Faucet connector are especially hard to find and I've had to purchase brass pex/pipe/Hose fittings to adapt, thus increasing costs quite a bit. Overall, (compared to a full $1500 proper sprinkler system with power and solenoids etc) if you can get this kit for less than $200, it does the job nicely. I blow mine out in the fall with a compressor because I don't really trust the auto drain fittings. I've always got the kit in my cart waiting for a Prime sale or something, just to have a full set of spares kicking around as I am now quite commited to this system.

Comes with all requires fittings and tools. Rather than buying individual components from Home Depot, this was super convenient to have everything in one box. Works so well that my neighbours envy my lawn.

C'est un bon kit mais les tarifs ont monté au fil du temps... Également difficile, voire impossible, de trouver certaines pièces individuellement.