seeking help for drip installation

20 years ago

Hello, I just bought a DIG drip irrigation kit and installed it in my container garden--about 20 fairly large pots with a variety of herbs, flowers, vegetables, and shrubs. Unfortunately, I am also having a variety of problems, and hope I can get some advice!

1. Leak in the area of the swivel attachment (the thing that attaches to the 1/2" black tubing.

My setup is as follows: faucet -> electronic timer -> filter/fertilizer attachment -> pressure regulator -> swivel attachment -> 1/2 tubing (which is the mainline)

When I test it, the swivel attachment busts a seam or something, and water sprays out everywhere! I have tried taking it off and trying to get a better fit, tightening up as well. It seems I must be doing something wrong here?

2. Today I noticed that the thing went on completely randomly! My timer is simple, analog one, with two knobs, one for how long to water, and the other for length of interval. I had it on 45 min. and 1 day, yet 5 hrs after I had watered, all of a sudden it is on again. Any ideas? It was a windstorm out...

3. Just to get the thing working, I took the pressure regulator and put it first in the chain, thus attaching the swivel attachment to the filter. Everything seemed to work fine. Until later today, I heard a funny sound and the faucet, attached to a T-shaped thing so I can use a garden hose, was vibrating and water squirting everywhere. Is this because you aren't supposed to put the pressure regulator this high up in the chain?

Sorry for the newbie questions, but I am pretty in the dark here! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Comments (4)

gw:garden-guy
20 years ago
I've installed several systems using Dig components (and I like them). The components you've described are slightly different from what I've used. The system is in the right sequence (-> filter/fertilizer attachment -> pressure regulator -> swivel attachment -> 1/2 tubing). What are you using for valves? On valves there is a minimum flow and a maximum flow. With drip you are interested in minimum (if the flow is too low the valves won't open or close correctly). To calculate the flow detemine the flow for each emitter in one zone and calculate the total flow for that zone. Rememeber that emitters are rated in gph and valves are rated in gpm. The valve needs to be in the flow range for the zone.

As far as the bursting lines, verify that you have a 20 psi pressure regulator in the system.
michaelwcho
Original Author
20 years ago
Ay, ay, ay! I just went out to look at the stuff, and there was a new leak! Water was sprouting from where the timer connected to the hose and was running all over and in the timer! I must have the equivalent of black thumb for technology or something.

I guess I should disclose the situation of the timer assembly, too.

The hose is attached to the Y joint (which is attached to a faucet), and then I run the hose to the garden, run the hose over a plastic container and then the timer, etc. hangs down from there. Obviously this is no way to make a permanent installation, but I'm just feeling my way through. If you have a good idea how I should install it, please share!

Anyway, the pressure regulator has a "25" printed on the outside.

I counted up the emitters and I have 40 gph total. Does this add up to something?
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michaelwcho
Original Author
20 years ago
As a follow up, I kept trying and re-reading the instructions.

It turns out most of the problem was just plain newbieness.

I had attached the pressure regulator to the swivel attachment, but they were incompatible. They can be either hose thread or pipe thread, and I had them mixed up. You have to be pretty careful, because unless you have some background in handiness this might slip through the cracks. Well, now I know.

I got a brass y-joint and hooked up the timer to that, and this seemed to solve the leaks from there.

Everything seems to be working now. When I test it, little spurts of water occasionally come from the timer/filter/regulator apparatus, it almost looks to be designed that way. Is that normal, then?

Thanks for the help!
gw:garden-guy
20 years ago
that hose vs pipe threaad will get you if you aren't aware of the difference. Dig makes the collar a different color but it is pretty easy to miss. sounds like you're off and running.