transplant
Member
A link to the screw in barbed fitting
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How to make a PVC dripper manifold
- Thread starter pico
- Start date
A link to the screw in barbed fitting
hey guys. im using this manifold with 1/4 threaded barbs but having problems with water pressure in the back. huge diff! the back hardly get any water. also someone mentioned continuous drip after pump turned off, i get that too. using a garbage bin as my rez so its creating a siphon. any ideas how to even out water pressure?
A 1/4 inch 90 degree barb fitting stuck in your hose at the top of your water level, will break the siphon.
Just a note that some should try their manifolds without drippers, just open lines. It may work better for your application than drippers. I didnt get near enough water flow using drippers in my top feed NFT system but the open lines work great.
lightsincontrol
New member
I have been making a drip ring that is reusable. using standard 1/4 in drip line from the DIY store and a barbed T. I cut a 10 in length of tubing and drill 8 - 5/32in holes in it, insert the T into the ends and connet the third to the feeder line. works great with even flow.
Keep in mind that the manifold, drippers, sprayers for sprinkler systems are ment to be used with 30 PSI - that would be a large pump, better to T off a main line, volume is your friend when pressure is low.
Keep in mind that the manifold, drippers, sprayers for sprinkler systems are ment to be used with 30 PSI - that would be a large pump, better to T off a main line, volume is your friend when pressure is low.
Spanishwilly
Member
What about for vertical?
If I have it looped, but on different levels, will hydraulics give me equal pressure on each height, or will gravity mess things up?
Correction- That was stupid. No hydraulics with an open system of drippers. Just forget I said it.
If I have it looped, but on different levels, will hydraulics give me equal pressure on each height, or will gravity mess things up?
Correction- That was stupid. No hydraulics with an open system of drippers. Just forget I said it.
Spanishwilly
Member
Is that it? I thought the ol' gravity thing would work against that as well. The bottom row would get way more pressure than the top, no?
It seems like each shelf will have to have it's own manifold to give equal drippage. Drippage, there's a word for you.
On this same topic kind of, can anyone advise a pump capacity for 200 sites with no drippers, just open lines?
Spanishwilly
Member
Or...
How about one manifold at the top, with longer and longer lines running down to the lower levels? See if this effect where longer lines slow the drip rate down really occurs. Maybe the drips would start more slowly than on the short lines but continue on for longer after the pump shut down while the lines drain down.
How about one manifold at the top, with longer and longer lines running down to the lower levels? See if this effect where longer lines slow the drip rate down really occurs. Maybe the drips would start more slowly than on the short lines but continue on for longer after the pump shut down while the lines drain down.
Spanishwilly
Member
Hey,
I need the same type of info. I know a little bit about pumps, and one thing I know is that they'll push water a really long way, but they are much weaker on the suction side. I guess I'm hoping this means that the amount of head won't affect things too much.
I'm now considering just getting a way big pump just to be on the safe side.
SW
Note: Design-wise, I'm now thinking to have a main manifold up high on the end wall, and a "sub-manifold" coming off it for each level of the stadium. With an adjustable valve on the supply line to each level, I think flow could be equalised.
Spanishwilly
Member
YES. ^^^ Good question!
solarz
Member
if you use the correct size drill bit, you won't need to use any silicone, or anything else. The grommet (or 1/4 tubing) will squeeze in and have a perfect fit.
I use pvc w/o the grommets (they were $1 a piece) and stick the supply tubing (1/4in) directly into the pvc. I used a 17/64 dril bit, and had to heat up the tube so it could squeeze into the hole. NO LEAKS!
solarz
I use pvc w/o the grommets (they were $1 a piece) and stick the supply tubing (1/4in) directly into the pvc. I used a 17/64 dril bit, and had to heat up the tube so it could squeeze into the hole. NO LEAKS!
solarz
Agreed, they will not leak. Save your thumbs and use some dish washing liquid to push them in and the lines too.
W
W.P.
Great advise here!
(Damn purple thumb lol...)
Another 'tip' or a must: make sure all 1/4 lines are the same length from manifold to insure even flow rates, if open.
And I recommend using 1/2 inch vinyl tubing for manifold instead of pvc for multiple reasons.
Here is my little cheat sheet....
This applies to open 1/4 drip line
About 40 lines for every 1000 gph will get you even flow, any more sites is kinda pushing it.
Yep, no glue with my grommets. They are tight with the right drill bit and like richyrich says, use some dish detergent to get them in or it will be a real pain.
Also, this has been mentioned before but be sure to drill the holes BEFORE you glue everything together. If you don't you will get some pvc shavings clogging up your lines.
W.P. - What are your reasons for vinyl? I am not completely opposed to it, but I much prefer PVC because I know I am not going to get a kink. I also think pvc is less likely to move around and shake a drip line out of a pot.
Also, this has been mentioned before but be sure to drill the holes BEFORE you glue everything together. If you don't you will get some pvc shavings clogging up your lines.
W.P. - What are your reasons for vinyl? I am not completely opposed to it, but I much prefer PVC because I know I am not going to get a kink. I also think pvc is less likely to move around and shake a drip line out of a pot.
I used a bottle of KY liquid I had handy to install the grommets. It's almost impossible to install them without some sort of lube.
It is also in your best interest to ensure each grommet and line is SECURE after each crop. Yes I have had grommets and lines push themselves out of the PVC due to pressure and leaning plants putting force on the lines. A great way to flood is to build out your manifold and then never resecure grommets and lines!
It is also in your best interest to ensure each grommet and line is SECURE after each crop. Yes I have had grommets and lines push themselves out of the PVC due to pressure and leaning plants putting force on the lines. A great way to flood is to build out your manifold and then never resecure grommets and lines!
