# Can anyone help me with this one?



## plumbmaster32 (Apr 10, 2013)

I had an emergency call early yesterday afternoon. A neighborhood service main that supplied water to every house had failed. When I arrived and finally dug out all the muddy dirt from around all piping I noticed something out of the ordinary. All branch lines running to each individual house was ran in schedule 1"40 PVC but the main service line providing water to the subdivision was ran in a rigid 2" green plastic water pipe I have never seen before. If you can identify the water piping and the material it's made out of please let me know. Thanks


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

Pvc


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## shlomy81 (Apr 23, 2012)

Sdr pressure for water service and all the fittings are compression style


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## plumbmaster32 (Apr 10, 2013)

"PVC" that's what I thought at first as well. Green PVC rated for potable water? Look closely at the thickness of the pipe. The green pipe is thinner. Not to mention they used a compression fitting rather than solvent weld. Take a look at the transition fitting.


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## plumbmaster32 (Apr 10, 2013)

SDR is what I thought after PVC. Thrust blocks are required on turns right? Cause the piping will push out if thrust blocks are not used. Piping already came out of fitting after only a very small time in service. I don't like compression for plastic.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

Man that pipe looks pale blue in your picture.

Green SDR-35 is only used for sewer... The rest of the SDR classes are white, irrigation guys use SDR-22 for the price difference.. It's white.


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## plumbmaster32 (Apr 10, 2013)

Plumberman said:


> Man that pipe looks pale blue in your picture.
> 
> Green SDR-35 is only used for sewer... The rest of the SDR classes are white, irrigation guys use SDR-22 for the price difference.. It's white.


It's the lighting. The piping is a very light green. I may be color blind?


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

plumbmaster32 said:


> It's the lighting. The piping is a very light green. I may be color blind?


I see it now..

They don't even make SDR-35 in 2" that I know of.. That's the only green pipe I've seen.

The rest of the SDRs are white...


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## plumbmaster32 (Apr 10, 2013)

Plumberman said:


> I see it now..
> 
> They don't even make SDR-35 in 2" that I know of.. That's the only green pipe I've seen.
> 
> The rest of the SDRs are white...


What about SDR-26?


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

Looks like you are on I95. For goodness sakes, put the phone down! Your family will thank you for it.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

6 lanes with trees in OKC? :blink:


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## plumbmaster32 (Apr 10, 2013)

Phat Cat said:


> Looks like you are on I95. For goodness sakes, put the phone down! Your family will thank you for it.


It's a way of life here in Atlanta! That's why I have a helper. J/k Anyways, I believe the only solution is thrust blocks or joint restraints. No solvent welding or threading.


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## johnh (Jul 6, 2013)

Perhaps it's aquatherm greenpipe. Green pipe is a polyethylene potable water pipe designed to be fusion joined. I'm not sure though, green pipe seems thicker than what you have and there is a stripe running down the side.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

plumbmaster32 said:


> What about SDR-26?


All SDR I have seen for potable water is white...

You say the job wasn't done long ago. Done by the city or what?


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

http://www.jmeagle.com/plastic-pipe/pe-pipe/hdpe-water-pressure.html

http://www.aquatherm.com/overview-of-the-aquatherm-greenpipe-system

The JM Eagle may be what you are looking at, it's got strips down it marking its use though like someone else stated 

The Aquathrem is HDPE and way thicker than SDR


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## plumbmaster32 (Apr 10, 2013)

johnh said:


> Perhaps it's aquatherm greenpipe. Green pipe is a polyethylene potable water pipe designed to be fusion joined. I'm not sure though, green pipe seems thicker than what you have and there is a stripe running down the side.


That's the piping made in China is it not? I have researched everything I could trying to figure out the type of piping I'm dealing with and I came across that polyethylene pipe. It is not that pipe.


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## plumbmaster32 (Apr 10, 2013)

Plumberman said:


> All SDR I have seen for potable water is white...
> 
> You say the job wasn't done long ago. Done by the city or what?


That's just it....the piping was put in by a plumber. I think what ever it is its garbage and a bad choice of service pipe to use. Especially without thrust blocks or joint restraints. I researched SDR 26 and it is green in color and can be used for potable water pipe.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

Then it's JM Eagle

Not compression gaskets, it's bell and spigot pipe with rubber gaskets. There should be a transition fitting used instead of a dresser coupling, that style dresser coupling is rated for sch 40 PVC only.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

plumbmaster32 said:


> That's just it....the piping was put in by a plumber. I think what ever it is its garbage and a bad choice of service pipe to use. Especially without thrust blocks or joint restraints. I researched SDR 26 and it is green in color and can be used for potable water pipe.


If its 26 then a regular 2" coupling will glue up on it..

From there you can jump to sch 40


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## plumbmaster32 (Apr 10, 2013)

Plumberman said:


> Then it's JM Eagle
> 
> Not compression gaskets, it's bell and spigot pipe with rubber gaskets. There should be a transition fitting used instead of a dresser coupling, that style dresser coupling is rated for sch 40 PVC only.


You mean a dresser coupling like this one bought at your local Home Depot Stores? I didn't think so myself! But that's what previous plumber used. I got this call on Saturday afternoon when all the supply houses are closed and 30 plus homeowners without water. I told GC no warranty on this repair but I will do what I can to help the homeowners have water.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

plumbmaster32 said:


> You mean a dresser coupling like this one bought at your local Home Depot Stores? I didn't think so myself! .


What are you taking about?

I said not like THAT dresser coupling as its not rated for the pipe in question, the transition fitting would be a glue x glue

If its 26 then a regular coupling would work.


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## Keefer w (Jan 26, 2012)

No. It is a water service pipe. I ran into it once in Louisville KY. I took a photo of it to Ferguson waterworks.they were able to identify it. I repaired it with a Ford coupling


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## plumbmaster32 (Apr 10, 2013)

Plumberman said:


> What are you taking about?
> 
> I said not like THAT dresser coupling as its not rated for the pipe in question, the transition fitting would be a glue x glue
> 
> If its 26 then a regular coupling would work.


I heard you loud and clear. This is the fitting the other plumber had used and the piping blew out. Would never use this type of fitting. I appreciate you help Plumberman. What's the name of the transition fitting you are speaking about. I a not familiar with SDR cause I honestly never have had to work with it. Any direction you can steer me is much appreciated.


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## plumbmaster32 (Apr 10, 2013)

Solution to the problem!


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## Keefer w (Jan 26, 2012)

plumbmaster32 said:


> Solution to the problem!


Yes! That's what I call Ford coupling


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## plumbmaster32 (Apr 10, 2013)

Keefer w said:


> Yes! That's what I call Ford coupling


Yes sir! You have helped me out tremendously. I can't thank you enough. These things are extremely expensive but worth every penny.


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## PathMaker (May 10, 2013)

plumbmaster32 said:


> Yes sir! You have helped me out tremendously. I can't thank you enough. These things are extremely expensive but worth every penny.


Get a few in your standard denominations for future emergency work. I carry those heavy brass ford couplings in 3/4" and 1" because in my part of town there are a few neighborhoods (with high water pressure) where the builder used some odd funky sized pipe that pex or poly wont fit into. These couplings are great because you can compression over the outside and be sure you have a more or less permanent repair. They also fit well over standard poly, pex and pvc too. They also have some that are compression on one end and FIP or MIP on the other. Perfect for transitioning to w/e type of piping you DO have on the truck that day. Handy, but youre right... expensive. Ferguson Waterworks carries them usually.


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## Rcplumber (Feb 27, 2011)

plumbmaster32 said:


> I had an emergency call early yesterday afternoon. A neighborhood service main that supplied water to every house had failed. When I arrived and finally dug out all the muddy dirt from around all piping I noticed something out of the ordinary. All branch lines running to each individual house was ran in schedule 1"40 PVC but the main service line providing water to the subdivision was ran in a rigid 2" green plastic water pipe I have never seen before. If you can identify the water piping and the material it's made out of please let me know. Thanks


Blue brute or sdr 9


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## Lja1821 (Jul 27, 2013)

Nice to see a simple solution to your problem ford couplings are great. On the current project im working on (c130 fleet logistics hangar)we use sdr 26 for water mains ( green in color and approved for potable water) and 21 for hydrant systems. Thrust blocking is necessary on water mains but navfac allows us to use megalugs on hydrant systems thus avoiding thrust blocking. Navfac supercedes any national or local code so they get exactly what they want...


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## incarnatopnh (Feb 1, 2011)

I use the Mueller version of those couplings. Better design and better price.


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## abr (Jun 21, 2009)

*Did the coupling need stiffeners for PVC?*

I have used Ford fittings and also McDonald makes a version, but I have only used them on copper or HDPE piping. The HDPE piping required stiffeners.

Adam


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## Rcplumber (Feb 27, 2011)

abr said:


> I have used Ford fittings and also McDonald makes a version, but I have only used them on copper or HDPE piping. The HDPE piping required stiffeners.
> 
> Adam


Can use ford fittings u just have to upsize one pipe dia for it to fit on steel


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