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Can auto/valve system run off external faucet as source instead of tapping main line?

happycats

New Member

Posts: 2

1

Monday, July 27th 2009, 4:28pm

Can auto/valve system run off external faucet as source instead of tapping main line?

Hi - in process of designing system that can have zoned controls (valves, right?) and run off a timer. I was trying to figure out if you can use the external house faucet as the water source rather than tapping into the main line. All the systems I see described seem to all involve tapping into the main line. Is that a must? ?(

HooKooDooKu

Supreme Member

Posts: 683

2

Wednesday, July 29th 2009, 11:51pm

It depends upon what you want to water. If you are just doing drip irrigation, then a hose bibb is just fine. But generally speaking, large volumes of water are needed for irrigating a yard. A hose bibb has the limitation that is most likely is fed by a 1/2" water line. That's just too small for anything other than drip irrigation.

As an example, a typical irrigation circuit will have about 7 to 10 sprays, each spray requiring about 30 psi of working pressure spraying about 1 gallon of water per minute. That means you need a source that can produce about 10 gallons of water per minute. But a 1/2" hose can only supply about 5 gallons per minute (if forced to produce more because of high pressures, then you start getting into issues with water hammer).

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