Hi Michael, thank you SO much for the insights! Finally a little light in the mist of a confusing variety of filters! As I am trying to install a gravity fed drip irrigation system in combination with a rainwater tank, I really need to keep the pressure loss as small as possible while also try to filter out as much of the rainwater particles as possible.. questions I desperately search answers to: -> at the end of my drip system, the dripline (tube?) has a diameter of approx. 0,12“ (or 3mm).. what size of microns would I need to filter out so the tube doesn’t clog up? Or what kind of mesh would you recommend? -> I realise I have very little pressure already, as the system is only gravity fed with maybe 6-9 feet hight difference.. is there any filter you would recommend in my case? With the lowest pressure loss? I would forever be grateful if you could help me with my questions! Greetings from Germany!!
Hello, thank for watching! Ok, I have a few comments here. 3mm is 3000 microns. Most filters have screens that are 150-400 microns. Find one that has the largest micron numbers or the smallest mesh numbers (60 and below.) Also find one that doesn't have any kind of pressure regulation included, simpler designs hopefully have less pressure loss. Now lets talk about your setup. 9 feet of height doesn't generate enough pressure. At .433 psi gained per foot, we get 3.9 psi. Most drip products need 8 - 10 psi to work, although I have seen a drip tape somewhere that needs only 4 psi. It sounds like you may just have unregulated drip tubing as an emitter which probably requires less pressure. A small pump would help bring up the pressure. There are solar options out there for relatively cheap. You don't need much pressure, just make sure you can get the flow you need. Gravity fed systems are tough to get to work. I've been working on an idea for a hand pump and pressure tank system to raise the pressure for drip, but haven't quite figured that out. Good luck.
Great video Michael! I'm actually looking to convert one of my Hunter spray zones to drip. Can you tell me if it is ok for me to remove the Hunter rotors and use the Rain Bird 1800 Drip Irrigation Retrofit Kit? It seems to be an easier approach because of the PSI and Filter adjustments needed. Also, wouldn't it be easier than replacing the valve with Hunter's Drip Zone Control Kit (similar to what you show at 16:00). Thanks!
Great channel! I have question about what you were saying about half way thru when you mentioned that there is a PSi loss thru a 90 degree elbow. How can this be? I have put in systems that had maybe between 12-16 90 degree elbows and maybe a few 45 degree elbows as well. I mean my valve stations have 4 nineties just at the valve station, then at least 5-6 nineties on the lateral line not to mention any of the main line fittings. Are you sure you not accidentally referring to the PSI loss charts that reference the actual “additional feet of pipe pressure loss” that the industry prints spec charts for? Cause otherwise I can’t see how the math works out where by the time you get to the heads that you have any pressure loss at 3.5 psi PER elbow. Sorry to be long winded, just wanted to make sure I explained myself clearly. Cheers and thanks for your work on these videos!
Good catch. I definitely misspoke there. My apologies, it's hard to get all the numbers correct as I'm recording these long videos. I usually have notes on a white board behind the camera. I think I meant to say .03 psi loss per elbow? There is definitely friction loss through every fitting, but not nearly 3 psi!! Download the Hunter Friction Loss Charts at the link below, and you'll see on page 12 the psi loss for several types of fittings as well as valves, gate valves, swing checks, water meters etc. It's a weird calculation, they give equivalent feet of steel pipe loss. Someone used to have a better chart for the fittings, maybe Rain Bird or Toro, but I can't find it on their websites, it must have been from the product books they used to print. Most installers I know that don't use software to design systems will take the total pipe psi loss per zone and use 10% of that to account for all the fittings. I'm pretty sure that the psi loss through the filter is correct though, some of those filters with the fine screens have quite a bit of loss. Thanks for watching my videos, and I really appreciate the comment. I'll have to correct that video and re-upload. www.hunterindustries.com/sites/default/files/tech_friction_loss_charts.pdf
![How To Use Irrigation Dripline [IRRIGATION 101]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/li7z2MuIkik/mqdefault.jpg)
![How To Use Irrigation Dripline [IRRIGATION 101]](/img/tr.png)
Hi Michael, thank you SO much for the insights! Finally a little light in the mist of a confusing variety of filters! As I am trying to install a gravity fed drip irrigation system in combination with a rainwater tank, I really need to keep the pressure loss as small as possible while also try to filter out as much of the rainwater particles as possible..
questions I desperately search answers to:
-> at the end of my drip system, the dripline (tube?) has a diameter of approx. 0,12“ (or 3mm).. what size of microns would I need to filter out so the tube doesn’t clog up? Or what kind of mesh would you recommend?
-> I realise I have very little pressure already, as the system is only gravity fed with maybe 6-9 feet hight difference.. is there any filter you would recommend in my case? With the lowest pressure loss?
I would forever be grateful if you could help me with my questions!
Greetings from Germany!!
Hello, thank for watching! Ok, I have a few comments here. 3mm is 3000 microns. Most filters have screens that are 150-400 microns. Find one that has the largest micron numbers or the smallest mesh numbers (60 and below.) Also find one that doesn't have any kind of pressure regulation included, simpler designs hopefully have less pressure loss. Now lets talk about your setup. 9 feet of height doesn't generate enough pressure. At .433 psi gained per foot, we get 3.9 psi. Most drip products need 8 - 10 psi to work, although I have seen a drip tape somewhere that needs only 4 psi. It sounds like you may just have unregulated drip tubing as an emitter which probably requires less pressure. A small pump would help bring up the pressure. There are solar options out there for relatively cheap. You don't need much pressure, just make sure you can get the flow you need. Gravity fed systems are tough to get to work. I've been working on an idea for a hand pump and pressure tank system to raise the pressure for drip, but haven't quite figured that out. Good luck.
Great video Michael! I'm actually looking to convert one of my Hunter spray zones to drip. Can you tell me if it is ok for me to remove the Hunter rotors and use the Rain Bird 1800 Drip Irrigation Retrofit Kit? It seems to be an easier approach because of the PSI and Filter adjustments needed. Also, wouldn't it be easier than replacing the valve with Hunter's Drip Zone Control Kit (similar to what you show at 16:00). Thanks!
Yes, the 1800 Retrofit Kit is perfect for this type of situation. Super easy way to convert a zone to drip.
@@Proirrigationtraining Thanks for the reply and the tip! Cheers!
Great channel! I have question about what you were saying about half way thru when you mentioned that there is a PSi loss thru a 90 degree elbow. How can this be? I have put in systems that had maybe between 12-16 90 degree elbows and maybe a few 45 degree elbows as well. I mean my valve stations have 4 nineties just at the valve station, then at least 5-6 nineties on the lateral line not to mention any of the main line fittings. Are you sure you not accidentally referring to the PSI loss charts that reference the actual “additional feet of pipe pressure loss” that the industry prints spec charts for? Cause otherwise I can’t see how the math works out where by the time you get to the heads that you have any pressure loss at 3.5 psi PER elbow. Sorry to be long winded, just wanted to make sure I explained myself clearly. Cheers and thanks for your work on these videos!
Good catch. I definitely misspoke there. My apologies, it's hard to get all the numbers correct as I'm recording these long videos. I usually have notes on a white board behind the camera. I think I meant to say .03 psi loss per elbow? There is definitely friction loss through every fitting, but not nearly 3 psi!! Download the Hunter Friction Loss Charts at the link below, and you'll see on page 12 the psi loss for several types of fittings as well as valves, gate valves, swing checks, water meters etc. It's a weird calculation, they give equivalent feet of steel pipe loss. Someone used to have a better chart for the fittings, maybe Rain Bird or Toro, but I can't find it on their websites, it must have been from the product books they used to print. Most installers I know that don't use software to design systems will take the total pipe psi loss per zone and use 10% of that to account for all the fittings. I'm pretty sure that the psi loss through the filter is correct though, some of those filters with the fine screens have quite a bit of loss. Thanks for watching my videos, and I really appreciate the comment. I'll have to correct that video and re-upload.
www.hunterindustries.com/sites/default/files/tech_friction_loss_charts.pdf
Why does the filter go next to the valve and not the end of the line?
You really want to put the filter at the first available place, even if it doesn't have a pressure reducer. And that's usually right behind the valve.