Any tricks to find an underground water leak?

[SPYDERLK]

OP Do you have any hi use functions that shut off quickly? ... If so do you have a surge tank at the house. Slowing a long water column quickly results in a pressure spike at the use end. This spike would be greatest near your house, so look for the break starting near there. Say 50'. If it was closer yould know the location already.
larry

 

[JD 4520]

This is a good topic to always remember to bury a tracer wire with anything so you can always locate it later.

 

[Pilot]

If you end up replacing the pipe, go with 1 1/4". Going 800 ft with 1", you'll see a huge drop in flow and pressure. You'll be impressed with the difference 1/1/4 makes.

 

[sdkubota]

You can get fully SS clamps from McMaster Carr. The dont strip however the teeth on the band pull if you ham fist. The secret is to oil the clamp, tighten only firm and move on. Come back in a few minutes and the screw will go another 1/16 turn easy. Repeat. [The black poly settles into the fitting grooves.]
larry

Dip the pipe end in a bucket of hot water or carefully heat it with a heat gun or torch until very warm to the touch. Slide on your fitting and tighten your clamp. Do not overheat the pipe!

 

[PILOON]

Dip the pipe end in a bucket of hot water or carefully heat it with a heat gun or torch until very warm to the touch. Slide on your fitting and tighten your clamp. Do not overheat the pipe!

I generally use my plumber's torch to gently heat B4 clamping, that way the barbs really grip the pipe plus I always use 2 clamps with screws 180 deg apart.
Heating the inside makes 4 better gripping.

 

[PILOON]

Dip the pipe end in a bucket of hot water or carefully heat it with a heat gun or torch until very warm to the touch. Slide on your fitting and tighten your clamp. Do not overheat the pipe!

I generally use my plumber's torch to gently heat B4 clamping, that way the barbs really grip the pipe plus I always use 2 clamps with screws 180 deg apart.
Heating the inside makes 4 better gripping.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Dip the pipe end in a bucket of hot water or carefully heat it with a heat gun or torch until very warm to the touch. Slide on your fitting and tighten your clamp. Do not overheat the pipe!

I generally use my plumber's torch to gently heat B4 clamping, that way the barbs really grip the pipe plus I always use 2 clamps with screws 180 deg apart.Heating the inside makes 4 better gripping.

You can get fully SS clamps from McMaster Carr. The dont strip however the teeth on the band pull if you ham fist. The secret is to oil the clamp, tighten only firm and move on. Come back in a few minutes and the screw will go another 1/16 turn easy. Repeat. [The black poly settles into the fitting grooves.]
larry

The reason I resist these effective ploys is because of complicating factors highly dependent on technique. ... Yes, I would always use 2 clamps with the screw heads opposite one another. I would not use heat to go above lukewarm [that of a hair dryer for a couple minutes in ~35F weather] because it is; not necessary, too subjective, and may be impossible to later separate the joint below ground without cutting and splicing. Within a long run this is fine - youll never need to take it apart anyway. For the ends of a run tho, say at a frost pruf hydrant, you often need a separable joint - perhaps several times over the years.
,,,The prevailing point is that there is a rather large range that gives a durable leak pruf joint. You are comfortably within this range using 2 clean clamps at room temperature - with a couple sequential tightenings to allow the clamps to settle into the plastic, and the plastic onto the barb. Resist the progression from; If a littles good more is better, and too much is just right. :wink:
larry

 

[sdkubota]

If there is a frost proof hydrant on the run...that is where I would look for a leak. The valve could be leaking and running out the drain hole preventing you from seeing anything.

 

[MarkV]

Hi all, I sure appreciate all of the advice. We have had 4"+ of welcomed rain in the last 4 days so the water line problem is going to have to wait a bit. At the moment it is snowing, not something we see often here. I didn't want this thread to go away so I'll update as conditions allow.

MarkV

 

[MarkV]

Hi all, I sure appreciate all of the advice. We have had 4"+ of welcomed rain in the last 4 days so the water line problem is going to have to wait a bit. At the moment it is snowing, not something we see often here. I didn't want this thread to go away so I'll update as conditions allow.

MarkV