Connecting to my main farm water line to a new paddock waterer

   / Connecting to my main farm water line to a new paddock waterer #1  

Dadnatron

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2016
Messages
1,113
Location
Versailles, KY
Tractor
JD 5100e with FEL
I had a 2" PVC 'main line' pulled 30" deep from the MAIN county line through my property. They did a decent, not good, job but it took over a month of prodding them to actually get them to do it. And they seemed pretty expensive (although that's not my main issue).

I need to put in a T and connect an additional paddock waterer for a new paddock I built. I've contacted them for a quote, and true to form they 'want the business' but apparently don't WANT the business, because they still haven't given me any info or a quote.

My main line is in place. I'd need to run the water about 150' into the paddock. I've worked a little with PVC so I am familiar with it 'enough' I believe to cut in and glue a T. I want to take the 2" down to 3/4" black pvc for the run. I want to install a brass ball valve at the fence, in order to shut off that line. The waterer I wish to install is a Mirafont which requires a small pad.

I come to you with a couple questions.

1. I can certainly dig up the line for access where I wish. But I've 'read' that I need to dig up several feet on each side in order to allow for enough 'flex' in the installed main line so I can place and glue the T. This makes sense, but this is 30" deep and I want to dig up as much as necessary but not dig up MORE than necessary. Its hot out there.

2. I need to find out how best to step down the pipe from 2" to 3/4" poly. Is that best done at the T ie, buy a T that immediately steps down to 3/4 at the takeoff? Any recommendation in this part would be greatly appreciated, as it is the most 'concerning' aspect for me. I don't want to screw up my line for things downstream.

3. Are heat tubes 'that useful' in zone 6? I'm near Lexington KY, and the plumber just used a culvert as his riser tube, but the directions recommend an insulated heat/earth tube.

4. ANY and all 'Tips and tricks' would be welcome. I think I'll rent a vibratory plow just to make my life easier.
 
   / Connecting to my main farm water line to a new paddock waterer #2  
One thing you may want to use is a 2" 'slip fix". You can cut your 2" line, then install your 'tee' and then connect it back with the 'slip fix'. Using the slip fix will greatly reduce the area you need to dig up to make this connection.

There are some 'Tee's' that you can just wrap around the 2" line and drill into the main line to make the connection. I am not familiar with those and have never tried it.

Here is a video on installing the 'slip fix'.

 
   / Connecting to my main farm water line to a new paddock waterer #3  
   / Connecting to my main farm water line to a new paddock waterer #4  
Is the 2 inch line schedule 40 PVC or is it a slip fitting type pipe? Is it white or blue in color?

What are you going to use to dig up the pipe and how accurate are you in locating it?

I have a backhoe, so I dig a big hole along the side of where I think the pipe is. If it was 30 inches deep, I'm going to dig 4 feet deep. I'll make the trench 10 to 15 feet long, but usually wish it was longer when trying to get a fitting into two lenghths of bigger, stiffer PVC. 2 inch PVC is going to be a bear to get a PVC T into.

Remember, when connecting PVC, you want purple primer and heavy duty clear cement. the primer isn't actually a primer, it's more of a softener that breaks down the PVC plastic so when you put the heavy duty clear cement on it, the PVC actually melts together and forms a solid weld. Any other method is not going to be as good. This is the only way to connect PVC that is under pressure. Drain lines don't really matter, but water under pressure has to be done this way.

I would not use black poly. I hate that stuff. But the connection is pretty basic. You will need a PVC threaded fitting. I've heard the argument both ways as to which is best, male or female thread for the PVC. I don't really know which is best, but tend to get the brass fitting with a nipple for PEX or in your case, Black Poly, with a threaded male end, and attach it to a PVC threaded female fitting.

You should be able to find a 2 inch T with a 3/4 inch side to it. If not, just get a 2 inch T and put a bushing into the side opening to reduce it down to 3/4. Easy pleasy.
 
   / Connecting to my main farm water line to a new paddock waterer
  • Thread Starter
#5  
PVC is schedule 40. I know exactly where it is, because I can still see the plow mark on the ground. (I would have had him install this one, but we weren't sure whether we wanted it or not nor where to locate it at the time.)

Do you use threaded fittings underground? Other than connecting to brass? I was under the assumption that all underground fittings should be glued.

I've been looking at the 'glue on' saddles such as Hosspuller posted. That would be preferable to cutting out a section and flexing it on. As you've pointed out. I'm leary about a compression slip fitting like CLC posted, simply because I'd like to avoid likely fixes in the future. I'd rather dig today than when I'm 5 years older. I'm worried about letting debris get into the line for downstream. I only have a single waterer downstream at this point, but I don't have a clean out. If I use a mount the fitting -> drill the hole, I suspect that I'll have drill debris inside the pipe. I guess I can just take off the waterer valve and let it blow for a bit. I think that would work, now that I think about it.

I've seen this which is interesting.

2" x 3/4" Schedule 40 PVC Saddle Clamp

I'm uncertain whether the simply 'glue on' slip saddle Ts are rated under pressure. They seem more like a drain connection.
 
   / Connecting to my main farm water line to a new paddock waterer #6  
You can buy your PVC in 20 foot lengths from the box stores. At 150 feet you would need 7 twenty-foot sticks and one 10 foot stick or buy 8 twenty foot sticks so you have a little extra. You would use glued couplers and those would be primed and glued. You need to let them sit overnight before running any water. That's to make sure the glue has fully dried. I've blown joints apart by not waiting.

I would use the saddle on the main line. Those work awesome! Good idea on the brass valve, too! The PVC valves aren't all that reliable. Where you use the brass valve you would glue on a threaded fitting onto the PVC and thread your valve on. If it were me I would install the threaded fitting onto the brass valve first and then glue the other end on to the PVC main line - less screwing around.

You can do the whole thing yourself with a rented walk behind trencher. Plenty of youtube videos out there to answer any questions you have on the project. Running 150 feet shouldn't take you more than about 3 hours including trenching and gluing up the PVC
 
   / Connecting to my main farm water line to a new paddock waterer #7  
If you haven't already, it would be good to checkout the water pressure and the tolerance to that pressure for the waterer.

When I ran a T line to my barn, I needed to install a pressure regulator to avoid the risk of blowing out my fixtures. I had to install a backflow-preventer to comply with code.
 
   / Connecting to my main farm water line to a new paddock waterer
  • Thread Starter
#8  
I would use the saddle on the main line. Those work awesome!

Do you have a recommendation on a saddle type for this instance?
 
   / Connecting to my main farm water line to a new paddock waterer
  • Thread Starter
#9  
If you haven't already, it would be good to checkout the water pressure and the tolerance to that pressure for the waterer.

When I ran a T line to my barn, I needed to install a pressure regulator to avoid the risk of blowing out my fixtures. I had to install a backflow-preventer to comply with code.

I didn't think about over-pressure. I don't think its an issue, as I don't believe the previous installer used any regulators. But I do need to check on it.
 
 
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