Water Line to barn questions

[Ken45101]

3/4" sounds small. One inch has twice the capacity of 3/4.

 

[Ranger Rick]

3/4" sounds small. One inch has twice the capacity of 3/4.

When I dug up the line the first time to fix a leak I was surprised that it was only 3/4" given the distance from the well. Is there any guide lines on size of pipe for a given distance? Rick

 

[LD1]

Is there any guide lines on size of pipe for a given distance? Rick

Yes, But I think the point everyone is getting across is it all depends on what your usage is out at the barn.

Is it just for a restroom and sink to wash hands??? Or watering animals? Or washing vehichles??

You can use 1/2" line or 4" line. It all just depends on how many GPM you want available out there.

Aside from the springing leaks, is the current 3/4 acceptable?? or do you want more flow??

As to the pipe, I'd use the black coiled stuff made for water line.

 

[speedbump]

Just consult a friction loss chart. With 3/4" at 10 gallons per minute through 800' of pipe gives you about 40 lbs of friction loss. That leaves you with 20lbs at the other end if your pump is maxed out at 60. One inch would not be as bad and would work fine. I would go with Poly Pipe (coils) and I would use the highest number rating they have. I believe they have 200 psi now. They might come in 600' rolls too. With PVC you are going to have 40 joints that might leak. Poly is much more forgiving underground that PVC.
Friction loss chart: Friction Loss Chart - Helpful Information - PumpsAndTanks.com

 

[Ranger Rick]

How much water do you have at the well?
What are you doing with the water in the barn?
Livestock?

It is nice to have lots of water and lots of pressure.

Are your pipes buried?
Are you irrigating?
Watering plants?
Do you need water elsewhere, near the barn?
How much water at the pump?

I just bought 300 feet of 1 1/4" black poly which I don't think was prohibitively expensive. Is it better to bury poly or PVC?

The current 3/4" pipe is buried about a foot maybe slightly more.

I have thought about having water available for a garden using drip irrigation, nothing huge though.

Planning on putting in a bathroom with shower, washing equipment, dogs etc.

The well is unknown. I tried to find out some information from the county but they did not have any records of it since the well was put in, in the 1960's before they began keeping records on wells. Any ideas how to determine what I have water wise in the well?

Is it just a mater of personal preference of either PVC or Poly piping or is one better or cheaper then the other?
Rick

 

[the old grind]

Black poly is fine if you pay attention to the pressure rating. 1 1/4" and min 160psi rated would be my choice in VA. 300 or 600ft coils could be tough handling in large diameters (>1"), but worth the extra muscle needed to minimize fittings. btw: I go next door every other year or so to dig up leaking 1" BP that was chosen for cost over pressure rating, and we're well below MI's 48" frost line.

Things I've learned on the job and on the farm:
PEX is good stuff, but overkill for cold water supply. Black poly is more UV-stable. PVC could be asking for trouble with very long runs. Mice are not picky eaters.

One line I dug for was awkwardly close to a corral and my trench was of uneven depth (1" poly, again). I cautioned that it should be partially back-filled and leveled/tamped before laying the pipe. In haste that step was omitted (I just dug there) and after mere months of settling, the line pulled off the barb at the hydrant. (I got paid twice)

Rocks in back-fill can cause leaks over time due to settling/scuffing &/or driving over a shallow install with a 5+ ton JD. Nuthin' like sand, if you have it.

A 'tracer' wire isn't always needed, depending on depth, length, or other factors. (Copper costs, and steel can vanish over time.) Farthest from the 'wet spot' I've ever see a leak was 10', anyway (line split). Wish I'd been paid by the yard dug-up on that one.

Copper or SS crimp rings may outlast screw-type hose clamps. (The 'screws' aren't always SS in larger sizes)

 

[DT86]

Do you think 12" bury is deep enough in your area?

I believe the poly is less expensive and probably quicker to put in.

The PVC is all we have used and has served us well. In a 800' run it won't take much longer to install PVC.

 

[jeffinsgf]

Rick,

Not trying to add any additional confusion here, but with that long a run, pulling the pipe might be a better option than trenching and laying it in. There are machines specifically designed for pulling pipe which you can rent, or there are several threads on the forum regarding pulling pipe with a tractor and a sub-soiler.

Maybe the old grind will jump in here with some ideas on pulling pipe. Around here the irrigation guys do it all the time, but the depths aren't all that deep. I put my barn water in as part of my irrigation lines. It gets shut off and drained in the fall. If you can't do that, you need to make sure you're below your frost line.

 

[Larro Darro]

My handyman has made a homemade version of the EZ-Drop Poly Pipe Layer using an old cultivator frame, a long plow point and some scrap iron. In sandy soil, 18 or 20" of depth is no problem. If your place is rocky or has very many roots, you would want to make a couple of passes before you lay the pipe. It is amazing how much pipe you can lay in an hour's time. You can use it with PVC too, it's just a little slower.

 

[Ranger Rick]

Do you think 12" bury is deep enough in your area?

No. I think the original installation by whomever was done cheap. Frost line in this area is 16" so I think I would aim for 2' and not have any problems with freezing. Rick