Finally low-pressure success: drip hose that works

A low-pressure drip water system attached to the wheelie bin gives a passive watering system. I am really pleased this irrigation product (low pressure drip hose)  is available. I also avoided buying the wrong type of piping: I went into the store intending to buy the brown version.

The helpful woman at Croydon Bunnings suggested I need a T-joint where the drip pip joins the pipe from the wheeliebin. I followed this advice and my guess is that it equalises the pressure of the flow in the pipes. (The green pipe in the photo starts at the T-joint on the right side)

By using some basic hose fittings, including a small valve and some low pressure drip feed hose bought at Bunnings (AUS $55 ), I was able to create a watering system that really works: every dripper was dripping, and you can turn it on or off easily. The wheeliebin was nearly empty after several hours. If you take a close look you can see a drip coming out of the pipe. 

Finally I have figured out the best way to set this system up!

Drippers are inside the pipe every 30 cm (12″)

And the photo at the bottom is the area I am trying to keep alive during this drought, a drought that seems to have no end and seems to be signalling this is the climate of the future. 

Photos taken with a Pentax K-m: an excellent intro level DSLR.

 

Better use of the water

If you fit an outlet at the bottom and connect this this to a length of poly pipe, and fit this pipe to a slow dripping or trickle feed type hose, the bin will always be slowly watering the garden.

I used the black recycled car-tyre hose, but this has stopped working, perhaps from under-use. So I am off to Bunnings in the next week to buy some of the pale brown poly drip hose that looks less likely to clog. Photos when I am done.

Keeping out the mozzies (mosquitoes)

I noticed were were breeding mosquitoes. So I tiied pouring vegetable oil into the wheeliebin. All good: after a day or so they were all dead. But after several weeks the oil turned into a revolting slimy, sticky, putrid mess. Not a solution. don’t use it.

Step 6: Add the downpipe diverter

The next major task is to fit the downpipe diverter to the dowpipe. I used a simple hacksaw to cut a section from the downpipe. Make sure you do not cut too much off! It’s easy to do! Remember that some of the downpipe has to sit inside of the diverter, which means that what you cut has to be less than the length of the diverter. (In the photo here you can see the end of the diverter: actually its the pice of downpipe I added to the end of the diverter to give the setup extra reach.)

Step 5: Fit the mesh

So the water runs in and keep the debris out, cut a hole in the top, and fit the flywire. A jigsaw is a fast way to cut the hole (photo). Then drill holes for the rivets and rivet the mesh on. The mesh also keeps out the mosquitoes.

Cut off the excess to reduce the trippping hazard, add the hose fitting

Step 1: Remove what you want with a hacksaw. If your wheeliebin will be in that narrow space between the fence and the house, cutting excess will reduce the trippping hazard, especially if you have to squeeze your way past the bin is on the way to the gas hot water service in the dark to relight the pilot light.

Step 2: Screw on the hose fitting, ready for the next step. If a hose is not connected, what will keep the water in? You might add a hose with a snap-close fitting on the other end as a simpler way to do this.

Step 4: Installing the outlet

First photo: Here is the fitting (the part you see is the part that will be on the inside) of the wheeliebin, but how are we to get the plastic fitting into the wheelibin?

Second photo: One way might be lay the bin on its side and crawl in. Better still is the ‘fitting-on-a-wire’ technique. Feed a piece of wire through the fitting, bend the end as in the photo, and feed the wire from the inside of the bin to the outside through the hole.

Third photo: Pull the fitting through from the outside, and fasten with a pair of large pliers or multigrips.

  

We’re getting close to the end off this stage. The tension and excitement build. I hope they last.

Note: I think you can use the same approach if you have to fit an outlet to a much larger tank. I did with our 1700L tank because the tank seller suggested to wait until the tank was in its final position before deciding where to put the outlet. His suggestion was spot on.

Step 3: Clean out the drill hole

This odd looking device that resembles a trunk of a tree is in fact a rasp, one uses to smooth the edges of the drill hole. It is a rough file. Step 4 (we can only dream) might be more exciting.

And here’s what were getting ready to fit.

Step 2: The power of small multiples — drilling the hole

As I do not own one of those special tools for drilling really big holes, I drilled out the hole with a medium sized drill bit. (Here’s a good page describing how to use a ‘hole saw‘ which is the tool one should use for a job like this.)

That’s about it for this page. Just make sure you keep within the hole. If you want to be sure, drill some smaller guide holes first.

Step 1: Marking the bin for the outlet and hose connector

Tip: Work out where you want the bin to sit before you do this, otherwise you could end up cutting the hole on the wrong side of the bin. I make mistakes because I think I have visualised the job correctly. In this case I made certain by taking the bin to the place where it will sit.

1. Mark the place where you want to cut the hole for the outlet. Use one of the washers that came with the fittings as your template, as the inside of one will be the exact size of the hole. Any dark texta will do. Even a biro.
2. Don’t make the hole too close to the bottom, as I think you want to leave room for the the inevitable muck that builds up in the bottom.

At this point you should have a clear working area around you: make sure you feel comfortable by knowing in the back of you mind that there is nothing to trip over. A clear work area makes it a big difference to your stamina, and the job is more relaxing as you are more focused on the work.