Irrigation Product Listings & Reviews

Rainbird Mini-Paw® Pop-Up Impact Rotor

Description:

The Mini-Paw is an inexpensive and very popular rotor head primarily used for budget impaired residential sprinkler systems. The limited nozzle sizes (only two sizes and most stores only carry one in stock) make designing a sprinkler system that uses this head difficult. Based on the GPM of the nozzles, a properly designed system using the Mini-Paw should not mix part-circle and full circle heads together on the same valve. Each should be installed on a separate valve circuit in order to balance the water application (see the sprinkler system design tutorial). The Mini-Paw features include a 3 year warranty, stainless steel retraction spring, 3" pop-up height (but the nozzle is only about 1 1/2" high so it's really a 1 1/2" pop-up), optional side inlet, full or part-circle operation, screen filter, and a wiper seal on the internal riser. Like all "mouse-traps" (the negative industry term used for pop-up impacts) the Mini-Paw tends to trap debris inside the case, and aggressive grasses like Bermuda wrap themselves up in the mechanism, causing the sprinkler to stop turning. I would consider this a high-maintenance sprinkler, and expect to clean out the cases at least twice a year. My experience is that the end of the 3 year warranty period just about marks the end of the life span of a Mini-Paw. I don't use Mini-Paws in my sprinkler systems. I don't recommend that you use them unless you like the nice box they come in. I'll list the data here because it is so popular and widely used. If you want to use a impact sprinkler, take a look at the review of the Rainbird Maxi-Paw.

Model Numbers:

Manufacturer's Performance Data:

Mini-Paw Performance (15103, LG-3, MG-3)
Nozzle/Part No. 25 PSI 30 PSI 35 PSI 40 PSI 45 PSI 50 PSI
15103-07
LG-3 		33' - 1.9 GPM 34' - 2.0 GPM 35' - 2.2 GPM 36' - 2.3 GPM 36' - 2.5 GPM 36' - 2.6 GPM
15103-09
MG-4 		36' - 2.6 GPM 37' - 2.8 GPM 38' - 3.0 GPM 39' - 3.3 GPM 40' - 3.5 GPM 41' - 3.6 GPM

Remember that the distance between rotor heads should never be greater than the PSI. Therefore rotors operating at 30 PSI should not be spaced farther apart than 30'.

 

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".