How to Fix Your Hunter Sprinkler Head That’s Not Rotating

If you are a homeowner with a sprinkler system, there is a good chance that the sprinkler you are using is a Hunter brand sprinkler head. One of the most well-known names in the industry, they are known for being reliable and come in a variety of options to fit your personal preferences. Periodically, you may find one or more of your Hunter sprinkler heads not rotating. In order to prevent damage to your lawn or system, you want to fix this right away using the steps below.

How To Fix Your Hunter Sprinkler Head Not Rotating

If you have recently noticed the Hunter sprinkler head not rotating as it should, or maybe even not at all, it is time to see what the issue really is. This is a job that shouldn’t take you very long to do and does not need a professional unless there is a serious underlying issue with the sprinkler head.

Gather Your Materials

Before you take on your Hunter sprinkler head, make sure you have the appropriate materials below.

• Bucket For Debris
• Clean water
• Screwdriver
• Shop rags

Once you have your materials, you can move forward with determining the cause of your Hunter sprinkler head not rotating.

Stop The Water

You need to turn off the irrigation system from the water line before you start working on the sprinkler head. You do not want too much water to overpower you and cause unwanted damage. If the water is off, you can safely remove pieces and inspect them to get to the root of the problem.

Inspect the Hunter Sprinkler Head

Go to the main body assembly and open the Hunter sprinkler head. You want to give it a quick look and see if it is clogged. There can be debris, thick chunks of grass, or other objects keeping the water from coming out.

If you do not see anything right away, you may need to go deeper into the system, unscrewing the sprinkler head from the main line to see what the underlying issue really is.

Debris Clogged Sprinkler Head

If your Hunter sprinkler head not rotating because of debris, you need to make sure that you remove all build-up that you see. Touch the outlets for the water and make sure they are clear before you turn the water on and see if the water is working.

Slowly add back water pressure and see if the water is trickling out of the sprinkler head. If you see it coming out, you can reinstall the sprinkler head, turn on the water pressure, and your sprinkler head should be back working.

Clogged Gear Drive

Sometimes the debris gets down into the sprinkler head. If you unscrew the sprinkler head and locate debris around the gear drive, then you need to make sure you remove it completely. Shop towels will help you get in the grooves and see debris that you may have missed when looking from just one angle.

Mechanical Issues

If you have checked for debris and you cannot locate any, then the issue could possibly be mechanical. Your first step at this time is to run a small amount of water into the sprinkler head and see if it is capturing what is coming in. If it isn’t, then you need to pull the gear out and replace the sprinkler head with a new one.

Irrigation Pipe

If there is damage to an irrigation pipe next to your sprinkler head, you are likely to see it when you remove the sprinkler head. It will also be obvious when you are attempting to check for a mechanical issue and the water doesn’t make it to the sprinkler head.

At that point, you will need to cut around the damaged pipe so that you can remove it and then replace it with a new one. Once the pipe is replaced, do another test to determine if the water is making its way to the sprinkler head. If so, you are all set and can reassemble the head back into the irrigation system.

What Caused My Hunter Sprinkler Head To Not Rotate?

There are several reasons why your Hunter sprinkler head stopped rotating

• Debris
• Corrosion and damage
• issues in irrigation

Debris

When you think of debris, you are probably thinking of thick grass cutting clogging up the sprinkler. That is very true in a lot of cases. However, debris and unwanted particles can also be leaves from trees that tower over your lawns, pine straws, remnants of pine cones, trash, and even insects that have attempted to nest in the irrigation system. No matter what it is, the debris is getting in the way of the water getting into the sprinkler head and preventing it from rotating.

Corrosion and damage

Like any other system, time does no favors to sprinkler heads and irrigation systems. The corrosion from the water coming through the irrigation system will start to break it down over time, and can cause the sprinkler head to malfunction. This is also true for damage happening to the sprinkler from mowers and other equipment traveling over the lawn at different times. Too much pressure over time will start to damage the sprinkler heads and they will be the first pieces that need to be replaced.

Issues in Irrigation

Some of the other reasons why your sprinkler head isn’t rotating may not have anything to do with the sprinkler head at all. If there are damaged pipes or a clog somewhere else in the irrigation system, the sprinkler head may not be getting the water it needs. At that time it will not rotate, or not operate at the same speed as it were.

Why Do I Want to Fix This Issue Early?

While you may be thinking it is just one sprinkler head and not a big deal, there are some consequences that can lurk if you do not fix your Hunter sprinkler head not rotating regularly.

• Gears will dry out and become damaged
• Pressure can cause additional damage throughout the system

Over time, if the sprinkler heads are not getting the water they need, they will first try to rotate without water, which will grind the gears down. They will start to slow down, and then eventually stop rotating altogether. The long-term effects of this will guarantee you have to replace the sprinkler heads in your irrigation system.

This takes us to the pressure that is caused when the water cannot access the sprinkler heads. This can build up in your irrigation system and cause a much larger issue than just replacing a sprinkler head. While it starts with this, if debris or mechanical issues are not causing the lack of rotation, then there is a bigger issue within the system. This could be leaky pipes losing water.

Your lawn will not be attractive or healthy because of these issues. Also, you could find yourself spending a lot of money on a high water bill and costs to repair the system. These consequences can be extensive, and can will all stem from one sprinkler head that wasn’t rotating and fixed.

How Do I Prevent My Hunter Sprinkler Head Not Rotating?

If you want to keep debris out of your sprinkler head and make sure it is operating, make sure you are doing an inspection on the system at the beginning of the growing season and again at the end. You need to check each sprinkler head before you start the system so that there are no issues with pressure and grinding gears from the very beginning. It is important that you do this again at the end of the season so that when you stop your system for the winter, it does not have that build-up throughout that time. This could allow unwanted corrosion to set in and guarantee that you will be replacing your sprinkler heads. Your goal is to be able to water your grass efficiently.

Clean Your Sprinkler Heads Every Few Months

If you notice that a head is stuck, you may want to give it some lube, especially if you just clean it so that the gears are protected and do not wear down. There could be mineral build-up in your sprinkler heads that will lead to rust if they are not cleaned. Make sure you clean these heads thoroughly to keep the rust out. If you do not do this any other time, do it right before the winter months because of the cold temperatures that will sit on the ground.