Tip on Wrangling Black Poly Coil

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Rmelo99

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Trench is dug for my line to the garage. I went to the plumbing supply house and picked up some 1"x100' coil of Black Poly (well pipe) as the guy at the counter called it.

So I'm in the 4foot trench trying to figure out how to get this into a straight line and lay flat so that it stays at the bottom of the trench.

How do you guys do it? I was so frustrated that all the cost savings in using a plastic pipe seemed wasted! I would much have prefered to solder 10 joints than deal with this stupid pipe!

Its supposed to rain tomorrow, so I don't know what to expect as far as my trench goes.
 

NHmaster

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Another example of why we get the big bucks :D

Roll it out in the trench. Put a weight on one end and roll away......
 

Rmelo99

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Another example of why we get the big bucks :D

Roll it out in the trench. Put a weight on one end and roll away......

haha...now you know why I'm the guy in the trench. I think plumbers are more expensive than doctors in my county!

Since the I have a pro on the line, I'll ask another ques.

I know this pipe transitions using barbs and stainless clamps. What and where is the preferred way to terminate at each building? Should I do a barb to MIP and then bring copper into the basement? Or bring the poly all the way in and then switch?

Sorry for being a rookie, this is my first underground job!
 

Gary Slusser

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Let the coil/roll lay in the sun for 30 minutes and then unroll it on the ground feeding it into the trench as you walk along the trench. Don't let the roll/coil spring apart or unroll.

Let it go side to side in the trench for expansion and contraction. It will flatten out eventually or when you backfill.

I would run it from/into the buildings and then transition with an insert x male or female sch 80 PVC adapter.
 

NHmaster

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Make the transition inside the foundation. If you do it outside and have a suction leak life will suck also.

Since you are doing this in the rain, I must assume the sun ain't shining.

This be the fitting you do the transition with. Make sure it's brass not plastic.
 

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Rmelo99

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Sun sure isn't shinning, but I'm also not out there in the rain. I was this morning but that was just a drizzle.

So I have to drill thru the basement foundation for one end of the connection @ the house, any tips on that? 100yr old fieldstone. I'm thinkin depot tool rental and hammerdrill with 1.5" core bit?

The other is coming up into the garage from below the "slab" Do I just let the pipe slope up from the 4ft depth, or what? Just thinking about the line freezing. I guess I can't visualize the transition into the space.
 

NHmaster

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Yes to both questions. Try to get an extension when you rent the tool. Old fieldstone foundations can be a couple feet thick in places.
 

Cass

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I am asking this question because of things I have run into over the years and because it isn't mentioned anywhere...


Are you on a well or city water....I know everyone here is assuming your on a well but I am not...
 

Rmelo99

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I'm on city water, no well here. The main line coming in is 1 1/4", never measured the pressure, but it's very good. Never had any complaint.
 

Cass

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I am glad I asked...and you should be also...

You have the wrong pipe in the trench...you must replace it...sorry for the bad news...well pipe is for use only on wells because of the lower pressuer that wells run on...and you can't use barbed fittings either...There is a reason itis called well pipe...Barbed fittings can be used on well pipe only not on IPS or similar sized pipe and that is what you need...It should have a pressure rating of 200 PSI...

See why I asked ....
 
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hj

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pipe

You can use the pipe for ANYTHING as long it has the proper pressure rating. And if you do not use barbed fittings, how would you connect it, unless the supplier has 'compression" fittings which is not likely in a DIY situation.
 

Rmelo99

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Hmm...now I'm upset. The guy @ the plumbing house knew what I was running this for.

I just checked the pipe and it is PE 3608 160PSI @76 made by Flying something. I highly doubt my pressure is anywhere near that, what other issues are there with running this?

Any other info off the pipe to make sure it's the wrong pipe, or does that tell you what I don't want to hear?
 

Cass

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Yup...you have well pipe and you can't use it...at least I wouldn't here...all the pipe I use here is rated for 200 PSI...and has standard fittings to connect on to the house plumbing...
 
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NHmaster

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You may want to check with the water department first but around here all of the city water departments are doing laterals in poly well pipe now. You may not need a fitting inside because the water meter horn will probably have a compression fitting that mates to PE pipe.
 

Rmelo99

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This is not a main. This is a feed to the detached garage from my house water piping.

I'll have to check with the building department tomorrow. What you guys think about the plumbing house taking this back? It wasn't much money but....

I redid the whole house in pex and have the crimp tools for pex. Is pex a suitable piping material for changing this out?

If my building department is ok with this, is there any compelling reason for me to change to something else?
 

Cass

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You may want to check with the water department first but around here all of the city water departments are doing laterals in poly well pipe now. You may not need a fitting inside because the water meter horn will probably have a compression fitting that mates to PE pipe.

Never heard of a compression fitting on a meter for well pipe here...must be something new...
 

NHmaster

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Looks just like the one for copper cept it has a brass insert that goes into the pipe.
 

Gary Slusser

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rmelo99 many water companies all over the US use PE pipe for service line; and it is IPS.

I have never heard of it called well pipe before, that must be a local plumber thingy, and it is used for other applications than wells, like irrigation and to out buildings (such as your garage).

There is nothing wrong with your choice of pipe, or the 160 psi rating, and actually it is the best choice. You run one piece with only two fittings, it is inert and nothing found in water can damage it.

There is nothing wrong with insert sch 80 PVC fittings above ground.
 

Cass

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Looks just like the one for copper cept it has a brass insert that goes into the pipe.

Hmmm...never heard of brass inserts...all I have ever seen and used are stainless...
 
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Cass

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A trick I learned was to thread water line through black 4" corogated drain pipe for the length of the run then drop the whole thing in the trench...there is no need for sand so all you do then is back fill...it is much faster than using sand...to help thread the water line I tape a plastic water bottle on to the end of the pipe so it will just slide through the corogations...with out the bottle the end of the pipe gets caught on them...every inspector that has seen it likes it and passes it...no problems...
 
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