sunshower Micro Dripper Irrigation DIY Kit Installation Guide
- June 6, 2024
- sunshower
Table of Contents
sunshower Micro Dripper Irrigation DIY Kit
Installation Guide
Congratulations! Your garden is about to benefit from some of your finest work, with the help of this DIY Irrigation Kit. While gardens do come in all shapes and sizes, we’ve done our best to put together this kit to suit these applications:
• Veggies patches,
• Small garden beds,
• Sideways or fencelines.
And even if it doesn’t quite include everything for your place, for instance you need an extra fitting here or there, it’s still a great way to get started with your own irrigation project.
Kit includes:
• 1 x Rainbird 1ZEHTMR Digital Tap Controller
• 2 x AA Batteries
• 1 x 13mm x 20mm Nut & Tail
• 1 x 25m 13mm Poly
• 6 x 13mm Elbow
• 2 x 13mm Tee
• 2 x 13mm End Plug
• 25 x 13mm Ratchet Clamps
• 25 x Shrubblers
• 1 x 25m Micro Tube
• 1 x Micro Punch
• 1 x Teflon Tape
Tools you’ll need:
• Shovel
• Pipe Cutters (or Secateurs)
• Multi-Grips (to tighten the Ratchet Clamps)
Installation Steps
1. Identify a preferred layout & dig trenches (or scrape away mulch)
2. Roll out pipe & install parts
3. Program your timer
4. Flush the system
Identify a preferred layout & dig trenches
How to work out your ideal dripper layout
Antelco Shrubbler drippers are designed to be placed exactly where they’re
needed, eg: in a pot or fern, next to specific plants for extra water, or
simply next each plant in the garden. See the examples below:
How to plan & your dig trenches
Always start from your water source (usually a garden tap) & identify a path
that runs to at least within 1-2m of each dripper. You’ll be installing this
kit with a combination of Poly Pipe & Micro Tube, this means you don’t need to
run the larger Poly Pipe to the base of each dripper. Your goal here should be
to minimise the distance the water needs to travel to each dripper. See this
example:
You don’t need to dig deep trenches to hide your poly tube, and you don’t even need to bury your micro tube. It’s just about what looks tidiest in the garden for you!
Roll out pipe & install parts
As you roll out the pipe & connect each piece, always start from the timer, it will make your life a whole lot easier.
How to connect the timer
Connecting your Rainbird 1ZEHTMR Tap Computer is easy:
1. Pull the battery case out of the back of the timer & insert the included
AA batteries.
2. Screw the timer directly onto the tap. (the timer screws onto a standard
20mm tap, if you have a non-standard 25mm tap, you may need one of these)
3. Screw the included 13mm x 20mm Nut & Tail onto the bottom of the timer.
How to connect poly pipe fittings
Connecting poly fittings is easy, but you must do it correctly to avoid any
burst pipes later on! It’s a matter of:
- Cutting your pipe,
- Push the barbed fitting all the way inside the pipe,
- Connect and secure a ratchet clamp, behind the raised barb, using multi- grips.
And if it’s a cold day, and your pipe is too firm, you can always dunk the cut end of pipe in some hot water to soften it a little. Watch the YouTube video.
How to Install Micro Micro Drippers with Micro Tube
This kit includes both Antelco Shrubblers & Micro Tube. To install them:
- At the nearest location on your poly tube to where you want to place your dripper, use the included Micro Punch Tool to punch a hole in the side of your poly tube.
- Pick up one Antelco Shrubbler, you’ll see a Micro joiner attaches to its side. Tear it off & push it into the hole in your Poly Tube. It shouldn’t come out.
- Take your Micro Tube and cut it to the length you need to reach the position your dripper will be placed.
- Push one end of the Micro Tube into the Joiner in the Poly Pipe, and the other into your Antelco Shrubbler. (Wait to attach your Shrubblers until after you’ve flushed the system) Then spike the dripper in place.
Program Your Timer
This Kit includes a Rainbird 1ZEHTMR Tap Timer, learn how to program it here:
• Watch YouTube Video
• Read Product Manual
Flush & Adjust The System
Although we have no doubt you worked as cleanly as possible, you want to make sure there’s no dirt or grit in the lines from installation that will block the system up on it’s first cycle. So just:
- Make sure all of your shrubblers aren’t yet pushed on yet on,
- Give the system a manual cycle for a minute or 2,
- Push on your Drippers, adjust so their flow is just right & enjoy your new micro dripper system!