Sprinkler System - New Back flow preventer

[electronman1729]

Anyone do sprinklers? I need a hole cut in the side of my house so a new back flow preventer can be piped up.

[2XS]

Yes it's required by code and is really good idea for your safety.

[fairrpe86]

Just need the whole drilled, or the whole thing done? Also will it be through the foundation or through the siding of the house?

[electronman1729]

Just need the whole drilled, or the whole thing done? Also will it be through the foundation or through the siding of the house?
I already have a hole drilled for my old spigot which is 1/2", i just need a bigger hole drilled and the back flow preventer mounted out side

[JohnTRourke]

go rent a hammer drill at the rental yard ($20?) with a 1" bit

Can you sweat copper? (solder)

if so, you too can install a backflow preventer

[electronman1729]

Bump
Anyone know of a good company?

[jimbolay]

When you get to the actual piping portion of the backflow preventer - you might want to consider using Shark Bite type connectors (there are several brands out there). I had one backflow preventer freeze and crack (even after the usual fall system blow out) and decided to use these so I could completely remove the assembly during the winter months. They aren't cheap but they are fast and easy to use if you aren't comfortable sweating copper pipe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMBHyN58tFM

[Wulf202]

They also rattle loose and won't seal after repeated installation.

If you want to do this get unions, the correct fitting for the job

[DenverGP]

When you get to the actual piping portion of the backflow preventer - you might want to consider using Shark Bite type connectors (there are several brands out there).

I use the same thing on mine, been set up with those the past 3 years, no issues at all with it coming loose or failing to seal.

[brutal]

I use the same thing on mine, been set up with those the past 3 years, no issues at all with it coming loose or failing to seal.

I've had my Febco 1" PVB setup with them for 3-4 years now too and no issues. They may have even been the (crappier?) ones from Lowes. They are both on the vertical pipes in/out side so it's simple to pull and install every year. I make sure the pipes are cleaned up first. Damn old bevel unions always leaked on me, and I've had ball valves crack even after blow out.

[JohnTRourke]

I don't understand. If your PVB backflow preventer is freezing and cracking, you are winterizing it wrong (or it's been installed incorrectly)
I did this professionally for years, I've winterized hundreds of backflows, done correctly they won't freeze.
The only reason that commercial backflows use unions is so they don't' get stolen in the winter.

The install should have a shut off valve inside the house (or a stop and waste in the ground, less common but possible). There should be some type of drain between the shutoff and the upstream side of the backflow. open that drain. Leave it open, all winter. If the shut off seeps (common with older gate valves). the water will go down the drain, not into the backflow. Sometimes there's a weep drain on the actual shut off valve instead of a separate drain, leave that open. Open the petcocks on the backflow, leave them open all winter.

LEAVE THE BALL VALVES ON THE BACKFLOW IN THE OPEN POSITION. (biggest mistake most people make) and somewhere, on the downstream side, there should be a drain (or just a low zone works too), open that, let the water drain all out, close it up

water all gone, no possible way for water to enter it.

cannot freeze.

should take maybe 5 minutes to drain your backflow.

there is ZERO reason for unions or another failure joint.

If it's installed incorrectly (missing drains), then fix the underlying problem.