Watering

[Gardner69]

My dear friends. I was wondering if you can assist me. I am setting up a micro irrigation system for my gardens and am having trouble with the 13mm distribution pipes. I have connected a 100kpa pressure reducer to the normal tap, then the 13mm pipe to the pressure reducer unit, and run the pipe to the garden. I then use risers and micro sprinklers around the garden. The problem I have is this. I am running the 13mm pipe where ever I need it, using elbows, T pieces, and joiners to complete the 13mm pipe. I push the elbows, T pieces, and joiners into the 13mm pipes at the required points to go around the garden. Then connected the 4mm pipes to the 13mm pipes and then to the drippers and micro sprinklers around the garden.

When I turn the tap on, the sprinklers work great, but for one problem. Where I have used the joiners, T pieces, and elbows, the water is leaking out at these joins. I have used the 13mm locking clamps and mounted them as per the instructions on the rear of the packet.

Is there anything I can use, and how can I use it, to seal up these joins to stop the water from leaking out.

Many thanks.

Col.

Col Paton.

[valley]

Greetings Col, Welcome, The push on fittings do tend to leak a bit. I use PVC and convert to the black plastic pipe once inside the garden areas. You can do the same. Last time we went to Queensland, I got a bicycle shipping box, cut up PVC to length of the box, and filled the box with the pvc and fittings. We found the cost of plastic pipe there way out of line, this was at Bunnings, maybe it's a bit cheaper now. We have a couple places, here in the states, where the garden is irrigated by timer, this has worked out well for us. Ta Richard

One more thing: We don't use pressure reducers, inside the greenhouse I have put small plastic valves that push into the small,4mm, plastic tubing, got them on the net.

[imafan26]

Did you push them in far enough. A lot of times the pipes are not cut straight and pushed in far enough. I am assuming the fittings and pipes are from the same manufacturer. Emitters, drippers, short connectors work with any set but the distribution tubing and fittings must come from the same manufacturer.

I have bought drip parts from three different makers. Raindrip, drip mist and Robert's tubing. I bought them at different times but the only way I can use them together is by making beginnings and ends. I need to use raindrip connectors with raindrip. Some of the Roberts connectors will fit the drip mist. Netafilm is another one that is not compatible with other sets.

If you have a long straight run and you do not need the flexibility or have to move the system often then you can use pvc and glue the sections together and use adapters to connect up the drip capillary lines. I myself hate dealing with the glue, and need to be able to move the system out of the way when I dig up the bed so I just have added faucets around the yard. One has a faucet timer on a short line. I had a landscaper install a standard 6 zone irrigation timer and manifold. Two zones are for turf and use standard heads on pvc. 4 zones are connected to the drip system. I have had to repair both the pvc and drip system lines and I much rather repair the drip lines. My system is now over 20 years old and I have to redo it again, but it did last a very long time. BTW the system still needs to be check periodically. Emiters get clogged from debris and salt build up and need to be replaced, but the main lines usually only need to be repaired... usually after I hit it with my pick.