Well , I've got the system all installed , though I might add one more
run across the strawberries to the taters .
The silt separator* seems to be working well , I haven't had to clear
but a few emitters . The plastic 55 gallon barrel I'm using has a couple
of 1/16" holes near the top that I have been using as indicators of
system pressure . The distance the streams of water coming out of those
holes go tells me when I have it balanced for inflow/outflow . Being
under slight pressure has made a big difference in how much water is
being applied in a given time . Having most of the garden covered with
black plastic has also made a lot of difference , both in lower
evaporative losses and in more uniformity in moisture levels .
*The silt separator is the 55 gallon barrel . The inlet is at the top
and has a 1/4" diameter tubing section at the tip that accelerates flow
speed and is angled to induce a swirl in the barrel . That swirl makes
the silt drift to the outside as it falls to the bottom . The outlet
pulls from the center of the barrel about a foot from the bottom . So
far it has worked as I hoped , I'm not cleaning emitters every time I
water .
--
Snag
"You can lead a dummy to facts
but you can't make him think."