Measure water flow with a simple bucket test, understand the math, and size your irrigation or plumbing setup with confidence.
GPM (Gallons per Minute) tells you how many gallons of water move through a pipe, hose, sprinkler, or faucet in one minute. Knowing your GPM helps you match equipment, design efficient irrigation zones, and avoid low-pressure issues or wasted water.
Formula: GPM = Gallons ÷ Time (minutes)
Example: If you collect 5 gallons in 30 seconds (which is 0.5 minutes): GPM = 5 ÷ 0.5 = 10 GPM.
Enter your bucket size and fill time, or choose a quick bucket preset.
| Flow Rate | Equivalent Volume | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 GPM | 60–180 GPH | Drip systems, small planters, faucet aerators |
| 5–10 GPM | 300–600 GPH | Residential sprinklers, hose bibbs, small pumps |
| 15+ GPM | 900+ GPH | Commercial irrigation, transfer pumps, multi-zone headers |
No. GPM measures flow (how much water per minute), while PSI measures pressure (the force of the water). They’re related but not interchangeable.
Use 1, 2, or 5 gallons for convenience. Larger buckets improve accuracy for high-flow systems.
Closer timing means better accuracy. If you don’t have a stopwatch, estimate or fill multiple times and average the results.
Smaller pipes restrict flow and increase friction losses, lowering GPM. Proper pipe sizing helps maintain both PSI and GPM.
Yes. 1 gallon ≈ 3.78541 liters. The calculator shows L/min and L/s automatically.
Many residential hose bibbs fall between 5–10 GPM, but systems vary. Measure yours to be sure.
Whole-home and point-of-use filters that keep up with your system’s flow.
Shop Water FiltrationPro tip: If your GPM is too low for the number of heads in a zone, split the zone or increase pipe size/equipment capacity to improve performance.
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