Q. I changed my drippers
to adjustable types and have problems with them working in my backyard. I fix
them either by adjusting or removing the heads. Now they work fine. This happens
throughout the year but I have never seen so many fail at the same time. My
front yard also uses adjustables but don’t have the same problems. I was thinking
about going back to drippers for reliability.
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| Variable flow or adjustable drip emitter above and below.Do you like to play Whack a Mole? If you do, then you will love adjustable chip emitters. |
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| Close-up of an adjustable or variable drip emitter. I don’t hate them but I don’t like them very much and give precision drip irrigation a bad name. |
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| These are precision drip emitters that met or release water at specific volumes over a given time, usually one hour. They are color-coded by the manufacturer to indicate how many liters or gallons per hour they release. The pointed end is pushed through a hole created by a punch specifically meant for drip tubing. Do not use a nail or Phillips screw driver to make these holes. Spend four dollars and buy a punch.I call these types of emitters “precision drip emitters” to differentiate them from variable drip emitters which are extremely imprecise in their delivery of water. |
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| This is a flag-type precision drip emitter called so because of the triangular flag. The flag has a stem attached and can be removed from emitter for easy cleaning. I like them because they are so simple to use, inexpensive and easy to clean if they get plugged. |
A. I call “dippers”, “drip
emitters” or “emitters” but I think we are talking about the same thing. I work
with drip irrigation all over the world. The major reason drip systems fail is
because the system is not cleaned and “flushed” regularly. Flushing and
cleaning drip systems must be part of a regular maintenance schedule.
filter or screen must be cleaned
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| Screen filter called a “Y-filter” because it’s at an angle like the letter “Y”.This black housing can be twisted open and inside there will be a screen filter which should be washed and flushed to remove sediment and debris. There is a round On the top which can be opened for flushing the inside of the screen but it does not remove everything. |
thoroughly, every “dead end” must be opened
and flushed with several gallons of water and emitters should be inspected for
plugging when they are operating. If emitters are plugged, they must be cleaned
or replaced if they cannot be cleaned.
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| The ends of polyethylene tubing or drip tubing can be bent over and this double ring device can be slipped over the end. This double ring keeps the tubing bent over to stop water flow but also allows the end of the tubing to be opened quickly and flushed to remove debris and sediment.Some people have used electrical tape to do the same thing but these are inexpensive and fast. |
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| This is auto flush for drip irrigation. The double ring above must be open manually. This can be inserted inside the drip tubing and flushes the polyethylene pipe every time the valve comes on. I would still recommend flushing the lines manually periodically and after repairs but this helps reduce some of the labor. |
A major problem is created when drip systems are repaired
and but not flushed afterwards to remove dirt that enters the drip lines. If
drip irrigation lines are cut and repaired, I guarantee dirt entered these drip
lines. It is mandatory that the “dead ends” associated with the repair are
flushed immediately afterwards.
because dirt or sediment in the water collects inside the filters and eventually
plug drip emitters. Flushing the irrigation lines removes algae and bacteria
that plug emitters as well.
on the quality of the water and how much water flows through the system.
Irrigation systems should be flushed more often in summer than winter.
design of the system. Poorly designed drip systems take longer to flush and
clean. When designing drip irrigation systems, minimize the number of “dead
ends” so that flushing the system takes less time and there are fewer places
that accumulate “dirt” and slime.
flushed once a month if the municipal water delivered is clean. Sometimes it
is, sometimes it isn’t, depending on the age of the municipal system.
system, small amounts of sediment pass through these filters and eventually
become a problem if the system is not flushed and cleaned regularly. Failure of
drip systems is gradual, not like an “on and off” switch.
more often because this water is “dirtier”. How often depends on the quality of
the well water which varies from well to well. Typical cleaning and flushing might
vary from weekly to biweekly during the summer months.
inside every irrigation system. Algae and bacteria are not problems with most
sprinkler systems but can be problems with drip emitters because the “emitter” holes
are so small.
In my opinion, drip
irrigation systems must be flushed and filters cleaned on a regular basis
depending on the quality of the water and the gallons used. The drip emitters used
should be easy to clean and inexpensive. Variable drip emitters are inaccurate
in their delivery of water but are subject to the same plugging as all other
drip emitters.
Drip irrigation saves the water wastage in the farmland by 90%
know about different types of irrigation