skip to main content

drip irrigation emitter help

Shantelle Skinner

6 years ago

I have 100 ft of 1/2" drip irrigation hose (two 50' lengths, connected) with a proper regulator running through my vegetable garden. The first 50' of hose only works till about halfway down the hose and then the emitters are dry, not working at all. As previously mentioned, this hose is connected to another 50' line and that hose is working perfectly so I'm not sure why the middle group of emitters isn't working!?!?! This spring when I set up the system, I found a kink in the hose at the spot where the emitters aren't currently working, but I fixed the kink (and the second section of hose is working so the water is obviously getting through...soo...) what could it be? any tips/insights would be appreciated! thanks

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (2)

raymondo17
6 years ago
Sounds like either there's a clog in your line, or perhaps there's simply not enough water pressure to run that long a length of drip line. The latter would surprise me, though, unless you've got very weak water pressure. Can you connect the dysfunctional line directly to the water supply to rule out a problem in the line?
Shantelle Skinner thanked raymondo17
Shantelle Skinner
Original Author
6 years ago
I didn't want to have to cut the lines apart but I gave in and tried it. The first half runs completely fine on it's own so it's not clogged, it's gotta be a pressure problem. (I was actually mistaken and it's 2 x 100ft lines connected together, not 2x 50ft) I will be splitting my entire setup into 3 separate systems to fix the issue. Thanks for your help!
Related Discussions
Drip Irrigation Help!
Q
Comments (1)
ts, Too much pressure. Test your pressure from the splitter and see what you get(hose water pressure gauge from hardware store). Let us know what it is. Your 20 psi pressure regulator may be overwhelmed with the initial pressure or maybe not functioning. I can tell you are concerned with a pressure problem when you say I only turned the water a little bit. Aloha
...See More
New to drip irrigation...need help please
Q
Comments (3)
Thanks for that response! Why the 1/4" emitter lines though? Couldn't I just run the 1/2" line beside the tomato plants? I'm not questioning the advice, but just rather curious if running 1/4 emitter lines to the plants offers an advantage over just running 1/2 " line everywhere?
...See More
drip irrigation - frequency of irrigation for different plants
Q
Comments (1)
vj, You can be as specific or as spread out as you like or need with drip. The key is making sure the water spreads out(plumes) enough to get all the root ball. Depends of the emitter type you use. There are many out there. I use emitters on 1/8" tubing coming from a 1/4" lateral for trees and vines. Two or three per tree with variable flow emitters. For herbs and larger areas I use T-Tape on both side of the plants or even circles. I would not water Bougs very much, they don't like much water and unless you want a very large plant,keep them in pots in or above the ground. JMHO Aloha
...See More
Drip irrigation pressure too high? Emitters popping off
Q
Comments (7)
That's not a lot of pressure at the bib, so I'm not sure what problem is..I know the recommendation is for the pressure at the line to be at 25 for drippers..I'm using a 50 psi reducer on mine but have a combination of spray and drip and have never had a problem with components popping apart. micro-irrigation I am in the process of setting up drippers to irrigate my fruit trees and will be using a 25 psi reducer. can you post some pics of your set up?
...See More

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES How to Install a Drip Irrigation System

By Marianne Lipanovich

Save time and water with a drip watering system in your vegetable garden — a little patience now will pay off later

GARDENING GUIDES How Smart Is Your Irrigation System?

By Marianne Lipanovich

New weather- and sensor-based controllers take the efficiency of your sprinklers to the next level

SUMMER GARDENING How to Help Your Garden Survive a Heat Wave

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Find out how to keep your plants thriving in summer’s heat and how to tell if sunburned ones can be saved

GARDENING GUIDES Southwest Gardener's March Checklist

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Dust off your gardening tools and get busy pruning to help your trees and plants reach their full potential

EARTH DAY Grow a Beautiful Garden With Ecofriendly Greywater

By Greywater Corps

Reducing home water waste means lower bills and a healthier planet. Here's how to set up a greywater home irrigation system that can help

GARDENING GUIDES 5 Things to Know About Watering Your Native Garden

By Oakley Gardens

Ensure the success of your new plantings with a smart approach to irrigation

SAVING WATER 11 Ways to Save Water at Home

By Carol Crotta

Whether you live in a drought-stricken area or just want to help preserve a precious resource, here are things you can do to use less water

SAVING WATER 6 Reasons Why You Should Save Your Rainwater Now

By Falon Mihalic

Collect and store during the rainy season so you’ll have water ready for irrigation when you need it

INSPIRING GARDENS Inside Houzz: A Waterfront Property Ditches the Grass for a Garden

By Annie Thornton

New drought-tolerant plantings and outdoor gathering spaces help this California backyard take in the view without wasting space or water

MONTHLY HOME CHECKLISTS To-Dos: Your April Home Checklist

By Laura Gaskill

Kick spring cleaning into high gear, and troubleshoot cooling and irrigation systems for the warmer months ahead

Sponsored

More Discussions

Bower's Vine Leaves Limping

9

Renovating drip system-a question for those with experience

12

What threads does the Orbit B-hyve XD with 4 outputs have?

0

Your experinces with expandable garden hoses

0

Fertilizer injector on siphon valve turned to drip irrigation

1