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How do I add a Faucet?

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bww

New Member

Posts: 11

Location: SoCalif

1

Tuesday, June 15th 2010, 9:31am

How do I add a Faucet?

Hello there,
I am installing a new system with all 3/4" sch 40 I will be having 2 valves. This is in my backyard and the valves will be located at the other end of where I have a regular hose faucet but I would like to add a hose faucet right around where the supply 3/4" pvc comes to the 2 valves. Do I just use pvc and put a hose faucet (I am sure this is not the right terminolgy) on a part of the pipe coming from the line just before it gets to the valves? Do I just buy a hose faucet and screw it in?

Any suggest on the best way to do this would be appreciated.

HooKooDooKu

Supreme Member

Posts: 683

2

Tuesday, June 15th 2010, 1:00pm

First of all, if this is for lawn irrigation, where flows are measured in gpm (gallons per minute), I strongly suggest that you go with 1" PVC. There's not much price difference, yet a 1" line has twice the capacity of a 3/4" line which GREATLY reduce pressure losses. If this is stricktly for drip irrigation, then 3/4" is ok.

Now if you are talking about wanting a garden hose spickot out in the yard away from the house, then you've got a couple of things to consider:
1. PVC should not be exposed to direct sunlight, so any pipe sticking out of the ground should be metal.
2. Freezing. You need to protect the hose from overnight freezing during early and late season. An irrigation system doesn't need protection from a brief overnight freeze should one come late in the spring once the system is turned on, or early in the fall before the system is winterized. The reason is because it takes longer than over-night for the ground to freeze, so the system in the ground stays protected. No so for any pipe that is above the ground. So you will need to either install one of those hose spickots that sort of look like a pump (they have a handle you lift to open it) because it has the valve located underground controlled by that handle above ground; or you need to install a quick-connect under ground. Basically, if you look into what an irrigation supply house can sell you, on of the thing is a special valve known along the lines of a "quick connect". Basically, the valve gets located underground inside a valve box. When ever you need water, you open the valve box and insert the garden hose (with a quick connect adapter) into this underground valve, and there's your water.

bww

New Member

Posts: 11

Location: SoCalif

3

Wednesday, June 16th 2010, 8:52am

Quoted from "HooKooDooKu"

First of all, if this is for lawn irrigation, where flows are measured in gpm (gallons per minute), I strongly suggest that you go with 1" PVC. There's not much price difference, yet a 1" line has twice the capacity of a 3/4" line which GREATLY reduce pressure losses. If this is stricktly for drip irrigation, then 3/4" is ok.
I am using 3/4" because that is what my water supply is and all the other valves on my current system work great running off the 3/4" water supply and I don't have any pressure problems. Plus I am not an expert and my plumber, who I trust, told me to use 3/4". I haven't bought the pipe yet so I will consider this.
Now if you are talking about wanting a garden hose spickot out in the yard away from the house, then you've got a couple of things to consider:
1. PVC should not be exposed to direct sunlight, so any pipe sticking out of the ground should be metal.
This is good advice, do I just connect a pipe to the PVC water supply running to my backyard?
2. Freezing.
I live in Southern California, and have never experienced any freezing ground so I would rather just keep it simple and have a hose faucet just like I have already.

Thanks for your help

HooKooDooKu

Supreme Member

Posts: 683

4

Wednesday, June 16th 2010, 9:05am

Then it sounds like all you need to do is Tee off the PVC line, transision to copper using a PVC MALE threaded fitting and a copper FEMALE threaded fitting (you NEVER want a plastic female fitting going to a metal male fitting, you risk splitting the plastic) and continue running the copper underground for a while before making a 90 degree turn to poke up above the ground (the idea being to allow some copper in the ground so that if the pipe sticking out of the ground is hit/kicked/tripped over, you don't risk putting a strain on the PVC) and cap the copper coming out of the ground with any hose spickot you want.

bww

New Member

Posts: 11

Location: SoCalif

5

Wednesday, June 16th 2010, 9:24am

Quoted from "HooKooDooKu"

Then it sounds like all you need to do is Tee off the PVC line, transision to copper using a PVC MALE threaded fitting and a copper FEMALE threaded fitting (you NEVER want a plastic female fitting going to a metal male fitting, you risk splitting the plastic) and continue running the copper underground for a while before making a 90 degree turn to poke up above the ground (the idea being to allow some copper in the ground so that if the pipe sticking out of the ground is hit/kicked/tripped over, you don't risk putting a strain on the PVC) and cap the copper coming out of the ground with any hose spickot you want.
Perfectly, this is exactly what I wanted to know.....and I think I can do it!!! You have been very helpful, thanks again.

bww

New Member

Posts: 11

Location: SoCalif

6

Wednesday, June 16th 2010, 5:08pm

Quoted from "HooKooDooKu"

I strongly suggest that you go with 1" PVC. There's not much price difference, yet a 1" line has twice the capacity of a 3/4" line which GREATLY reduce pressure losses.
I have started thinking about what you said about 3/4" and 1" and even though my plumber said use 3/4" he didn't exactly say why. I started looking into my front yard and noticed it is currently using a 1" irritrol valve and 1" pipe going out to the sprinklers (as far as I can tell just from looking at the valve) and it is the same water supply line size (3/4"). The back is using a 3/4" valve and 3/4" pipe coming off the valve. As I stated I am just putting in an addition that is not part of either setup and it is watering mostly lawn.

My question for you now is if there is any downside to just using 1" (I have not bought pipe or valves yet)?
Since my front yard is this way (it runs great and does my whole front on just one zone) I thought I might try it (cost is really not a factor). Thanks

HooKooDooKu

Supreme Member

Posts: 683

7

Friday, June 18th 2010, 9:14am

Unless there is a specific need to use smaller pipes, when it comes to irrigation, larger is better. The two main reasons are because larger means less water pressure losses, and slower flowing water producing less wear on the system when valves are shut off (less likelyhood of ever having water hammer).

When ever water flows through a hose or a pipe, there is friction between the water and the sides of the pipe/hose. This "friction" causes a water pressure loss. So as an example, if you have a 3/4" pipe that is 100' long and you're trying to push 5 gallons per minute through that line, the water pressure at the end of the pipe will be about 5psi lower than at the start of the pipe because of these friction losses. But if the pipe is replaced with a 1" pipe, there will be less than a 2psi pressure drop from one end to the other. Plus the "speed" of the water flow will be cut in half reducing the possibility of water hammer.

Based on what I've seen of prices on PVC pipe at Lowe's (that's where I got my supply while installing irrigation in my lawn), there's almost no price difference between 3/4" and 1" pipe (it's not until you get above 1" pipe before prices start jumping higher).

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