Some help with Netafim drippers Please and Thank you

Acex

Active Member
Good day!

I have been running DTW for about 2 years now but have just used the floraflex bubblers and an 850gph pump. While I do have good results with them, they are horribly inconsistent in watering. This is what I'm trying to tune. I picked up some netafim .5gph drippers and planned to have 2 per plant. I have hooked this up every which way and never get any water from the drippers. Maybe I need a weaker pump? Some other parts? I guess I've either smoked entirely too much of my own stuff or I'm missing something easy.

I've read through tons of stuff that says use backflow prevention, etc but I'm not familiar with all of this plumbing stuff. Can someone please help point me in the right direction. Thank you!
 

waterproof808

Well-Known Member
Are you running an in-line filter before your drippers? Only thing I can think of is your drippers are clogged. How much rise/distance between your rez and your plants?
 

Acex

Active Member
Are you running an in-line filter before your drippers? Only thing I can think of is your drippers are clogged. How much rise/distance between your rez and your plants?
Good evening! I do have a filter and i've swapped out drippers left and right. I bought a pack of like 24 or whatever. It's not that much of a rise at all. Maybe 20 inches. I have tried every gph pump I have at it and nothing lol. The drippers are brand new. I did a test run with straight RO water and get nothing.
 

waterproof808

Well-Known Member
It could be the pump is too weak. How many plants are you feeding at once? Also are you using the netafim drippers with the Floraflex manifold and does the bubbler have the pressure compensating inserts? It would be easier to help if you had a picture of your set up.
 

UpstateRecGrower

Well-Known Member
Some emitters require a minimum xx psi to open. And florflex bubblers also require a specific minimum pressure to keep the diaphragm seated against flow head or you will have way too much flow so I'm not sure if that's what you're experiencing? Also the yellow inserts (2gph) need to be pretty clean to flow properly, I started using the black inserts (6gph) because the yellow kept experiencing flow issues where 1 or 2 ports will barely be flowing..
 

waterproof808

Well-Known Member
Some emitters require a minimum xx psi to open. And florflex bubblers also require a specific minimum pressure to keep the diaphragm seated against flow head or you will have way too much flow so I'm not sure if that's what you're experiencing? Also the yellow inserts (2gph) need to be pretty clean to flow properly, I started using the black inserts (6gph) because the yellow kept experiencing flow issues where 1 or 2 ports will barely be flowing..
Yeah, I suspect he is using the pressure compensating inserts in the floraflex manifold and there isnt enough psi for the 0.5gph emitters.
 
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