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Converting Rainbird sprinkler to Drip

9 years ago

We have the flower beds, bushes and plants that are now watered by sprinkler heads. In one zone, a lot of water is wasted where there is a lot of mulched unplanted areas. and walkways. We bought the Rainbird conversion riser that reduces pressure in order to change over to drip.

I am wondering what is best method of drip. We have about 8 roses, a couple hydrangeas, a rhodie, some iris, grasses, lilies and miscellaneous flowers spread out over a large area in one zone. Also a fairly mature Pansy Redbud and a young Cherokee Dogwood.

The area will probably need about 100 to 150 feet of half inch distribution tubing. Would 1/4 in Rainbird drip emitter (emitters space every 12 inches) tubing around the bushes and in between the roses do the trick. How about bubblers for the roses. I like that they are adjustable, but I think the emitter tubing might work better on the hydrangeas, rhodies and large bushes. Should I mix the bubblers and emitter tubing or stick with one thing. Any other ideas.

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Comments (6)

beaniebeagle
9 years ago
keep things simple. I tried to combine sprayers with emiters and it was a pain. The happiest and easiest was using the emitter tubing on a large flower bed. No punching holes, no tiny connections. Easier to find and not cut with a shovel. You just have to remember to look at the maximum row length of emiter tubing. For 12 inch spacing, thats about 250 feet if they are 1 gph emiters on 1/2 inch tubing. But if it's 1/4 inch emiter tubing, it's only like 30 ft.

Just remember to get hold down stakes when you loop things around

Remember, this is supplemental watering and it doesn't have to be perfect.
Karenseb
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks for the information.

Unfortunately, I don't think the irrigation is supplemental watering. Last summer we got 1/2 inch of rain in 2 months!

Some of the plants are far apart and I was thinking of using the 1/2 distribution tubing throughout the area to be irrigated and attaching the the 1/4 inch emitter tubing to the distribution tubing and running it around the bushes and plants.

The thing I like about the bubblers was that they are adjustable in how much water they put out.
Related Discussions
Question(s) on converting sprinklers to drip
Q
Comments (1)
BR, I am going to agree with those other sites. What about those comments from the other sites did you not believe? Here is why: The flow rates will be different for drip(0.5 GPH) and sprinklers (5 GPH). This equates to over or under watering one of the areas on the same zone because the time to irrigate would be equal. You would have to create separate zones for each type of distributing water. For example if you irrigated all but one sprinkler for the lawn for 4 minutes which is what the lawn needs. You will be under watering the drip area because it has not gotten enough time time to irrigate. Theoretically you can make the flow rates match for the drip (it wouldn't be drip any longer) but it would be very complex and a lot of trial and error. I don't Know how you would do this piecemeal. Maybe other on this forum would know and we can all learn something. JMHO Aloha
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Converting from drip to sprinkler system?
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Comments (1)
It's possible to change the system but can be almost as expensive as a new system. There are a couple of alternatives based on the type of drip system was installed. The simplest is if he used 1/2" line with 1/4" emitter line in what is called a point source system. If this is the case then changing the emitters on the 1/4" lines to micro-spray emitters can solve your trouble.
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Converting sprinkler system to drip?
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Comments (4)
I'm in the process of installing a micro system. I was somewhat intimidated by the system at first, but found it's not complicated at all. Lowes sells all the parts, adapters, etc. (FYI...10% discount for military, active and retired at the store. They don't advertise this much.) I started out hooking one zone into an outside faucet. Now I'm brave enough to tie into an inground zone we no longer use. Our county extension office (Hillsborough) offers workshops on micro irrigation. The following link gives good info too. Here is a link that might be useful: Micro irrigation
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Sprinkler system conversion from Rainbirds to 1/4'.
Q
Comments (1)
Not sure I'd know how to do it even with your explanation, but it sure looks like a neat set up and good to know it is possible. Thanks! And have a nice trip.
...See More
jean001a
8 years ago
All risers on one line must be either drippers or sprinklers. Can't combine the two because of the different required flow rates. But could cap off the offending riser.
Karenseb
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks Jean

We live in Portland too, so you understand the water situation here.

We are just converting one zone to drip and capping off the unneeded sprinklers. I still wonder if I can use the micro bubblers (made for drip irrigation) along with drip emitter tubing in one zone.
zeuspaul
8 years ago
Karen, you can combine the micro bubblers and drip emitter tubing in one zone. Add up the flow rates of all the bubblers and emitters. The total shouldn't exceed the amount recommended for a zone with 1/2 inch tubing. That amount will vary depending on the size of the 1/2 tubing you have (there are several sizes of 1/2 inch tubing) . Your bubblers are adjustable so use the max for design purposes. If you have 5 bubblers at 10 gph that would be 50 gph. Then add in the emitter tubing. If you have 10 runs of emitter tubing and each run does 10 gph that would be 100 gph. Your total gph would be 150. You should be good up to about 200 gph
Karenseb
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks zeuspaul,

We will give it a try.

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