Drip system timer/valve for low pressure?

[heehaw]

"if 120v is available" a valve from an ice maker, dish washer, or washing machine, are all cheap, work, and last a long time. i've used them for all sorts of things without a single problem. rainbird sprinkler system valves don't seem to last very long, and seem to like to fail in the open position.
heehaw

 

[RavensRoost]

On the Melnor 3060, looks like they may have "improved" it. (I have the older units, work fine.) Here is a paste of customer review on Amazon:

" New 3060 different from old 3060, July 27, 2006
Reviewer: San Antonian "Al" (San Antonio, TX) - See all my reviews
Melnor completely changed the model 3060 this year. I had had old models for 9 years. Loved them. Had to replace 2 this year. They are completely different, less features, no manual/auto with valve on/off feature. And worse, the clocks change time! My old ones chugged along with absolutely no problems for years. The new ones have failed in the first week!
Not only that, they are harder to program.
Ignore all the good review that are pre-2006! They don't apply to this model."

RavensRoost

 

[_RaT_]

"if 120v is available" a valve from an ice maker, dish washer, or washing machine, are all cheap, work, and last a long time. i've used them for all sorts of things without a single problem. rainbird sprinkler system valves don't seem to last very long, and seem to like to fail in the open position.
heehaw

When use water that is not clean, the dirt in the water will eventually clog the very fine screen on most any 24V solenoid water operated valve. They make dirty water valves with a scrubbing action to eliminate that. In this guys case, a simple battery operated motor/gear operated open/close timer valve like the Melnor is the simplest, easiest way to go. They do not cost much. Rarely is dirty water much of a problem for the valve. The drip system however is another matter.

 

[sendero]

Thanks for the ideas guys. To answer some of the questions that have come up...

I use a gasoline powered portable pump to pump water from the pond to the tank. It has to go about 15 feet uphill, so it takes about 35 minutes to fill the tank.

A foot of elevation equals .43 lbs of pressure. Raising the tank just really is not an option, since it would weigh over 6 tons when full.

I don't have 120V out there and don't really want to mess with that. Battery power is a possibility, probably a likelihood.

I was thinking I could perhaps use the timer portion of the hose timer to power a relay that controlled a suitable valve. I'm not sure where to get said value, though some suggestions here look promising.

 

[_RaT_]

Thanks for the ideas guys. To answer some of the questions that have come up...

I use a gasoline powered portable pump to pump water from the pond to the tank. It has to go about 15 feet uphill, so it takes about 35 minutes to fill the tank.

A foot of elevation equals .43 lbs of pressure. Raising the tank just really is not an option, since it would weigh over 6 tons when full.

I don't have 120V out there and don't really want to mess with that. Battery power is a possibility, probably a likelihood.

I was thinking I could perhaps use the timer portion of the hose timer to power a relay that controlled a suitable valve. I'm not sure where to get said value, though some suggestions here look promising.

Billy, heres a good link. Irrigation Pumps & Alternate Water Sources

 

[kossetx]

I don't know if this helps, but Orbit makes a 3AA battery powered digital timer that will expand to up to 4 zones but generally only comes with 2. It can be programed for multiple waterings per zone per day. They cost about 40.00.

I use 2 to water my orchard and grass/plants. I use a plastic backflow preventer/vac breaker on each zone because vacuum can cause the valve to not operate. Perhaps that is what is causing your problem. They are also only good for 1 impulse sprinkler per zone because of the size of the valve. It is standard hose bib fittings. I generally Y off the vac breaker and run a low flow drip system with an impulsesprinkler too.