I have installed the beginning of my drip irrigation system. I heavily mulch my beds. My question is about burying my drip tubing. I use 1/2" drip tubing with .9gph emitters spaced 9" apart. I run it all at 25psi. In the fall, because of my setting on the slope, I drain my system using gravity assisted by an air inlet up top. My concern is that when I drain my system it will create negative pressure at each emitter creating the potential for the emitter to suck in debris. I want to bury my drip tubing under my mulch. Has anyone used this method and have you had any problems with the emitters getting clogged by debris sucked in by this negative pressure?
I have the same system with very cheap T-tape and I can count on the runs under wood chip mulch to last several years. I haven't noticed any clogged emitters, but I only usually check one per run per year. The back pressure on draining is very small, and I think anything that would clog would not get sucked in through the same diameter hole. My thin tubing is self collapsing, so I don't even need to drain it - it just goes flat with most of the water out when not pressurized..
Thanks very much for your input. As it turns out, the thin-walled emitter tubing I use needs a minimum of 10 psi negative pressure to suck back in. Your reply was what I was hoping for, from someone who actually uses it.
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