underground water line

[johnny walker]

I AM GOING TO RUN A 3/4" PVC WATER LINE TO MY BARN. I HAVE ACCESS TO

SOME 3/4" RIGID PVC CONDUIT, TC-2, QCPI 3/4. CAN YOU TELL ME IF THIS

IS SUITABLE TO USE. THE LINE IS 400' LONG AND THE WATER OPERATING

PRESSURE IS 60 PSI. I PLAN TO BURY IT 24" DEEP.

THANKS

[LazyPup]

It defintiely would not meet code standards. Although PVC is suitable for direct burial and 3/4 inch is the approved size for a water service line, the code specifies that the line must be run with approved materials.

PVC conduit is not on the list of approved materials for water service.

If the PVC has been previously used for any purpose it would be prohibited under anothe point of code which stipulates that water lines may not be run with any pipe that was previously used for any purpose except potable water supplies.

While PVC is approved for direct burial it is not a real good choice of material because PVC has a large amount of thermal expansion or contraction and often results in leaks when run underground. Continuos roll poly line would be a much better choice.

Whatever material you select you must consider the frost level in your region. The line should be a minimum of 6 inches below frost line.

If you are running a water line to your barn you should install a line shutoff at the house (or source of water) and also a checkvalve to insure there could be no possibility of water backflowing from the barn to the house which could contaminate your potable water supply.

The faucett at the barn would also have to be protected from freezing. There are deep mounted frost proof valves that are designed for this application.

[HayZee518]

PVC conduit is approved for wiring ONLY!!! NOT telephone, not water, not air. Water use copper, abs plastic, pvc plastic etc. Nylon tubing but NOT conduit! Yeah it's cheaper but n the long run YOU LOSE! - Use products for which they are rated. Don't substitute!
Would I run electrical in 100 ft lengths of black plastic well pipe? No No No!
Each purpose for each application!

[mrcaptainbob]

I'm in the throes of doing several projects at the same time. One of the itmes needing attention is the 12-2/G that goes about 200' fom the house to the well pump. The problem with it is that's it's INTERIOR GRADE!! I found that at the well location. So while checking inside the house, I find that there's what looks like maybe a 3/4" black plastic tube sticking from the wall that the wire goes into. Do you suggest, then, that it would be better to run direct burial rather than fish anything through whatever this 'feed' tube is? BTW, among the many other 'tragedies' in this place, that wire is actually black tape spliced about 12 or 15 feet from the panel. No box. The water line is 3/4" black 'somthing'. Am uncomfortable with that, too. Would like to upgrade that. Would PEX be okay to run from the well to the house for the water?

[LazyPup]

I have to agree with Hazee, never, never use PVC pipe as a conduit or conduit as a pipe. Aside from the obvious that the product is not rated for the service, it can potentially be dangerous and possibly life threatening.

All tradesmen are trained to recognize not only the materials of their trade but also the materials used by associated trades.

If we were to run electrical or gas service through a line that appeared to be a water line, someone in future, thinking he had turned the water off could cut into that line thinking it was the water line he is to work on and possibly be electrocuted or injured by natural gas.

It is for the purposes of identifiction that the codes are so specific on these matter..PVC electrical conduit is GREY...PVC water lines are white,..roll poly is Black,,and synthetic roll pipe for gas is yellow.
Any time you are digging and encounter concrete that appears red, it is dyed red to indicate it encloses an electrical line.

While we are all tempted to take advantage of a better price here and there, the minimum saved is simply not worth the risk of injury or worse.

[HayZee518]

That "Black" water pipe appears to be black poly. Comes in 100ft rolls and uses barbed fittings with a SS clamp. Water use fine anything else a no no. Electrical - twisted black, red, yellow, no jacket. How to terminate at a panel. I would assume to use a short length of jute fiber "loom" to afford a somewhat mechanical protection to the wires into a standard 3/8" romex connector. The loom gives some cushion to the wires so the inside insulation (TW, THHN)isn't compromised and smashed. This twisted cable is direct burial although I haven't seen any indications on the cable specifying so. Usually in the same trench with the feed pipe. Splices should be made weather tite, although all I've seen were hap-hazard taping jobs. Equipment grounds should be #8 bare stranded, unbroken from wellhead to panel.

[johnny walker]

quote:Originally posted by LazyPup

It defintiely would not meet code standards. Although PVC is suitable for direct burial and 3/4 inch is the approved size for a water service line, the code specifies that the line must be run with approved materials.

PVC conduit is not on the list of approved materials for water service.

If the PVC has been previously used for any purpose it would be prohibited under anothe point of code which stipulates that water lines may not be run with any pipe that was previously used for any purpose except potable water supplies.

While PVC is approved for direct burial it is not a real good choice of material because PVC has a large amount of thermal expansion or contraction and often results in leaks when run underground. Continuos roll poly line would be a much better choice.

Whatever material you select you must consider the frost level in your region. The line should be a minimum of 6 inches below frost line.

If you are running a water line to your barn you should install a line shutoff at the house (or source of water) and also a checkvalve to insure there could be no possibility of water backflowing from the barn to the house which could contaminate your potable water supply.

The faucett at the barn would also have to be protected from freezing. There are deep mounted frost proof valves that are designed for this application.

[johnny walker]

THANKS FOR YOUR INPUTS.