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RIVULIS
DRIP GUIDE
3
DESIGN
INSTALLATION GROW
BEYOND
STARTUP
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THE RIVULIS DRIP GUIDE
DISCLAIMERS
This booklet, the information and recommendations included therein regarding your choice and operation of Rivulis products,
including the applicable Rivulis drip irrigation system, and regarding other farming related procedures (the “booklet”) are
designed and rendered for information purposes only and to the best of Rivulis’ knowledge and experience. The content is
provided for the purpose of offering an introductory overview of drip irrigation and related agricultural issues. It is therefore not
an exhaustive guide, and this booklet should be used in conjunction with other sources.
Rivulis has used commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that its own product information, including data sheets, schematics,
manuals and brochures are correct in all material respects. That being said, any information should be verified before making any
decisions and all information in this booklet is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis, without warranties of any kind either
express or implied. For the sake of clarity, the booklet includes public information and other materials provided by third parties
which Rivulis has not independently verified; all of which is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis, without warranties of
any kind either express or implied.
Except for the specific product warranties, available from the local Rivulis office of your area, Rivulis hereby disclaims all
warranties, express or implied, including without limitation, implied warranties of merchantability, reliability, title, fitness for a
particular purpose, and non-infringement. Applicable law may not allow the exclusion of certain warranties, so to that extent,
such exclusions may not apply.
Please note further that in light of the numerous variances of every farm, growth, climate, regional differences, etc., the booklet
cannot be deemed as an exhaustive guide of every consideration that must be considered when choosing the suitable product
for you and when taking other farming related decisions included in the booklet. As always, you should consult with a local
irrigation consultant for your specific needs.
As some of our products are not available in all regions, please contact your local authorized Rivulis dealer for additional details
and irrigation solutions. Rivulis reserves the right to change, edit and/or modify the booklet from time to time, as well as any of
its products’ specifications and designs without any notice.
Please note that all applicable safety regulations and means must be applied when using, storing, installing, operating,
maintaining, and troubleshooting of Rivulis products, their components and any other product or equipment referenced within
this booklet. Without derogating from the generality of the aforesaid, at any installation, use, maintenance and troubleshooting
of any of Rivulis products you and any of your employees, affiliates and partners must implement strict safety procedures
regarding, inter alia, electricity, machinery and the use of hazardous materials.
Some chemicals and fertilizers mentioned in this booklet are dangerous and their use is subject to local laws/regulations. To
learn about the health and environmental hazards and the required safety means related to such materials – refer to the safety
data sheets of such materials.
Any information provided by Rivulis in this booklet about the chemical or fertilizer treatment or chemical materials (including
safety information and handling recommendations), is provided as a general service only. Rivulis is not a treatment material or
fertilizer manufacturer and cannot guarantee that this information is sufficient, complete or accurate and cannot notify you in
case of changes in any handling guidelines. Therefore, prior to use, you must carefully learn about the hazards related to and the
safe performance and use of such treatments and materials, including by reading the relevant material safety data sheets (MSDS),
and consult with applicable professionals. Using such materials is at your own risk.
All guidelines mentioned in the booklet regarding the use of such materials are subordinate to the instructions of the
manufacturer of such materials and to applicable safety and environment laws.
As Rivulis only manufactures irrigation products, descriptions, guidelines, and recommendations included in this booklet, not
specifically linked to the use of its products, including ones related to chemical treatments, fertilization, salinity management,
etc, are provided to you as a general service only. Rivulis cannot guarantee the completeness, accuracy, and sufficiency of such
information and therefore does not guarantee and will not be responsible, for any yield results, crop loss, equipment loss, etc.
resulted from using this information. You solely bear the responsibility of using this information and for handling your farm and
soil.
There are hazards associated with working with farm and irrigation equipment. The user must comply with all relevant safety
measures of all equipment and materials. For example, protective clothing, shoes, and eye protection must be used as required.
Electrical installations must only be made by licensed professionals and according to local laws and regulations.
This booklet may be translated into various languages. However, in the case of doubt or variance, the English version prevails.
Rivulis reserves all intellectual property to this booklet. No part of this booklet may be reproduced without the prior written
permission of Rivulis.
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CONTENTS
Hydraulic design 8
The goal 8
Getting started 9
Design software solutions 10
The Rivulis Hydraulic Tool 11
Wcadi 12
Engaging a hydraulic designer 13
Completing the questionnaire – map of irrigation project site 18
Completing the questionnaire – crop & irrigation data 19
Crop spacing (Question 3) 19
Row distance (Question 4) 20
Lateral spacing (Question 10) 20
Number of laterals per row (Question 11) 21
Completing the questionnaire – soil data 21
Completing the questionnaire – energy & irrigation time data 21
Completing the questionnaire – water source data 23
Completing the questionnaire – pumping data 23
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CONTENTS
Installation 47
Installation of drip laterals 48
Before installation 49
Installation equipment 50
During installation 52
Steps for installation 53
Installation of mainlines & submains 61
Installing buried mainlines and submains 62
Installing layflat and flat PE (MaxFlat) submains 68
Connection of drip laterals to submains 70
Thin wall drip line/tape layflat submain 71
Thin wall drip line/tape H6000/H6500 PE submain 73
Thin wall drip line/tape PE submain 74
Thin wall drip line/tape PVC/PE submain 75
Heavy wall drip line/LDPE PVC/PE submain 76
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HYDRAULIC DESIGN
Hydraulic (irrigation) design takes many years of experience. To capture how to design within a few pages is
not possible by any means. For your irrigation design, you should rely on a qualified hydraulic designer.
That said, it is good to know some of the basics so you can understand your system and your design better.
Also, you should know the information that hydraulic designers require, and how different decisions will
impact the overall project.
The goal
while minimizing the energy requirements and costs, and within the allocation of water available.
Getting started
Clear design goals are required upfront.
Effectively, you will have four items that you need to balance:
Your challenge will be to design a system that meets these conflicting goals. You will need to make trade-
offs between uniformity, system life, and system cost.
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DESIGN SOFTWARE
SOLUTIONS
The Rivulis
Hydraulic Tool
Easy to use and free to access. Quickly calculate hydraulic parameters for laterals,
sprinklers/sprays, submains/mainlines, and more.
Lateral calculations
Easily create your lateral design, including factoring in the impact of sloping ground and lateral length
required.
EDC (Every Drop Counts) is a powerful inbuilt space application for evaluating sprinkler and spray designs.
The calculator can determine the optimum diameter and length configurations to meet the required flow
rate, while also calculating head loss and velocity.
Quickly get a picture of the overall system by using the Irrigation Design component.
www.rivulis.com/hydraulictool
D E S I G N - I N S TA L L AT I O N - S TA R T U P 11
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WCADI
Special features
• Calculation and simulation during lateral flushing • Lateral max run length calculator
ENGAGING A
HYDRAULIC
DESIGNER
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Design is complicated, and it is often easier (and better) to engage a qualified hydraulic designer that
specializes in drip irrigation systems.
In order to make the design, you will need to provide key information to the hydraulic designer. Below is a
copy of the Irrigation Systems Design Questionnaire from the Rivulis design team.
Metric
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US Measurements
You will have most of the information within this questionnaire after completing your farm overview in
Book 1, along with the product choices in Book 2.
You should reference these two books in order to complete the questionnaire. However, we will now provide
some additional explanation on key points.
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400
300
200
764
764
764
764
74 73 72 71 70 69
Map direction
W E
68
Row direction
208
900
Field boundaries
Existing roads
208
800
74 73 72 71 70 69 68
This question refers to the distance between each plant along a row.
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The row
distance is Row A
the distance Row
between the 5 m (16 ft) distance
Row B
rows of plants
5 m (16 ft)
themselves.
Row C
5 m (16 ft) Row
distance
Row D
Here you define the distance between each lateral or set of laterals.
If you have two (or more) laterals per row, this is considered a “set”, and the distance of the “lateral
spacing” is the distance between each set of laterals. You will advise how many laterals per set in
Question 11.
Row A
Lateral A
5 m (16 ft)
10 m (32 ft)
Row B 10 m (32 ft)
5 m (16 ft)
Row C
Lateral B
Row D
If you have a set of laterals (e.g. two laterals per row as shown below), you indicate the number
of laterals in Question 11.
Lateral A1
Row A
Lateral A2
Lateral B1
Row B
Lateral B2
Further in this book, we will look at scheduling shifts and intervals. If you are not familiar with these
concepts, or you would like to know how to calculate this information, refer to these relevant sections later in
this book.
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1. Interval (days) – the time between irrigation shifts of the same block.
2. Energy type – specify if electric pump, diesel pump, or gravity pressure only.
3. Max available time (h/day) – this is the maximum number of hours you can irrigate. As discussed
in Book 1, you may have energy limitations to consider (or benefits such as lower cost tariffs times),
or limited water availability (e.g. water source capacity, or multiple uses for the same water source).
4. Irrigation time shift– this is analyzed in-depth in the following sections. However, in
short, here you specify the time required in order to provide the daily water demand of the crop at
peak flow requirement.
The formula:
5. Shift nos – How many shifts will occur? This is also explored further in later sections.
Note that “Type” refers to the type of source (e.g. well-water, reservoir).
A water analysis should be attached, or the water analysis questionnaire should be completed (see Book 1).
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If you choose to have fertigation, this will impact many areas of the system, so it needs to be factored in from
the start.
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KEY DESIGN
PRINCIPALS
Although we would not recommend making your own design – unless you have an understanding of
design, of course – it is beneficial to have some knowledge of design principles. These will enable you to
better understand your system, and will also enable some back-of-envelope calculations.
The objective of an irrigation system is to replace the amount of water transpired by the plant and
evaporated from the soil and plant that is not supplied by natural rainfall.
This amount varies during the season, but there will be a peak water demand. For the purpose of design, this
is the number we care about the most as it is the “max” the system needs to handle.
Variance
between peak
& average
Average
water demand
D E S I G N - I N S TA L L AT I O N - S TA R T U P 29
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Pressure gauges are generally in bar/kPa or psi. However, in design we use meters water head (feet of head
or psi).
Metric Measurements
10m
in the tank, not the bottom of the tank
What we see in the images to the right is the 1m
static head. There is no flow in the system.
US Measurements
1 m head
32 ft
= 9.782 kPa
= 0.09782 bar
= 1.488 psi
3.2 ft
= 3.28 feet of head
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Head loss
In static head, there is no flow in the system. But what happens when there is flow?
In short, every item in the irrigation system will cause friction, which will reduce the energy of the water.
This is called head loss.
smaller larger
diameter(ø) diameter(ø)
If the system is turned off, the pressure gauge on both would read 20 m (10 psi). This is the static pressure.
However, when there is flow, the pipes creates friction (head loss) as the water passes. Therefore, neither
pressure gauge will show 20 m (10 psi). The tank with the smaller diameter pipe will have a reduced pressure
(greater head loss) than the tank with the larger pipe.
In Book 2 (“Head loss” section), we look at how head loss “adds up” throughout the system. You have a goal
of what you need for the emitter to perform, and you work back from there.
The example in Book 2 had a table with each component, starting at 31 m (46 psi) at the pump, and 9 m
(13 psi) at the emitter. Below is a graphical representation of the reduction of pressure from pump to emitter.
45 30
25
PSI
30 20
15
m
15 10
0
re on
p)
us
ve
er
in
io
io
itt
um
eo
l
ffe ti
Va
nc
nl
ct
at
di eva
Em
n
ai
Su
ltr
(p
la
M
El
Fi
el
art
isc
St
Although not all items are purely sequential in this order, the purpose of the above is to show the cumulative
effect of head loss. From a design perspective, we need to ensure that there is enough pressure at the end.
Of course, the above is an example only. Every system has different components and topography, and as
such, the m (ft of head or psi) reduction will vary.
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Blocks
In Book 1, we covered that we have three “areas”, being farm (all fields), field (combination of blocks), and
blocks.
Block
Each area of crop where the irrigation is controlled by a valve (i.e. you can turn on/off the water to this area).
Block 1 Block 2
Block 3
Irrigation shifts
An irrigation shift occurs when an individual block, or group of blocks, are irrigated at the same time.
There is one mainline that supplies the whole system, and a valve turns each block on/off separately, which
in turn, enable the operation of irrigation shifts.
We make irrigation shifts primarily because it reduces the cost of the system considerably. You need smaller
mainlines, pump and filtration as the overall water flow at any one time is lower.
But how many shifts can you have and A field with 2 blocks
(2 irrigation shifts)
still meet the water requirement?
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Calculate the application rate of the drip line/tape you have selected.
Calculate how many hours of irrigation are required to meet peak crop water
requirement based on the application rate.
This output is simply the number of hours the system needs to operate to achieve the peak water
requirement. However, not always do you have 24-hour supply, or you may want to utilize off peak electricity
tariffs.
Calculate how many shifts you can operate, based on how many hours you have/
want to use the system.
daily water supply (hours) how many shifts per day are possible
=
daily water requirements (hours) (and how many reserve hours you have)
The above is all calculated on the assumption of unlimited water source in terms of m3/hr (gpm) – both the
water source and the pump.
It is recommended not to irrigate more than 20–22 hours daily, and to leave spare time for maintenance and
malfunctions.
Calculating the flow required m3/hr to determine if the flow requirement can be met.
First convert the application rate (mm/hr) to (m/hr). Working in m will make it easier for the next calculation.
As there are 10,000 m2 in a hectare, multiply the above figure by 10,000 to obtain the flow per hectare.
m3/hr required per hectare x hectares in a block = m3/hr flow rate required
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Calculating the flow required in gpm to determine if the flow requirement can be
met.
The USA system uses inches of applied water per hour (in/hr), which can be converted to gallons per minute
per acre (gpm/ac) by multiplying by a factor of 452.54. For example:
(1 in/hr) x (1 ft/12 in) x (43,560 ft2/ac) x (1 hr/60 min) x (7.48 gal/ft3) = 452.54 gpm/ac
Irrigation scheduling
Based on the above calculations, you will have determined how many shifts you require, and how many
hours for each shift.
You can now schedule your irrigation, which depends on numerous factors such as soil type, crop type, and
system configuration.
Below are two examples of three shift operations, one with three shifts per day, and one with one shift per
day.
III
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MAINLINE AND
SUBMAIN DESIGN
The goal of the design is to apply the required water, at the required pressure, with the minimum system
(upfront) and ongoing (running) costs. The system should also be designed to allow for future expansion if it
is expected.
As mainlines can often be 1/3 of the cost of the entire system, it can be very tempting to reduce the
diameter of the pipe and to increase the velocity through the pipe. However, caution must be advised as this
will increase your operating costs.
Remember:
Increased velocity = greater friction = greater head (pressure) loss = higher pumping cost.
Higher Lower
upfront cost ongoing cost
(larger diameter) (larger diameter)
mainline. 28512
30096
31680
129.6 36
136.8 38
144 40
4.20
4.63
5.06
1.45
1.59
1.74
0.50
0.55
0.60
0.17
0.18
0.20
0.09
0.10
0.11
0.05
0.06
0.06
0.03
0.03
0.04 0.02
35640 162 45 2.15 0.74 0.25 0.14 0.08 0.04 0.03
39600 180 50 2.59 0.89 0.30 0.17 0.09 0.05 0.03 0.02
43560 198 55 3.06 1.05 0.35 0.20 0.11 0.06 0.04 0.02
47520 216 60 3.57 1.23 0.41 0.23 0.13 0.07 0.05 0.03
51480 234 65 1.42 0.47 0.27 0.15 0.09 0.05 0.03 0.02
55440 252 70 1.61 0.54 0.30 0.17 0.10 0.06 0.03 0.02
59400 270 75 1.82 0.61 0.34 0.19 0.11 0.07 0.04 0.02
63360 288 80 2.04 0.68 0.38 0.22 0.12 0.07 0.04 0.02
71280 324 90 2.52 0.84 0.47 0.27 0.15 0.09 0.05 0.03
79200 360 100 1.01 0.57 0.32 0.18 0.11 0.06 0.04
87120 396 110 1.19 0.68 0.38 0.22 0.13 0.08 0.04
95040 432 120 1.39 0.79 0.45 0.25 0.15 0.09 0.05
102960 468 130 1.60 0.91 0.51 0.29 0.18 0.10 0.06
110880 504 140 1.83 1.04 0.58 0.33 0.20 0.12 0.07
Pipe manufacturers publish head loss charts 118800
126720
134640
540 150
576 160
612 170
2.07 1.17
1.31
1.46
0.66
0.74
0.82
0.38
0.42
0.47
0.23
0.26
0.28
0.13
0.15
0.17
0.08
0.08
0.09
142560 648 180 1.62 0.91 0.52 0.31 0.18 0.10
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CAVITATION
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A system should be designed to minimize cavitiation – both in the pump and throughout the network
accessories.
Cavitation occurs when the system pressure decreases below the vapor pressure. This creates very small
bubbles, which quickly collapse when the pressure returns above the vapor pressure point..
When the bubbles collapse, they emit pressure shock waves that erode plastic and metal surfaces, and you
can hear a sound.
Ensure that the pump is working in the specified range as published by the manufacturer. Most importantly,
ensure that the net positive suction head available does not drop below the vapor pressure of the liquid. The
Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH) available must be higher than the NPSH required.
WATER HAMMER
D E S I G N - I N S TA L L AT I O N - S TA R T U P 45
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for a closed system such as a mainline, keep the water velocity at safe levels (e.g. below 2.5 m/sec)
secure the pipe network
include spring-loaded check valves
use fast-acting pressure relief valves
use a water hammer anticipator device
INSTALLATION
For this section of the book, we will look at the
various areas of installation, with an emphasis
on the drip laterals.
There are hazards associated with working with farm and irrigation equipment. You must
educate yourself about all the health hazards related to your work and the proper safety means,
including by consulting with safety professionals, read manufacturers safety sheets, and comply
with all local safety standards and regulations before use. Safety guidelines may include,
among others, correct lifting techniques, safety instructions for working around vehicles and
heavy equipment, use of machinery including earth moving equipment, tractors, and tractor
implements such as irrigation installation implements, use of glues/solvents, use of irrigation
equipment and pressurized water, use of electrical equipment, and for agriculture in general.
All photos and illustrations are indicative as a general guide only as product, equipment,
application of use, and local regulations may differ. All instructions, photos and illustrations are
subordinate to the instructions of the manufacturer of such equipment and to applicable safety
laws and regulations.
D E S I G N - I N S TA L L AT I O N - S TA R T U P 47
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INSTALLATION
OF DRIP LATERALS
Care must be taken for all drip lateral types, but extra care must be taken for thin wall drip lines and tapes.
Before installation
Before installation, store the drip line/tape in a protected
area and leave wrapping in place until ready to install.
• Moisture can damage the cardboard.
• Sunlight in the cases of clear shrink wrap without
cardboard wrap can create a magnifying glass effect
through water droplets, which burns the tube.
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Installation equipment
Daily inspection of installation equipment is required
There are various options for installation, but no matter what you use, vigilant daily inspection is required,
especially of any parts that come into contact with the drip laterals.
Sharp edges
Burns
Nicks
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Friction burns
Friction burns are a risk for thin wall products (especially) that have cardboard discs.
It occurs when the tape rubs against the cardboard discs during installation.
Prevention methods:
During
installation
For flat drip lines and tapes –
drippers face up.
ALWAYS
×
tube, it will enter the emitter,
greatly increasing your clogging
risk.
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The end of the drip lateral should be secured to the start point of the row,
and the roll/coil should be held and walked along the row to roll out the
drip lateral.
√
D E S I G N - I N S TA L L AT I O N - S TA R T U P 59
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Do not mount the coil/roll at the end of a row and pull the drip lateral,
as this can damage (stretch) the tube.
INSTALLATION
OF MAINLINES &
SUBMAINS
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OD
OD = Outside Diameter
WT = Wall Thickness
ID = Inside Diameter
WT
ID
OD = ID + (2 x WT)
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If using PVC with gaskets installation should occur inside the trench.
Care should also be taken with anchoring the PVC pipe. This is the placement of soil or concrete thrust
blocks to support the PVC against locations of pressure where the gaskets could open. The diagram
below shows common pressure locations that require placement of soil or thrust blocks to protect
gaskets from opening. There are formulas to determine the size of the thrust block depending on the soil
type and expectant hydraulic force.
For PE:
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D E S I G N - I N S TA L L AT I O N - S TA R T U P 69
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CONNECTION
OF DRIP LATERALS
TO SUBMAINS
How to connect
Thin wall drip line/tape layflat submain
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Either T or elbow take-offs (start-connectors) are screwed into the outlets of the H6000/H6500 layflat, or
installed using a quick connector take-off. Either thin wall tape or drip line is connected to the take-off using
the screw connector.
Before deploying When rolling, Avoid sharp angles. Install start Install
the hose, prepare ensure that outlets H6000 elbow connectors into drip line / drip tape
a shallow ditch for face up connectors are outlets
the H6000 to be available where 90°
installed connections are
required.
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Create a hole in the poly hose submain that is slightly smaller than the outside diameter (OD) of the barb
fitting. The dimension of the hole and tool to use is listed in the Rivulis Connectors brochure.
If installing to a buried PE submain, the installation will usually have a riser and
you should refer to the “Heavy wall drip line/LDPE PVC/PE submain” section,
as the riser is usually LDPE.
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For PE of diameters up to
50 mm (2”), a grommet is not
always necessary.
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TERMINATING DRIP
LATERAL ENDS
The common options for terminating drip laterals are described below.
Cut to make a sleeve Fold the drip lateral once Fold the drip lateral twice Slide the sleeve over the
folded drip lateral
1. An end-connector with a manually operated valve – this enables flushing by opening the valve. When
installing, you should leave the valve position open in preparation for flushing.
2. An automated flushing valve – provides some automated flushing, but remember that these
flushing valves remove the build-up at the end of the drip lateral only. A high velocity flushing
regime is still required.
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THE RIVULIS DRIP GUIDE
Flushing manifold
Terminating drip laterals are irrelevant if you have a flushing manifold. You connect the end of the drip
laterals to the flushing manifold using the appropriate connection type for the tube type of the flushing
manifold.
Flush Valve Laterals
Zone 1
Mainline
Flushing manifold
Do not connect drip laterals to the Submain
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THE RIVULIS DRIP GUIDE
STEP 1 – FLUSHING
When you installed the system, most likely some dirt and other debris entered the pipework. You need to
expel this before using the system.
This is a high-level overview of flushing. Refer to Book 4 – Maintenance – “Flushing” for detailed information.
Remember:
Before starting the pump, make sure that all necessary valves are open,
including at the main control head.
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4. Open the submain valves and open the submain flushing valves
individually and operate until the discharge water runs clear for
three to five minutes.
6. Perform a pressure test and leak test on submain lines the same
way as done for the mainline.
New sand in media filters contains fine particles that do not wash
out during the manufacturing process. These particles restrict
flow and must be back-washed out as soon as possible.
8. With the end of the drip laterals open, open the control valve of
the block. Run until the discharge water at the end of each lateral
runs clear.
If the capacity of your water supply is not high enough to flush all
laterals simultaneously, with sufficient velocity, it may be
necessary to terminate some of the laterals so that you can flush
only a few laterals at a time.
11. For each block, once you see water being expelled, and if you
are using a flushing manifold, at this time you can connect to
the flushing manifold and you need to flush the flushing
manifold by opening each section individually. Keep the flushing
manifold valve open.
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STEP 2 – CALIBRATION
The system is now flushed, so now you need to calibrate the valves.
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THE RIVULIS DRIP GUIDE
STEP 3 – TESTING
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CHECKLIST
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Below is a helpful checklist for the first operation of your irrigation system.
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Below is a helpful checklist for the first operation of your irrigation system.
US Measurements version
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Now what
If you followed the steps so far, your irrigation system will be in tip-top condition. Your next goal, aside from
growing profitable crops (of course), is to keep the system in top condition. To Book 4 – Maintenance.
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THE
RIVULIS
DRIP GUIDE
GROW
BEYOND
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