Balint Laczay
New Member
Hi,
I’m upgrading my sprinkler system connection and main piping. I’m looking for feedback, and a quick check if I’m planning on doing anything silly. I’d appreciate it if you pointed out any issues that you think could cause trouble in the future.
At the sprinkler system connection point, there is a 1¼’’ RPZ and a 1¼’’ pressure reducer, piped with galvanized fittings. The sprinkler main line is 1½’’ PVC, and branches at half a dozen places, has long runs (longest is ~250 feet), and supplies about 20 zone valves and a few hose bibs in various places.
My plan is to replace the galvanized piping at the connection point with copper and brass, replace the RPZ and the pressure reducer with new units, and add a water meter. I’ve decided to use 1’’ devices (water meter, RPZ, and pressure reducer), because as long as I don’t run too many zones at once, that should be enough, and it’s much cheaper. I’m also adding isolation valves at multiple places on the main line, to make maintenance easier.
Here is how I plan to pipe the new connection. Staring underground:
I chose this approach, because:
Cheers,
Balint
I’m upgrading my sprinkler system connection and main piping. I’m looking for feedback, and a quick check if I’m planning on doing anything silly. I’d appreciate it if you pointed out any issues that you think could cause trouble in the future.
At the sprinkler system connection point, there is a 1¼’’ RPZ and a 1¼’’ pressure reducer, piped with galvanized fittings. The sprinkler main line is 1½’’ PVC, and branches at half a dozen places, has long runs (longest is ~250 feet), and supplies about 20 zone valves and a few hose bibs in various places.
My plan is to replace the galvanized piping at the connection point with copper and brass, replace the RPZ and the pressure reducer with new units, and add a water meter. I’ve decided to use 1’’ devices (water meter, RPZ, and pressure reducer), because as long as I don’t run too many zones at once, that should be enough, and it’s much cheaper. I’m also adding isolation valves at multiple places on the main line, to make maintenance easier.
Here is how I plan to pipe the new connection. Staring underground:
- A PVC 1½’’ pipe splits off from the house’s main water supply line underground.
- Use a PVC 1½’’ slip x 1’’ MPT adapter threaded into a copper 1’’ FPT x sweat adapter, to change to copper.
- Run a few feet of copper 1’’ type L pipe horizontally underground, then turn upwards with a copper sweated elbow.
- Insert a sweated copper 1’’ union for serviceability.
- Use copper 1’’ sweat x MPT adapter threaded into a brass 1’’ elbow to switch to brass and turn horizontal.
- Connect the 1’’ water meter (with built-in double unions).
- Then the 1’’ RPZ (with built-in double ball valves).
- Then turn downwards with a brass 1’’ elbow and two brass 1’’ nipples.
- Connect the 1’’ pressure reducer (with built-in inlet-side union).
- Use a copper 1’’ FPT x sweat adapter to switch to copper again.
- Insert another sweated copper 1’’ union.
- Turn horizontal with a sweated copper 1’’ elbow, and run a few feet horizontally.
- Tee off to two sprinkler main lines with a sweated copper 1’’ tee.
- Use a copper 1’’ sweat x FPT adapter threaded into a PVC 1’’ MPT x 1½’’ slip adapter to change to the PVC main lines.
I chose this approach, because:
- I’ve read that brass underground is not recommended.
- I wanted to protect the PVC-copper transition from being loaded. So I run a few feet of copper pipe horizontally underground. That way, even if I’m using wrenches on the above ground copper union, it cannot load the underground PVC-copper transition too much.
- I’ll support the above ground piece in between the water meter and the RPZ, with a unistrut bolted to a concrete pad underneath and to the wall of the house sideways.
Cheers,
Balint