[fastback4]

My water meter main is in the middle of my yard with a infra-red pickup on top of the cover. We want to install a water spicket here and need to get some advice on the best way to tap this line. It's where we need to have a spicket to water our new flower garden. I'll post some pictures of this water line tomorrow showing and discribing the plumbing underground.

 

[johnnyboy]

depends on what type of pipe I imagine. but you'd tap it like you tap anything else, cut it, and T off a spicket.

have you called the water department to be sure you can mess with the line? I imagine anything after the meter is your property anyhow but definately find out.

 

[JDC]

As long as your tie in is after the meter you're fine. Not sure what your local code requires, but around here anything underground has to be either silver soldered (much, much different than soldering...think brazed) or an approved mechanical joint. The mechanical joint used most often used here is a pack joint fitting.

 

[hayewe farm]

Don't tap it, run a line from inside the house. If the spigot freezes and bursts you will be able to shut it off.

 

[COLDIRON]

Agree

Don't tap it, run a line from inside the house. If the spigot freezes and bursts you will be able to shut it off.

Yeah hayewe that's the answer.

Don't mess with the main water line, most water lines are run under ground without joints for a reason.

Follow hayewes advise.

 

[al's sewer]

You could use the fitting that jdc has pictured above. I have used this fitting many times and I don't recall ever have one leak as long as it was installed right. You can also install a yard hydrant with a 3 ft bury (you might want to check what the frost line is in your area). I am not that far from you in missouri and 3 ft should be sufficent.

 

[fastback4]

Yard Hydrant. That's what i want to install. County says go ahead and tap in after their Meter. Have a local handyman with a mini backhoe who will excavate & re-earth for $75.00. Not sure of the pipes material. Copper maybe? Here's some pictures.

 

[majakdragon]

Looks like your sevice line is copper. A flare fitting should be allowable for underground installations. For the yard hydrant, you will need stone below the bottom of the hydrant because the upright portion drains after you shut it off to prevent freezing. The hydrant should have installation instructions with it.

 

[al's sewer]

Yard hydrant is very simple to install it just screws into a female adapter looking straigt up. The only thing I would suggest is that when you come out of your tee like jd has pictured you can run copper but when you tie into the hydrant switch over to pvc because your hydrant will be made of galvanized pipe and you don't want to mix your metals due to electrolisis. When you backfill your hole put about a wheel barrell full of very fine gravel or sand in the bottom so your seep hole will be able to drain properly when you shut the hydrant off. Also a good Idea to drive a wood stake about 3 ft deeper than the bottom of the hydrant and even with the top of the ground and either zip tie it or wire it right to your hydrant to make it where it won't wiggle as much when you are turning it on and off increasing the chance of breaking a fitting.
http://www.plumbingsupply.com/woodfordyardhydrants.html

http://www.fordmeterbox.com/pages/J_Section/Jsec.htm

 

[fastback4]

Thanks for all the good advise.

 

[majakdragon]

Beware of using a PVC female threaded pipe adapter. They have a tendency to leak or crack.