ID Installing Drip Emitters and Fittings

ID Installing Drip Emitters and Fittings


Installing Drip Irrigation Tubing & Fittings

Drip Main line tubing, micro tubing, compression & barbed fittings

1/2" Solid Drip Irrigation Tubing (main line) & Compression Fittings

 

The most common size of main line drip irrigation tubing is "700" - .700" O.D. (Outer Diameter) x .600" I.D. (Inner Diameter). It is often called simply "1/2 inch drip

tubing". That said, not all 1/2" drip irrigation tubing is the same size. Confused? Read more about drip irrigation tubing sizes in our tutorial called "What size is my drip tubing?". The drip irrigation tubing is the main feeder line for your drip irrigation system. Drip irrigation tubing is used to create manifolds and branch lines. The maximum distance that you can run drip irrigation tubing will vary with the number of drip emitters you install and the spacing between emitters, but here are two conservative design guidelines:

Maximum Run per circuit: 200 ft

Maximum Flow Capacity: 220 gph

Our Drip Tubing Maximum Run Chart (PDF) will help you compare different drip irrigation design scenarios. The drip irrigation tubing maximum run will increase if you use low-output emitters (1/2 gallon-per-hour). Increasing pressure regulator size from a 20 psi regulator to a 30 psi regulator will also extend the distance that you can run drip irrigation main line.

We carry the following sizes of 700 drip tubing:

 

1/2" Drip Tubing (700) 100 ft

1/2" Drip Tubing (700) 500 ft

 

 

Install drip tubing with compression fittings. The tubing is inserted into the fitting and requires no glue.

 

Use clippers to cut 1/2" tubing.

compression elbow

compression tee

compression coupler

compression end cap (threaded)

compression coupler threaded end cap

 

Installing a

Step One - slip figure 8 over tubingStep Two - crimp tubing

Step Three - slip tubing through other end of figure 8Completed Figure 8 Installation

Installing a Also, called a "mistake plug", it is great for plugging small holes in drip mainline tubing. If you need to move an emitter or a 1/4" barbed fitting, just pull it out and replace it with a goof plug.

Goof Plug inserts into hole in mainline tubingGoof Plug installed in mainline drip tubing

A allows you to reduce the flow to a drip main line shut it off completely.

Flow Control Valve - open positionFlow Control Valve - closed position

Connecting different sizes of drip tubing.

Use adapter compression fittings to join drip mainline tubing of different sizes. Note that colored compression rings correspond to tubing size. For more information on tubing sizes, read "

700 (black rings) x 710 (blue rings) -

Compression adapter for 700 x 710 drip tubingCompression adapter with 700 & 710 drip tubing installed

700 (black rings) x 620 Raindrip (green rings) -

Compression adapter for 700 x 620 drip tubingCompression adapter with 700 & 620 drip tubing installed

700 (black rings) x 580 (yellow rings) -

Compression adapter for 700 x 580 drip tubingCompression adapter with 700 & 580 drip tubing installed

700 (black rings) x 455 (red rings) -

Compression adapter for 700 x 455 drip tubingCompression adapter with 700 & 455 drip tubing installed

Adapter compression ring for size 710 drip tubing Adapter compression ring for size 700 drip tubing Adapter compression ring for size 620 Raindrip tubing Adapter compression ring for size 580 drip tubing Adapter compression ring for size 455 drip tubing

1/4" Drip Micro Irrigation Tubing & Barbed Fittings

Also called "distribution tubing" or "spaghetti tubing", the most common size is .250" O.D. (Outer Diameter) x .170" I.D. (InnerDiameter) . This micro irrigation tubing is available in Polyethylene (PE) "Poly" or Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) "Vinyl" is heavier than Vinyl tubing more flexible and easier to work with, but is also more expensive.

This drip micro irrigation tubing is most often designed to branch off from main line drip irrigation tubing to individual plants. Drip emitters are attached to the ends of 1/4" drip micro irrigation tubing and staked next to plants. Check out this basic installation tutorial to learn about

1/4" drip micro irrigation tubing does not have the same water carrying capacity as 1/2" drip irrigation tubing. Keep the following restrictions in mind when using 1/4" drip micro irrigation tubing:

Maximum Run per branch: 50 ft

Maximum Flow Rate: 30 gph

We carry the following sizes of 1/4" drip tubing:

 

 

 

 

Install 1/4" drip tubing with . The barbs are is inserted into the tubing and require no glue.

Use scissors to cut .

 

Our cuts a clean hole in main line drip tubing. 1/4" barbed fittings are inserted into the hole.

Removing Hole Punch

Inserting into main line with micro tubing

attached to 1/4" micro tubing

Attaching 1/4" tubing to 1/4" 1/4" tubing attached to

Inserting into main line tubing attached to 1/2" main line

Inserting into 1/4" drip micro tubing

Inserting into drip main line

A connects 4 lengths of 1/4" drip micro tubing

To cap off 1/4" drip micro tubing, install a

 

A allows you to reduce the flow to a drip line shut it off completely.

 

 

 

 

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