I have a well with a pump that provides 10 gal/min. The pump provides water
to the house, and a network of drip irrigation emitters within 200' of the
house--1/4" tubing. There's a valve for drip irrigation by the pump house,
which provides water to about 8 trees. All of the lines are on timers. The
pump house has a bibb, and I put a pressure gauge on it. It mostly reads 30
but I've see it all the way to 50.

The timer for the 8 trees is never on when other plants and trees are
watered. I've noticed that the 8 tree timer comes on about the same time as
when the pressure is 30. The timer is on for 90 minutes twice a week. It
starts out very weak, but after about 30-45 minutes gets better. The
pressure moves up to about 40. 50 would be better. Is there anyway of
getting the pump up to close to 50 quickly when it is turned on? I do not
hear the pump begin when the timer starts watering. I'm not quite sure when
it finally gets on its way.

I've heard that if the demand is low on a line, then the pump can go and off
often, which puts a strain on it. Why does that happen?

It seems like there's a balance between demand and time the watering takes
place. That is you want the 8 tree line to get 50 gal out to all the trees,
then it should take 5 minutes. However, trying to calibrate all the drip
emitters seems impossible. There seems to reliable way to set them. How does
one find a happy medium?

I've been finding this drip system inadequate as the trees get larger. The
drip irrigation emitters at best spray maybe a 4" circle. This does not seem
of much use with a tree with a larger root system. Is there an alternative
set of timers and emitters that would make more sense, that is, get larger
coverage when spraying? Maybe something that's used in orchards. These are
not orchard trees. Maples, oaks, evergreens.


--
W. eWatson

(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

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