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Old October 2, 2011   #40
JackE
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Woodville, Texas
Posts: 520
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Steve, my header line is 2" - because I have tons of two inch pvc pipe and many fitttings from the old gravity system we broke down a couple years ago. It's 1" coming out of the pump and into the filter and pressure regulator. Then, 2'' for the supply line and both headers, reduced to 1/2" at each row and plastic 1/2" ball valves installed.

I don't think I'm actually getting a steady flow of 12GPM like I thought. It won't run all 12 rows at once - only about 8. It seems to work best just running one zone of 6 rows at a time - the tape feels pretty "hard" with only six open, though - probably a little too high on the pressure. I'm gonna install an adjustable pressure regulator with a gauge like the one on the sprayer.

I now understand the injectors, thanks to you. But I think I'll hold-off until I decide how much land to irrigate this way. If I do all three acres, I'll need larger unit(s). That all depends on the drought ending and the irrigation pond filling back up. I'll play with this little system all winter and then I should have a better concept of what's involved. All three acres are presently covered by permanently installed 3/4" sprinklers on 2" lines and that works great when the lake pump is operational - 60GPM flow rate on that one with very moderate electricity costs - only pulls 10 amps on 240V.

Right now I'm all psyched-out over this %^$%# drought - if it's a temporary thing I'm better-off money-wise to stay with the sprinklers. From what I read you can inject fertilizer through sprinklers too - but that would be really wasteful to fertilize pathways and all! I just hope we're not turning into a desert like So Calif.

Jack
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