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My friend called today. He was hoping to get to the bank, I was hoping to stay home. I asked about tomorrow. That will work, so long as it is before 13:00. He actually wanted to go to Ogden. I told him I am going Tuesday. If he can wait until then it would save me some money on gas. Plus it's 100 out there. I've been out to let Sam know I love her, give her some treats, and look over the garden. But I'm glad today is an indoor work day. Even driving, with the ac, is a harsh prospect today. The news says 97 today, 99 tomorrow. Aye, but a trip to town isn't as bad as a trip to Ogden.
I've not been very functional today as with yesterday. This time, however, I saw it coming. Rather than just sitting, goofing, I decided to even tinker using the brain. So I have been exploring drip irrigation. Looking over the options and prices, just for the plants that would need dripped, the cost would be about $80. Now that includes 500' of 1/2 pipe which is far more than is immediately needed. However, it could also cover row dripping the corn and such (or mister if I wanted to go that way), plus cover mistakes, and on top of those things provide extra hose for next year as I consider what to do with the rest of the garden space. The only thing I am not sure about is how flexible the hose is. If it isn't flexible enough I would have to figure out how to branch the system for the rows. I found elbows and other things, but no t-connectors. If I had to do lines for each row that would require at least 9 t-connectors, 8 for the rows (not including row crops like corn) plus one for the incoming hose. The most reliable way to do that would be to center the supply line and hope for the best.
The system I am considering consists of a 3/4" adapter, a screen filter (155, but would prefer 200), a pressure maintenance device (25 psi), and a one-way adapter to keep my drinking water clean since it is connected before my house water of course. I thought about the pressure control, and... yeah. The water pressure here can be extremely high to rather low, which would mean I would have no idea, otherwise, how much water was really going out. What I am missing is whether I need t-connectors, how much they would cost, and where to get them. I am a bit worried about pressure with that many lines, especially with four more lines needed for the row crops. I could run two different lines out, but that would still be six lines per adapter, which is split from a single faucet on top of it. I've been looking and deciding, then digging a bit more, as I try to wake enough to get to plumbing. Oh, and I might just bury the line from the hydrant to the garden, if not deeply. It would have to be shallow enough, probably, to remove/drain for winter. Just enough that I don't have to tinker with it regarding mowing.
Yeah, I'm thinking about the kitchen plumbing. I've been thinking about it all day. I just haven't gotten to it. I think I will though, and rather shortly. then an hour break as I won't quit until it is done, then on to the water in the bathroom. If I get that, and it all works, then on to installing the toilet. If all that goes forward, and I still have some poop left in the hopper, I'll tinker with the electrical. I don't want to mess with that if I am really tired, or even mostly tired. I want to be on my game for that, just like with fire. *poof*
It might not be a pretty day. It is hot. I feel ugly. I'm not getting to things quickly. But I think it will turn out just fine. Sometimes I have to push, sometimes I see the need to back off and let it happen, sometimes I don't have a choice. Which of those last today has been I can't quite tell, if I'm pretty sure it is the latter. I don't have to like reality to realize it. Later.
I'm going to be out of touch as of tomorrow morning, but a quick answer is, at 4 gallons per hour, you'd have to connect sixty or seventy emitters to equal the output of one overhead sprinkler. As long as you're using 1/2" poly, the pressure will be uniform throughout.
ReplyDeleteTees and bends should be right in the same aisle as the poly pipe and the emitters.
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ReplyDeleteHere they are, and probably available many other places.
ReplyDeleteTo answer another question, it is not terribly flexible. You can manage 36" radius bends, but much more and it will want to kink.
I didn't think it would be all that flexible. Still, I think I can add extended emitters for the few out of line plants.
ReplyDeleteUhrm, as to "Tees and bends should be...", that makes as much sense... well, it just is clear as mud.
Are you saying I should just lay the pipe, and put tees and the final angle off the main line, all inline, rather than tee into and from a main line? That's sort of what I am getting. Maybe I need a beer? Yeah, that'll help. :p
Ah, as to the tees, the reason a search wasn't finding them was purely semantics. It seems t does not equal tee. I had been... curious about that. Now I know.
And, finally, I could get the tomatoes and peppers on one line, but for the rows I would need a separate line, if the limit is 60-70. Not much of a problem really. The additional pieces wouldn't add more than $20 to my suggested rig, though the tees and bends would add another $15. It does add up.
Do you think it is too late to water starve the weeds?
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