Transcript Drip Irrigation Mini Tutorial November 4, 2009

Drip Irrigation
presented by Pat McCormick
Feb 25, 2014
Drip Advantages
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Uses water efficiently
- Reduces loss due to evaporation
- Reduces loss to runoff
- Reduces leaching of nutrients
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Precise water control
Fewer weeds
Better distribution on slopes
Promotes good soil structure
Works with low water pressure
(as well as with high water pressure)
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Hand watering with glass of wine or cup of coffee is allowed
Attracts wildlife (intended or unintended)
Drip Limitations
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Initial costs (for parts and time)
Maintenance required
– Clogging
– Rodent chewing
– Cutting it with a shovel
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Root area watered is limited
Doesn’t cleanse foliage
Can’t see if its working without bending over
Where is drip useful?
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Rose gardens
Perennial garden
Shrub area
Vegetable garden
Ground cover
Orchards
Greenhouse
New trees
Lawns
Native plants
Non-native plants
Sloped areas
Water features
Schematic of Drip System
Super Simple(1) Version of Main Assembly
Solid distribution
tubing
Schematic of Drip System
Super Simple(2) Version of Main Assembly
Solid distribution
tubing
Schematic of Drip System
Super Simple(3) Version of Main Assembly
Solid distribution
tubing
Types of Drip Tubing
• Distribution tubing ½”
Used to transport water. It is solid. Other tubing of all kinds
connect to it. Drip emitters connect to it where you want
them. Be aware that there are 2 sizes available both calling
themselves “half inch”. The Orbit brand is actually 0.7 inches
in diameter. The Rainbird brand is actually 0.63 inches.
• In-line emitter tubing (both ½” and ¼”)
Emits water in a controlled manner. It has mini pressure
controlled, self-flushing emitters imbedded so that the first
emitter and the last emitter release the same amount of
water. I have connected plug in emitters to these. Emitters
can be 18”, 12” and 6” apart. There are sized differences in
this tubing as with the distribution tubing.
Emitter Tubing
Brown ½” (.63”) emitter tubing with 18” spacing by
Rainbird between emitters
Black ½” (.7”) emitter tubing with 12” spacing by Orbit
Brown ¼” emitter tubing with 12” spacing
Types of
½” Connectors
Compression Manual shutoff valve
(made to fit either .7” or .63” distribution tubing, will not fit both sizes)
Universal Straight Thru
(works with both .7” and .63” of distribution and emitter tubing)
Universal Elbow
(works with both .7” and .63” of distribution and emitter tubing)
Universal Tee
(works with both .7” and .63” of distribution and emitter tubing)
Compression Tee
(made to fit either .7” or .63” distribution tubing, will not fit both sizes)
Types of ½” Termination Devices
End cap with hose threaded cap
Good for draining or connecting to a hose to extend.
Compression Manual Shut Off Valve
Used to cut off a section of the line, perhaps when certain plants are more
established and require less water, or no longer requires irrigation. (But
if you aren’t sure, this is a good temporary shut off before you remove
the line entirely.
Figure 8 Terminator
Slide the tubing through one ring with about a 10-inch tail, then fold the
tubing and feed it through the other ring. Inexpensive, works great,
easy to remove if you want to extend the line later.
Works with both sizes of half inch distribution tubing.
Types of ¼” Connectors
Goof plug
Straight Thru
Manual Shut off Valve
Tee
Types of Emitters
½” distribution tubing
with emitter/dripper
attached
Micro emitters (1/4”)
.1 to 20 gallons per
hours
Micro emitter
adjustable spray
Micro valve
used with
gritty water
How far can I run Dripline?
It depends on your water pressure
Drip Subsystems
Grid
½” Distribution
tubing from faucet
Elbow connector
T connector
End cap for
draining
½” In Line emitter
tubing
Drip Subsystems
other possible layouts
½” dist. tubing
¼” distribution
tubing
Shrub emitter with barb inserted
at the end of the tube
Low volume
emitter with barb
¼” T barb
¼” in line emitter
¼” straight-thru
connector barb
Terminator (goof plug)
¼” in line emitter
½” straight
through
connector
½” emitter
tubing
Terminator end
cap
Converting Spray to Drip
It is possible to keep and existing underground pvc spray system in place and convert the water distribution above
ground to drip. All of the uprights must be converted or capped. The timing will not work with both spray and drip
in one zone. The pressure may exceed the drip component capabilities, but I have done this without changing the
pressure
The way I have done it is to remove the spray heads and replace with a threaded T connector (threads on all 3 sides).
There are connectors design to retrofit pvc threaded uprights with drip compression. The connector is threaded on
one end and ½” compression on the other end. Put one of these on each side of the pvc T and make a loop with
½” poly tubing or ½” inline emitter tubing. Alternatively, from the upright use a threaded elbow connector, then add
the conversion piece and a length of ½” tubing.
½” emitter
tubing
Threaded pvc
T connector
Threaded pvc
elbow
Threaded to
compression
connectors
Existing underground pvc, T,
and uprights
½” emitter
tubing
Resources
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http://txsmartscape.com
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/
http://urbanlandscapeguide.tamu.edu/
http://texaset.tamu.edu/
http://turf.tamu.edu/
http://rainwaterharvesting.tamu.edu/
http://irrigation.tamu.edu/
http://earthkindroses.tamu.edu/
“Drip Irrigation for every Landscape and all Climates” by Robert Kourik
available on Amazon.com new and used.
Dripworks.com