ᐅ Water supply line for backflow replenishment and irrigation

Created on: 31 Aug 2022 15:41
D
DASI90
Hello everyone,

We have decided to install a pool and want an automatic water refill system as well. This means we need water supply in our outdoor storage area, where the pool equipment and irrigation control will be located. Of course, we didn’t consider this during planning and construction, as the desire for a pool and automatic irrigation came much later. Anyway.

The outdoor storage is part of the house but is outside the thermal envelope and has no direct access from the house. Now the question is how to get the water connection into the outdoor storage. We would definitely install a backflow preventer. There are basically two options:

1) The pool installer suggested running an additional cold water line from the utility room on the opposite side of the house into the outdoor storage. We could tap off from there. However, this would require a core drill through the concrete wall and insulation, which I would prefer to avoid. The pool installer says this would pose no problem if the drill hole is properly foamed/sealed afterwards. So neither thermal nor sound insulation should be affected, especially since the outdoor storage already has a door and is otherwise tight.

2) I’ve only recently considered this option. We already have a frost-free outdoor faucet at the front. Would it theoretically be possible to modify this faucet or run a line from it through the garden and the front, uninsulated wall of the outdoor storage to supply the equipment? Or is this not advisable or feasible for some reason? The missing outdoor faucet could potentially be replaced by a water outlet if this works out.

Technical floor plan: Outdoor storage, utility room, cold water line, pool equipment; frost-free outdoor faucet.


What do the experts say? Is the solution with the additional line harmless and cleaner? Or am I risking creating a hole that wouldn’t be necessary otherwise?

Best regards
rick201823 Nov 2022 13:01
Your landscape gardener doesn’t know much. Sure, 32mm (1.25 inches) pipes have less loss, but the number of sprinklers in the circle depends on the water consumption.
The 12 sprinklers should work with a flow rate of 1.8m³/h (7.9 gallons per minute) and your pump capacity.
What do you mean by installed in a ring? Hopefully not a real ring, as that would be hydraulically poor.
DASI9023 Nov 2022 16:20
Yes, then he probably has less experience with irrigation or always plans everything conservatively. I agree with you. I will leave everything as it is.

It was said to be planned as a ring main, which supplies the sprinklers evenly with pressure and water. So, from the valve for the irrigation zone, all sprinklers are connected in a loop. Maybe I misunderstood something?
rick201823 Nov 2022 16:44
People often refer to a sprinkler circuit or ring. However, the piping should not form a ring, as this is hydraulically unfavorable. It can still work, though. A more even distribution along the piping is better. With pressure-compensated housings, this matters less.
DASI9023 Nov 2022 16:53
Yes, okay. So, I’ll start with zone 1 and the pipe runs in series up to sprinkler 12. The pipe ends there as well?
rick201823 Nov 2022 16:59
It is better to have a central supply and then 6 sprinklers on each side.
DASI9023 Nov 2022 17:06
Thank you, very good tip. I can also manage to divide it exactly into 6 sprinklers on the left and 6 on the right.