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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
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.
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