Irrigation Product Listings & Reviews
Hunter PGP Series Rotor Pop-Up
Description:
The PGP series is Hunter's standard residential rotor. It is best used for sprinkler spacings between 25 feet and 45 feet. It is available as a shrub model (installs on a pipe above ground), 4" pop-up, and a 12" pop-up model. Interchangeable nozzles allow for easy field changes of nozzles. A rubber cover for safety is standard (ALL rotors should come with this!). The arc adjustments are made from the top of the head. Adjustment is fairly easy (but not the easiest). This rotor has a good reputation, and thousands and thousands are installed and working around the world. Strictly a residential head, don't expect top of the line performance or life, but quality is equal to or better than any other manufacturer's residential rotors.
One of the more interesting features of the PGP is the optional ATR body, which allows a Hunter PGP to be used as a replacement head for the Rainbird brand Mini-Paw or Maxi-Paw sprinklers. You simply remove the guts of the Rainbird sprinkler and install the Hunter in place of them. No need to dig up the original head. Hunter obviously thinks there is a replacement sprinkler market for the millions of Mini-Paws that have been installed over the last 20 years!
The PGP comes with a standard nozzle tree with 12 different nozzles. An optional low-angle nozzle tree adds another 8 low-angle nozzles that are good for windy areas. Note that the low-angle nozzles have the same numbers as some of the standard nozzles, however they are not equivalent. You can't substitute a #4 low-angle nozzle for a #4 standard nozzle. The low-angle nozzles put down twice as much water in the same amount of time! Also the low-angle nozzles have a much shorter radius than the standard nozzles.
Orbit also sells this same rotor head under the label "Voyager II", part number 5500 PR. The pre-packaged Voyager II does not include the full set of nozzles, you will probably need to buy the optional set of extra nozzles for it.
Model Numbers:
| Model Number | Description |
|---|---|
| PGS | Shrub Style Body (ie; installed above ground.) |
| PGP | 4" Pop-Up Body. |
| PGH | 12" Pop-Up Body. |
| PGP-ATR | Fits into a Rainbird Mini-Paw or Maxi-Paw body. |
Features:
- Radius adjustment screw
- Rubber cover is standard (all rotors should have this feature!)
- Arc adjustable from 40° to 360°
- Optional check valve (see discussion below)
Specifications:
- Minimum pressure: 30 PSI
- Maximum pressure: 70 PSI
- Nozzle trajectory: 14°
- 3/4" (female) inlet size.
Manufacturer's Performance Data:
| Nozzle No. | 30 PSI | 40 PSI | 50 PSI | 60 PSI | 70 PSI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 * | 28' - 0.5 GPM | 29' - 0.6 GPM | 29' - 0.7 GPM | 30' - 0.8 GPM | |
| 2 * | 29' - 0.7 GPM | 30' - 0.8 GPM | 30' - 0.9 GPM | 31' - 1.0 GPM | |
| 3 * | 30' - 0.9 GPM | 31' - 1.0 GPM | 31' - 1.2 GPM | 32' - 1.3 GPM | |
| 4 * | 32' - 1.2 GPM | 33' - 1.4 GPM | 34' - 1.6 GPM | 34' - 1.8 GPM | |
| 5 * | 34' - 1.6 GPM | 36' - 1.8 GPM | 38' - 2.0 GPM | 38' - 2.2 GPM | |
| 6 | 36' - 2.0 GPM | 38' - 2.4 GPM | 40' - 2.7 GPM | 40' - 2.9 GPM | |
| 7 | 36' - 2.6 GPM | 40' - 3.0 GPM | 42' - 3.4 GPM | 42' - 3.7 GPM | |
| 8 | 37' - 3.2 GPM | 40' - 3.7 GPM | 43' - 4.2 GPM | 44' - 4.6 GPM | |
| 9 | 38' - 4.2 GPM | 43' - 4.9 GPM | 46' - 5.5 GPM | 47' - 6.0 GPM | |
| 10 | 44' - 6.0 GPM | 46' - 6.8 GPM | 47' - 7.6 GPM | 49' - 8.2 GPM | |
| 11 | 46' - 8.0 GPM | 48' - 8.9 GPM | 50' - 9.8 GPM | 51' - 10.5 GPM | |
| 12 | 46' - 10.5 GPM | 48' - 11.9 GPM | 50' - 12.7 GPM | 52' - 14.1 GPM |
For low-angle nozzle performance data see Hunter's website at http://www.hunterindustries.com/.
Don't forget Stryker's Rule: "Distance between rotor heads in feet should never be greater than the head operating pressure in PSI"! Therefore 35 PSI = 35' maximum spacing between heads.
* Important tip- avoid nozzles with less than 2 GPM except in the corners (as in quarter circles). The streams are small and the water easily blows away in even a gentle breeze.
Recommended Nozzles:
The following are the nozzles I recommend that you use with this rotor. Using these nozzles you can combine any of the spacings and arcs on the same valve zone. The precipitation rates will be balanced so that you get uniform water coverage. For the arc select the closest arc to the actual arc you will be using. So if your arc will be 60° you would use the 90° nozzle. Spacing is distance to furthest adjacent sprinkler. Ie; if the rotor is in a row between two others, one is 30' away the other is 35', then the spacing is 35'. After installation watch the watered area for a couple of weeks then fine tune the nozzle selection. If wet or dry areas are noted, adjust the nozzles of one or more rotors adjacent to that area to correct the problem. These nozzle selections shown will be sufficient for your design and as a starting point for installation. For spacings under 25 feet use the Hunter PGJ series rotors with the nozzles I recommend in my review of that rotor. I have intentionally balanced my recommended nozzles for both the PGJ and PGP rotors so that you can mix them together on the same valve.
| Spacing | Arc | Nozzle | Pressure | GPM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25'-35' | F | 9 | 35 PSI | 4.0 GPM |
| 25'-35' | TQ | 8 | 35 PSI | 3.5 GPM |
| 25'-35' | H | 6 | 35 PSI | 2.2 GPM |
| 25'-35' | Q | 3 | 35 PSI | 1.0 GPM |
| 36'-40' | F | 10 | 40 PSI | 6.0 GPM |
| 36'-40' | TQ | 9 | 40 PSI | 4.3 GPM |
| 36'-40' | H | 7 | 40 PSI | 3.0 GPM |
| 36'-40' | Q | 5 | 40 PSI | 1.8 GPM |
| 41'-45' | F | 11 | 45 PSI | 8.5 GPM |
| 41'-45' | TQ | 10 | 45 PSI | 6.4 GPM |
| 41'-45' | H | 9 | 45 PSI | 5.4 GPM |
| 41'-45' | Q | 6 | 45 PSI | 2.6 GPM |
TQ = Three-Quarter Circle, 270 °
H = Half Circle, 180 °
Q = Quarter Circle, 90 °
For an in-depth description of features found on this and other rotors, see the faq on "How to Select the Best Rotor-Type Sprinkler".