drip irrigation for pecans

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david u

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First time poster, but have been lurking and find the posters here are knowledgeable. I am having a well dug soon and will use it exclusively to irrigate immature trees. I would like to build a pump house/shed ( 8'x10') with dog house for wellhead. Irrigation guy suggests I will need 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" mainline because some runs to laterals are 600'-1000'. I am interested in the pside-kick, but worry that the 1" pipe will reduce flow rate. The well guy thinks (he's dug other wells nearby) that I'll have about 10 GPM flow, so any reduction in flow would be bad. Any thoughts on the pside-kick for this application? du
 

Valveman

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A short piece of 1" is not going to restrict flow. You just do not want to go long distance with 1" because of friction loss. The Pside-Kick is good to 25 GPM, so 10 GPM would basically have little to no restriction.
 

Jimbo

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No problem with 10 GPM in a one inch pipe at the front end. The loss happens over distance. 1 1/4" will handle 10 gpm to 1000 feet with around 4 psi pressure loss, depending on ID of pipe. ( PE or class 125 PVC would be slightly less than sch. 40)

10 GPM would be 600 gallons per hour on your drip system. You need to design with that number in mind.
 

david u

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Thanks for the replys. Though pump house wil be big, it looks like the pside-kick is the most economical way considering my projected flow rate. Well guy is going to dig Monday 10/18. He likes the CSV(has one on his own well). He uses 2 check valves ( at motor and and at well head) seems there are conflicting views on 1 vs 2 valves. He will use air to dig the well..du
 

Gary Swart

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David, it sounds like you have a fairly extensive pecan orchard or grove. I would strongly advise you to get a professional irrigation company to design and size your system. Often for home irrigation systems, they will design for free provided you buy your materials from them. Can't say for sure about a larger layout and/or your local companies, but even if there is a fee it won't be too much and will certainly perform they way you need it too. Young trees are too valuable to risk losing because you tried to save a few dollars with a DIY design that was inadequate. Here, the larger irrigation supply companies will design your home system for free provided you buy the materials from them. I don't know if the same deal applies to larger layouts, but worth asking about. You will need to supply them with obvious information such as a scale drawing, pump and well size, etc.. They will take it from there. I think the drip system is a very wise move.
 

david u

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Thanks Gary. I actually am having a irrigation designer work on this project, but he isn't involved with the well part of the equation. He just wants to know the GPM of the well..du
 

Gary Swart

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Seems to me to be a pretty logical question. He needs to know that to be able to determine things like number of zones needed and pipe sizing. May be some other technical things as well.
 

david u

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Jimbo, you mentioned the rating of the PVC. In real world experience, is it worth the extra cost of Sch 40 to use it on the high pressure side of the system in lieu of the thinner wall pipe. I will have about 4000' of 1 1/4" or 1 1/2" main line and would like to save the money.
 
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