Drip System Emitters?

[daveferg]

Anyone have any secret in keeping drip emitters from clogging up? I blow out the mains fairly frequently, but that doesn't seem to stop individual emitters from clogging.

We don't have particularly hard water-----like I only have to clear out faucet aerators once every year or so----Would an in-line filter to the main water supply help? If so, seen any good retrofit ones?

[Mr_Mike]

You should be running a manufacturer approved filter prior to the drippers. I have a whole zone filter for my two main drip zones. I flush them once a year. My minor zones have bubbler type drip adapters and they have internal filters and, so far, haven't clogged.

Basically, if you are not using filters, use them.

[Robert Adams]

Any sprinkler system needs a filter and drip systems even more due to small parts and holes.

If you have to clear the faucet once a year you have fairly hard water. Our water has very high dissolved solids and I have never had to clean a sink faucet though the shower builds up allot on the rubber nossles. I don't have the internal filter to plug up cause I removed it. Makes a better shower and we are still way below the minimum usage each month. Need to use more water as I don't like paying for water we don't use.

[Bob10]

A friend of mine has what could be considered a backyard farm and he has converted to these and is happy as a pig in slop

[Mr_Mike]

Bob10 said:

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A friend of mine has what could be considered a backyard farm and he has converted to these and is happy as a pig in slop

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Those bubblers suck, in my opinion.

They move on their own and require constant attention. I don't know why they move, whether its water pressure or thermal swings or whatever, but they need constant attention. There are better ones in the marketplace.

They also do not meet new California rules as a drip system and are subject to the water conservation rules if that is important to someone. Here, true drip is exempt from the three day a week rules.

[Bob10]

The ones he uses look like that but I don't know if they are that brand. I do know the City just installed a load of them with water conservation in mind.

[Mr_Mike]

They are bubblers, how does one save water? Is this in lieu of flood irrigation?

[Bob10]

They say they are better than sprinklers. I can't understand how they are cost effective but they seem to get the water to the plants and not on the sidewalk. The amount of plumbing involved in the project the city built was considerable

[BillN]

I don't have a local source for good quality drips parts (the Borg sucks) so I buy from Dripworks. You should at least look at their website to see what kind of filters are available.

On my larger loops I use the Y type filters and on the smaller ones I use T- filters, they are dirt cheap and last a long time. I've been using the same Y filter on my first drip system for at least 15 years.

There's also a little gadget called an end cap flush valve that auto flushes your line each time you start it up. I don't know how effective it is but I have drippers that have been operating for many years with no problems. Something's working.

I started out using flag type emitters and learned that they are self clogging and a royal PITA.

[mdhills]

At the start of the irrigation season, we flush the lines (open up all the terminations and let the water flow out there) and then walk the line to check for damaged or blocked emitters. We use a fine wire to clear out any blocked emitters.

I use the t-type filters on my polyethylene drip lines.

I haven't had many problems in-season.

Matt