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Purple Primer used instead of 'glue".

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stanleyB

New Member

Posts: 4

1

Thursday, September 2nd 2010, 5:08pm

Purple Primer used instead of 'glue".






Recently a friend came by as I was doing some work on my sprinkler system and noted that I was using both the purple primer and the clear "glue". He Is now a bit concerned as he says he thought the 'purple stuff' was a glue and did put together his own sytem at his home using only it. He says he did before burying most joints put them under presure to check the bond for leaks, all seemed fine, and has seen no leaks since then. Does he have a real problem?



Thank you



Stan

Central Irrigation

Supreme Member

Posts: 364

Location: Central Minnesota

2

Thursday, September 2nd 2010, 6:41pm

So you're saying he used only primer and NO glue? He will definitely have a problem!

Fireguy97

Advanced Member

Posts: 77

Location: Kamloops, In Beautiful British Columbia

3

Thursday, September 2nd 2010, 6:52pm

Tell him to get pictures! It should be a riot! Little gushers all over his yard! - and he'll never really know if he ever got them all.

Mick
Irrigation Contractor

Certified Backflow Assembly Tester

hi.todd

Supreme Member

Posts: 417

Location: Houston, Texas

4

Thursday, September 2nd 2010, 7:46pm

I would also be concerned if I installed a sprinkler system with out cement or glue.

:thumbsup: :thumbup:
Maybe he can show a container of exactly what he did use.
:thumbup: :thumbsup:

Wet_Boots

Supreme Member

Posts: 4,102

Location: Metro NYC

5

Friday, September 3rd 2010, 11:24am

I once saw a DIY system that had lots of pinhole leaks on the interior PVC plumbing joints, that the homeowner tried to patch with epoxy putty. He told me that his friend "had assured him that there was no need for primer" when assembling PVC. Too bad his friend was an electrician and not a plumber.

HooKooDooKu

Supreme Member

Posts: 683

6

Tuesday, September 7th 2010, 3:44pm

PVC pipe and their fittings are designed for a snug fit, and using primer helps make that snug fit even tighter. So I can believe that he managed to put everything together, did a quick pressure test, and everything was fine. But without glue, over time, the stress the water pressure and the turning the water on and off WILL cause the pipes to move, loosen, and leak.

Though it begs the question how a DIY did a whole system without ever needing to ask any questions or read any instructions that would have clued him in that "PRIMER" is NOT "GLUE".

jmricker

New Member

Posts: 3

Location: North Carolina

7

Sunday, September 12th 2010, 9:02am

I've seen pipe put together with just primer that you just can't get apart. He may have mistaken that for a glued joint. As a plumber I've seen this happen a time or two (people in haste primer a joint but forget to glue). Of course they eventually leak - thats how we discover that they were not glued in the first place.

Another thought crossed my mind -- the neighbor isn't confusing purple primer for blue glue is he?

Joel

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