What's a good semi-rigid flexible tubing for permanent outdoor use?

[strantor]

I've set a pole and stretched a carrier wire from my house to my barn in anticipation of running power from the house to the barn. On the same wire I'd like to run an air line from the barn to the house (for convenient tire air in the driveway) and a water line from the house back to the barn for a sink. I thought PEX tubing would be perfect as it's semi-flexible so as to follow the catenary droop but rigid enough not to kink or be choked off by the straps holding it to the carrier wire. But unfortunately I just learned that it's not UV resistant and therefore a bad choice for outdoor use. So what else is there? I suppose I could use plain garden hose for the water but what about the air?

 

[LittleBill21]

if you wrap the pex in a old garden hose it will last.

 

[newbury]

Or put it in some corrugated drain pipe.

 

[3Ts]

How long is this run and why don't you want to go underground? I see you're south of Houston, so freezing won't be a concern to the water line. I assume there are no issues with overhead height clearances such as vehicles under it.

To answer your question though, you should consider the electrical PVC conduit for the electrical line. The air line should be metal (do not use PVC) and there are many posts on here as to why. And for the water, I'd use regular white PVC water pipe. (I know that it won't stand up to UV, but it will take years to degrade, is easy to replace and I assume in a place that leaks are not critical and will be obvious.) You can also paint it to slow down the UV degradation.

 

[newbury]

How does a thread get 3 replies and 0 views?

 

[Raspy]

Black poly water pipe is flexible enough to come in a coil and it is completely UV resistant. It comes in various sizes and wall thicknesses/pressure ratings. The type that is rated for 160 PSI is probably the best for your project, but it still seems like an odd way to get it done and you'll have to figure out how to hang it without it becoming damaged over time.

PVC will gradually become more and more brittle. It will constantly be flexing as it swings in the wind and will probably fail before very long. Avoid it.

PEX, as you know is not UV resistant and trying to put it in a sleeve makes everything twice as hard. Avoid it.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I found some 1" 200 PSI poly line on Craigs List that I used for air to my fairly new drive shed. I used 3/4" crappy economy stuff the 200 feet to the house thirty years ago and it actually hasn't failed! And I run 120 pounds.

This stuff is all underground but I can't say that I have ever seen degraded Poly line due to UV.

 

[Diggin It]

Black poly pipe might work and it's probably the least expensive, but you could also look at non-metallic sealtight. It's very strong and UV resistant. All electrical stores and suppliers should have it in various diameters.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I'm sure liquid tight (electrical) would cost a lot more and I'm not sure how you would determine burst strength which it simply wasn't designed for.

 

[strantor]

How long is this run and why don't you want to go underground? I see you're south of Houston, so freezing won't be a concern to the water line. I assume there are no issues with overhead height clearances such as vehicles under it.

To answer your question though, you should consider the electrical PVC conduit for the electrical line. The air line should be metal (do not use PVC) and there are many posts on here as to why. And for the water, I'd use regular white PVC water pipe. (I know that it won't stand up to UV, but it will take years to degrade, is easy to replace and I assume in a place that leaks are not critical and will be obvious.) You can also paint it to slow down the UV degradation.

I'm not going under ground because (pictures attached) I would have to trench around my garage and my septic tanks which adds a lot of distance (copper (money)) to the bill. Also I would have to rent a trencher, which would consume a day of man-hours just to go get it, offload, cleanup, onload, and return, not to mention the man-hours spent actually digging that winding trench or the rental fee ...or the risk of hitting my septic lines and incurring more cost. I'll be taking the power off the side of my house, running it through the attic and coming out at the opposite peak (18ft high), over the top of my driveway across a 64ft span with a 22ft high pole in the middle, and down to my barn (14ft high). There will be plenty of room to get vehicles under it.

You can see the sharp bend made by the carrier cable at the top of the pole; Whatever I use has to be able to make that bend and it's not any kind of standard angle that they make a pipe fitting for. Although I suppose any angle is possible with 2 90's and a nipple. The carrier cables are taut right now but I expect there will be some droop once I hang the heavy copper cable off it. That's why I wasn't considering metal (esp copper). This will be blowing in the wind so I don't want it developing cracks from fatigue.