Landscaping - Pressure Compensating Dripper?
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keninaz
06-24-09, 12:40 PM
OK, I have put in several drip systems but it's been a few years.
So today I was in Lowe's and looking and the drippers all stated they were pressure compensating types.
There was nobody to ask and no literature to read or take as in years past. I came home and Googled them and they talk about uniform flow.
My question is, I intend to put in a small system using the 1/2" tubing with the 1/4" lines off it for the drippers.
With these new pressure compensating drippers do I need a pressure regulator at the house valve as we did before or not?
If I remember right in days past they were like a 15-25 PSI pressure regulator.
So today I was in Lowe's and looking and the drippers all stated they were pressure compensating types.
There was nobody to ask and no literature to read or take as in years past. I came home and Googled them and they talk about uniform flow.
My question is, I intend to put in a small system using the 1/2" tubing with the 1/4" lines off it for the drippers.
With these new pressure compensating drippers do I need a pressure regulator at the house valve as we did before or not?
If I remember right in days past they were like a 15-25 PSI pressure regulator.
Gunguy45
06-24-09, 01:22 PM
Yes...the drippers only provide the regulated flow w/in a specific range (say 10-25 psi)..not at full house pressure (45-60 psi maybe). No expert..just what I found in my research. And of course that was for the brand I had available.
keninaz
06-24-09, 03:19 PM
Yes that's what I am finding.
These drippers that sell for more money stating that they are self regulating are miss leading as far as I am concerned.
These drippers that sell for more money stating that they are self regulating are miss leading as far as I am concerned.
TheCaptain
06-24-09, 03:31 PM
If you do not route your drip properly, it can drip out faster in one area than another... say, right near your valve would leak faster than 50' away if you just laid it in a straight line.
Your dripline should typically be in a loop fashion and be fed from more than 1 place if it is too big--which is something you only get from experience.
You may still want to install a flow control or pressure compensating valve in case you are not using a large volume of this drip because the excess force can blow your fittings off. If your water pressure is not high (say, above 50 PSI or so) then you will probably be just fine using a normal valve.
If you are not running a whole lot of dripline it probably does not matter which type you use, but pressure compensating line is a superior product.
Your dripline should typically be in a loop fashion and be fed from more than 1 place if it is too big--which is something you only get from experience.
You may still want to install a flow control or pressure compensating valve in case you are not using a large volume of this drip because the excess force can blow your fittings off. If your water pressure is not high (say, above 50 PSI or so) then you will probably be just fine using a normal valve.
If you are not running a whole lot of dripline it probably does not matter which type you use, but pressure compensating line is a superior product.