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Drip Irrigation Questions/Troubleshooting



Frequently Asked Questions

drip "How do I connect the 1/4" tubing to the .700 tubing?"
drip You connect them with a normal 1/4" drip coupling. You punch a hole in the .700 tubing with a drip hole punch, and then you press in the coupling. The 1/4" tubing slips over the other end of the 1/4" coupling.

drip "How do I connect the .700 tubing to a hose bibb (garden hose thread)?"
drip Simply use a .700 x 3/4 FHT (female hose thread) adapter.

drip "Do the drippers have to attach to the end of 1/4" tubing?"
drip No. All of the drippers that we sell can be attached directly to the .700 tubing. Just punch a hole and press the dripper into it.

drip "What's the difference between .700 tubing and the 1/2" drip tubing at my local garden supply store? And where's the 1/4" tubing fit in all this?"
drip ' 1/2" ' drip tubing actually varies in size from .455"od all the way up to .900"od. The tubing we sell measures .700"od (.600"id). We call it .700 because the different sizes of tubing are not always interchangeable (although, we have adapters for just about any size). This is in contrast to the 1/4" drip tubing, which is almost universally 1/4" outside diameter (.170"id). You normally use the ' 1/2" ' tubing for main supply lines and the 1/4" tubing for individual feeder lines.

drip "I already have some tubing. Can I adapt my existing to yours?"
drip You sure can! We have adapters for most sizes of tubing. And if you're not sure what size your tubing is, just cut off a small piece and mail it to us.

drip "How flexible is the .700 tubing?"
drip The .700 tubing that we sell should easily handle a turn with a 9" radius.

drip "What do I do to cap off the end of the .700 tubing?"
drip You can use either a figure-eight fitting (slide the fitting over the tubing, fold over the end of the tubing, and slide the end back through the fitting), a .700 x 3/4"MHT adapter and a cap, or a .700 in-line valve.

drip "What do some of these terms mean?"
drip Common terms used in drip irrigation are:
MHT = Male hose thread - like you find on the business end of a garden hose.
FHT = Female hose thread - like on the faucet end of the garden hose.
MIPS = Male iron pipe size - male threads typically used in water piping.
FIPS = Female iron pipe size - female threads like above.
GPM = Gallons per minute.
GPH = Gallons per hour

drip "If my system is running at 20psi, how much water will I get out of it?"
drip If you start with at least 40psi and install one of our 20psi regulators, your system will produce 8gpm (480gph) maximum.

drip "Is the In-line Regulator a flow restriction device or an actual pressure regulator?"
drip It is actually a pressure regulator (not just a piece of plastic with a small hole in the center).

drip "What is the maximum length I can run the .70 drip tubing?"
drip The .70 tubing can be used at varying lengths with different outputs.
Assuming 20psi and evenly spaced emitters:
100' will allow 150gph total
250' will allow 135gph total
500' will allow 120gph total
we don't recommend lines over 500' long (unless you put very few emitters on them).

drip "What is 'evenly spaced emitters' mean?"
drip It means that when that is specified you cannot put all of the emitters in one spot. If you placed 100 one gallon per hour emitters within a short distance then you can not expect to be able to also use 20 more one gallon emitters after 500 feet on the same line (therefore totaling 120gph as shown above). In order for the above rules to work you need to place the emitters apart and not all bunched up.

drip "Any tips on installation?"
drip We always recommend a pressure regulator and a screen type, cleanable filter.
Always install the tubing first with the end of the line open and not plugged off. Turn on the water supply and flush out the tubing. Turn off the water then install all your emitters/drippers/etc. Turn on the water again and check your emitters.

drip "Should I install the pressure regulator first, or the wye filter?"
drip If your pressure is over 40psi we recommend installing the pressure regulator first.


Troubleshooting

PROBLEM CAUSED BY SOLUTION
Emitters blow off tubing
Tubing separates from fittings
Emitters blow apart
Pressure too high Install Pressure Regulator
Emitter blow off or leak around base of emitter Holes are too large in supply tubing Use goof plug to seal off old hole. Use correct hole punch for new holes
Uneven uniformity
No water at end of tubing
Length of run too long Divide into shorter runs or reduce discharge rate of emitters
Uneven uniformity
No water at end of tubing
Pressure is too low Try reducing discharge rates of emitters, or operating only part of system at any time
Emitters plug Inadequate filtration Install filter. If filter is already installed, check screen for breaks.
Calcium carbonate build-up causing partial or full plugging of emitters Excessive hard water Inject dilute acid through system or replace emitters
Tubing separates from fittings Tubing/fitting incompatibility Replace with correct hose or correct fittings. Make sure tubing is pushed in all the way
Little or no water at top of hill Running tubing up too steep a hill Change configuration to run down hill

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