How to configure a drip zone? (control/timing)

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Blown

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I'm setting up a drip zone to water approximately 15 shrubs on the east side of my house. My irrigation system is fed directly from a well pump (no holding tank or anything like that).

I'm not sure if it's OK to run that zone by itself since it will be low flow and high backpressure to the well pump. Will it be hard on the well pump if I do this?

If I wire it up at the controller to run at the same time as one of the zones that waters the fescue, what about the timing? I would figure that a drip zone would need probably 30-45min? (My longest zone on the fescue is 20min, otherwise it runs off this damn clay soil.)

Suggestions?
 

Wet_Boots

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Why must the zone be drip? You might be better off with sprays or bubblers.

Or you could get low-flow drip, and run it concurrently with other zones, controller allowing.
 

Bob NH

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You can configure the control system to run the drip zone when either of two regular zones is running.

Designate primary zones A and B, and the drip zone as C.

Connect the output of the controller to the coil of a double pole relay for each of zones A and B, but not to the valve. We will call them Relays A and B.

Connect the coil for Valve A to one of the outputs of Relay A, and the coil of Valve C to the other output of the relay. Connect the power supply to the two poles of the relay.

When the controller calls for water on Valve A it actuates the relay which applies power to both Valve A and Valve C.

Do the same for the Valve B circuit, so when the controller actuates Valve B it is actuating the relay to Valve B, and when that relay is closed it actuates both Valve B and Valve C.

You can extend that thought as far as you want.

You may have a controller that does it all for you, but if you don't then it is easy to do it yourself.
 

Blown

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Why must the zone be drip? You might be better off with sprays or bubblers.

Or you could get low-flow drip, and run it concurrently with other zones, controller allowing.
I don't want to do sprays; the well water is very hard and turns the mulch white.

What's a bubbler? I didn't see anything like that at Lowes / Home Depot, but maybe they call it something else?
You can configure the control system to run the drip zone when either of two regular zones is running.

Designate primary zones A and B, and the drip zone as C.

Connect the output of the controller to the coil of a double pole relay for each of zones A and B, but not to the valve. We will call them Relays A and B.

Connect the coil for Valve A to one of the outputs of Relay A, and the coil of Valve C to the other output of the relay. Connect the power supply to the two poles of the relay.

When the controller calls for water on Valve A it actuates the relay which applies power to both Valve A and Valve C.

Do the same for the Valve B circuit, so when the controller actuates Valve B it is actuating the relay to Valve B, and when that relay is closed it actuates both Valve B and Valve C.

You can extend that thought as far as you want.

You may have a controller that does it all for you, but if you don't then it is easy to do it yourself.
Thanks, I'll check this out!

What kind of relays? Will I find them in the irrigation section (specific for this application?), or will I be selecting something from the electrical section?
 

Wet_Boots

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Fifteen shrubs can be watered at a total zone rate of about 15 gallons per hour, using two 0.5 gph emitters per plant. That's a low enough flow rate to run concurrently with other zones, but if your controller doesn't allow for that, you might just get a second controller for the drip.
 

Mr_Pike

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How are you turning on your pump currently?

I would assume that the clock has a Master Valve or Pump Start port.

Just add your drip zone to that port as well. That way your drip runs the entire time your pump is on.
 

Blown

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How are you turning on your pump currently?

I would assume that the clock has a Master Valve or Pump Start port.

Just add your drip zone to that port as well. That way your drip runs the entire time your pump is on.
There's a relay box in the basement that turns on the pump. So ya, I could find that wire in the irrigation controller. Is it going to be the right voltage to wire it up to turn on the drip zone?
 
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