Irrigation pump

That is on a short open line. The impeller set on a bilge will not create or hold enough pressure to run 100 ft of line uphill at the rated GPH but will (if left open) push more than enough to fill buckets or run straight onto plants. A drip system requires 10-50 lbs of pressure (25 pounds or more being ideal) to operate adequately. A bilge will not develop that kind of pressure over a long line.


A better 12 volt choice for drip irrigation is this: http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte/10001/-1/10001/223003/377%20710%201518/0/General%20Purpose%20Pumps/Primary%20Search/mode%20matchallpartial/0/0?N=377


It is pricier but will more than do the job. Steer clear of the "premium model. It's just the standard pump with $10 of wire and clamps.


Cheers,

 

Sounds like it should work. If open pressure ends up being to high you could always install a ball valve inline on the 3/4 inch hose before your 1/4 inch take offs.


I have a spare 500 gph bilge pump in the garage and run several drip systems around the yard off my sprinkler system. If you can wait a few weeks I'll be doing the spring clean-up and could hook the bilge pump up to see if it can create enough line pressure to run the system and post the results.


cheers,

 

No problem. I'm kind of curious myself. If it works I'll have to eat a few words and bow to Carpenter on this call. Wouldn't be the first humble pie I ever had to eat.

 

It's almost the same $$ for a 1000 gph. Overkill is always better. You just wire the pump with a 12 volt cigarette lighter style plug. Most battery packs have a receptacle for this.


You can recharge the battery pack in your car with a 12 volt power point or plug in at home.

 

Ok...got my landscape irrigation started today and hooked up a 500gph bilge pump to see if it would create enough pressure.


Run #1 13 irrigation drippers. 35 foot run. Around 2-3 foot verticle lift.


With flow controllers in place it was a slow drip but the pump did move water. With the flow controllers removed it worked beautifully.


Run #2 Window boxes. 8 irrigation drippers. 55 foot run. 15 foot verticle lift.


With dripper controlls in place ZERO water at the last 4 outlets. Without dripper controls low but more than adequate water flow.


Conclusion:


A 12v 500gph bilge pump can be used in conjunction with 1/4 inch irrigation tubing to produce acceptable results at a 15 foot rise and 55 foot run with 8 outlets. It is a rational assumption then that a 1000gph pump should perform more than adequately in a similar scenario or similarly in a run of larger dimension.


Carpenter..you got some salt for these words or should I just choke-em down plain? Nice call...you had it right man.


cheers,

 

Ok....going out on a limb and figuring I'll get proven wrong again but here goes.


With a rise at the end of the run you are going to lose a tremendous amount of flow. All that hose creates back pressure even when running flat. Think of it this way.....All that water between the pump and the rise has weight. The less weight the pump needs to push the more effective it is.


Can you create the rise in the beginning?


BTW what kind of pump? Bilge pumps are cheap, long lasting, tough as nails, work on a 12v so are portable, but not efficient. If it is another style your efficiency may be much higher.


cheers,

 

Ummmm...I'm goin with Carpenter. Already eaten my fill of crow today.


What about ending the 3/4" manifold line at the rise and running the 1/4" drip lines from there? Less water being pushed uphill = less weight. Any thoughts?


cheers,