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Freeze proof water hydrant
SCOUT5
Member Posts: 16,181 ✭✭✭✭
I need to put one in and would like to put in a quality set up that shouldn't need maintenance for quite awhile. Suggestions appreciated. Thanks.
Comments
woodford , Simmons and Merrill come to mind . Most any of the bigger brands will work just fine . Find the largest plumbing supply house in your area tell them you want the best they sell . A goodbye counterman will tell you how deep you need to set it to avoid problems . Always bury a 4x4 post next to it and strap the hydrant to the post so it is supported.?
A good frost free hydrant isn't cheap. The last time I had to put one in I was pretty shocked at the price anyway. I think for the most part they are all pretty similar, you just have to get the right length to get the inlet below the frost line. Line the area around it (at the bottom of the hole) with a few inches of rock and you're good to go. Also, you want to make sure that all working components can be replaced above ground, without digging up the hydrant, or you get the fun job of digging it all back up if something goes awry.
Also, don't just count on the published data for your area regarding frost line depth. Here the min depth for footings, for example is only 12 inches and water lines have to be 12 inches below that. At 8 degrees this morning I'd have busted pipes (heck it was only a few years ago this area reached -20F). Frost depth depends not only upon the weather (cold and wind speed) but also depends largely upon the water content of the soil and soil density, and honestly how much snow is above ground when you get your low temps (we have no snow currently). When I lived further south in North Idaho, my frost depth was about 48 inches. But in town where their winter temps were much higher the frost depth was only about 18 inches. Elevation plays a huge part in your weather.
Another thing to consider is how high you want the connection point to be above ground, if you're like me you don't want to have to bend all the way to your toes to make a connection, so even if your frost depth is say 24", getting a 36" hydrant puts your connection point 12" off the ground.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
Woodford... AKA Iowa.... That's my first choice. Richie is my second, though some prefer the other order.
Make sure you put enough wash stone or pee gravel in the base. When you turn it off, it's suppose to drain through the weep hole. Won't drain in just black soil. More rock the better. Got a good used one sitting in the shop.
"Woodford... AKA Iowa.... That's my first choice. Richie is my second, though some prefer the other order."
Agree--either way.
"Make sure you put enough wash stone or pee gravel in the base."
Absolutely essential. Also if using extremely hard or "pond" water, it doesn't hurt to give the hydrant a "puff" of compressed air when in the off position to clear that little "pee hole" cause those WILL plug with hardwater or silt buildup .
My 2 cents.
I agree with all the install tips. Gravel, below the frost line , etc. Up here in S MI. its COLD! below freezing usually a few weeks straight.
We have tried straw bales around the hydrant, 4" pvc pipe around it filled with spray foam, my opinion is none of that works to keep water flowing.
What does work is getting in the habit of running the water for 5 or 10 minutes even if you only need 5 gal of water. This warms that super cooled galvanized pipe enough to not freeze when you shut off to drain the pipe out the bottom.
I also always disconnect the hose. Less to drain out hole and if left in a water trough it will siphon out through the drain leaving the animal with no water. Learned the hard way about the siphon, I just wasn't understanding why the farm helper who loved horses couldn't keep the water tanks full.
I don't care where or how far away the hydrant is going. Rent the trencher!!!
GTR
Thanks for the shared knowledge. Iowa brand hydrants are available locally. There will be new water mains installed and a new feed to the house. I plan on installing the hydrant at that time.
The key to keeping them from freezing is the drain. Just putting in gravel is not enough. I put 2 feet of gravel as a base then the hydrant sits in a small barrel of rocks then gravel on top to keep the dirt out of the rocks. Bottom of the hydrant is down down 6 feet to 7 feet.
Do this and it will last generations.