How to select the Right Senninger Xcel Wobbler?

The Xcel Wobbler has a male thread either, ½” or ¾”. It can be attached to a PVC riser using a female adaptor glued to the riser. The Xcel Wobbler has many flow rates to choose from, ranging from 1 to 6 GPM, and two different deflector angles. Select a nozzle to meet your desired radius of throw and a flow rate to match the application rate you want and the capacity of your irrigation zone.

Is a mid-angle or a high-angle Xcel-Wobbler better for my nursery?

The deflector angle of the sprinkler affects the distance of throw. A high-angle sprinkler will throw water a greater distance than the mid-angle, but in some cases has greater wind drift. The high-angle deflector also provides additional height to clear the canopy of the plant material. Choose a nozzle and deflector angle that provides the distance of throw and application rate you need based on the local wind drift conditions.

How do I choose the best Xcel-Wobbler nozzle?

Nozzles are selected by flow and distance of throw. The “number” of a nozzle represents its diameter in 64th’s of an inch. For example, a Number 9 nozzle is 9/64” in diameter. With a larger nozzle, the flow rate will be higher: this affects the number of heads that can operate at the same time and the size of the water supply and underground pipe required to supply your sprinklers.

How closely should I space Xcel-Wobbler sprinklers in my nursery?

The Xcel Wobber should be spaced to allow the droplets from one sprinkler to hit the next sprinkler head. This “head to head” coverage provides an overlap that turns the distribution of water from a circle to a square – a desirable goal since most container nurseries layout containers in a square pattern. If you want a sprinkler that delivers water in a circle to water a square pattern, sprinklers need to be spaced close together as shown below.

Close sprinkler spacing reduces the dry areas shown in the diagram but also increases the application rate and the number of heads required.

How long should I run my Xcel-Wobbler system? 

A Wobbler irrigation system will deliver a large amount of water in a short period of time. Webbers have flow rates of 1 to 6 GPM for each head. How long the system should run depends on container size and irrigation frequency. Small containers need short, frequent applications of water and nutrients. Depending on the size of the nozzle, irrigation time can range from 10 to 20 minutes, two to three times a day in the hot growing season.

How do I design my Xcel-Wobbler system?

For best results, a system should be reviewed and designed by a professional irrigation designer. The designer will select the Wobbler Xcel and nozzle for the right pattern diameter and flow rate and will set the system pressure. There are two options for controlling pressure to the Wobbler: a pressure regulator can be installed on each riser, or a larger regulator can be installed at the beginning of each supply manifold. When a single pressure is installed on each manifold, the manifold diameter should be large enough to keep all wobblers operating at close to the same pressure. If this is not possible a pressure regulator should be installed under each sprinkler head.

Do I need filtration for my Xcel-Wobbler?

All devices used for irrigation require filtration. The filtration might be a very simple screen filter designed to keep large particles out of the nozzle. The smallest nozzle has a 3/32” nozzle and a filter with 80 mesh screen can protect this nozzle from plugging.