# How many fixtures



## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

How many plumbing fixtures can you do on a 1/2 water pipe ???

Sent from my miniature laptop


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## easttexasplumb (Oct 13, 2010)

Depends on the fixture. I think there is a chart somewhere that may help you.


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## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

OldSchool said:


> How many plumbing fixtures can you do on a 1/2 water pipe ???
> 
> Sent from my miniature laptop


 Need more data !


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

easttexasplumb said:


> Depends on the fixture. I think there is a chart somewhere that may help you.


Oh there is a chart

Seems lots of guys have different opinions

Sent from my miniature laptop


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

pilot light said:


> Need more data !


What data do you want ?

Sent from my miniature laptop


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

In my neck of the woods it was up to and including (2) fixures for cold, and up to and including (4) for hot. 

So a regular bathroom , (tub, toilet and lav) was roughed-in with 3/4" cold and 1/2" hot.


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## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

OldSchool said:


> What data do you want ?
> 
> Sent from my miniature laptop


First are you talking about a supply off the main, second are you going off the NPC, third are you talking hot or cold, forth are you using the bc building code! Then i will need pressure at prv etc pressure drop in meters or feet of rise!


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

pilot light said:


> First are you talking about a supply off the main, second are you going off the NPC, third are you talking hot or cold, forth are you using the bc building code! Then i will need pressure at prv etc pressure drop in meters or feet of rise!


What do you need all that for ..... It actually in your plumbing code book

Sent from my miniature laptop


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## RealCraftsMan (Dec 27, 2011)

OldSchool said:


> What data do you want ?
> 
> Sent from my miniature laptop


You just need to use the water sizing chart....opinions don't matter.

Developed Lenth
Elevation
Pressure min/max 
Flow rate for the fixtures on the 1/2 line.


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## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

OldSchool said:


> What do you need all that for ..... It actually in your plumbing code book
> 
> Sent from my miniature laptop


 I do you guys are the npc right bc building code goes 75% on the hot!


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## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

Tommy plumber said:


> In my neck of the woods it was up to and including (2) fixures for cold, and up to and including (4) for hot.
> 
> So a regular bathroom , (tub, toilet and lav) was roughed-in with 3/4" cold and 1/2" hot.


In our area we can only catch 2 on 1/2". Our shop has us only doing 1 on 1/2". Hot and cold.


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Here are some charts


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## GrumpyPlumber (Jun 12, 2008)

OS, that's an open ended question.

Most codes use F/U's, mine uses something different.

We use "factor values", based mostly on inlet feed size per fixture.

A resi W/C is considered 3/8" feed, while a Cmrcl FLush-o is is 1"

WE size 3/8" as a value of 1, 1/2" as 2, 3/4" as 6, and 1" as 12.

From there we have a demand factor, depending on application - commercial, multi-residentail, industrial...etc.

For residentail, the demand factor is 0.5, you add the total factor values and X by 0.5.

The short answer, for residential in my code on a 1/2" line is no more than 4 1/2" feeds, or 8 3/8" feeds....we consider lavs and W/C's as 3/8", which is universal.

The rest of you use F/U's, I wish we did.


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## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

OldSchool said:


> Here are some charts


 Npc then!


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## bartnc37 (Feb 24, 2009)

Fixtures? Heck around here most of the old houses are 1/2" galvy or lead main from the street and the whole house is run with 1/2 and 3/8 galvy and soft copper. 
I understand the rationale behind the current code sizing but it can be a challenge occasionally explaining to the h.o. why the piping in the house that has worked for the last 75 years is inadequate.
I work on the old Al Ringling mansion, of Ringling brothers circus fame. It has 6 full baths, 2 kitchens, 4 laundry hookups and a separate carriage house with a 2 bath apartment and the whole joint runs off of 3/4".
But in answer to the ? we can run 4 lavs, or 1 lav and a balanced shower, or 8 water fountains, or 1 ks and a DW.


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## Titan Plumbing (Oct 8, 2009)

F/U's here.


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

GrumpyPlumber said:


> OS, that's an open ended question.
> 
> Most codes use FU's, mine uses something different.
> 
> ...


Not to opened ended... just in general

Wanted to see what some guys are saying.... because it did come up in the thread about one guy fishing pex through a copper line to a washroom


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

bartnc37 said:


> Fixtures? Heck around here most of the old houses are 1/2" galvy or lead main from the street and the whole house is run with 1/2 and 3/8 galvy and soft copper.
> I understand the rationale behind the current code sizing but it can be a challenge occasionally explaining to the h.o. why the piping in the house that has worked for the last 75 years is inadequate.
> I work on the old Al Ringling mansion, of Ringling brothers circus fame. It has 6 full baths, 2 kitchens, 4 laundry hookups and a separate carriage house with a 2 bath apartment and the whole joint runs off of 3/4".
> But in answer to the ? we can run 4 lavs, or 1 lav and a balanced shower, or 8 water fountains, or 1 ks and a DW.


If you check the two charts I posted

the second one which is not to clear... says 2.7 fu per bathroom group


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## GrumpyPlumber (Jun 12, 2008)

OldSchool said:


> Not to opened ended... just in general
> 
> Wanted to see what some guys are saying.... because it did come up in the thread about one guy fishing pex through a copper line to a washroom


I've done this on burst pipes, but only on hydronic, few inspectors would allow us to downsize potable here.


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## GrumpyPlumber (Jun 12, 2008)

OldSchool said:


> If you check the two charts I posted
> 
> the second one which is not to clear... says 2.7 fu per bathroom group


OK, here's where I get frustrated with my own code.

We use F/U's for drainage.

1-1/4" is considered 1 F/U, 1-1/2" is 2, 2" is 3, 3" is 4 F/U.

For a bath group that's a total of 7, we get to size a bath group as 6.

When I talk F/U's with other states, I might as well be typing hieroglyphs.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

GrumpyPlumber said:


> OK, here's where I get frustrated with my own code.
> 
> We use F/U's for drainage.
> 
> ...


 








You use DFU's for water piping? Our code book has DFU's and for water piping we use FU's.


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## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

Half inch not acceptable as a water service need more data!


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

lets see if this shows up better.... 2.7 fu on cold line


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## GrumpyPlumber (Jun 12, 2008)

Tommy plumber said:


> You use DFU's for water piping? Our code book has DFU's and for water piping we use FU's.


No, we use "factor values" for water, F/U's for drainage. (who's on first?)

Like I said, my code is different, it sucks trying to cross reference with other states.

I'm....so....lonely.

****


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## GrumpyPlumber (Jun 12, 2008)

OldSchool said:


> lets see if this shows up better.... 2.7 fu on cold line


You just had to really screw things up, metric...LPF...aaarrrgh!


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

GrumpyPlumber said:


> No, we use "factor values" for water, F/U's for drainage. (who's on first?)
> 
> Like I said, my code is different, it sucks trying to cross reference with other states.
> 
> ...


 






I should have stated 'WSFU', not just 'FU', my mistake; it's late and I'm tired.


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## easttexasplumb (Oct 13, 2010)

OldSchool said:


> How many plumbing fixtures can you do on a 1/2 water pipe ???
> 
> Sent from my miniature laptop


 

None if you are talking about Sloan valves, a urinal requires 3/4" cold water line


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

It's got to do with what the service pressure is and fixture unit value of the particular fixtures: higher service pressure = more fixture units allowed.

It can be a real pain in the arse if an inspector decides to roll up and make you do the math...after you've already installed the system 

For simple light commercial two to three bathrooms, break room, and mop sink it's easy to get by with the no more than 2 fixtures on a 1/2" line and you're generally fine. But if you scale up at all you need to check the service pressure, measure your runs, and break down your fixture units or you are playing Russian Roulette.

I can attest that there is one Fort Worth inspector that will make you do the calculations at top-out and I for one wouldn't want to be on the job-site if the count fell short :whistling2:


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## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

Tommy plumber said:


> I should have stated 'WSFU', not just 'FU', my mistake; it's late and I'm tired.


 West coast 8 pm with a code book. Thats living the dream!


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## Titan Plumbing (Oct 8, 2009)

johnlewismcleod said:


> It's got to do with what the service pressure is and fixture unit value of the particular fixtures: higher service pressure = more fixture units allowed.
> 
> It can be a real pain in the arse if an inspector decides to roll up and make you do the math...after you've already installed the system
> 
> ...


Umm, I thought Freeman had passed...LOL!


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

According to the ihc (international hack code) you can put up to 15 Sloan valves on a single 1/2inch pex feed!!

sent from the jobsite porta-potty


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## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

OldSchool said:


> lets see if this shows up better.... 2.7 fu on cold line


I got 2fu cold 2005 npc!


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## [email protected] (Apr 17, 2012)

pilot light said:


> I got 2fu cold 2005 npc!


2005 o.0


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## user7551 (Oct 21, 2011)

johnlewismcleod said:


> It's got to do with what the service pressure is and fixture unit value of the particular fixtures: higher service pressure = more fixture units allowed.
> 
> It can be a real pain in the arse if an inspector decides to roll up and make you do the math...after you've already installed the system
> 
> ...


Yes I know who you speak of . We had a very lively discussion a couple weeks ago about what the code says about t&p and drain pan termination points . Needless to say he was on the phone calling the office and then writing me a green tag after all was said and done.He's a good guy tho.


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## user7551 (Oct 21, 2011)

Mississippiplum said:


> According to the ihc (international hack code) you can put up to 15 Sloan valves on a single 1/2inch pex feed!!
> 
> sent from the jobsite porta-potty



show me where it says this .


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## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

[email protected] said:


> 2005 o.0


 What!


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## easttexasplumb (Oct 13, 2010)

playme1979 said:


> show me where it says this .


 
Go ahead buddy show him the picture of the hack code book.


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

playme1979 said:


> He's a good guy tho.


Agreed, he's a good old boy...I like all the Fort Worth crew, in fact. 

I'd love to send them after some hacks someday...I bet the fur will fly! :thumbup:


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

OldSchool said:


> How many plumbing fixtures can you do on a 1/2 water pipe ???
> 
> Sent from my miniature laptop


One residential toilet, or two lavs, or one kitchen sink, or one washing machine outlet, or one laundry sink, or one slop sink, or two drinking fountains, or one pot filler, or one scullery sink faucet, or one dishwasher...


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## GrumpyPlumber (Jun 12, 2008)

Killertoiletspider said:


> One residential toilet, or two lavs, or one kitchen sink, or one washing machine outlet, or one laundry sink, or one slop sink, or two drinking fountains, or one pot filler, or one scullery sink faucet, or one dishwasher...


The "one residential toilet or two lavs" got me, both are considered 3/8" feeds here.


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