Easy Guide To Install Your Drip Hose

Today I’m installing the head assembly for my drip system onto this hose bib here. Alfred Castillo here, the Sprinkler Warehouse Pro.  Let’s talk head assembly.

It goes without saying if we’re going to install a drip system we’ve got to somehow get water into the drip system.  If this were a standard sprinkler system, you wouldn’t want to supply water from plumbing that’s installed in a building or house. However, when using a drip system the water volume and water pressure are lower.  So if you’re installing something that uses say 220 gallons per hour or less you shouldn’t have a problem.

Avoid Attaching Your Drip System To A Water Softener

I definitely would not attach it to a hose bib that will be supplied by a water softener.  Some water softeners add sodium to soften the water which is not healthy for your plants.  And even if you have a water softener that uses potassium salt instead, you really don’t want to pay for all that product getting spilled out on your landscape.

How To Set Up A Drip Irrigation Head Assembly

Onto the head assembly. You can buy all these parts separately or you can purchase them in a kit form.  And none of the items I’m installing today should require PTFE tape.  Just hand tighten; leave the channel locks in the tool chest. First, you’ll be installing a backflow preventer.  Looks something like this.  They also come in brass. Next in line is the pressure regulator. Followed by the swivel adapter.  The swivel adapter connects to your mainline tubing.  In this case, I’m using half-inch mainline so I’ll need a swivel adapter that connects from three-quarter-inch threads to half-inch compression.

Attach The Main Line Poly Tubing To The Head Assembly

I find it’s much easier to attach the poly tubing to the swivel adapter prior to screwing the adapter into the head assembly. I’ve let this poly tubing set out in the sun a while to soften up so that it will be more manageable. To get the tubing into the swivel adapter, you’ll need to rock it back and forth.  It does take a bit of effort. So that’s the basic minimum.  Now let’s trick this baby out. The swivel adapter had a small screen on it. But I highly recommend attaching a drip filter.  This is a “y” filter with a polyester mesh screen and flush cap. You can open it up to clean the filter. And there’s a flush valve here on the bottom.  Just open it like this to flush the filter. You’ll place it inline between the backflow preventer and the pressure regulator. 

Adding A Hose End Timer To Your Drip System Is Easy

And now let’s add a timer to all this.  Since I started using a timer on my drip system, I’ll never go back.  It’s way too cheap and convenient to pass up. The one I’ve got here is a DIG Digital Hose End Timer, which is battery-operated.  It has a seven-day watering calendar with up to four start times per day. You install this device right onto your hose bib, inline before everything else. Like I said before, you can get this entire setup in a kit from our website, and it makes this portion of your drip system a no-brainer. Now if your system uses zones, you’ll want to check out our video on Drip System Zones.

Shop Drip System Head Assembly Parts At Sprinkler Warehouse

Remember,  Sprinkler Warehouse has everything for your irrigation needs so that your trees, lawn, flower beds, and gardens are lush and beautiful. If you have any questions about our products give us a call or chat with one of our extraordinary customer service reps on SprinklerWarehouse.com. They really know their stuff and they’ll get you squared away. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel to get the most out of our user-friendly shop and compare website. For Sprinkler Warehouse, I’m Alfred Castillo, your Sprinkler Warehouse Pro!