Rain Bird Rotary Nozzles

iScaper rating – 4 stars ★★★★

This is a great sprinkler nozzle for watering on slopes or if you have a sprinkler zone in which you need to reduce the gallons per minute (gpm) being used because of poor design. The R13-18 nozzles will water a radius of 13-18′, and the R17-24 nozzles will water a radius of 17-24′.

Another nice feature is the Rain Bird rotary nozzles can be zoned with Rainbird 5000/5000 Plus series MPR (matched precipitation rate) rotor nozzles.

Pressure rating is 20-55 psi (pounds per square inch). This nozzle needs a minimum of 20 psi to operate correctly.

If you have a sprinkler zone that isn’t operating correctly because the zone is trying to use more water than the sprinkler supply is capable of delivering, this nozzle could be an inexpensive solution. For example: You have a sprinkler zone that has 8 Rain Bird 15VAN series spray nozzles: 4 quarter circle, 2 half circle, and 2 full circle. The water pressure is 55 psi with a 3/4″ water meter. This sprinkler zone with these nozzles is using around 14-15 gpm (gallons per minute). By installing R13-18 rotary nozzles in the same sprinkler heads the sprinkler zone will now be using 8.66 gpm (gallons per minute). This is well within acceptable limits for this pipe size and pressure, and the sprinkler heads will be watering the same distance as the 15VAN nozzles.

Pros – Slope watering if run-off is a concern. Use less water than other nozzles that water the same distance. Can be used on the same sprinkler zone as 5004 rotors.

Cons – Nozzles are a little harder to adjust than other sprinkler nozzles.