Raised Bed Drip System

[bohdant48]

I am installing a raised bed, 8'x40', and want to use a drip system consisting of 6 to 8 branches 40' long. The recommended operating pressure of the drip system is 8psi. My water source is a ditch that is 50' horizontal and 15' head. How can I feed the drip system? I was thinking gravity tank at 10 feet, but that just gives me 5psi before piping. And I was looking at a 1/2 hp pump, but it's minimum operating pressure is > 20 psi.

[greenmonster304]

If it is a commercial grade dripline like Netafim or Rainbird you could run the pressure to 60 psi if you wanted and it would work fine. If you are using somthing like T-tape you might have a problem.

[LLigetfa]

There are pressure regulators available to reduce the pressure. The problem with that though, is pump cycling. Instead of gravity feeding into the tank, you could raise the tank higher and pump up into it. Use a sump pump float switch to turn the pump on and off. Then you can still gravity feed out of the tank.

[valveman]

I have a 10 PSI pressure regulator going into my drip system line. The water comes from my well pump which turns on and off at 50/70, but has a constant 60 PSI from a CSV when running water.

I have other pump systems dedicated to the drip, no house supply, with the CSV set as low as 7 PSI, using a 7/25 pressure switch setting.

You probably need to set a CSV at about 15 PSI to make up for some friction loss and still get 8 PSI to the drip. You could use a pressure switch setting of 10/30.

If the 8’X40’ plot uses at least 60 gallons per hour, you can use a very small pump and a very small pressure tank with a CSV. If the plot uses less than 60 gph, you need a larger pressure tank.

[ballvalve]

Drippers work fine on 15' of head. Why use a pump when god gave us gravity i.e. siphon. Use drippers with a removeable stem to clean and some sort of pick up filter of very fine mesh.

I cant see a need for a pump or tank.