To learn your precipitation rate in inches/hour conduct one of the following tests:
Use a rain gauge - put it in your lawn area. Or use use a can (tuna, cat food, soup, etc. - something
with a flat bottom and straight sides).
Run your system 20 minutes.
Observe the precipitation in inches on the rain gauge or put a ruler in the can.
Multiply by 3 (This will result in the precipitation rate in inches/hour).
Note: You can run the test above in 10 minutes - but then multiply the result by 6 instead of 3
A more precise Catch Can test will tell you if your system is working efficiently:
Place 6 cans throughout the lawn zone you are testing.
Run the system from 5 - 20 minutes - as in the test outlined above.
Measure each can - record the inches in each one.
Review your data to see if they all had similar amounts - yes means efficient.
If the cans vary by more than 1/4" from highest to lowest you should fix your system -
probably replace a sprinkler head or two - then rerun the test.
CATCH CAN MEASUREMENTS
Can #1
1/8
1/4
3/8
1/2
5/8
3/4
7/8
1
1 1/8
1 1/4
1 3/8
1 1/2
1 5/8
1 3/4
1 7/8
2
2 1/8
2 1/4
2 3/8
2 1/2
2 5/8
2 3/4
2 7/8
3
Can #2
1/8
1/4
3/8
1/2
5/8
3/4
7/8
1
1 1/8
1 1/4
1 3/8
1 1/2
1 5/8
1 3/4
1 7/8
2
2 1/8
2 1/4
2 3/8
2 1/2
2 5/8
2 3/4
2 7/8
3
Can #3
1/8
1/4
3/8
1/2
5/8
3/4
7/8
1
1 1/8
1 1/4
1 3/8
1 1/2
1 5/8
1 3/4
1 7/8
2
2 1/8
2 1/4
2 3/8
2 1/2
2 5/8
2 3/4
2 7/8
3
Can #4
1/8
1/4
3/8
1/2
5/8
3/4
7/8
1
1 1/8
1 1/4
1 3/8
1 1/2
1 5/8
1 3/4
1 7/8
2
2 1/8
2 1/4
2 3/8
2 1/2
2 5/8
2 3/4
2 7/8
3
Can #5
1/8
1/4
3/8
1/2
5/8
3/4
7/8
1
1 1/8
1 1/4
1 3/8
1 1/2
1 5/8
1 3/4
1 7/8
2
2 1/8
2 1/4
2 3/8
2 1/2
2 5/8
2 3/4
2 7/8
3
Can #6
1/8
1/4
3/8
1/2
5/8
3/4
7/8
1
1 1/8
1 1/4
1 3/8
1 1/2
1 5/8
1 3/4
1 7/8
2
2 1/8
2 1/4
2 3/8
2 1/2
2 5/8
2 3/4
2 7/8
3
Test Length (5-20 minutes)
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20