jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

As I've mentioned before, I like standardization.

I'm in the process of replacing my well pressure tank. In addition to the tank, I had to buy at least twenty other components because I want to use all new parts. The problem with the parts involves the sizes and threads. Everything seems to come in 3/4", 1", and 1 1/4". Threads are male and female. I bought what seemed like all the correct components, but when I got home, the main part, the brass tee, was one size too small. In addition to that, I need a 1 1/4" to 1" galvanized adapter to attach the tee to the tank. A plumber would have known that, and he would have had all those parts in his truck. Not one of the online sources I checked mentioned that adapter.

The local stores didn't have the tank and some of the parts, so I had to drive forty miles to Home Depot. That store didn't have all that I needed, so I had to shop at both the local Lowe's and Home Depot. I just placed an order for a larger tee and adapter at the 40-mile Home Depot. When I get that tee, I'll see how it matches up with the bag of parts I already have. What doesn't fit, I'll return. I'm sure that Home Depot won't have all that I need, so I'll go to the two local places and hope one of them has the parts. With so many variations in parts, it's impossible for every store to stock every part.

I looked up the life expectancy of a water tank, and it's 5 - 15 years. This one is fifteen years old.

EdJ0307 Loc: out west someplace

Another reason for me to not have a house that has a well. I would just as soon pay for city water and let the city maintain the system. I wouldn't want one that has a septic tank, either.

Harry02 Loc: Gardena, CA

Well, there ARE standards. Just so many of them!!
"Pipe" is measured by the diameter of the hole, for capacity. But a stronger pipe is thicker pipe, needing bigger "standard" pipe fittings.
"Tube" is measured by the diameter of the media. The fittings may stay the same/similar size. but stronger sized tubing flows less.
Older houses are an expletive at times. Galvanized pipe coming in *needs* to be replaced every @ 15 years). Connecting to copper tubing to feed appliances (sinks, washers, toilets, etc) Cast iron drainage pipes (out to sewage, etc). Depending on component alloys and water quality, electrolysis can be a big concern. Most times at the connection, but sometimes also at a grounding point. Acidic water with high iron will eat copper- better get plastic. You might need a surge tank at the beginning, and/or air relief at the top.
I worked on my father-in-law's house. All the above! Including a newish sprinkler pipe bathroom in the basement. I spent a weekend just tracing everything instead of patching and repairing. Got him a "good deal" (I paid half up front!) on a full copper repipe. Magic- everything suddenly worked- full pressure- and they sold after ten years of no problems.
EVERYtning converted to shedule80 tubing.

riderxlx Loc: DFW area Texas

Jerry;
what I have learned is that there are times when you just pay a pro to do something.
What is your time worth ?
Do you have the knowledge and experience and tools and parts ?
I have always been a go-it-yourself guy but have found as time goes on, it is better to have a pro do the job.

I do not blame you for trying but in the case knowing what you know know, you should have just the guy who do it right while you screw around with other stuff.
My two cents worth of wisdom today.
bruce

jiminnee

Had my house re-plumbed years ago. It was copper & I switched to PEX. No more leaks since. If I still had the copper, there would have been a hundred pinholes by now.

JFCoupe Loc: Kent, Washington

My home repair or project experience is that almost every project, especially plumbing projects, will require three trips to a hardware store. And as Jerry writes sometimes it takes at least two different stores to get everything that is needed.

BebuLamar

Jerry has good money but still it's not limitless. He has to save it for all the Amazon orders he makes daily.

cahale Loc: San Angelo, TX

Don't regret it. All you say makes sense. You forgot to mention, however, to have all this you actually have to live in the city. Therein lies the bummer.

riderxlx Loc: DFW area Texas

Haha Beb, yea good reply, it sure appears he does, I was thinking the same thing too reflecting on his daily issues with computers and such. I think he creates many of his problems, he needs a hobby.
Bruce.

terrys1943 Loc: Illinois

For years, I've said that plumbing parts only come three ways, too big, too small, and wrong thread pitch. I really hate having to do plumbing repairs.

edrobinsonjr Loc: Boise, Idaho

We have lived in this house for 50 years this year. I have never replaced any plumbing except to extend it. The oldest pipe I removed in that process was half inch galvanized and it looked as good as new at 43 years. The only pipe I ever even think about is the water pipe from the meter to the house and I have a replacement policy on it.

I cannot even imagine replacing all of the pipe in the house.

Ed

edrobinsonjr Loc: Boise, Idaho

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Plumbing parts do indeed come in different sizes. The problem you might have related to parts not fitting is possibly due to mis-boxed components at the store. Unless you went to a dedicated plumbing supply store where you ask for specific sizes, places like Home Depot have boxes on a shelf labelled with the different sizes and no staff in sight so it's up to you to find the proper size. People are frequently careless when picking and replacing parts and a box labelled with a specific size could well contain components one size larger or smaller (I've seen components two sizes larger/smaller as well as completely unrelated components, e.g. couplings in a street elbow box). You have to be familiar with the sizes to pick the proper parts. If you are not, pick out a number of pipes (called nipples) of the size you want and compare them to see if they are the same diameter. Then check the fittings you need against those nipples. If they fit together, they are the same size. If they don't, be kind to the next guy and try to find the box that should hold them and put them there. Also be aware that there are different styles of fittings to attach to metal pipe, plastic tubing (PVC or Polyethylene) threaded and non-threaded couplings and various thread sealants for different types of tubing.

I'm not a plumber but I have done a lot of plumbing on the farm. When I went to remodel a bathroom I was helping the plumber (a family member). He said that galvanized pipe is not recommended for water systems. He used brass or stainless. As I am not a plumber I don't know if this is the case, and in any event it probably varies with state. If anyone is going to inspect your plumbing, it would be worth it to engage a plumber for at least part of the process and make sure things are done to code. The same thing applies to electrical work.

Unless you are doing commercial plumbing, the only sizes I have seen for water heaters are 1/2" and 3/4". I used 1-1/4" tubing in places where the water flow was 20 gallon/minute or more. Using 1" polyethylene tubing and ball valves I could fill a 10 gallon sink in 45 seconds. Handy for the vegetable washing station.

PS: the first time I put water in my greenhouse I used PVC pipe. After neglecting to completely drain it for the winter, I had to sweep up shards of pipe that flew 10 ft or more from where they started after they froze. Polyethylene tubing is flexible enough that it will withstand freezing and not crack. The water heater in the greenhouse did get drained, and I got it used from another farm that got it used. I expect it was 20 years old when I retired and it was still working fine (although I had to replace the heating elements once).

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

Do you have an ACE Hardware store in your area Jerry? They seem to have odd parts when I need them.

Don

edrobinsonjr Loc: Boise, Idaho