Gluing PVC Pipe under water/ Pond overflow

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Maybe someone has run into this before? I have an overflow on my pond that is too low. It's just a piece of 4" schedule 40 PVC running through the levy. I want to add an elbow facing up to raise the water level a little bit. But, the water line is not low enough to glue until the rainy season is over. I'm getting a little rain today and want to go ahead and get it done so I can have a little more water going into the summer so the water level will hopefully not get as low when it gets dry.

What's my best option to be able to glue it pretty water tight? There does not seem to be any way to dam it to get the water off of it.

 

[Alan W.]

If its the water flowing through the pipe that you need to stop so you can dry the pipe and glue go to a plumbing supply house and get an inflatable test bladder.
Install it in the pipe, inflate, dry and glue, then deflate and remove the bladder.

 

[Billrog]

You don't need to glue it just stick it on.

 

[Doofy]

Use rubber couplings until the dry season.

 

[Alan W.]

Use rubber couplings until the dry season.

Forgot about Fernco’s. He could use one of those.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Good idea on the rubber until dry season. I'll get one today.

 

[Borane4]

You will be surprised how tight a dry PVC joint is if it is not under pressure. I have duck paddies with dry joint 90 elbows and they will hold water for months.

 

[npalen]

Stick the fitting on and secure with a couple sheet metal screws if necessary?

 

[hosspuller]

Borane4 is correct. I would recommend attaching a string to the elbow and straight section so if it does get knocked off before gluing, you don't lose it.

You might also consider putting a collar around the vertical inlet to keep the floaters out. A stick will float into the pipe & get caught in the elbow. The collar is a bigger diameter than the vertical section. It's open at the top and bottom. The water flows from the bottom and up over the edge of the vertical pipe.

 

[bcp]

Maybe work underwater, too. Test on a small pipe and fitting.

But I wouldn't want to manipulate 4 inch pipes underwater with a fast setting cement. I'd fit it without cement, then glue it in the dry season.

Bruce

 

[mwayne]

Stick the fitting on and secure with a couple sheet metal screws if necessary?

And then use some of this if needed:

New Blue Monster® Compression Seal Tape Stops Problem Leaks Without Turning Off Water Source | BLUE MONSTER Products

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

I ran to Home Depot then home at lunch. I went looking for the rubber Fernco fittings and just happened to see this test plug. No more rain than we are supposed to get I think this will do the trick until dry season. There is a 2nd overflow that is about 6" higher than this one also, so there is no danger of something bad happening.

 

[hosspuller]

Beware, plugging the lower pipe reduces your spillway by half. If you get a rain storm that overwhelms the second pipe, be prepared to open the first pipe. Water over flowing your dam can cut the dam very quickly.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Beware, plugging the lower pipe reduces your spillway by half. If you get a rain storm that overwhelms the second pipe, be prepared to open the first pipe. Water over flowing your dam can cut the dam very quickly.

I'll keep an eye out. At this point we are normally done with the big rains, I'll rig something more permanent this summer.

 

[Billrog]

I put T's on the end of the over flow pipes and take the water 4 or 5" below the surface that way it doesn't get plugged with anything floating on the surface. Never glued one and never had any come off, you can't even pull them off.

 

[ljjhouser]

You don't need to glue it just stick it on.

Tap it on snug and it will do fine. That will also permit you to remove it if you want to lower the water level again.

 

[ponytug]

I agree that for the future a friction fit should be fine, but sand the gunk off first. There is next to no pressure on the joint.

I am not sure how water tight your cap is, but a couple layers of electrical tape should help, or a little caulk on the inside.

All the best,

Peter

 

[kenmac]

I am not sure how water tight your cap is, but a couple layers of electrical tape should help, or a little caulk on the inside.

All the best,

Peter

If you talking about the plug he installed being water tight. That plug is what we use to test plumbing, and to just keep things out until a fixture is installed.
It's a water tight rubber plug

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

No picture, but the pond is up about 2 inches this morning! We got a heavy shower yesterday evening and apparently ground water is still weeping toward the pond.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

No hub clamp, compression union, dresser coupling. Those three take wrenches not glue.