PVC Drip System

[cdog222]

I set up a slightly over ambitious PVC drip system a couple of years ago and I'm very interested to track your progress - seems very similar to mine. I basically ran a 3/4 main trunk line through my garden, and branched off with 1/2" pipe to each bed or area. I had a ball valve at each location, so I could pressure the main trunk and water whichever areas I wanted. I even pre - drilled additional pieces of pipe for each bed with different hole patterns to accomodate different plant spacing, and labeled each one to make for easy swapping when needed. Unfortunately, I didn't clear water out of the main trunk during the first winter, and the pipes burst in several locations - I should have known better!

A couple of my observations - I have municipal water, but I have no idea what the pressure is. I glued my 3/4" connections, but simply pushed together the 1/2" connections in the bed areas. I read somewhere online that the water pressure wasn't enough to blow the connections apart in the 1/2" pipe - seems to be true! I initially ran a 'sub' trunk for each bed, and then a lateral line for each plant row within each bed. I quickly found that the pressure quickly lessened the further away from the ball valve that the holes were. By connecting all of the lateral lines on the opposite end of the initial trunk, the pressure was better balanced and water was emitted more equally across the entire bed. The system was a little finicky - if I were to open the valve for one bed 1/2 way and then open the valve for another bed, the pressure within the first bed would drop a bit. It would take a little bit of tweaking the ball valves each watering to balance the whole system. Certainly not a deal breaker - it/s a fun project to work on and a challenge to figure out how to make improvements as I go.

I intend to repair the main trunk and then bury it this fall, as well as make a few other improvements as I go. I like the idea of burying pipe all the way back to the main valve at the house (about 50' or so away as well). Post some updates once you get back at it - I'd like to compare notes!

Thanks

[DDMcKenna]

Sounds like another great watering system. I've always liked the idea of assembling that kind of stuff.

Where I live now, there are no freezing issues. It hasn't dropped below freezing for two years and when it did, it was a couple degrees for a couple hours at most, not enough to pop the garden hose.

But I used to live up there and my kids still do. So I've dealt with freezing a bit. It seems like you may have to bury that main trunk over a foot or where ever your frost line is for your particular area. But it may be possible to leave it exposed and accessible if you do other things. The main one being, of course, draining it before any freezing weather. I might also explore the use of some specially created joints. Using the very same coupler that you would to join two pieces of PVC pipe, I might try to create a joint every so often that uses some kind of sealing tape or putty and only a single tiny drop of PVC cement. So, acting like the freeze-plugs in an engine block, (which, by the way, weren't designed to be "freeze plugs", but a place to remove the sand from the casting molds), but perform the very same function. These couplers could pop apart and easily be put back together.

[Tabasco]

Still haven't elaborated on the system yet, rain has been pretty steady here.

I did notice that the reduction and then increase in diameter from hose to pipe
resulted in a loss of pressure in the house when watering.
I agree, the system is a bit finicky, but tweaking with valves and leveling gets it done.

I'm planning some significant plumbing changes soon and I will post the goings on.

[Tabasco]

I reduced the pvc size to 1/2" and greatly simplified the layout.
Just 3 - 10' lengths, 1 - T, 1 - 90 degree, 2 - caps, and a hose adapter.
Took 5 minutes to construct.
Works way better and the pressure doesn't drop in the house.

[cdog222]

What sized holes did you drill into the PVC? I forget what size mine are, but I did notice that when only a small area was pressured I had to really tweak the ball valve to get the water somewhere between a fast drip and a steady trickle. I think I may have drilled them just a little too big!

I haven't gotten back to working on my system, but once the summer crops wind down I'll get back at it. Hopefully I'll have it functional before the season ends so it will be ready to go for next year.

[imafan26]

It looks like a great setup. I use regular drip tubing for my system and it works great too and it has a bit more flexibility. I am finding I need to change out the mainlines now because my system is primarily above ground and the plastic has become still and degraded so it is starting to have leaks I can't repair easily, but it lasted over twenty years.

A lot of people find it easier to work with pvc, but I hate dealing with the glue and the clogging and the inflexibility of the system, but mostly I hate having to repair it when I hit it with my pick.

[DDMcKenna]

I can certainly attest to that. If I don't dig down eight inches and break through a lawn sprinkler pipe, my wife will drive over it. But PVC is very cheap and easy to replace when it wears out. The auto shop uses it for their shop air pressure. That can be a little exciting when one of those joints break.

[Tabasco]

What sized holes did you drill into the PVC? I forget what size mine are, but I did notice that when only a small area was pressured I had to really tweak the ball valve to get the water somewhere between a fast drip and a steady trickle. I think I may have drilled them just a little too big!

I think I did that too on the last one.
I went out and did some follow up research and found that 1/16" is the "Ideal".
Sure enough, it sprays just right, is more even, and doesn't need as much leveling.
I do suspect that it may also be attributed to the smaller dimension pipe.

[Tabasco]

A lot of people find it easier to work with pvc, but I hate dealing with the glue and the clogging and the inflexibility of the system, but mostly I hate having to repair it when I hit it with my pick.

I didn't have to glue any of it.
It comes apart in ten seconds, so I can flush it clean anytime.
But the old one never did clog.
I keep it just like you see it, I never intend to bury it, so it just doesn't clog.