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Need help choosing an RPV and install question (Chicago)

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Lunker

Unregistered

1

Monday, April 16th 2012, 3:45pm

Need help choosing an RPV and install question (Chicago)

Hi all,

Great forum.

Question for ya

I live in the City of Chicago. I recently purchased a house that has an irrigation system that works quite well but it does not have an RPZ. From a health perspective this concerns me.

There is 1" line coming out of the foundation from the basement, it goes up about 12" to a 90deg and makes a hoop about 12" horizontal then back into the ground.

Here is an illustration
|---RPV?----|
| |
| |______Basement

My question is 3 fold:
1. What is a good recommendation for a RPV valve to buy. Im looking for longevity

2. Im reading its possible to remove these in the winter. Can someone please link to me the material that one would need to couple these so that it could be removed for winter. I've soldered enough in my life to attempt this myself. Im just not sure on the material I would need to couple it. I see the RPV have female threads

3. I assume from my diagram I simply need to cut the copper at the hoop and install the RPV there - is it that cut and dry?

Thanks very much in advance for your reply

Lunker

Unregistered

2

Monday, April 16th 2012, 3:47pm

Edit on the illustration as it didn't come out right the first post


____RPV?_____
|...............|
|...............|
|...............|__________BASEMENT 1" Copper

Central Irrigation

Supreme Member

Posts: 364

Location: Central Minnesota

3

Monday, April 16th 2012, 4:18pm

Check with the City of Chicago's Public Works Dept. as to the recquired form of Backflow Prevention. Generally, a PVB is recquired if it can be placed 18" above the highest pipe/head of the system. An RPZ is generally used if it can't be the highest point of the system. Again, check your water dept. for proper codes.
PVB: Wilkins 720A, Febco 765-1
RPZ: Febco 825, Wilkins 375

GatorGuy

Moderator

Posts: 458

4

Monday, April 16th 2012, 4:27pm

Always deferring to local codes, RPZs usually come into play when something like fertilizer is injected into the irrigation system, increasing contamination hazard, or for elevation problems, as Central noted.
PVBs tend to fit your illustration best as far as installation.

The one's I read about being removable are on PVC or galvanized and union couplings.
However I'm in south east Texas and barely know what 'freeze' means.
I really don't know what it would be like to remove a backflow during the winter.

Lunker

Unregistered

5

Monday, April 16th 2012, 4:30pm

I confirmed an RPZ is required in the City of Chicago.

I want to do the work myself to save $. I've gotten quotes of $550 - 600 and I think I can save $250 doing it myself.

Just not sure how to quick connect it.

Any way to add pictures to this site?

Lunker

Unregistered

6

Monday, April 16th 2012, 4:34pm

Quoted from "Lunker"

I confirmed an RPZ is required in the City of Chicago.

I want to do the work myself to save $. I've gotten quotes of $550 - 600 and I think I can save $250 doing it myself.

Just not sure how to quick connect it.

Any way to add pictures to this site?
May have answered my own question - my copper Loop looks similar to this

http://www.ngcwater.com/winterize_rpz.htm


This looks how Im guessing my install would go.

Just need to figure out how to attach it.

hi.todd

Supreme Member

Posts: 417

Location: Houston, Texas

7

Monday, April 16th 2012, 7:51pm

If it has not been mentioned, keep in mind you will have to get it tested by a licensed backflow technician.

Good Luck.
:thumbup: :thumbsup:

Wet_Boots

Supreme Member

Posts: 4,102

Location: Metro NYC

8

Tuesday, April 17th 2012, 6:35am

If you are going to install an RPZ with unions, do not use the Febco 825Y model, as shown. It is better suited for permanent installation, and the winterizing maintenance performed in place each fall, according to mfr instructions.

Lunker

Unregistered

9

Tuesday, April 17th 2012, 11:08am

Quoted from "Wet_Boots"

If you are going to install an RPZ with unions, do not use the Febco 825Y model, as shown. It is better suited for permanent installation, and the winterizing maintenance performed in place each fall, according to mfr instructions.
Thanks! any recommendation for a removable one?

wsommariva

Supreme Member

Posts: 332

Location: Northern New Jersey

10

Tuesday, April 17th 2012, 12:04pm

Why do you want to remove it? Does your basement freeze?
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