So I sprung a water leak in my main water line. After hours and hours of troubleshooting, searching, and random digging I finally found the culprit. It was an area that was patched by a previous owner and failed.
Now I'm pretty sure from what I've heard at the hardware store, the pipe is "poly" pipe. Its the black plastic kind. I'm pretty sure the inside diameter is 1" although I haven't cut it open yet. Upon further research I see there is polyethylene and also high density polyethylene. How do I know the difference?
The way it was patched before is they put a new 2 foot section in, with two barbed couplers, one on each end. The barbs were tightened down with two hose clamps on each pipe end (so a total of 4 hose clamps per barbed coupler). This is the same method the lady at the hardware store said to connect them with.
Well the leak right now is on one of those couplers. Interestingly enough, its not actually leaking from imbetween the barb and pipe, but rather the pipe got some small holes in the pipe itself where the clamp was touching. One main hole right along the outside edge of the clamp, and one hole that was underneath the clamp when I loosened it a bit (I shoved a piece of rubber in the hose clamp and re-tightened it to temporarily fix it).
Does anyone know why it would develop holes under the clamp? Perhaps it was tightened too tight or something?
Anywyas, onto the most important part of my question. I'm wondering if there is a stronger, more reliable way to connect a new patch in there rather than barbed connectors?
I want to chop out the whole 2 foot repaired section, and replace it with a new, slightly bigger section. But I want to fix it the right way this time and make a repair that will hopefully outlast the rest of the pipe.
I've searched all over the web but just can't find any details on joining it. I heard a couple of tidbits about heat welding, but it apparently needed an expensive machine or something, couldn't find any details on how an average diy'er could heat weld it.
I'm really hoping there is some way better than barbed connectors. But if that's my only real choice of something that can easily be done myself, could anyone give me some advice as to the best way to do it? Such as, what type of barb couplers (the hardware store had both metal, and plastic ones), how many hose clamps to use, and how tight to make them? And if there are any extra little steps, or ways to go above and beyond, like perhaps some sort of cement that can be used also, or padding the hose clamps with some sort of material (since like I said, the leak now seems like it may have been caused by a hose clamp), or some other tips.
Thanks.
Now I'm pretty sure from what I've heard at the hardware store, the pipe is "poly" pipe. Its the black plastic kind. I'm pretty sure the inside diameter is 1" although I haven't cut it open yet. Upon further research I see there is polyethylene and also high density polyethylene. How do I know the difference?
The way it was patched before is they put a new 2 foot section in, with two barbed couplers, one on each end. The barbs were tightened down with two hose clamps on each pipe end (so a total of 4 hose clamps per barbed coupler). This is the same method the lady at the hardware store said to connect them with.
Well the leak right now is on one of those couplers. Interestingly enough, its not actually leaking from imbetween the barb and pipe, but rather the pipe got some small holes in the pipe itself where the clamp was touching. One main hole right along the outside edge of the clamp, and one hole that was underneath the clamp when I loosened it a bit (I shoved a piece of rubber in the hose clamp and re-tightened it to temporarily fix it).
Does anyone know why it would develop holes under the clamp? Perhaps it was tightened too tight or something?
Anywyas, onto the most important part of my question. I'm wondering if there is a stronger, more reliable way to connect a new patch in there rather than barbed connectors?
I want to chop out the whole 2 foot repaired section, and replace it with a new, slightly bigger section. But I want to fix it the right way this time and make a repair that will hopefully outlast the rest of the pipe.
I've searched all over the web but just can't find any details on joining it. I heard a couple of tidbits about heat welding, but it apparently needed an expensive machine or something, couldn't find any details on how an average diy'er could heat weld it.
I'm really hoping there is some way better than barbed connectors. But if that's my only real choice of something that can easily be done myself, could anyone give me some advice as to the best way to do it? Such as, what type of barb couplers (the hardware store had both metal, and plastic ones), how many hose clamps to use, and how tight to make them? And if there are any extra little steps, or ways to go above and beyond, like perhaps some sort of cement that can be used also, or padding the hose clamps with some sort of material (since like I said, the leak now seems like it may have been caused by a hose clamp), or some other tips.
Thanks.
