Garden Irrigation System Theory?

Are you looking for information or help in the garden. Post your agriculture, flora and fauna questions, suggestions and comments here.
telboy
Resident
Posts: 845
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2004 2:40 pm
Location: Fuentes de Cesna/Granada Province

Garden Irrigation System Theory?

Postby telboy » Fri May 13, 2016 4:07 pm

Decided to get my life back this Summer (2hrs each day spent watering the garden) Taking the plunge and installing micro watering irrigation. OK I now have all the bits of kit (pressure reducer, connectors, filters, timers etc). Just a few questions for anyone in the know.

The 16mm and 13mm supply pipe - How far can I run this from the mains tap, I will have a pressure reduction valve attached before the timer:?:

I also have about 50m of 13mm dripper pipe with holes(diaphragm) in it every 30mm or so. - Is this pipe for use directly from a mains tap - does this pipe self regulate the pressure?.

How many 4mm micro tubing connectors can I connect on a length of 13mm pipe :?:

If anyone has a link to a website explaining theory of irrigation pipe that would be a great help :thumbup:

Cheers

terry

El Cid
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 16058
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:42 pm
Location: La Herradura, Costa Tropical, Granada

Re: Garden Irrigation System Theory?

Postby El Cid » Fri May 13, 2016 5:28 pm

Reducing the pressure may severely limit how long a pipe run you can have. I use 20mm pipe and the runs are up to 50m with no problems. I run our system off a big pump at about 5bar. I tried the perforated pipe but I don't like it. The holes will get cal within a year and clog up. I use adjustable nozzles like these http://riegopro.com/goteros/gotero-regu ... iflow.html I can easily run 70 or more off a 50m run.

They are variable from a drip to 50l/hr. I either plug them directly into the 20mm supply pipe or onto the end of some small "macaroni" flexible tubing to locate the nozzle where I want it.

http://riegopro.com/microtubo-flexible/ ... 5-mts.html

If the nozzles get clogged up a quick bath in Agua Fuerte solves the problem.

Sid

TorreDelAguila
Resident
Posts: 1356
Joined: Thu Jan 23, 2014 11:52 am
Location: Sayalonga

Re: Garden Irrigation System Theory?

Postby TorreDelAguila » Sat May 14, 2016 8:53 am

We use 25mm OD black poly pipe for main distribution runs, fed from the deposito 3-4 bar pump, via a timer.
If your land is flat, and not too big, you can use a single main pipe run.
If large, and hilly, then a separate circuit for each area is better, to avoid pressure variance between high and low points in the system.
(We have 6 main circuits, fed from three 2-channel timers, in rotation.)

Coming off the main 25mm circuit, we use 4.5mm OD small pipes, leading to individual plants/watering points. Main pipe is drilled for these, and the 4.5mm small pipe just pushed in. Small pipes are terminated with a plastic "dribble stick", which pokes into the ground, or pot.

Secret for even flow is a BIG main supply pipe (12, 13, 15mm etc far too small) and tiny feed-offs. This prevents first feed-off getting the lion's share, and starvation at the other end. Supply pipes can also be connected up "in a ring" (feed both ends), just like a ring-main electrical circuit, with all the benefits of that.

Lots of different approaches to this. That was ours.

On timer setting, good idea to allow a brief "pre-damping" of about 3 or 4 minutes, followed by the main watering period (10-15 mins?) a short while later. This pre-damp moistens up the ground, so that the main watering doesn't just run off dry and impermeable ground. All watering best done at night: less wasteful evaporation from both ground and plants. Maybe cheaper electricity, too!
Chris

telboy
Resident
Posts: 845
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2004 2:40 pm
Location: Fuentes de Cesna/Granada Province

Re: Garden Irrigation System Theory?

Postby telboy » Sat May 14, 2016 3:06 pm

Cheers :thumbup:

Sid - The perforated pipe, when the holes become clogged up, could it still be usable by inserting adjustable nozzles or 4mm tube into the existing holes :?:

Torredelaguila - Is your 25mm OD black poly pipe a low pressure pipe :?:
Is it better with a ring feed rather than separate line feeds(rows) off the feeder pipe as ? Good idea on the pre-damping too :!:

terry

TorreDelAguila
Resident
Posts: 1356
Joined: Thu Jan 23, 2014 11:52 am
Location: Sayalonga

Re: Garden Irrigation System Theory?

Postby TorreDelAguila » Sat May 14, 2016 4:39 pm

25mm pipe is 10bar black poly pipe - quite adequate. 16bar has thicker walls, and not much more expensive; tougher if you are spade-happy. Both cheap enough if you buy a 50m or 100m reel. 25mm compression joints (black plastic with O-ring) for joints, tee's, elbows, etc.
In general I just make a single run of this from the timer-valve to the area to be watered, and loop it around the area, to pass as close to the plants to be watered. From this, the small 4.5mm OD pipes jump off; these small pipes are anything up to 1.5m long, but usually much shorter.
Chris

Beachcomber
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 11081
Joined: Tue Jun 15, 2004 11:11 pm
Location: Guadalhorce Valley

Re: Garden Irrigation System Theory?

Postby Beachcomber » Sat May 14, 2016 5:23 pm

My irrigation system has a 50mm tube from the main metered supply to my internal distribution system. It feeds nearly a kilometre of supply pipe and drip feeds and several lawn sprinklers.

The inevitable build up of cal in the drip feeds is prevented by allowing a diluted solution of nitric acid to be passed through the pipes from time to time. This is done by means of an old swimming pool filter with the collector pipes removed to which I add about three litres of nitric acid then allow it to feed slowly into the network.

This can also be used to feed a liquid fertiliser into the system.

There are several web sites on this subject including this one:

http://blogs.denverpost.com/coloradoath ... ife/10388/

Google for more.
Let's go Brandon!


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 9 guests