New Tank Connection Advice Needed

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Jjfuhreck

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Hey guys,

Great forum. Very useful stuff. Hope you don't mind me picking your brains. Have the set up pictured below coming out of my well pump. I feel it is half baked just like every other thing that was done in this house. I will be installing a new pressure tank and softener in the next few weeks. Going to be using PEX for the very first time. We like to clean this up while I am on the job. My question is this; how do I properly, cleanly and easily convert from the PVC to PEX. I am assuming that is a threaded 1" female coming out of the well cap. I don't think there is enough PVC length to cut it off and put something else in. How would you recommend getting a nice connection the new PEX.

thanks in advance,
jj
 

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Texas Wellman

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If that casing looks that bad on the outside I hate to see what it looks like on the inside.

Really can't help you with the pex to PVC as I've never used pex. I do all my installs in PVC.

After looking at the picture again I think you have something weird going on. That coupling is what the drop pipe is screwed into and I don't see how it's staying 2-3 inches above the well seal.
 

Valveman

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I agree with TW. That coupling should be sitting on the well seal as that is what the pump hangs from. With the pump and pipe not hanging from that coupling makes me think the pump is sitting on the bottom of the well, which isn't good.

But to change to pex at the coupling you would need a fitting that has 1" male NPT thread to whatever size pex you are using.
 

Jjfuhreck

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Can I lift up on the PVC connection to see if it is resting on the bottom without fear of damaging anything?
 

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Depends on how deep it is as to heavy it will be. But yes you can loosen (not all the way) on the bolts in the well seal, then it should just come straight up. If it is sitting on the bottom now, when you raise it up the dirt will fill in and it probably won't set back down to the same depth. You may have to cut a foot or two of pipe off to make it rest the coupling on the well seal.
 

Jjfuhreck

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If I end up cutting a foot or so off the PVC, is this the time to convert the female coupler to a male PVC coupler and attached a brass PEX fitting?
 

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A "male coupler" would be a nipple, and it would just slide through the well seal. You need the female X female coupling to hang the pipe from the well seal. That PVC coupler should be threaded. If you cut a foot off, I would rethread the pipe and screw the coupler back on.
 

Jjfuhreck

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Also, safe to assume the PVC is at least Schedule 80 if it is threaded? I also read that you should not be screwing metal male nipples into female pvc as it could crack. Does this apply here?
 
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Reach4

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I don't know what your motivation is. However note that those two right-angle fittings are not PVC. They look like nylon.

If you want to make things look nicer, you might think about removing some rust and using POR-15 over the remaining rust. It should also inhibit further rust. Is that well casing in your basement, a well house, or a pit? To make the fittings and poly pipe nicer looking, I would wipe them down with maybe a bathroom cleaner and one of my shop rags

I would not remove that PVC coupling until you are sure that the drop pipe will not fall. It does seem unlikely that friction is holding the pipe up, but just in case, you might not want to mess with that. Texas Wellman and valveman are very experienced and knowledgable. I am not.
 

Jjfuhreck

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I have two motivations. Correct anything that was done shoddily and secondly make a connection to PEX. I don't know where to begin in the line to make my new connection. I assume I want to start from the PVC that comes out of the casing, but that is only my guess. The well enclosure is located in my basement. They cut the block out of the wall and made a small room for the pressure tank and well. Concrete floor, block walls and a concrete cover. I have already painted the block with Drylok and will be taking your advice on cleaning up that casing a little.
 

LLigetfa

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I am assuming that is a threaded 1" female coming out of the well cap. I don't think there is enough PVC length to cut it off and put something else in.
I'm not really understanding why you want to cut the PVC. Just pull off the poly from the right-angle barb, unthread the barb, and thread in the adapter to pex. Be careful not to overtighten and split the threaded coupler. Is the coupler threaded or glued to the PVC drop pipe? If it's threaded I would change it out to steel or brass. If you remove it be careful the pump does not fall down the hole. Looks like the pipe is held there by friction.
 

Jjfuhreck

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I would prefer not to cut the PVC. I am not sure if it is glued or threaded but I don't see any glue drip down and the guys on this board who know more than I ever will seem to think it is threaded. My preference is to do exactly as you described but I am worried the connection will leak. I have been doing my research on this and that is a common theme. If I can unscrew the coupler and replace it with brass, I think that would be all I need. I may try to see if that pump is sitting on the bottom of the well and re-thread the pvc if needed, but I think I have that part figured out.
 

Reach4

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I think the coupler is threaded, because I can't see that right-angle being glued in. Plus it has that big hex area for wrenching.

I would leave the coupler as PVC, but if I changed it, I would change it to stainless or brass -- not galvanized.

Many wells have a manifold called a tank tee that connects the tank, pressure gauge, pressure switch, well line and water out. You might just want to leave the poly to your tank tee, because it looks good. Given that it is in your basement carrying well water, it should be nice and durable.

This is a fairly offbeat idea: If you can measure the currents through the black or red wire (will be equal), using a clamp on ammeter, while the pump is running, determine if the pump is 240 or 120 volt, time how long the pump runs at minimum, and identify the size and type of pressure tank, we might be able to roughly estimate something about your pump and well. More current is more power. Longer fill time compared to the drawdown of the pressure tank would tend to indicate longer distance to water. Not exact, but maybe enough to distinguish 4o ft from 150 feet.

Is there anything that you don't like about your water? Have you had a good water test that measured iron, hardness, manganese, sulfate, and pathogenic bacteria? The test sample for bacteria can be trickier to take because it can be contaminated by the faucet, aerator, your hands or whatever.
 

Craigpump

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That's a very standard looking installation, almost everyone uses poly with either nylon or brass insert fittings. It is entirely possible that you have a shallow well and friction is holding the pvc up, especially if there is a 3" pump in the well. The one thing I would change would be to encase the pump cable in non metallic seal tight with nonmetallic ends from the well seal over to the pressure switch. Not only will that make the job neater, but it will protect the wire from being damaged by mice.

What does the rest of the installation look like?

Contrary to others, I don't like the idea of any kind of paints or chemicals around a potable water source.
 

Reach4

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Contrary to others, I don't like the idea of any kind of paints or chemicals around a potable water source.
The guys who extended my casing used spray black paint (maybe Krylon). If/when that starts rusting thru, I intend to brush the casing with POR-15. I will not hit the inside of the casing or cap.
 

Jjfuhreck

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So this is the weekend this job finally gets done. Lot of guys on here much smarter than I . Seems to be 3 different ideas for how to convert to PEX like I want to.

1. Screw a male NPT fitting into the female PVC coupling and hope it doesn't leak or crack.
2. Unscrew the coupling from the drop pipe and thread on a brass or stainless replacement.
3. Looks like a fairly standard connection. Leave it as is and switch to PEX after the tank tee.

I'm leaning toward option 2 right now, but I'd love any last minute thoughts. Can I get the brass or stainless coupling for the drop pipe at Menards/Home Depot or will I have to look elsewhere?
 

Valveman

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That is a sch 80 coupling. I don't think you are going to crack it. But if you are worried just put a hose clamp around it before you tighten the fitting.
 

Jjfuhreck

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Fitting that connects the Schedule 80 and the PEX something I can get anywhere or do I need to get to a plumbing specialty store?
 
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