Metal to PVC and back - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Aquaticedge · #1 10-03-2011, 01:06 AM

Got a leaking waterline, it's a metal line can you bridge it with a PVC piece and back to the metal line ?

spdrun · #2 10-03-2011, 01:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquaticedge

Got a leaking waterline, it's a metal line can you bridge it with a PVC piece and back to the metal line ?

Metal as in copper? Why not just buy a plumbing torch (they're about $15 with propane), cut out the leaking section, and solder on a new section?

Aquaticedge · #3 10-03-2011, 02:05 AM

I doubt it's copper between the house and road, otherwise I would do that. I believe it's a steel or some other metal pipe

Aquaticedge · #4 10-03-2011, 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sjh

It can be done with a rubber sleeve and two radiator clamps.

They sell such a splice or coupling in plumbing supplies.

However, from how you describe it, I think you'd probably want metal there and not rubber.

the rubber and hose clamps sounds like a redneck fix. I dont want to have to dig this up again....

t walgamuth · #5 10-03-2011, 05:55 AM

It is now conventional practice to use heavy duty pvc on main entrance water lines. I would not hesitate to replace a copper line with pvc from the pump or water main to the basement or crawl space of a building. At each end there are whatever fittings are needed available to do the job.

Aquaticedge · #6 10-03-2011, 05:58 AM

That would be Ideal, however 50' or so is a long distance to replace. How bad said leak is I dont know yet. I'm going to dig it up in a couple of hours..

catmandoo62 · #7 10-03-2011, 08:41 AM

if your using a backhoe ya might as well keep going and just replace the whole thing and be done with it.another thought is my old neighbor had his line leak and he had somebody come out and bore in a new line.all he had was a big square hole in his yard about 6 ft deep where they attached it to the main.kept his yard pretty much in tact.

t walgamuth · #8 10-03-2011, 09:06 AM

Conventional wisdom suggests a joint in the service is a bad idea. As a temporary fix it would get you by for a while but if your copper is eroded from the inside it will probably fail again soon somewhere else.

MS Fowler · #9 10-03-2011, 09:15 AM

If one section of a steel line is corroded and leaking, it is likely that the rest of it is in similar condition--assuming it is all uncoated pipe. Uncoated pipe tends to corrode at the same rate, whereas a coated pipe ( some sort of corrosion coating) will concentrate all the corrosion at the weak point of the coating. The rest of the pipe may be OK.

If you want to do it once, go ahead and do it right and replace it all.

kerry · #10 10-03-2011, 09:23 AM

Making a splice in an old underground metal pipe is a pretty dicey proposition. I had a copper line bored in on a rental property. Guy dug a hole at the junction with the city line. Then he went into the basement and used a tool he built. Spade pit screwed onto a section of galvanized steel pipe, then he had a homemade fitting at the end that both allowed him to attach a very heavy duty electric drill and a garden hose. He punch a hole in the basement wall and aimed towards the hole in the yard he had dug, when he reached the end of the first section of galvanized, the screwed on an additional section and kept drilling. The water in the pipe pumped the debris back out into the basement. When he reached the hole in the yard, his helper screwed off the spade bit, screwed on a fitting attached to the end of a long roll of soft copper pipe and as the galvanized was pulled back into the basement, it brought the copper along thru the hole. All in all took about maybe 2 hrs and $2500.

Aquaticedge · #11 10-03-2011, 10:15 AM

I will know in an hour on what I'm dealing with. I hope that it's something simple... I dont need complex!

chilcutt · #12 10-03-2011, 10:56 AM

First off, the correct term is CVPC (water-line)..pvc is a drain waste line.
If your main is copper, and you want to splice in a repair section, you will need a flair-tool, 2 couplings..section of new copper.

After you dug up the target area, what material is the water line?

Question..How were you able to obtain a 'Street-Key'?

chilcutt · #13 10-03-2011, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sjh

It's a conventional plumping product but I agree that I would not do it on a main, that's buried.

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This page discusses working with threaded components but for some reason I'm understanding that your original metal line has broken and you're trying to patch.

Connecting PVC Pipe to Metal Pipe

It seems you'll either thread the existing metal or use some type of JB Weld product.

Thanx Stuart, but all this info is completely useless, as the fittings are for schedule 30-40 PVC pipe.

chilcutt · #14 10-03-2011, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spdrun

Metal as in copper? Why not just buy a plumbing torch (they're about $15 with propane), cut out the leaking section, and solder on a new section?

If he doesnt know how to solder..no way he is ever going to seal a joint on 1-1/2..2 inch line.

kerry · #15 10-03-2011, 11:13 AM

Plumbers around here don't solder copper underground. They use compression fittings. Underground soldering requires silver solder if I'm not mistaken.