Soaker hose in polytunnel/greenhoues beds?

[redser]

There could be a fair amount of pressure behind the plugged up holes and cause a leak. Could you get it along to a plumbers merchants to have a look and see if they have a solution?

[Kristen]

There could be a fair amount of pressure behind the plugged up holes and cause a leak.

Would a tapered bung, inserted from the inside, solve that? Dunno how difficult it would be to get in there to apply it though!

[bario1]

Problem solved! Took a chance and bought 2 22mm copper end caps from *&* - perfect fit! Now I just need to install a tap...

Cheers for your suggestions.


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[bario1]

Ok, so I finally got this system in place (minus the timer for now). Working with the soaker hose was a total pain in the proverbial, it kept kinking, and as soon as it kinked, it tore. Eventually I got it down though, and turned on the water supply from my full 50 gallon water tank... and waited... and waited... eventually a few beads of water developed on the outside of the hose, but at that rate I would need to leave it on all day to make the slightest difference to my soil! I'm wondering if I perhaps bought a really poor quality hose (it was REALLY cheap)? Or do they get more porous with use? Or is my pressure just not strong enough? What do people think?

Thanks.

[Alison]

Am a bit confused about your soaker hose tearing, the stuff I've always used is pretty tough so am wondering what type you are using.


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[bario1]

Hi Alison, its the porous type that I bought, but the material is very brittle, and refuses to uncurl, kinking very easily and then tearing almost as easily as an eggbox when you try to un-kink it.



I'm wondering whether a 'sprinkler' hose rather than a soaker might be a better bet with low pressure anyway?

[Alison]

Strange, looks the same as the stuff I've used but mine isn't at all brittle and you need a knife to cut it. If you're having problems with kinking then you may have one restricting the flow which will be adding to your problems. Not sure what sprinkler hose is but if it's meant for sprinkler systems then it'll be designed for higher pressures.

[redser]

It sounds like your hose is old and perished or else cheap and nasty quality. Where did you get it, how much and for what length? Normal soaker hose is very durable and bendy, no chance of tearing.

[bario1]

Yes it was very cheap from Ebay - £4.99 for 15m - brand new in packaging though. False economy I guess, maybe i'll get a good branded one like Hozel**k... at 5 times the price! Or one like this -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...QSDDFFNQQRYWJM

which has holes in it, rather than being porous?

[redser]

No stick with the soaker hose. Lidl will be selling them within the next couple of months. I have some and they work fine plus the connection ends fit with all their own brand connectors and bits and bobs. Can't remember price, about a tenneri think for 15 meters.

[bario1]

Got my money back on the cheap hose!

[bario1]

Well I thought i'd post an update on this, I spent all winter setting it up and am now testing it in preparation for a ten day holiday in June - the problem is, there just doesn't seem to be enough water coming through the hose... I bought a good quality branded soaker, which is much stronger than the cheap crap one i had, but barely any water comes through it. At the rate it comes through i would think it would evaporate before it got past the first inch of soil on a hot day. I've had my timer set for two 120 minute 'soaks' a day, but i see barely any moisture on my soil... just a line directly under the hose.

So the system is pretty useless, i guess the 225lt tank is not producing enough pressure the drive the water through the hose.

[Bill HH]

Not sure but I think these soaker hoses are designed for mains pressure or at least a tank with a good head. You might have to go over to mini drippers.

[bario1]

I'm sure other posters use butts/tanks with these hoses. Maybe i should start drilling tiny holes into the hose?

[Alison]

Not sure but I think these soaker hoses are designed for mains pressure or at least a tank with a good head. You might have to go over to mini drippers.

Most of them need the pressure to be lower than mains and my soaker hose works well from butts. The only time I've had a problem is when there have been airlocks in the system at which point it just doesn't work. Had to take parts of it apart earlier this year to balance it again (the problem was at a splitter) and now it works well. I have however got a lot of soaker spurs off a main solid pipe ring main which will help.


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