Water supply from well to the house

[Qapla]

If you haven't put a locator wire alongside the pipe, and need to find it, you may be able to insert an electrician's "fish tape" into the exposed end of the pipe and push it down the pipe.

That will work just fine if the pipe is open (have done it many times). However, if you are trying to dig WITHOUT HITTING the pipe while it is connected, filled with water and under pressure, the fish tape trick doesn't work too well.

Since he is doing a new install, why not run the locator wire to be on the cautious, safe side. Easier to do now then to cut the pipe later to run the fish tape when the idea is to NOT put a hole in the pipe when digging.

A fish tape will work with a locator, but why not just use divining rods ????

I would rather trust technology that I have had first hand experience with and know it works then a technique I have seen fail on many occasions by people who said they know just how to "divine" the pipe path.

 

[handirifle]

I'd put my vote on the 20' lengths of sched 40 PVC. The bells on the ends of the pipe are twice as long as couplings, and if you use good primer and glue, on a clean joint, they will NEVER come apart. The primer actually helps to melt the pipes together.

To me the fittings on the black pipe is the weak point. Everything has it's pros and cons. I'd trust the glued joints far more than the chance a screw clamp will rust apart and cause a leak.

Both types take ground movement very well also. I think most use black pipe because it takes them less time to lay it. Make sure local codes allow it (black pipe) for a main supply. Out here, they do not.

 

[gerard]

I'd put my vote on the 20' lengths of sched 40 PVC. The bells on the ends of the pipe are twice as long as couplings, and if you use good primer and glue, on a clean joint, they will NEVER come apart. The primer actually helps to melt the pipes together.

To me the fittings on the black pipe is the weak point. Everything has it's pros and cons. I'd trust the glued joints far more than the chance a screw clamp will rust apart and cause a leak.

Both types take ground movement very well also. I think most use black pipe because it takes them less time to lay it. Make sure local codes allow it (black pipe) for a main supply. Out here, they do not.

I tend to agree about the set up only being as good as the weakest link. They also make different grades of pipe clamps. I've stripped some cheap ones out by hand so if you DO go that route, get two good quality clamps per connection, hit it with a heat gun, and tighten while still soft. Makes a better joint and allows the plastic to mold to the fitting ridges.

 

[Arkie Jim]

I'd go at least 3 feet down with the pipe. Any shallower and you could dig it up accidentally or damage it by driving over it. It's easier to bury it deep the first time than it is to repair it twice, then decide to bury it deeper.

Any PVC pipe rated for potable water should work fine for you.

I use the black pipe for outside use--like watering the yard or garden. I use white PVC with the designed glue for PVC.
Black pipe if not one long length than you must use connectors and clamps---this tends to rust and leak over time.
Some people use black pipe for the hot water line and white for cold water and potable.

 

[Qapla]

The OP shows South Alabama for location. That weather is not far from what we have.

I use PVC for cold water main line potable water. I use PVC "thin wall" for irrigation. I use CPVC for hot water. If I think I need more for the hot, I use copper.

For the connection at a pump above ground, I will usually use galvanize into the pump for heat and vibration then convert to PVC after the check valve or the first connection in the ground.

For a submersible pump, I used to also use galvanize, but they make PVC schedule 80 threaded. This works great for drop pipe (recommended not to exceed 350' for 1.5" - 400' for 1.25") as it is lighter when dropping the pump down the well and it does not have the corrosion problems of metal pipe.

According to code here, regardless what you pipe your hot or cold with, the lines connecting directly to the water heater must be metal (this counts galvanize, copper and the braided supply lines made for water heaters. After 18"-24" you can convert to plastic.

One a second note - the other thing to consider is a 2 wire or a 3 wire pump (the 2 wire actually has 3 wires and the 3 wire has 4 wires - each has a ground that is not counted in the "wire count" of the pump)

There is much debate over the better system. The 2 wire has been around longer and has some advantages if "sand locking" is a problem in your area. It also does not need a control box to hang near the well. That being said, I live in a lightning prone state. The three wire system is much better if lightning is a concern as the control box will take the hit, and since it is above ground, you don't have to pull the pump up to fix it. The overall cost is about the same for either system.

Personally, I will stick with the 3 wire.

 

[inveresk]

This article explains some of the benefits of HDPE over PVC.

http://www.plasticpipe.org/municipal_pipe/potable_water.html

 

[rjmack]

To me the fittings on the black pipe is the weak point. Everything has it's pros and cons. I'd trust the glued joints far more than the chance a screw clamp will rust apart and cause a leak.

obviously, you use stainless clamps, and two per fitting. so far i have put about 1500' of this in without any issues. having an autolight propane torch is also a must, especially for the heavier wall thicknesses. as well, i bought one of those specialty cutters $10.00... huge timesaver.

another thing i noticed was that my irrigation supplier sold chinese made clamps. oddly enough, these clamps were far superior to tridon clamps. in fact, the tridon clamps (that i have been using for years on automotive stuff) were so inferior that i don't think i'll ever use them again.

far as messing around with glued joints, especially on long runs, down in the sand and dirt in the ditch.. that really doesn't appeal to me.

 

[RickB]

obviously, you use stainless clamps, and two per fitting. so far i have put about 1500' of this in without any issues. having an autolight propane torch is also a must, especially for the heavier wall thicknesses. as well, i bought one of those specialty cutters $10.00... huge timesaver.

another thing i noticed was that my irrigation supplier sold chinese made clamps. oddly enough, these clamps were far superior to tridon clamps. in fact, the tridon clamps (that i have been using for years on automotive stuff) were so inferior that i don't think i'll ever use them again.

far as messing around with glued joints, especially on long runs, down in the sand and dirt in the ditch.. that really doesn't appeal to me.

I agree completely. If I can roll out several hundred feet of 200psi rated tubing and have joints only at each end, that's all I really want to know about. Gluing joints in the ditch is for guys who are buying labor for 12.50 an hour and selling it for $75.00.

 

[Qapla]

Funny, I don't glue the sections "down in the ditch", I do it above ground, then put the long run into the ditch.

I have also run long runs of pipe, we installed a roadside system with 2 miles of mainline (4" PVC) and it has never had a problem. However, the original post was for 150' run. That is only 8 sections of schedule 40 with bells and 7 joints.

I will agree, having a run with no joints is nice. The water utilities here use a nice blue flexible pipe the is extremely durable. They can even pinch it in two when the need to stop the flow to do some sort of repair or addition to the line. They also have lots of neat specialty tools to do those jobs with and they come with at least two guys to do the job.

I was trying to picture myself installing pipe after reading some of the posts. I could hold the pipe in one hand, the torch in the other, the clamp in the other one and the screwdriver in the other one.

When I use PVC, I can cut the smaller pipe with a PVC cutter and the larger pipe with a saws all. The cleaner and glue comes with a dobber in the can so I don't need special tools to make the connections. I don't need a torch or some type of clamp or clamping device or even a screwdriver and I only need two hands.

To join 8 sections, I would not even have to glue from more than on spot (in other words, I would not have to stop every 20' and glue pipe in the ditch), I would do it all from one location and before I dropped it in the ditch. By taping the ends of the run, the pipe will stay clean. This I would recommend regardless of the type of pipe used.

Just depends on what is available in your area and what the code allows and what tools you either have or want to buy and what you prefer to work with.

 

[MikeInMaine]

What RickB suggested is what I would go with and is most likely the pipe used to go to the well. I would go deeper then 8 inches. So as not to dig it up or should you need to drive over it. You should also check with the city/county because most likely you have a 220 line running along side the pipe code most likely is 18 to 24 inches for electrical wire and if going under a cement walk/driveway at least were I am at ther is different depth/rules. On the electrical wire pumping houses will cut the wire to length, so you do not need to splice the wire.

I would use brass fittings and 2 clamps at each connection on each side, cheap insurance. Heat gun works great making it easier to get brass fitting into pipe. I would also put a check value in the house, between the pressure switch and the pump. This way if the pipe gets a hole in it or the check value on the pump goes, you will not burn up the pump.

If the pressure tank is the basement and you have plans in the future to finish the basement, put the out of site disconnect in now.
For future reference if some day, the pump does not work. Check the little pipe on the pressure switch often this gets plugged.

Sorry if this is more then you asked for, but can not hurt to make sure you know this.

I agree with the above quote. In short:

• 200 psi black polyethelene water pipe. 1" and 1-1/4" are common sizes for water lines around here.
• National Electrical Code requires minimum burial of 18" for electrical line on residential property. Your state or local codes may have additional requirements which should be followed.
• Might as well put the wire and the well line together at the bottom of your trench, far away from future digging (by you, or especially by others in the future).