Chuck52
Veteran Member
I have a very old and rusty buried hydrant in an odd place in my yard. It leaks around the cap, but is so rusty I can't fix it easily, and it can only be shut off at the water meter. So, because there are a couple of other, much better, locations where I'd like to have hydrants, I fugured I'd dig the old one out and tee off from that connection to where I'd like the new hydrant. I'll just do away with the present one.
This hydrant probably dates from the mid-50's, and has been on two different wells and is now on district water. I had no idea what to expect at the bottom, but I went for it. Turns out when they hooked up to the district water the main to the house looped within a foot or so of this old hydrant. The old guy who owned this place must have been too cheap to spring for a new hydrant, though he owned a major chunk of the county, and they teed off the new 1" PET with 3/4" PET to this old hydrant. No leaks so far as I can tell, but they used what appears to be a PVC T connector, with hose barbs and hose clamps. The stainless hose clamps are in perfect shape and all seems tight, but I was originally planning to connect to whatever I found using Ford fittings. These solid brass fittings are made to join just about anything to anything, are made to be buried, and never leak if properly installed.
The question: If I replace the PVC T connector in the main line using a Ford fitting with the proper 3/4" side arm for my new lines, will I have to cut out the part of the main with the hose barbs in there? I'm worried that the hose barbs have stretched the PET and I won't get a good seal with the new fittings. If I do that, I'll probably have to add an additional fitting to extend the main to where I put the T because of the lost length cut out. Should I just accept the existing connection as sound and go from there, using the proper fittings for anything I add? That would certainly be quicker and easier, since I would have to dig up quite a bit more of the main if I decide to change that T connector.
Any plumbers or those with plumbing experience have suggestions?
Thanks,
Chuck
This hydrant probably dates from the mid-50's, and has been on two different wells and is now on district water. I had no idea what to expect at the bottom, but I went for it. Turns out when they hooked up to the district water the main to the house looped within a foot or so of this old hydrant. The old guy who owned this place must have been too cheap to spring for a new hydrant, though he owned a major chunk of the county, and they teed off the new 1" PET with 3/4" PET to this old hydrant. No leaks so far as I can tell, but they used what appears to be a PVC T connector, with hose barbs and hose clamps. The stainless hose clamps are in perfect shape and all seems tight, but I was originally planning to connect to whatever I found using Ford fittings. These solid brass fittings are made to join just about anything to anything, are made to be buried, and never leak if properly installed.
The question: If I replace the PVC T connector in the main line using a Ford fitting with the proper 3/4" side arm for my new lines, will I have to cut out the part of the main with the hose barbs in there? I'm worried that the hose barbs have stretched the PET and I won't get a good seal with the new fittings. If I do that, I'll probably have to add an additional fitting to extend the main to where I put the T because of the lost length cut out. Should I just accept the existing connection as sound and go from there, using the proper fittings for anything I add? That would certainly be quicker and easier, since I would have to dig up quite a bit more of the main if I decide to change that T connector.
Any plumbers or those with plumbing experience have suggestions?
Thanks,
Chuck