drip irrigation boo boo question

HonoluluGirl · Sun Feb 03, 2013 7:32 am

I bought 100 feet of 1/2" tubing instead of 5/8" tubing by mistake. I can't return it because I already laid it out in my garden and cut it. My existing drip irrigation uses 5/8" tubing. I wanted to extend it and branch it out to a different part of my garden using a "T" connector. When I put the 1/2" tubing inside the "T" connector, it's too loose. Is there some type of connector that I can use to connect the 1/2 hose to the 5/8" hose?

DoubleDogFarm · Sun Feb 03, 2013 8:24 am

Sounds like the difference between commercial and homeowner.
To go from smaller 1/2" tubing (.620 OD - Raindrip, Accudrip, etc.)to our standard 1/2" tubing (.700 OD).

This may help.
https://www.dripworks.com/product/CCA

Eric

imafan26 · Sun Feb 03, 2013 2:59 pm

HG, I have incompatible systems, but I did not want to rip it out so when I connect one to the other I put in beginnings and ends. At the end of the old system, attach a male connector compatible with that tube. At the beginning of the other system, connect a female adapter and then tie them together. You would have to use the T for the side you are adding.

Universal connectors will fit dig and Roberts' tubing. I get those from Diamond Head Sprinkler supply one store is in town the other is in Pearl City Industrial Park.

I think Lowe's sells rain drip.

HonoluluGirl · Sun Feb 03, 2013 4:51 pm

Thank you Eric and Imafan. My drip irrigation system is the Dig kit that I think I bought at Home Depot (but I can't remember for sure). I'm rereading the Dig manual just to make sure I'm not losing my mind. It says 1/2 inch. That's what I thought I needed, so I bought 1/2 inch tubing from Lowe's (not Dig's, but a generic brand). You would think they would be the same. Bleh. I'll go and look for some connectors/adapters.

tomf · Sun Feb 03, 2013 7:53 pm

The two brands do not work together, they are differnt sizes. The Dig system is the better made one, you can put electric tape around the small hose and push it into the Dig Tee. I would just go and get the Dig brand hose and make it all good. The hose is much thicker and will last longer.

imafan26 · Mon Feb 04, 2013 1:54 pm

The dig and rain drip are both 1/2 inch tubing. What is different is where they measure it and the wall thickness. Rain drip tubing usually is smaller to fit inside the connector and Dig tubing will fit outside of a universal connector.
Lowe's tubing is rain drip
Home Depot is Dig
Dig, Roberts and drip mist can all use universal connectors.
Diamond Head sprinkler isn't that far from home depot. It is a commercial sprinkler supply and is usually a little cheaper to buy from them. You have to ask about prices, the shelves are not priced but the staff is very helpful.
I didn't know about electrical tape. Usually the pressure pops the fitting if they don't fit tight.

tomf · Mon Feb 04, 2013 6:07 pm

I have a large drip system and made the same mistake, the tape worked.

Grdngrl1960 · Tue Feb 05, 2013 12:58 am

I have done the same thing. I found this coupler from Drip Depot https://www.dripdepot.com/1194 that worked for me. It fits a wide range of tubing inside diameters. Hope this helps.

DoubleDogFarm · Tue Feb 05, 2013 5:03 pm

Yep, Easy Loc fittings are superior connectors.

Eric

HonoluluGirl · Wed Feb 06, 2013 5:24 pm

A funny thing happened. I cut a small length from each tubing to take with me to home depot/lowes/etc. so I could see how they fit into the various couplers/adapters. I gave them to my husband and told him to put them in the car so I won't forget them. He stuck one into the other and said why don't we just do that? I can't pull them apart. They seem stuck tightly. I think I'll do that and maybe use tape or super-glue.

dtlove129 · Thu Feb 07, 2013 6:20 am

HonoluluGirl wrote:A funny thing happened. I cut a small length from each tubing to take with me to home depot/lowes/etc. so I could see how they fit into the various couplers/adapters. I gave them to my husband and told him to put them in the car so I won't forget them. He stuck one into the other and said why don't we just do that? I can't pull them apart. They seem stuck tightly. I think I'll do that and maybe use tape or super-glue.

This here will do it https://www.dripirrigation.com/drip_irrigation_parts/516

imafan26 · Sat Feb 09, 2013 3:39 pm

Well, I guess you found your own solution.

tomf · Sun Feb 10, 2013 2:14 am

Cool, now I learned something new.

TheWaterbug · Mon Feb 25, 2013 7:20 am

imafan26 wrote:Lowe's tubing is rain drip

Thanks!!!! I'm usually a Home Depot shopper, so I seldom go into Lowe's, and Armstrong stopped carrying RainDrip a few years ago, so I'd been buying online and overpaying massively for shipping &c.

I stopped by Lowe's Saturday and bought a whole heap of RainDrip for probably 1/3 of what it would have cost me online.

valley · Mon Feb 25, 2013 9:35 am

ABS Cement is what the doctor ordered. Swab the smaller tube about 6" and glop some into the larger tube. Then slide them together and move on.

DoubleDogFarm · Mon Feb 25, 2013 1:23 pm

TheWaterbug wrote:
imafan26 wrote:
I stopped by Lowe's Saturday and bought a whole heap of RainDrip for probably 1/3 of what it would have cost me online.

This maybe true for internet retail, but I buy wholesale. I have a commercial account with Dripworks

Makes a big difference. I probably pay half of your cost for small engine tune-up parts also..

Eric

TheWaterbug · Tue Feb 26, 2013 2:34 am

DoubleDogFarm wrote:
TheWaterbug wrote:
imafan26 wrote:
I stopped by Lowe's Saturday and bought a whole heap of RainDrip for probably 1/3 of what it would have cost me online.
This maybe true for internet retail, but I buy wholesale. I have a commercial account with Drip works

Online retail is cheaper than in-store for ~95% of non-grocery stuff that I buy, but the DripWorks stuff seems to be different. It's probably because of the relatively low sales volume and high cubic inch/dollar, especially for the hose.

For instance this 200' of tubing was $20 + $10 shipping on Amazon, but at Lowe's it's only $15, and I get immediate gratification vs. waiting a week.

The difference is even greater when talking about little one-off purchase, like if I need an elbow or a tee. The price isn't that much difference, but shipping is usually ~$6-$10, for a $2 item.

DoubleDogFarm · Tue Feb 26, 2013 3:29 am

For instance this 200' of tubing was $20 + $10 shipping on Amazon, but at Lowe's it's only $15, and I get immediate gratification vs. waiting a week.

The difference is even greater when talking about little one-off purchase, like if I need an elbow or a tee. The price isn't that much difference, but shipping is usually ~$6-$10, for a $2 item.

True, Bulk is always cheaper then onesie twosies. A packet of seed is expensive, but bulk seed has a better price.

We also have to compare product. Dripwork's tubing is the larger 1/2" tubing. 240 GPH flow. I have not researched but I believe it also has a thicker wall, so it doesn't kink.

I'm not really pushing Dripwork products. I'm just saying one should compare commercial vs. homeowner. Many irrigation companies sell the higher quality product.

Eric