Jumping the Moon Dairy - the next chapter

[Bruce]

But I was told it would not work with a float downstream from it. Can anyone explain that to me?

What I found:
"The downstream valve creates “back pressure” on the anti-siphon valve which causes the vent in it to jam in the closed position."

"Pressure Vacuum Breaker. A pressure vacuum breaker (PVB) is similar to an atmospheric vacuum breaker except that you only need to install one of them and it is installed on the mainline leading to the control valves. Like the AVB it must also be installed above ground and it must be 6 inches (150mm) higher than the highest sprinkler head or drip emitter controlled by any of the valves."

https://www.irrigationtutorials.com/irrigation-backflow-preventers/

When half the house was rebuilt, the plumbers put one of these through the newly poured north foundation wall:
https://www.amazon.com/Anti-Siphon-Frost-Proof-Wall-Hydrant-inch/dp/B00002NCOC

If it is only a vacuum breaker, it won't be doing anything useful for backflow prevention since there is a Y valve connected to it and on one of the hoses connected to that there is a 4 way valve connected to 2 auto waterers (alpacas and chickens) and a hose with a spray faucet.

But, assuming it is not a vacuum breaker and is doing what it is supposed to do, the thing only costs $17 on Amazon. I bet the plumbers charged me twice if not 3 times that because that is what they do. One would ASSUME they make something similar in a "not frost proof" version for those that don't live in freezing areas.

 

[babsbag]

I will look at those, we have one on our house. Now I understand why that other device won't work... because of the constant pressure.

You sound like me and the Ys connected to other Ys; I make great use of every outside faucet I have. It does freeze here, I have the broken PVC pipes to prove it. It usually does that to me at least once a year...we get frost almost daily in the winter unless it is raining but the hard freezes happen too.

 

[Mike CHS]

Fires in hill country is always scary especially when you throw these kind of winds into the mix.

 

[Bruce]

You sound like me and the Ys connected to other Ys; I make great use of every outside faucet I have.

Yep. And since I'm not irrigating anything, there isn't a problem with volume with all those connections. The most water I would use at any point in time would be if I am washing the car. I think I did that once ... last year.

But come freezing weather, the Ys come off and the faucet goes unused. Frost free just means the valve seat is way inside the crawlspace (where the hot air furnace and ductwork live) so no water freezes in the spigot. No using it when the air temp is too low, it isn't like the "drain back" freeze proof ones people use in places like their barns.

Those fires in CA aren't even CLOSE to contained. Many 10s of thousands of acres. Really scary.

 

[Simpleterrier]

I would use one of these. This is what I have to use to keep boiler water from going back into the house side. On hot water heat jobs. Any water that tries to go backwards will get kicked out

 

[babsbag]

I looked at something similar by Watts but it has to be installed horizontally and I was hoping to find a vertical option to go in the PVC line I have right below the faucet. All my horizontal lines are underground.

 

[Latestarter]

Buy a 90 degree elbow, and add a horizontal piece of pipe with the back flow preventer right behind the faucet. Or if that won't work, you could build a "loop" in the pipe below where the faucet is to give you a horizontal area to install it... Hope you get it figured out... If there's a plumbing supply house anywhere nearby, you could ask them for suggestions as well.

 

[babsbag]

I thought about adding the horizontal piece which I could do easy enough. My hesitation is that the vertical PVC pipe is encased in a 3" piece of drain pipe with pea gravel as insulation. It is a perfect way to keep the pipe from freezing and protect if from sunlight too. In the winter I just put an insulated cover over the faucet and we are good to go. I would have to redesign all of that...not on my to do list if I don't have to.

 

[babsbag]

Jumanji bred his first doe today.

 

[Southern by choice]