Drip irrigation question from a newbie

last month

last modified: last month

I recently installed a drip irrigation system, and this is my first attempt at setting one up. I was getting tired of hand-watering!

The basic design is a 100-foot-long ½-inch mainline, from which 10 ¼-inch lines are distributed. I currently have about 20 × 1 GPH emitters installed on the ¼-inch lines.

The system covers two beds that are raised about a foot. One is a raised vegetable bed with about 10 emitters, and the remaining emitters are used for shrubs.

Each ¼-inch line has a maximum of 3 emitters, and the average length of the ¼-inch lines is approximately 5 feet.

I am planning to run the system for about 30–60 minutes, depending on the weather and watering needs.

My question is: roughly how many 1 GPH emitters can I safely install on this system? Is there a practical maximum I should stay below, considering the 100-foot ½-inch mainline and the 8–9 ¼-inch branches?

Any other suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated.

We also have very dry summers in Oregon.

Thanks!

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Comments (3)

outpaientzero
last month
There is a lot of math involved to give an answer, and I had the same question over 2 months ago and got the answer quickly by AI. I've used Drip irrigation for several years and always used my best guess and some lines failed to preform from overextending the limits. This year I standardized my lines and used AI to calculated my new set up. The math required the pressure regulator PSI I was using, the gallons of water per minute available before the regulator and the line pressure to the regulator to start and then the line lengths, emitters GPH, and so on.

ask AI and you will eventually get the correct answers. AI even calculated the amount of water applied per square foot, how far it would peculate down and wick sideways and estimate how long to run it based on my soil type. AI will prompt your for information so give it a try.

I do love my drip lines. 0.7 gallons per hour, no wasted water, no hoses to pull around, even watering and all I need to do is switch a few valves.
joypdx thanked outpaientzero
joypdx
Original Author
last month
Thanks. How do you do .7 gph ?

i see the minimum emitters available are 1 gph.

I had asked the AI. It had a great suggestion to install on off buttons per quarter inch line. I will be doing that but i am thinking if i should instead add the on off button for the half inch lne but it could be difficult to insert for the half inch line.
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outpaientzero
13 days ago
last modified: 13 days ago
Joypdx, The 0.7 gpm emitters are built into the inside of the 1/4" tubing I use that are spaced 6" apart or 12" apart, it comes in 50' rolls for $15, and 50' is the absolute limit for one off a 1/2" tubing. A roll spaced 6" apart is 100 emitters. I have 1 gpm, 2 gpm and adjustable individual emitters to pierce into 1/2" tubing but found the 1/4" tube with embedded emitters is much easier for rows.

Each row is valved on/off from a main line and run three main lines and I select which one I want to run, only one will run otherwise it will overload water volume and pressure, but works for me. You can buy 1/2" tubing in 500' rolls for about $50 and the best bargain. 1/2" Valves can be found on Amazon for less than a buck each and work until they don't but I've only had one leak. Tee's, elbows and other fittings are cheap, about $12 in 25 and 30 packs so I can put many on/off valves without breaking the bank.