# sulfur and iron buildup



## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

This is from a house that a power generating company provides as a perk for the plant manager. I am trying to talk them into a new treatment system, and to repipe in sched 80 pvc. It's maybe 10 years old. I replaced 2 pieces that were pinholed.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

422 plumber said:


> This is from a house that a power generating company provides as a perk for the plant manager. I am trying to talk them into a new treatment system, and to repipe in sched 80 pvc. It's maybe 10 years old. I replaced 2 pieces that were pinholed.


Looks like a ph problem as well..


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

I have never seen that happen to copper before on potable water lines. I have seen hydronic lines get some pretty heavy build up on them but not the domestic. Weird. How come you want to go with PVC and not PEX? Here, PVC isn't allowed inside the home for domestic water, only DWV.. I didn't think the UPC allowed it.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Best Darn Sewer said:


> I have never seen that happen to copper before on potable water lines. I have seen hydronic lines get some pretty heavy build up on them but not the domestic. Weird. How come you want to go with PVC and not PEX? Here, PVC isn't allowed inside the home for domestic water, only DWV.. I didn't think the UPC allowed it.


Can use pvc here for well tank connection.


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

rjbphd said:


> Can use pvc here for well tank connection.


OK. I gotcha. Makes sense. And sch 80 is the best anyways.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Best Darn Sewer said:


> OK. I gotcha. Makes sense. And sch 80 is the best anyways.


Can use sch 40 here, threaded sch 80 is used for drop pipe up to 1 1/2 hp on well pump.


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

rjbphd said:


> Can use sch 40 here, threaded sch 80 is used for drop pipe up to 1 1/2 hp on well pump.


Once you said it was coming from a well pump it made sense. I would never use sch 40 for that but 80 is good. Or pex with the polymer fittings.


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## OlePlumber (May 5, 2013)

Looks like some electrolysis is present as well. I see this a lot up here in the TX panhandle. I've found that usually the electrical system is using the plumbing system metal piping for the grounding point. Yes it makes a super ground (even better than a copper ground rod in many instances) however it will destroy the metal piping system through electrolysis over time. Once it reaches the damage level in your photo, unfortunately it's too late for the existing metal piping system to be salvaged. I always repipe with pex and sch 80 PVC when needed (and I remove the ground to the water piping and drive a ground rod into the ground and attach the electrical ground wire to it). Don't tell the electrical inspector what you're doing though as he will have a coronary.


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## gardon (Apr 24, 2013)

The way they always grounded the service was on our pipe, i have found on more the one job, if the ground wire is lose to the electrical house hook up, it uses's the piping as a ground, go to cut and repair pipe, and get a large arc! scared the sh#t out of me. found out later it was a loose ground connection from pole to house. (i was always told the ground connection from electricians, was to ground our pipe, not there box. In this case our pipe served as there ground.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

OlePlumber said:


> Looks like some electrolysis is present as well. I see this a lot up here in the TX panhandle. I've found that usually the electrical system is using the plumbing system metal piping for the grounding point. Yes it makes a super ground (even better than a copper ground rod in many instances) however it will destroy the metal piping system through electrolysis over time. Once it reaches the damage level in your photo, unfortunately it's too late for the existing metal piping system to be salvaged. I always repipe with pex and sch 80 PVC when needed (and I remove the ground to the water piping and drive a ground rod into the ground and attach the electrical ground wire to it). Don't tell the electrical inspector what you're doing though as he will have a coronary.


Hey Ole... about posting a full proper intro before you get bashed for not doing it do , thanks.


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