About K-Line Farm Packs

Farm Packs are complete prepackaged K-Line irrigation systems, including pods, K-Pipe, sprinklers, fittings, some helpful installation tools, and an instructional manual. These are tailored toward acreages of 11 or fewer acres (but can certainly be used on larger scale operations, too). For operations of greater than 11 acres, it’s often best to work with a K-Line dealer and design specialist who will create a custom design for your property from “bulk” materials. This helps ensure a customer doesn’t purchase more inventory or spare parts than is necessary for their project and permits the inclusion of “non-standard” components if/when necessary.

This is highly variable and dependent upon multiple factors. However, a general rule-of-thumb is less than one acre, up to eleven acres. You can utilize the "Farm Pack Selection Guidance" chart from above to help identify which size system is right for you and if it’s necessary to combine two Farm Packs to adequately serve your irrigated area.  

Generally, in most small-scale situations, 1.25" pipe will be a more desirable tubing size. The smaller diameter tubing is more kink-resistant because of the higher wall thickness to inner-diameter ratio and it is more agile when moved. However, the advantage of 1.5" tubing is that there is less friction loss across the length of tubing because of the reduced surface area that water comes into contact with.

When increasing one or both of the following two factors, it is often necessary to utilize 1.5" tubing for some or all of the feed line and/or pod line length;

1) total K-Line length from riser to the last pod

2) desired irrigation rate

Yes. Although 1.25" tubing is generally preferred for smaller areas due to its preferred handling characteristics (refer to FAQ "Why is 1.5" tubing included in the 5-pod extension pack, but not others?"), high water volume requirements and/or lack of sufficient supply volume may dictate the need for 1.5" line, even on smaller parcels. 

Most operators use an ATV or UTV to relocate K-Line pod lines. However, small lawn tractors and lawnmowers are also sufficient. We’re even aware of some producers who use a horse to move their systems! It is always advisable to move K-Line systems when they are operating so the K-Pipe remains filled with water. This technique provides rigidity to the K-Pipe which permits the system to be moved and manipulated in a more natural manner and prevents kinking of the K-Pipe. Be aware, because of this, systems over 4 or 5 pods long may be too heavy for some lawnmowers and horses to tow.

As a general rule of thumb, most lawnmowers can tow 50-100% of their own weight, plus the weight of the rider. So, a 450 lb. lawnmower with a 180 lb. rider should be able to tow 315-630 lbs. No matter your towing vehicle, refer to the owner's manual for towing capacity specifics.

A four-pod, 1.25" line, with 50' pod spacings will weigh 132 lbs. when running (not including the weight of the feed line).

A five-pod, 1.25" line, with 50' pod spacings will weigh 174 lbs. when running (not including the weight of the feed line).

We generally recommend that both line spacing and set spacing be as equal as possible so that each sprinkler serves a near square area. Overlapping is necessary because of the circular nature of each sprinkler's application. A 45 ft. pod spacing on the K-Pipe and a 45 ft. set width is generally considered ideal. However, because of the various lengths and widths of paddocks, it's often more practical to increase or decrease set widths based on the irrigatable area or adjust pod spacing to account for "imperfect" set lengths which are not evenly divisible by 45 ft. 

A general rule of thumb is that each sprinkler should serve from 1600 sq. ft., up to a maximum of 2500 sq. ft. (consider the area wetted as a square and not a circle). The closer to 1600 sq. ft. (40' x 40'), the less likely it is the field will end up with dry spots since there will be sufficient overlap. However, if sufficient water pressure is available, pastures can perform well with a 50' x 50' spacing.

In essence, it means balancing a few factors...

1) Maintaining spacing as tight as possible to prevent dry spot formation between sprinklers.

2) Taking available water pressure into consideration and extending the spacing if/when possible to decrease the initial investment cost.

3) Consideration of each field and zone's unique measurements and placing pods at regular, even intervals, and creating equidistant sets within each zone. 

Typically, systems are relocated to a new “set” once every 24 hours. However, relocation can be done every 12 hours if sufficient water supply and labor are available. Increasing the relocation rate to 12 hours saves on upfront product investment (because you can water 2x as much area in the same amount of time) but increases labor demands.

The 12-hour method is often preferred, or even necessary, for areas where productive forage growth is desired but soil moisture holding capacity is low (sandy soils).

Return Time is the number of sets it takes to get from the first position in a zone to the last. The most common return times are 8, 10, and 12 rotations, with 8 being the most common.

Multiple factors impact the rotation time of a particular parcel. These include...

Soil Moisture Holding Capacity: more capacity = longer set durations and fewer sets

Crop Demand: each type of crop has unique moisture requirements. Higher demands result in quicker return times. 

Field/Zone Size & Shape: Each field's or zone's unique size and shape lends its design to be better suited to a certain number of sets. It is relatively common, particularly in fields that are not perfect rectangles, for zones within the field to have a differing number of sets, and therefore different return times. 

Irrigation rates are determined mostly by evaluating soil moisture holding capacity and evapotranspiration rate. These rates vary highly by region within North America and even from field to field (and within sections of fields). A local expert such as an NRCS specialist or agronomist can help you identify what the optimal application rate for your field will be, ensuring you’re providing adequate water for optimal forage growth but not overwatering and wasting resources. Each Farm Pack is supplied with our three most popular nozzle options which can be swapped out to adjust application rates. Two additional nozzles (blue and green) can be purchased separately if they are needed for your situation.  

In more arid and sandy regions where water is scarce and/or soil moisture holding capacity is low, red and orange nozzles which can apply 2.3” - 2.7” per 24-hour set period will be the more appropriate nozzle selection. In areas of the continent where soil water holding capacity is higher and/or water is more abundant, higher application rates closer to 4” - 5” per 24-hour set period can be achieved, and a black nozzle is more appropriate.

The "Nozzle and Sizing Guidance" chart above will assist you in identifying the application rate of each nozzle in inches/hour (@ 43.5 PSI). Multiply the number under the nozzle by either 12 or 24 hours, depending upon your intended set duration to determine the application rate in inches per set. Note that application rates will vary depending upon supplied PSI being more or less than 43.5 PSI.

Most dealers have on hand, and all dealers can order, single individual coils of 1.25", 1.5", 1.75", and 2" K-Pipe. 

For additional general information about K-Line (not specific to Farm Packs), please visit the K-Line Page FAQ section or reach out to us via our Contact Form.