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keodark

Drip via sprinkler timer?

14 years ago

Hello all,

Sorry if I am asking a question that has been answered before - I tried searching but I don't know the name of the components I'm looking for.

The house I bought has a sprinkler system installed, and I'd like to run some drip using the *TIMER* on the sprinkler, NOT the risers. I want to be able to control the drip schedule independently of the sprinklers, and my sprinkler timer has plenty of empty stations available.

I have two water sources: one garden hose spout, and one capped-off section of 1-inch (ish) PVC, which is feeding the sprinklers.

Can someone point me in the direction of a solenoid-based coupler for either the PVC or the garden hose that I can attach drip line to?

Thanks!

Comments (5)

  • 14 years ago

    keo,

    I believe you can use a standard automatic gate valve with a solenoid that would be coming off the 1" pvc Tee (I assume the capped portion is a stub from a tee) and wired back to the controller. That is if the stub is closer to the drip area and the controller than the hose spout source. GL Aloha

  • 14 years ago

    Thanks lehua13, that gives me an option to work with.

    Before I try it, does anyone know of a non-PVC way to do this with a solenoid-powered valve that has 3/4" pipe threads both input and output?

  • 14 years ago

    Keo,
    Most electric valves can come with 3/4" threads or a bushing can be used. What I think you want to know is if a standard valve could be attached to the hose bib. It can be with the right adaptor going from 3/4" pipe thread to 3/4" hose thread. Then all you would need to do is run a station and common wire to the valve from the clock.

  • 14 years ago

    Thanks, Mike! I'll give it a try.

  • 14 years ago

    (Just a followup) Thanks for the advice everyone. I was able to get it connected using a Toro 53380 sprinkler valve, which has 3/4" pipe thread on each side (male). If you're doing something similar, note that the PVC adapters you need to connect this to an anti-syphon / pressure regulator / hose threaded faucet on one side and drip irrigation tubing or a manifold on the other side are in three different places in a big-box store like Home Depot. You need hose thread adapters, which are in plumbing (PVC, 3/4"), probably some 1/2" bushings or nipples from the irrigation section, and PVC pipe thread adapters (3/4") from the regular plumbing section. It can be a pain to find the ones you need with threads instead of smooth. When finished, my single-manifold gate setup was about 8 inches long, but it works! Remember to teflon-tape the threads and don't over tighten.

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