Types Of Sprinkler Irrigation Systems

Grekkon Limited’s has all types of sprinkler irrigation systems for agriculture. From the giant flange type rain guns, to the tiny micro sprinklers. Here detail how each works, and the prices

Types of Sprinkler Irrigation Systems: Price and Specifications

1. Rain gun sprinkler prices and specifications

These are for broad acreage

2. Impact sprinkler prices and specifications

For smaller acreage, open filed crop

3. Pop up sprinklers

For lawns, parks, and gardens. The are sub surface units, which under pressure rise (pop up) to irrigate.

Types of sprinkler irrigation systems: Others

Other smaller sprinkler types for small gardening are butterfly sprinklers, and micro sprinklers. They have low coverage and an inlet of 1/2″

Micro sprinklers today irrigate large acreages of orchard. They are attached to a sub-main line, taking the pace of button drippers

Micro sprinklers in an orchard

How To Select The right Type of Sprinkler Irrigation System

• By crop. Lawn grass will thrive better with pop ups
• Water availability. Rain gun sprinklers demand the most amount of water
• Generation of pressure. Micro sprinklers work with the least pressure
• Budget. Pop up systems are the most expensive , and sophisticated

Drip Irrigation System

Every drip irrigation system in Kenya by Grekkon Limited supported by a HDPE or PVC line. We are the largest drip irrigation kits suppliers in Kenya, reaching the highest number of farmers. At the very bottom we do simple drip irrigation systems, also known as kitchen garden drips

It advances to 1 acre drip irrigation kits, 5 acre drip irrigation systems to hundreds of acres. Our drip pipes for sale in Kenya are the double emitter drip irrigation pipes

Drip Irrigation Kits Prices In Kenya Are A Factor Of

1. Crop type
2. Bed spacing
3. Terrain

Drip Irrigation System Cost Per Acre In Kenya

Drip Kit Components

1. The main line. This is a PVC or a HDPE pipe. The choice of pipe thickness is according to the pressure of the water in it. A farmer with gravity flow has a thinner pipe than one with a high pressure water pump
2. Water filter. To remove impurities that will otherwise block the drip pipe emitters
3. Gate vales. They control the water movement from one point to another by opening or closing
4. Main line fittings; tees, elbows, adaptors, connectors, saddle clamps, reducers, and end caps. They are either PVC or HDPE as per the pipe. Their size depends on the pipe size
5. The sub main line. This is connected to the main line, and is the origin of drip lines
6. Sub-main line fittings; tees, elbows, adaptors, connectors, saddle clamps, reducers, and end caps. They are either PVC or HDPE as per the pipe. Their size depends on the pipe size
7. Drip pipes. These pre-perforated pipes have emitters that supply water to the crop directly
8. Drip fittings; starter connectors, off take connectors, drip to drip connectors, rubbers, mini-valves, and end caps

Water Sprinklers

Water sprinklers for sale in Kenya by Grekkon Limited are categorised by size. The sprinkler size determines the place of use, as a result of the unit amount of water it gives. Water sprinklers in Kenya are either plastic or metallic. This affects the price and longevity, but not the water volume.

1. Garden Sprinklers

These have an inlet diameter of 1″, 3/4″ and 1/2″. Garden sprinklers have low water volume, and are for home gardening. This includes; kitchen gardens, small scale farms, lawns, hedges, and flower beds. Their irrigation diameter is 3M to 14M according to inlet size and make.

Examples

1.1. Butterfly sprinklers

1.2. Mega net sprinklers

1.3. Impact sprinklers

Metallic impact sprinklers

Plastic impact sprinklers

1.4. Pop up sprinklers

1.5. Lawn sprinkler

1.6. Sprinkler jet micro sprinkler

Garden Water Sprinklers Prices in Kenya

A commonly asked question; How much does a sprinkler cost in Kenya?

The table below answers this

2. Rain gun sprinklers

These are larger sprinklers to irrigate small to large acreage of commercial crop. They vary in size and make.

2.1. Flange type rain guns

They are giant rain guns that evacuate large amounts of water, and work under high pressure. They are in large plantations

A flange type rain gun in a large field

2.2. Atom rain gun

2.3. PY type rain gun

2.4.  Plastic rain gun

Rain gun price in Kenya

Plastic Rain Gun Sprinkler

Our plastic rain gun sprinkler in Kenya is the Shrub body style whose application is both domestic and industrial. Grekkon Limited’s low pressure plastic rain guns are 1-1/2″ in size. It is a double nozzle with additional detachable nozzles as; 6mm, 8mm, 12mm, and 16mm

This irrigation sprinkler is lighter than it’s metallic counterpart, but with a shorter longevity. It makes it highly portable to reach any point in your farm. It is black in color because it is made from high density polyethylene material (HDPE). This material is UV- treated to reduce it’s degradation by the sun, thus extending the sprinkler’s working life. UV treatment is an important quality in tropical climates where radiation is high. Every tropical grower ought to consider this because it impacts the working life of the rain gun sprinkler

This irrigation rain gun for sale works with water pumps to provide requisite pressure. The necessary water pump specs are:

• It will be electric, diesel or petrol powered
• It must provide a minimum pressure of 3 bars,and a discharge of 8 cubic liters per hour
• The outlet pipe is 1-1/2″ and above. A delivery, HDPE or PVC irrigation pipe evacuates the water from the pump to the sprinkler.

The rotation is up to 360 degrees. A farmer will adjust the rotation area manually as necessary using the pins below the nozzles. All metallic parts are rust proof and the rubbers are easy to replace once they wear out. Our plastic rain gun sprinkler features a  friction collar and a trip lock, and are also provided with a jet breaker for uniform water application

Types of rain gun sprinklers

1. Plastic

2. Metallic; PY type, Atom and the flange type rain gun sprinklers. Learn more here; https://grekkon.com/rain-gun-sprinklers-2/

Plastic Rain gun sprinkler specifications and price

Plastic Rain gun

Product benefits

• This is ideal for newly cleared areas
• It reduces irrigation time
• Low labour cost
• High efficiency
• Improves humidity or creates a micro-climate
• It is easy to maintain and use
• Irrigates a much wider area than conventional smaller impact sprinklers

Disadvantages of rain gun irrigation

• It consumes a large amount of water
• The need for a high amount of power makes it costly to operate

FAQs

1. How much horsepower (Hp) is required for a rain gun?

This depends on the rain gun sprinkler size. The larger it is, the greater the discharge, and so the greater the power needed. Another factor is the number of rain guns set to run at a go. Generally, it is from 8.5Hp

2. Is rain gun good for irrigation?

Yes it is. However, do not irrigate on crops that are highly susceptible to fungal infections with overhead irrigation. Examples are; tomato, potato, capsicums, and others

Drip Irrigation System Layout

Grekkon Limited’s drip irrigation system layout is done for all farm sizes, and all crops. There 3 ways in which the company gathers data to develop a drip irrigation system layout

1. Farmers provide detailed sketches as directed by the company from which a drip irrigation system layout is developed. This sketch will include; the farm dimensions in meters, the water source type, distance to the water source from the farm, details of any existing irrigation infrastructure, any existing roads or pathsways, any none farmable sections (rocky areas, wet lands, built up locations etc), planting beds layout, the direction(s) of slope, and the total vertical elevation
2. Provide the farm’s map coordinates from which the company assesses the farm layout using satellite technology
3.  Conduct a physcal site assessment visit. This is only carried when 2 above cannot be done

The company only charges for the 3rd service to cover the logistical costs

A sample drip irrigation system layout for a 40 acre farm by Grekkon Limited

The company’s irrigation engineers will conduct a physical visit on a prospective farm to determine the following

i. The water source. The company measures the water volume, and analysis the quality. The volume determines the irrigation system to use, the size of the water pump, and the acreage covered. For intance, a farmer with a borehole yielding 15 cubic litres per hour is best positioned to irrigate using drip irrigation. His irrigated acreage will not exceed 30 acres for optimal water utilisation. On the other hand, a farmer by a large permanent river or lake water source will irrigate hundreds of acres using any irrigation method preferred. The water quality determines the type of filtration system to install.

A screen filter is for water under low pressure with a negligible amout of suspended dirt or other particles.  A disc filter is preferred for water under high pressure, with a negligible to a modest amount of suspended dirt orcother particles. A sand filter is for dirty water under high pressure

 A simple drip irrigation kit by gravitational flow system layout

ii. The dimensions of the farm in meters. to provide the total  acreage. The acreage will determine the pipe diameter sizes, the water pump’s flow rate, and the sub-division of the irrigation blocks

iii. Slope. The elevation of the farm gives the vertical head or lift needed. This is important in determining the pressure rating of the water pump to install, the pipe diameters, the planting beds layout (these should be done against the slope), and the size of the irrigation blocks

iv. Any existing irrigation infrastructure; to determine what can be used or incorporated into the new system

v. Provide advise on security measures for key company installations such as; large water pumps, solar modules, solar inverters, control panels, cables, and other high value accessories

Key Requirements To Install A Drip Irrigation System

1. A water source
2. A water pump and piping mechanism to move this water from the source to the tank or directly to the drip irrigation system.
3. Water storage tank if you’re using gravity to irrigate
4. A tank connector
5. Pipes for the mainline and sub-main line.
6. Mainline and sub mainline fittings
7. Drip irrigation water filter
8. Drip irrigation pipes
9. Accessories
10. Ball valves

 Steps To Follow In Designing A Drip Irrigation Layout

1. Determine where the water pump or water tank will be placed. Water tanks are used for small acreage gravity flow irrigation, and should be placed at highest elevation to allow ease of water flow by gravity
2. The main line originates from the water tank or water pump. The size of the main line determines the volume of irrigation water delivered to the farm in every irrigation session. The larger the farm, the greater the diameter of the mainline
3. The water filter is connected along the main line
4. A venturi fertigation system where needed is along the main line. The venturi fertigation system is a chemifertigation centre that allows drenching of chemicals and fertiliser through the drip irrigation system
5. The air release valves are along the main line. Air release valves are installed where the water pressure is high. This is in steep elevations, or if the water is chanelled via a high pressure water pump. They prevent air locks in the irrigation system. Air locks dramatically reduce, or cease water flow in the system
6. A sub main line will be connected to the main line along its way using hydrants. Hydrants are points from which irrigation in a block is controlled from. They can be automated using solenoid valves, or manually operated through ordinary valves. The decision to have sub main lines is a factor of the farm size. In small drip irrigation set ups, the drip pips are directly connected to the main line. In larger acreage, the drip line originate from the sub mainline
7. The main line is always larger in diameter than the sub main line. The diameter of the sub main line is determined by the size of the main line. The larger the latter, the larger the sub main line is
8. The hydrants are positioned at the beginning or end of every irrigation block
9. Planting beds are done against the slope. This is to slow down erosion, and allow better water percolation in the soil during the rainy season. The width of the planting bed is determined by the crop type
10. Drip lines lie along the length of the planting beds. The number of drip lines per bed depends on the crop type. E.g 2 drip lines are installed for tomato, 3 drip lines for onion or garlic, and 4 drip lines for some herbs and spices

A 3 row drip layout per bed installed in Birikani area of Kajiado county

Adjustable Button Drippers For Irrigation

1. What is a button drip emitter?

Adjustable button drippers for irrigation are irrigation accessories attached onto a high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe.

They deliver a consistent and uniform amount of water the crop by regulating the flow. Button drippers in Kenya, button drip are common in fruit trees, forestry and hedges irrigation

A macadamia crop under button drip irrigation installed by Grekkon Limited in Iten area, Elgeyo Marakwet county. January 2021

Same macadamia crop in January, 2023

2. How do you install button drippers?

A perforation is made on the HDPE pipe with a drip punch, then the button dripper’s pointed end is pushed into this hole. This punching is done at the point where the tree crop is. But it will be away from the trunk to ensure that water flows to the roots below. The button dripper will be 3-6 inches away from the trunk. This will also prevent fungal infections and other types of diseases.

For younger tree crops, a single button dripper or emitter is sufficient. However, with older larger trees, 2 or more button drippers are provided according to the plant’s water need. In this case, have them equally on the opposite sides of the tree crop to promote even root growth. Two or multiple button drippers ensure that if one is blocked, the other one or the rest continue to water

3. How do you use an adjustable button dripper?

Once in place on the irrigation line, you will adjust your button dripper from 0 discharge to 70 liters per hour flow of water. This is done by turning the dripper to achieve different flow rates as per the crop water needs

4. How long should button drippers run?

Your adjustable button drippers for irrigation will run for 30 minutes to an hour. This is guided by the moisture requirement of the soil, as per the prevailing weather conditions

5. How many button drippers can I run on one line?

This is determined by the diameter size of the irrigation pipe. The larger it is, the more water it ferries over a longer distance. Therefore, the greater the number of button drippers. The other factor is the flow rate of the adjustable button drippers themselves. If adjusted to maximum flow rate (70L per hour), then the line will have less. If the adjustment is to half of that flow rate, then a similar line will carry twice as much

6. How do I increase the pressure in my button drip irrigation system?

They are several ways to raise the irrigation water pressure in your button drip irrigation system

i. Divide the farm into blocks, each of which is irrigated separately. This way, irrigation water is channeled to particular block under high pressure

ii. If it is by gravity flow, then by raising the storage elevation. This will work where raised water tanks are the source of irrigation water

iii. By introducing an external source of pressure, such a s water pump to boost the flow of irrigation water in the system

Adjustable button drippers for irrigation price in Kenya

The cost of a button dripper is Kes 12 a unit

The cost of a button dripper irrigation system per acre depends on the tree crop spacing. In the tabulation below, we provide 3 examples