Installing water service soon

Mike058 · Jul 26, 2008

I'm going to put in the water line soon and have been wondering about a couple of things. The total run will be about 300'. I'm not sure if I should go 3/4" or 1". And what material to use? I found this list PVC, PE, copper, PEX, PEX-AL-PEX or PE-AL-PE, and figure copper isn't an option for me (I'm getting poorer all the time). Is PVC the way to go considering cost and ease of installation? Thanks

After posting I ran across a chart that suggested I should use 1-1/4" for this length. Based on pressure and fixtures in the house. I'm wondering what others in my place have used.

Jimbrown · Jul 26, 2008

1 1/4 all the way. You will regert going smaller. Plus the larger the PVC generally the stronger it is.

Highbeam · Jul 26, 2008

300' I would be using something bigger than 1" line and I would definitely use a roll of black PE which is what all new construction has been using for more than the last 10 years in the NW.

1" rolls of PE don't cost much less than 1.25 or 1.5". Heck, I've had guys buy the 2" PE in rolls for runs that are a bit longer. If this is your main line I would go with 1.5". Is this to a well or a water meter? Are you using a residential sprinkler system for fire protection in your home?

Mike058 · Jul 26, 2008

Highbeam said:
300' I would be using something bigger than 1" line and I would definitely use a roll of black PE which is what all new construction has been using for more than the last 10 years in the NW.

1" rolls of PE don't cost much less than 1.25 or 1.5". Heck, I've had guys buy the 2" PE in rolls for runs that are a bit longer. If this is your main line I would go with 1.5". Is this to a well or a water meter? Are you using a residential sprinkler system for fire protection in your home?

It's a water meter. We're going to have to have a monitored alarm system installed for the fire protection. From the little study I've done so far it's looking like using at least 1-1/4". Check out this page Water Supply Fixture Units (WSFU) and minimum fixture branch pipe sizes Near the bottom, there is a chart that shows how long a supply should be based on it's size and the size of the service. What's interesting to me, is it doesn't list 1-1/2 supply for a 3/4" meter (which is what I have). Does anybody know if there isn't any gain in going 1-1/2 if you only have the 3/4" service?

scgargoyle · Jul 27, 2008

1-1/4" pipe would seem to be overkill coming off of a 3/4" meter, but the reason you want bigger pipe is for frictional losses, which add up the further you go. If you restrict all 300' to 3/4", that is a lot of friction.

KennethBrown · Jul 28, 2008

I have around 60-65 pounds of pressure at my 3/4 meter. I ran 1" PE just slightly over 300 feet to the house. I only lost a few pounds of pressure. If I had it to do over again I would probably go to 1 1/4" just from what I've learned since but NOT because I've had any problems at all.

Highbeam · Jul 28, 2008

You don't lose pressure from the smaller line. You could use a 1/4" line and still have the same static pressure at the home as at the meter. That is, until you introduce flow which creates velocity in the pipe which makes friction where the water rubs the pipe which robs energy from the supply at the house end. Less energy equals both less pressure and less flow.

Buying, installing, and using 1.5" line is very similar to running 1.25". There is no penalty for using oversized line. Severe penalty for undersizing.

Without a residential sprinkler system and no extreme irrigation desires or elevation changes, you would be fine with the 1.25" that the link calls out. Use only brass fittings and if you can avoid using barbed fittings and instead use compression fittings then your system will remain leak free longer.

RobJ · Jul 28, 2008

KennethBrown said:
I have around 60-65 pounds of pressure at my 3/4 meter. I ran 1" PE just slightly over 300 feet to the house. I only lost a few pounds of pressure. If I had it to do over again I would probably go to 1 1/4" just from what I've learned since but NOT because I've had any problems at all.

At our rural weekend place the water company can turn up the pressure if needed. I run about 100' with 3/4" and if I turn on the hose full blast you'd better hold on. I actually called them to have it cranked down a bit.

Rob

Richard · Jul 28, 2008

These guys have forgotten more than I've ever known on this so I'll just say this...

They dug my well... it's about 100 gallons/minute. They installed 3/4 HP pump rated at 10 gmp (although I think I get more).

Static level is 104 feet, total depth 310 feet and depth to bedrock is 63 feet (does this mean I've got 63 feet between my well and the bottom??)

That goes into what looks to be a 3/4" pipe into my basement.

I really wish I had access to more of the wells potential without having to re-do anything.

Kind of a side story...when they dug my well, evidently they stick some kind of measuring cup under something to measure how much water is coming out of the drill/well.

Seems when he did that, the volume of water blew his cup out of his hand and he had to go find a bucket to use. They said it was just like drilling for oil in the movies when they hit a geyser... once they broke through the rock and hit the water, it just came shooting out of the top of the rig.

Unfortunately, I wasn't here to watch.

_RaT_ · Jul 28, 2008

Jimbrown said:
1 1/4 all the way. You will regert going smaller. Plus the larger the PVC generally the stronger it is.

With PVC in schedule 40, the pressure rating goes down with an increrase in pipe diameter. With Class ratings like 150 or 200, the pressure rating remains the same.

For 300' with say 10 to 15 GPM, the typical flow you can expect through a 3/4" meter, go with a minimum of 1 1/4 or better. As Highbeam mentions, it all comes down to water velocity. The higher GPM will create a greater velocity. Anything over about 7 Feet per second is undesireable. Oversizing is never a problem and you get the added benefit that fittings like tees and 90's have far less impact on the line losses. As Highbeam mentioned, you have two pressures, static and dynamic. Static tells you what your best pressure is with no flow, dynamic is the pressure you get with a given system and a flow rate or GPM. Always account for the worst. 300' with 3/4" sch 40 at 20 GPM will have a pressure drop of 31.35 PSI, a severe pressure drop. A 1/ 1/4 would lose only 2.42 psi. A 1.5 inch PVC would lose 1.13 PSI. Go with 1 1/4" or larger.

Here is a quick and easy reference: Friction Loss Flow chart - FAMOUS PLUMBING SUPPLY