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ARS Home » Plains Area » Bushland, Texas » Conservation and Production Research Laboratory » Soil and Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #87120
Title: INSTALLATION ISSUES FOR SDI SYSTEMS

Author
item LAMM, FREDDIE - KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
item CLARK, GARY - KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
item YITAYEW, MULUNEH - UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
item Schoneman, Richard
item MEAD, RICHARD - AGROLINK
item Schneider, Arland

Submitted to: American Society of Agricultural Engineers Meetings Papers
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/10/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Successful SDI systems require better quality components and more skilled installation techniques than other types of irrigation systems because extensive underground repairs are prohibitively expensive. A successful system starts with an appropriate hydraulic design and selection of effective filtration equipment. Equipment components must be of good quality, and they must also be compatible throughout the system. The most troublesome area has been the connection of the dripline or drip tape to the PVC submain or header. The connection fittings are not always compatible, incorrectly sized holes can be drilled in the PVC pipe and the correct type of solvent cement is not always known or available. Dripline splices are also critical because they are chiseled in without being tested, and leaks away from the field margins are more difficult to detect and repair. During installation, the dripline injector chisels must operate in different soils, and the reel assemblies must accommodate dripline from different manufacturers. The reels must unroll the dripline without damage and must position directional emitters correctly. The chisels must be both an efficient tillage tool and an effective injector to place the dripline in the soil. Currently, most SDI system installation is by the end user, but some contractors are beginning to provide a turn-key system. Their success will depend on a heightened awareness and commitment to quality similar to that required in other advanced technologies.