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OK, folks, running the weird saga of the sprinkler system by y'all and seeing if anybody has any thoughts on this:
Basically, the pipe that attaches the sprinkler system to my house had cracked. Should have been easy to replace, but the sprinkler system company seems to have an issue of they can't match the size of the cracked pipe to anything--they said it's neither 3/8ths, 3/4ths, or 1/2. And they're claiming the pipe in my house (built in 2001, mind) is also an off-size they can't figure out (they said they tried coupling the pipes together, but were still getting a leak, so they abandoned that idea.)
Now, I find it hard to believe a newer house would have off-sized pipes in it, nor does it make sense that somebody would install a sprinkler system with off-size pipes (everything I've researched indicates you'd have to order such things special and they're an arm and a leg.) If push comes to shove, my yards aren't big, I'll kill the whole damn thing and just get some extra garden hoses and put wavers on 'em and water that way, but this just strikes me as very very strange. Anybody ever run into something like this?
Is the pipe black? If so, could by poly and it has oddball sizes. Fittings can be found for poly but it's generally at fewer stores and harder to find.
Black poly can be heated to conform to fittings. A combo of a hose clamp and heating can make it fit most anything. With PVC, snip a section and head to a big box store or plumbing supply place.
If it is copper and the sprinkler tech can't get the right size, it could be that the copper pipe froze with water in it and expanded, so nothing will fit on it. If that is the case, the technician will have to cut the pipe past the expanded portion to make the repair.
The old one wasn't copper, but it was pretty old and beat up looking. I did call another sprinkler company and explained the situation and the guy immediately said, "I've run into this before. Sounds like you need a 5/8ths copper." He did advise he can't be sure until he sees my setup, but he's going to come by and take a look to confirm.
I have to admit, I am wondering about the guy from the first company. There were a few things about him that seemed a bit....off (turned off my water regulator and another guy from his company had to be called out to turn it back on, left his tools at my house and had to be called back to get them, and I brought up the possibility of could the pipes have expanded and he seemed....vague...as to whether or not that would be the problem--you'd think he'd know, wouldn't you?) His boss actually called me and said they weren't going to charge me for any of the hours he put in, and considering how long he'd been wandering around....that kinda makes me wonder. And for this second company to be so sure of what the issue might be makes me wonder if the first guy is incompetent. (But if that's the case, I wonder why his boss didn't send somebody else out to see what was going on.)
White PVC is SCH40, SCH80 is gray- why on earth would anyone use that for an irrigation system? Or even for supply system in a house?
A lot of irrigation companies use CL125 (a max press rating of 125psi/ plenty for a residential irrigation system); it's cheap.
The one thing that's uncommon among all common sizes- the fittings! Know the type of pipe; know the fittings it requires. Dig out enough of the pipe and find the markings printed on it.
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