How to cut into existing sprinkler pipe

[walter]

I am extending my sprinkler system. I can do it by tapping into an existing
underground circuit of 3/4" PVC pipe.

All I need to do is insert a PVC T into the existing pipe. I can cut the old
pipe, but how can I insert a T in this space between the immovable ends of
the cut pipe.

Is there a special Tee that can be slipped in there?

Thank you

Walter
--
www.rationality.net

[home...@home.com]

I'm not aware of special Tees, but there is a special coupler made for
tight places, and it slips all the way over the pipe. you have to mark
the pipe so you center it when you glue it. You'll have to dig a foot
or so along the pipe. Then cut and remove maybe 6 inches of pipe.
Clean all the pipes, Glue the tee on the cut out piece and slide the
coupler over one of the underground cut ends. Cut the piece to fit in
between the cut ends. Glue the tee in place. Then apply glue and slide
that coupler in place so it's centered. There has to be room under the
pipe to apply glue without dirt contamination.

I've worked as a plumber and used this method in buildings. I have not
worked on sprinkler systems, so before you do anything, you might
contact a sprinkler company. They might have some sort of saddle tee
fitting that I am not aware of. That would be easier to apply, if such
a thing exists.

[Steve B]

"walter" <sam...@example.com> wrote in message
news:kcdvai$9p$1...@dont-email.me...

You can buy tees that have compression nuts on them. You cut your line,
slide the new tee over one end a ways, slide it back on to the other end,
and crank down the nuts. They work by compression. Other than that, you
have to dig out both ways for a couple of feet so that you can get it to
bend enough to stick the stubs into the new glue on tee.

There is also a snap-on device that is made for a patch, but is made in a
tee form that utilizes a tee of a couple of pieces to achieve what you need.
You need to go to a bigger supplier, because what you need is available, but
they just don't carry it at the stores where you've been.

There IS a very simple fix made for that exact situation. Maybe you have to
go to a plumber supply house, as this would be used in house water supply
systems. Common item.

Steve

[dadiOH]

walter wrote:
> I am extending my sprinkler system. I can do it by tapping into an
> existing underground circuit of 3/4" PVC pipe.
>
> All I need to do is insert a PVC T into the existing pipe. I can cut
> the old pipe, but how can I insert a T in this space between the
> immovable ends of the cut pipe.
>
> Is there a special Tee that can be slipped in there?

1. Dig out about 24" along each part of the pipe where you plan to cut

2. Cut pipe

3. Cut one part of pipe shorter by as much as will be taken up by the part
of the "T" where the cut ends won't be.

4. Lift pipes up and support

5. Dope and put on one end of the "T"

6. Dope the other end of the "T" and lower the pipes so the end slides into
the "T"



--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net

[Retired]

Take a look here

http://www.sprinklerwarehouse.com/Sprinkler-System-Pipe-Repair-s/4213.htm

or

http://tinyurl.com/acfo7lq

[Robert]

I'd like to add to Steve's solution. These couplers are also made
with
a threaded tap in middle that you can attach the additional branch
to. go to Home Depot and describe what you want ---- an inline
compression coupler with an output tap..... For 1 inch PVC you can
expect to pay 6 or 7 dollars, but they work very well..

[Oren]

I saved that link, thanks. Here are the install instructions in a
page PDF file.

Suggest a good dry fit for first time users, I know when I glue PVC
pipe I have a limited time for setting before you can't move the
fittings. Just sayin'

PDF:

<http://www.sprinklerwarehouse.com/v/vspfiles/manuals/pipe_dream/pd_tee_thread_install.pdf>

[Steve B]

"Oren" <Or...@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
news:9nhme81grr70oqgo6...@4ax.com...

Oren, I'm confused. In pic # 4, it shows them sliding the pipe into the
tee. Won't the pipe be unmovable because it is buried and can't move?

Steve

[Steve B]

"Robert" <jungl...@hotmail.com> wrote

> I'd like to add to Steve's solution. These couplers are also made
> with
> a threaded tap in middle that you can attach the additional branch
> to. go to Home Depot and describe what you want ---- an inline
> compression coupler with an output tap..... For 1 inch PVC you can
> expect to pay 6 or 7 dollars, but they work very well.

After making some frustrating repairs or t-ing into a line, and having to
dig two feet on either side to get the overbend necessary to get the second
leg in the T, then getting dirt on it, or it just won't go in because I
can't bend the two lines enough, or kinking the line, I was delighted to
find the compression fittings. Just like SharkBites, they are spendy, but
when it comes to S-I-M-P-L-E repairs in bad places, I'll pay $7-$10 for the
special fitting. Keeps you from fighting with the overbend, making
mistakes, kinking the pipe, having to dig a lot out, or in the case of
copper and SharkBites, having to take out a long section of pipe to make it
work. Plus, they have a margin of error for us less than accurate types.
Battaboom, and yer done. I've done repairs in minutes that would have taken
at least an hour with another method.

Steve

[Oren]

Look again. Slide the tee, not the pipe. Better be ready when the glue
sets...

That fitting wants you to glue four places, hurry, hurry, hurry

[Steve B]

"Oren" <Or...@127.0.0.1> wrote

>
> Look again. Slide the tee, not the pipe. Better be ready when the glue
> sets...
>
> That fitting wants you to glue four places, hurry, hurry, hurry

They say to prefit it, so there must be some sliding room, as with PVC, it's
not easy to get those things off once they're in there, glue or not. I can
see how it would work with it sliding both ways, and that's what I figured,
but to me, the diagram was ambiguous.

That PVC glue is unforgiving, and not meant to be changed once it sets.
Like fiberglass hardener.

GUNK! Hard. Your paintbrush will be sticking out of the can.

Steve

[Doug]

On Mon, 7 Jan 2013 00:00:18 -0800, "walter" <sam...@example.com>
wrote:

Good question. I have a Ewing irrigation near me that the sprinkler
pro's go to as well as a Home Depot but when I have this type problem
I go to Ewing Irrigation because they know the business and it's
cheaper than Home Depot.

Just a guess.... maybe 2 short radiator (rubber) hoses with 2 screw
on clamps slipped over each side of the Tee and on the corresponding
end of the pvc pipe and then screw the clamps tight. I guess the only
thing you have to be sure of is that the rubber won't break down in
the soil over time and that the clamps won't rust.

[DD_BobK]

Walter-

Forget all the complicated / hard work suggestions offered so far.....

use a glue on snap Tee, they work!

http://flexpvc.com/cart/agora.cgi?product=PVC-Tees-Snap-Pressure

[home...@home.com]

I would not use SharkBites underground. As the earth applies pressure
to them, especially if the ground freezes, they could become detached.

On a job, I encountered a SharkBites come detached inside a wall because
it fed the shower head and was resting exactly right against a piece of
wall bracing. The people who lived there probably pulled down on the
shower head, and it came undone inside the wall. Personally, I dont
think much of them, and wont use them in my home.

A compression fitting is probably a good solution, although I've not
used them on plastic pipes except plastic supply tubes under sinks.

[home...@home.com]

On Mon, 7 Jan 2013 21:29:19 -0800 (PST), DD_BobK <rkaz...@gmail.com>
wrote:

That's the first time I've seen those. That's a great idea. That would
be easy. Just make sure the pipe is cleaned real well before gluing.

[Robert]

On Jan 8, 2:38 am, homeow...@home.com wrote:
> On Mon, 7 Jan 2013 21:29:19 -0800 (PST), DD_BobK <rkaza...@gmail.com>

Neat !! Looks to me like a few minutes with an ordinary
hacksaw can make one of those out of a conventional T.....

I'd probably put two band clamps , one on each end, in
addition to gluing, but I might just be overcautions.....

I'd hesitate before using it with primary water lines, but wouldn't
worry about it in a sprinkler system.... What'll those
Meskins think of next ???? :>))))

[Robert]

On Jan 8, 2:33 am, homeow...@home.com wrote:

>
> I would not use SharkBites underground. As the earth applies pressure
> to them, especially if the ground freezes, they could become detached.
>
> On a job, I encountered a SharkBites come detached inside a wall because
> it fed the shower head and was resting exactly right against a piece of
> wall bracing. The people who lived there probably pulled down on the
> shower head, and it came undone inside the wall. Personally, I dont
> think much of them, and wont use them in my home.
>
> A compression fitting is probably a good solution, although I've not
> used them on plastic pipes except plastic supply tubes under sinks.

I've had the compression fittings fail if the pipes were free to
move laterally. The constant pressure just slides the pipe
out the ends. However, if the pipes cannot move, they work
extremely well....
I've never used SharkBites. They just seem ..... flimsy.......
to me. But I have heard good things about them. I guess
it depends on the circumstances of the pipes..... Note
that there are different styles of SharkBites for the various
pipes they connect..... and the packages are often not
well marked as to pipe types..... and the sales personnel
often know less about their application than the customer....
Using a PVC style on blue polybutyl will eventually fail....

[DD_BobK]

There are "pressure rated" snap Tees & non-pressure rated ones.

I only buy & use the pressure rated ones.
I've never used them on supply lines, only on sprinkler lines.

The snap Tees I linked to snap over the pipe for a "more than 180
degree" fit.
Keep your fingers & skin on your hand out of the way.... they can
pinch.
No need for secondary clamps.

I've made test assemblies & pressure tested to 110 psi (water pressure
at work) ... they held!

Using snap Tees to add a sprinkler head or tie into a sprinkler line
makes a messy / time consuming job a breeze.

Toro makes them & Home Depot (in SoCal) used to carry generic ones.
The Toro ones at Ace Hardware are ridiculously expensive.
The ones on line are so cheap that I use them exclusively to lay out
new sprinkler circuits.
I just place & glue up the pipe and come back after the fact placing
the snap Tees.

The only potential problem is drilling out the pipe wall.
I use a collar stop on the drill bit to avoid damaging the pipe wall
opposite the snap Tee.

cheers
Bob

[TimR]

Or,

Glue 90 degree elbows to your new tee fitting in the comfort of your shop.

Dig the hole, remove the piece of sprinkler pipe, glue 90 elbows on each end of the gap.

Now the 90s will match straight on. (use short piece of PVC between them).

This requires one tee, 4 elbows. Foolproof. You have to dig a wider hole.

[Robert]

On Jan 8, 9:32 am, DD_BobK <rkaza...@gmail.com> wrote:

> There are "pressure rated" snap Tees & non-pressure rated ones.
>
> I only buy & use the pressure rated ones.
> I've never used them on supply lines, only on sprinkler lines.
>
> The snap Tees I linked to snap over the pipe for a "more than 180
> degree" fit.
> Keep your fingers & skin on your hand out of the way.... they can
> pinch.
> No need for secondary clamps.
>
> I've made test assemblies & pressure tested to 110 psi (water pressure
> at work) ... they held!
>
> Using snap Tees to add a sprinkler head or tie into a sprinkler line
> makes a messy / time consuming job a breeze.
>
> Toro makes them & Home Depot (in SoCal) used to carry generic ones.
> The Toro ones at Ace Hardware are ridiculously expensive.
> The ones on line are so cheap that I use them exclusively to lay out
> new sprinkler circuits.
> I just place & glue up the pipe and come back after the fact placing
> the snap Tees.
>
> The only potential problem is drilling out the pipe wall.
> I use a collar stop on the drill bit to avoid damaging the pipe wall
> opposite the snap Tee.
>
> cheers
> Bob

Thanks for the info. I never knew such things existed, and I'm going
to get a couple just to try out.

[Attila Iskander]

"Steve B" <ste...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:kcfjuv$c3t$1...@speranza.aioe.org...

>
> Oren, I'm confused. In pic # 4, it shows them sliding the pipe into the
> tee. Won't the pipe be unmovable because it is buried and can't move?
>

What kind of pictures are you looking at ?
Do we really want to know ??

[HerHusband]

Great idea. If you have enough space, this is probably the simplest way of
adding a tee to a buried sprinkler line.


Another option is to use a tee and two couplings that do not have the
internal stops. If you can't find couplings without stops, you could always
use a dremel tool to grind away the stop inside regular couplings.

Cut out a section of the buried pipe. Then glue up the tee and a couple
stubs of pipe to precisely fit the section that was cut out. Put marks on
the pipe so you know where to position the couplings (without the stops the
marks are the only way to know you have it centered on the joint). Slide
the couplings onto each stub and hold the tee assembly where it needs to
be. Apply the PVC cleaner and glue, and slide the coupling over to make the
connection. Repeat with the other side. It would probably be smart to slide
the coupling over and give it a brief turn before holding as the glue sets.
You could use a spring clamp on one side to hold everything in position
while you work on the other side.

I used this method to add tee's to underground 4" gutter drains and it
worked very well.

Anthony Watson
Mountain Software
www.mountain-software.com/about.htm

[k...@attt.bizz]

On Mon, 7 Jan 2013 00:00:18 -0800, "walter" <sam...@example.com>
wrote:

>I am extending my sprinkler system. I can do it by tapping into an existing
>underground circuit of 3/4" PVC pipe.
>
>All I need to do is insert a PVC T into the existing pipe. I can cut the old
>pipe, but how can I insert a T in this space between the immovable ends of
>the cut pipe.
>
>Is there a special Tee that can be slipped in there?

I haven't seen anyone suggest telescoping splices. Add a 'T' to one
side, cut the pipe and insert. I used a couple of the telescoping
splices where the gas company dug up my irrigation system. Worked
like a champ.

[home...@home.com]

On Tue, 8 Jan 2013 07:32:50 -0800 (PST), DD_BobK <rkaz...@gmail.com>
wrote:

I was thinking about putting a stop on the drill bit too. It would be
too easy to drill out the other side.....

I dont know if cutting a regular tee would work, I kind of think these
are made to expand, the regular ones would probably crack.

If I ever have to add to a 3" or 4" PVC sewer stack again, I will
definately keep this in mind. In the past I've fought with them to try
to force a tee in the pipe, which meant attempting to lift the whole
stack, and in most cases just did not work. That meant using fernco
couplers instead. I guess my only concern about using these on large
diameter pipe like that would be what kind of drill bit to use. You
cant just make a 2 inch hole if it's for a toilet. The only thing I can
think of, is to cut the hole first, with a saw.

[chaniarts]

hole saw

[shellyf...@hotmail.com]

On Mon, 07 Jan 2013 21:00:27 -0600, Doug <do...@noemailaddress.com>
wrote:

>On Mon, 7 Jan 2013 00:00:18 -0800, "walter" <sam...@example.com>
>wrote:
>
>>I am extending my sprinkler system. I can do it by tapping into an existing
>>underground circuit of 3/4" PVC pipe.
>>
>>All I need to do is insert a PVC T into the existing pipe. I can cut the old
>>pipe, but how can I insert a T in this space between the immovable ends of
>>the cut pipe.
>>
>>Is there a special Tee that can be slipped in there?
>>
>>Thank you
>>
>>Walter
>
>

I recommend a standard tee and a compression coupling such as:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100174071/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=compression+coupling&storeId=10051
I have used KBI cpc-0750, upc code 0 11651 25700 2 made in USA,
for3/4" successfully several times.

[Steve B]

<home...@home.com> wrote

> I would not use SharkBites underground. As the earth applies pressure
> to them, especially if the ground freezes, they could become detached.
>
> On a job, I encountered a SharkBites come detached inside a wall because
> it fed the shower head and was resting exactly right against a piece of
> wall bracing. The people who lived there probably pulled down on the
> shower head, and it came undone inside the wall. Personally, I dont
> think much of them, and wont use them in my home.
>
> A compression fitting is probably a good solution, although I've not
> used them on plastic pipes except plastic supply tubes under sinks.

Definitely not suggesting Shark Bites for underground. Just making the
comment that you CAN buy a very easy fix for problems these days if you know
what to look for.

Steve

[Steve B]

<shellyf...@hotmail.com> wrote

> I recommend a standard tee and a compression coupling such as:
> http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100174071/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=compression+coupling&storeId=10051
> I have used KBI cpc-0750, upc code 0 11651 25700 2 made in USA,
> for3/4" successfully several times.

That be it, except for being a Tee.

Steve

[DD_BobK]

On Jan 8, 10:22 am, homeow...@home.com wrote:
> On Tue, 8 Jan 2013 07:32:50 -0800 (PST), DD_BobK <rkaza...@gmail.com>

For DWV pipe you can use the non-pressure rated snap Tees.
You can remove the pipe wall using a hole saw.

cheers
Bob

[tra...@optonline.net]

On Jan 7, 3:00 am, "walter" <sam...@example.com> wrote:
> I am extending my sprinkler system. I can do it by tapping into an existing
> underground circuit of 3/4" PVC pipe.
>
> All I need to do is insert a PVC T into the existing pipe. I can cut the old
> pipe, but how can I insert a T in this space  between the immovable ends of
> the cut pipe.
>
> Is there a special Tee that can be slipped in there?
>

Yes there is. It's called a PVC snap tee and it's made for precisely
this kind of application. It's like a regular T, except the back
half
of the long part of the T is missing and it's sized to snap over the
existing PVC pipe. You glue it in place, then use a drill inside
the short open end to make a hole into the existing pipe.
No fuss, no muss.

http://www.wntpetsupplies.com/pvc-3-4-snap-t-fitting.html?cmp=googleproducts&kw=pvc-3-4-snap-t-fitting

[rstaley]

replying to walter , rstaley wrote:

> sample wrote:
>
> I am extending my sprinkler system. I can do it by tapping into an
existing
> underground circuit of 3/4" PVC pipe.
> All I need to do is insert a PVC T into the existing pipe. I can cut the
old
> pipe, but how can I insert a T in this space between the immovable ends
of
> the cut pipe.
> Is there a special Tee that can be slipped in there?

> Thank you
> Walter


Most hardware stores have what is called a slip fix telescoping connector.
It slips over the end of your pipe on wide end (use primer and glue) then
uses either a coupling or slip T on the other. The slip fix uses "O" rings
to seal so it can telescope out. Just do not use on the main line that has
constant pressure they are designed for intermittent pressure only.

--

[trader_4]

The post is over a year old, but all he needs is a
snap on tee. No cutting, no mending.

http://www.sprinklerwarehouse.com/PVC-Snap-Tees-s/7785.htm

[dadiOH]

"trader_4" <tra...@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:3d5f2339-f609-4e76...@googlegroups.com

Or just dig out a couple of feet along the pipe, lift up, cut out enough to
accomodate a regular tee, attach tee to ends, push all down.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net