Drip Irrigation: Not all emitters emitting

[shihfa]

Hello,

I just set up a drip irrigation system with a household faucet with 80 PSI connected to a regulator that should lower the pressure to 30 PSI. This regulator is then connected to a 1/2 inch pipe with 1/4 inch tubing with emitters connected to that.

This is one of my issues, but not the main reason why I am posting, but I thought it would provide some context. When I first turned on the faucet full blast, the 1/2 inch pipe would pop out, and I addressed that by turning the faucet on slowly to a fully open state, and now the 1/2 in pipe is no longer popping out.

So this is my issue, even when the faucet is turned to full blast, not all emitters are emitting water. I have six sets of the following: 0.5 gph in-line emitter connected to another 0.5 gph in-line emitter connected to a 0.5 gph emitter. My other setups: 0.5 gph emitter connected via 1/4” tubing to a 1/2” pipe. And the issue is that water flows out of the in-line emitters set up but not the other emitters except for one. Can anybody help me think of a solution?

Thank you!

 

[Oliver Buckle]

My first thought is some sort of blockage, something that drips that little water through must be a fairly small hole. Memories of my father pricking the hole on the primus stove when we were camping, I wouldn't go that far initially, but have you tried blowing through them the other way to see if there is an air flow, and hopefully move any obstruction?

 

[YumYum]

You should use a filter somewhere on the system. I use drip tape (~15 psi max) in my garden and sometimes I find things in my filter. I suppose when a line breaks they dig it up and grit and things go in from there.

Your 1/2" pipe popping off does not sound right to me.

Maybe you have too many emitters inline and the last on the circuit is not getting enough pressure or water to operate?

Pictures may help you figure out your problem.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Maybe you have too many emitters inline and the last on the circuit is not getting enough pressure or water to operate?

Good point, are they the first, or last, or are they distributed randomly?

There certainly are the odd bits in company water in UK. I was talking to a plumber recently and he said he spent his life changing taps where the ceramic disks had been damaged by a bit of grit, oh for the days of rubber tap washers, but they worked so it had to be fixed.

 

[shihfa]

My first thought is some sort of blockage, something that drips that little water through must be a fairly small hole. Memories of my father pricking the hole on the primus stove when we were camping, I wouldn't go that far initially, but have you tried blowing through them the other way to see if there is an air flow, and hopefully move any obstruction?

I opened the “figure 8” at the end of the 1/2” tube and water flows out strong.

 

[NigelJ]

I think a drawing of your set up with non working outlets clearly marked would help.
My drip irrigation system runs at about 10 psi.
When you say emitter is this a sprinkler head or a drip point?
Have you tried closing all the outlets and then opening one non working one fully at a time? No flow = blockage, After you've tested all the individually working from the far end open them one after the other checking each time which ones are flowing . Flow stops = pressure issue

 

[shihfa]

You should use a filter somewhere on the system. I use drip tape (~15 psi max) in my garden and sometimes I find things in my filter. I suppose when a line breaks they dig it up and grit and things go in from there.

Your 1/2" pipe popping off does not sound right to me.

Maybe you have too many emitters inline and the last on the circuit is not getting enough pressure or water to operate?

Pictures may help you figure out your problem.

Ok, I will take a photo and attach it. Additionally, the regulator does have a filter in it.

 

[shihfa]

Here are the photos. It shows all for sides and an extension that runs to a hay garden. Basically, the one blue emitter going to the hay garden and the red/black in-line emitters are emitting, but the blue emitter at the end of the in-line emitters are not emitting: circled the ones that are emitting.

 

[YumYum]

The pics don't open for me.

 

[shihfa]

The pics don't open for me.

I was editing the photos: they should be viewable now.

 

[YumYum]

Are these the emitters?

2.0 GPH Pressure Compensating Red Drip Emitter - Landscape Products Inc.

landscapeproductsinc.com

It says they have a self piercing barb, which looks to be the colored end. So if that is the case, it looks as so they are installed backwards?

 

[mgmine]

I would pull the non working ones off and stick a pin in the holes. You can tell for sure if it's the emitter by simply replacing it with a working one.