Underground PE Pipe Installation - Proper Steps?

   / Underground PE Pipe Installation - Proper Steps? #1  

lfalkenh

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Mar 19, 2006
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The drought is not going anywhere and its time to replace the 1500' of water hose with a real watering solution for the cows. The total waterline will be approximately 2800' as the old plan did not go to all the pastures. Here is my plan:

I live in Burnet County - AKA Hill Country!

* Use 1 1/4" PE 200PSI for 1500 ft (500 ft rolls)
* Use 1" PE 200PSI for remaining 1300 ft
* Clear trench line with FEL and smooth out all of the brush, rocks, etc.
* Rent Rock Saw (have not figured out way to use my Kubota 8540 for this yet ;-) )
* Using Rock Saw, dig trench 24-30" deep
* Now the questions...

1. The rock saw produces fines - is it still necessary to put pea gravel in the trench?
2. What is the best way to roll out the larger diameter PE pipe since each roll ways over 100 lbs?
3. Suggestions on installing a water meter in line to test for pipe leaks on a regular basis?

Thoughts
 
   / Underground PE Pipe Installation - Proper Steps? #2  
How much rock do you have to dig through?? Is it rocks or rock??

Here is a link to a fun video.
YouTube - Stratti Twin Rocksaw....April 2008...CASE CX330

For digging a trench in rocky soil a "pickle fork" will do a fine job. The one shown only digs about a foot deep. Plan to build another 1 that goes down 2 feet. It will also have a baffle plate that moves dirt off to the side. The little guy shown has dug several hundred feet and was first used in an area where there is more rock than dirt.
 

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   / Underground PE Pipe Installation - Proper Steps?
  • Thread Starter
#3  
It is primarily limestone...depending on where in the line it is, it may be all dirt and some places may be 3-4 inches or dirt and then the stone...I have used a trencher out there before but it seems to cause more problems since it doesnt like the big rocks...that is why i was leaning towards the rock saw to create the fines
 
   / Underground PE Pipe Installation - Proper Steps? #4  
if there are alot of rocks, i would say backhoe. if a trencher won't work.

2800' is long.

every now and then i will see 4" field culvert hose on a basically a large over sized garden hose reel. but in this case it was a tow behind trailer. that the hose was pulled off from.

i don't know if you could take pallet forks maybe on the front loader of a tractor. and then at the very tip of the pallet forks run some sort of bar between the forks. and pull hose off that way or not.

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get the pipe run below frost line for your area. so you don't have to worry about pipes freezing.

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you will find it that the plastic pipe is going to be curvy and go in all directions. if you leave it set out in the hot sun ((late spring / summer)) the plastic can heat up enough during the day, and cool off during the night. to help remove some of the curvy-ness. and make it easier to put down into a trench.

you have a couple things to deal with. you noted "hilly" and you also wanted to make it easier pressure testing the line initially and down the road for leaks.

=======

the "hilly" ground. were the pipe goes up then back down (like an upside down U) you will most likely need to provide an "air bleeder valve, or a watering spigot/faucet. in the highest point of the upside down U's in the pipe run to remove trapped air.

the pressure testing thing. about all i could suggest if it was really that important to test the pipe line sections down the road. would be at the end of each 500 feet. would be come up and out of the ground. for both pipe ends. using galvanized pipe and put yourself a valve. along with an air bleeder or water spigot. so you can bleed out air.

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if ya have not caught on. air being in the main hose run can be a major problem. air can form in a pipe run just from regular use. or water just setting in the pipe. it does not require you to have a leak. and needing to air bleed air may be one of them things you do every so often to hardly ever. exception on maintenance / repairs.

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my other concern is ""water hammering"" think of water hammer like a truck/car/tractor slamming into hill to stop. for water, water slams into 90's and inside of the pipe and fittings. when it does this the force has to go some place. for truck/car/tractor it would mean dents and things being broken. for water it means pipes and fittings getting cracked. for older homes, folks tend to remember the rattling of pipes in the house. ((this would be ""water hammering"" you can buy "water hammering devices" for homes. that are fairly small and help. or you can build your own. though they can be bigger when DIY.

if ya notice shaking of the water spigot when ya shut the valve down. then ya most likely experiencing "water hammering"

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my other concern is if you end up using a bunch of water say at the very end of this 2800' say for washing down a tractor. or something odd ball. you may get a lot of water pressure right off the get go. but after say 5 to 15 minutes running the water. your pressure may start to drop off rapidly, along with amount of water you end up getting. and it could come down to a slow trickle.

if ya look at attach picture and the bottom last 2 diagrams. there be a partial reason for going with very bottom diagram. and that is to help reduce headloss / friction loss. so you might have a couple extra minutes of higher pressure and amount of water initially at the end of the 2800 feet. ((i say a couple minutes but that is only a guess, without knowing specifics. ))

specifics would be. how much water GPH (gallons per hour) or GPM (gallons per minute) or how much water usage daily at each water spigot and fittings and distance between everything. and details on pump, and wanted pressure in the pipe run.
 

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   / Underground PE Pipe Installation - Proper Steps?
  • Thread Starter
#5  
At each 500' section, I was planning to put a tee coming out of the ground with a backflow preventer, hose bib, and then a float valve for a water tank.
 
   / Underground PE Pipe Installation - Proper Steps? #6  
seeing you are in texas. you most likely have to deal with evaperation.

i would suggest adding a ball valve, so you have tee-> ball valve -> check valve -> hose bib -> float valve.

having a union between ball valve and check valve. so you can easily replace check valve. can save you headaches in a few years. when check valve needs to be replaced. that or make sure you have enough pipe. that you can cut off and put a regular coupler in place. **been there done that** of not enough room to easily replace check valve.

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did rough math estimate on pipe size.
sounds like ya got pipe sizing down pat. but would encourage you to run 1.25" all the way to the very end.

it is the furthest float valve away that will take the longest to fill a water tank.

double check on internet with various pipe manufacturers. generally you can get a deal. or price discount for certain length of pipe. and i am going to assume you have no local manufacture like most folks. so regardless it has to be shipped locally for you to buy it. i would say skip the middle local man.
 
   / Underground PE Pipe Installation - Proper Steps?
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Good idea on the union...there is no telling what can happen with an exposed pipe :) Will post pictures as I get going...
 
   / Underground PE Pipe Installation - Proper Steps? #8  
Is it possible to plough the pipe in using a large Cat with a vibrating shank pipe plough as is used for commercial gas lines? :)
 
   / Underground PE Pipe Installation - Proper Steps? #9  
if you have plastic pipe exposed to the sun. get some spray paint and paint the pvc pipe. this will help keep the pvc pipe from getting brittle and cracking in a couple years due to UV rays breaking down the pvc plastic.
 
   / Underground PE Pipe Installation - Proper Steps? #10  
if you have plastic pipe exposed to the sun. get some spray paint and paint the pvc pipe. this will help keep the pvc pipe from getting brittle and cracking in a couple years due to UV rays breaking down the pvc plastic.

He's using polyethylene pipe. No worries.
 

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