the benefits of newly installed equipment. A
However, looking down the road, whether it is a car or drip irrigation, it is important to take necessary steps to protect the integrity of the equipment and system.
Whether you grow in an agricultural setting, greenhouse and nursery environment, or as a residential homeowner, long-term performance of the drip system should be everyone’s goal. Every system installed will perform at its highest level when it is brand new; however, with time all systems will show signs of degrading performance. To combat that, routine maintenance plays a valuable role in maintaining the system’s performance.
When evaluating the performance of a system, I always want to have a good understanding of the irrigation system design and all of the major irrigation components in the system. Most growers are provided CAD drawings of their system with all irrigation components illustrated on the design. Once you have this knowledge, a tactical plan can be made to maintain all of the components.
Generally, irrigation systems can be divided into four main sections: 1) head control/pumping station, 2) mainline pipe network, 3) block valves and submains, and 4) drip line laterals and/or microsprinklers. The mentality is to start at the pump, working down through the system following the water as it travels to the furthest drip line in the system.
Head control/pump station
System maintenance of the head control/pump station includes looking at these common components:
centrifugal pumps – Manufacturers recommend that during operation there is always some water dripping down at the base of the pump. This is crucial because the water flow helps keep the pump packing cool and promotes less wear. If your pump is not leaking any water at the base, you most likely are going to wear out the pump packing and prematurely wear out the pump.
quick-reacting pressure relief valves – It is a good practice several times during the year to ensure that pressure relief valves are set at the right pressures and that they are operating correctly per the design specifications. Oftentimes, pressure set points can be changed, and it is a good idea to make sure they are set correctly. This will inherently help protect the pipes in the system. These valves were designed to open quickly while closing slowly, minimizing water hammer in the system in the process.
primary filter stations – Whether the system was designed with sand media filtration, disc filtration or screen filtration, there are a few things to check to ensure high performance. All filters (if automatic) will require a minimum backflushing pressure to perform at a high level. Verify that the minimum backflush pressure is downstream of the filter station. Do not use the upstream pressure for this reading, as the filter station will not perform optimally.
Pressure-reducing block valve with combination air vent
nyone who has ever owned a brand-new car can attest to the joy of driving a vehicle with new parts, electronics and equipment. The same can be said of an owner of a new drip irrigation system who is enjoying
Every system installed will perform at its highest level when it is brand new; however, with time all systems will show signs of degrading performance.
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Photo credit: Mike Illia
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