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READ BEFORE YOU BUY! ABSOLUTELY INCONSISTENT FLOW!
Update August 20, 2016
After looking at the rows of lettuce, broccoli, Swiss chard, Tomatoes, Cabbage, etc etc. I noticed a fairly large difference in growth from one plant to another.
As of August, we had so far a rainfall deficit of 9 inches in MA, hence this spring/summer the watering was almost only drip irrigation sustained.
While planting the fall crop, I decided to measure precisely the output of those emitters, and I had a nasty surprise:
They are *absolutely inconsistent* from one to another, and from one test to the next. (15 minutes apart)
Some emitters drip as low as 0.08 GPH to as much as 0.92 GPH. The *same* emitter can go from 0.24 GPH to 0.92 GPH within 2 test spaced out by 15 minutes. I would not mind it too much if they were 0.7 instead of 0.5 GPH, but the same one will have over 350% difference output between 2 test. Out of 10 emitters, 8 are JUNK. That's only a 80% fail rate.
Look at the video and you'll see. 8 test performed total.
Emitter #1, Test 1, 0.46 GPH || Test #2, 0.41 GPH
Emitter #2, Test 1, 0.55 GPH || Test #2, 0.20 GPH
Emitter #3, Test 1, 0.13 GPH || Test #2, 0.14 GPH
Emitter #4, Test 1, 0.08 GPH || Test #2, 0.16 GPH
Emitter #5, Test 1, 0.08 GPH || Test #2, 0.18 GPH
Emitter #6, Test 1, 0.24 GPH || Test #2, 0.92 GPH
Tech specs for the test
Brand new emitters. Main line 0.500 in @ 30 PSI. Timed at 10 minutes exactly. Complete line purged of air. Municipal water (clean) + 200 Mesh (75 microns) filter , 1/4 inch line on a loop.
Plastic cups placed under the emitters, each cup measured at 12 grams.
and then you weigh the water after x minutes. 1 gram = 1 ml
If you are looking for the top notch quality emitters, cleanable, etc, then it's Antelco CETA available on Amzn here:
0.5 GPH http://amzn.to/2p9BpxY
1 GPH http://amzn.to/2ppqShS
2 GPH http://amzn.to/2ohqs9u
Disclaimer: I did not have the same issues with the 2GPH RainBird, but after trying RainBird, Koram, RainDrip, and Antelco, I now use Antelco almost exclusively.
Lastly, the vendor (Drip Depot) of those Antelco PC drip emitters has a *stellar* customer service.
Antelco: If you don't know the Brand, you should know that more than a few RainBird products are in fact Antelco re-branded
June 2016 · Patio Lawn and Garden · verified purchase