A plumber I ain't!

[Lynn]

I hate plumbing more than just about anything else. Why, I'm not even certian that's the way you spell it .... But, I do have a small job I've got to get done and need some advice boys. My wife has convienced me to carve out a section of the Barn and install a toilet, sink and a shower. ( I'm sure she has her reasons ). While there, I am also installing an outside faucet. I've justified this whole project by thinking how nice it will be not to have to run 350 feet of water hose or tote it that far to fill my corral trough. The water meter is about 350 feet from the barn. I'm thinking 1 1/2 schedule 40 PVC buried 24 inches but I'm just not sure about the 1 1/2. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[J]

Do you know the pressure that you have at the meter?
Is there any difference in elevation between the meter and the barn?
How much are you wanting to flow through that 1 1/2" pipe?
(ex:10 gallons per minutes?)

 

[Lynn]

Thanks J...

It's a slight slope going down towards the Barn, downhill all the way. Usage? I couldn't tell you. I think the new shower heads run about 1.6 GPM, then there is the toilet and sink. Probably not more than 5-10 GPM at the most. I don't know the water pressure. I'm towards the end of the line on community system so pressure is probably minimal.

 

[J]

In Texas it's required that the system provide a minimum of 35 psi to all customers. Assuming you have that and since you probably won't be running everything at once the 1 1/2" line is probably big enough. The slope towrds the barn helps with pressure loss, a 1 1/2" pvc line loses minimal pressure at 10 gpm due to friction, especially since we're only talking about 350 feet. If you were going uphill and for 3 miles then its a different story.

As far as the minimal end of line pressure, you're probably right but in the middle of the night when hardly no water is being used you can have a high static pressure.

 

[Lynn]

I'm sticking with the 1 1/2" pipe J. Sounds like advice from a man that knows what he's talking about! Thank you kindly.

 

[Susie David]

Lynn....don't know about your winters but up here our frost line is down 30" most winters...the rest sounds like you on your way...inch and a half will give you enough water to irrigate a small pasture....I'd be leary about the project if a bunk room is mentioned...DMc

 

[sidney411]

Susie - we don't have to worry about that down here like ya'll do.

 

[J]

Susie - we don't have to worry about that down here like ya'll do.

Yeah, not alot of freezin' goes on around here huh?

 

[fitz]

The 1 1/2" is plenty big.

fitz

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

As a Retired Texas Licensed Irrigator, here are data on your pipe:

1.5" Sch 40 PVC can deliver 30 GPM (keeping recommended velocity under 5 ft per sec.). At this flow rate, your friction loss would be 2.28 psi per 100' of pipe.

If you have a min of 35 psi static pressure at the line tie-in point you shouldn't have any problem delivering plenty of water for stock tanks and any domestic use at that location.

;-)

 

[Beefy]

My wife has convienced me to carve out a section of the Barn and install a toilet, sink and a shower. ( I'm sure she has her reasons ).

what did you do this time? :help:

 

[Lynn]

My wife has convienced me to carve out a section of the Barn and install a toilet, sink and a shower. ( I'm sure she has her reasons ).

what did you do this time? :help:

Oh Beefy ... Just me being me you know. And of course, she's right. I do get pretty rank after a day working the cows, cutting brush and everything else that goes on down at my place. She just figures it would be nice if I had a stopping place on my way in to " prep " before entering the mansion. I think she thinks it will make her enviroment a bit more ... tolerable. Well, if she's happy, I'm happy. But ... if I catch her measuring my barn windows for curtians... thats it.

 

[Beefy]

just be sure and leave room for the bigscreen, minifridge and recliner.

 

[MikeC]

As a Retired Texas Licensed Irrigator, here are data on your pipe:

1.5" Sch 40 PVC can deliver 30 GPM (keeping recommended velocity under 5 ft per sec.). At this flow rate, your friction loss would be 2.28 psi per 100' of pipe.

If you have a min of 35 psi static pressure at the line tie-in point you shouldn't have any problem delivering plenty of water for stock tanks and any domestic use at that location.

;-)

RAB, How do you check velocity in a water pipe?

 

[fitz]

I'm not RAB, but to figure it close enough for that type of situation:

Velocity of water = rate of flow (cu.ft.per second)
divided by the area of the pipe


fitz.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

As a Retired Texas Licensed Irrigator, here are data on your pipe:

1.5" Sch 40 PVC can deliver 30 GPM (keeping recommended velocity under 5 ft per sec.). At this flow rate, your friction loss would be 2.28 psi per 100' of pipe.

If you have a min of 35 psi static pressure at the line tie-in point you shouldn't have any problem delivering plenty of water for stock tanks and any domestic use at that location.

;-)

RAB, How do you check velocity in a water pipe?

I've never checked velocity. The pipe charts specify how many gallons a minute you can push thru a given type of pipe & pipe size for different velocities. The "industry standard" is preferred to not exceed 5 fps on plastic pipe. You can possibly find one of these charts if you search your browser for things like "Friction Loss In Pipe," "Water Velocity in Pipe," etc. Or, might go to one of the major irrigation manufacturers' websites such as: Rain Bird, Nelson, Hunter, Toro, K-Rain, Weathermatic, etc.

Main problem if your velocity is TOO high is when a valve closes quickly you can induce "Water Hammer" which can literally blow a hole in pipe if velocity too high and valve closes too quickly. Also, "Air Shock" if a line is empty, capped off, and you open high flow valve suddenly...always best to have an open outlet in drained pipe when charging with water to release air and/or the initial surge of water.