Frost-free hydrants

[Wheat47]

Hello, all.
I'm in the process of adding a frost-free hydrant, 6 ft bury depth.
I see a lot of them now say you can replace/repair the valve cartridge by taking of the faucet head
and pulling up the valve rod, repair/replace the cartridge. I am wondering if anyone has
done that and how did it work out.
Just curious.
Jon

 

[Bob Bancroft]

Hello, all.
I'm in the process of adding a frost-free hydrant, 6 ft bury depth.
I see a lot of them now say you can replace/repair the valve cartridge by taking of the faucet head
and pulling up the valve rod, repair/replace the cartridge. I am wondering if anyone has
done that and how did it work out.
Just curious.
Jon

Yes it can be done.
When I bought this farm, the elderly owner had purchased a hydrant and started to dig a hole outside the old milkhouse to install it. I got the bright idea of putting it inside. This worked great for years. Until I wanted to replace the seal. I hadn't figured on not having enough overhead room to pull the rod! I had to cut/thread/splice the rod to complete the task.

 

[Willow Lane]

I've done it a couple of times, the only problem that I have had is getting the head off. The head is wound on tight at the factory with some kind of pipe dope that sets up like concrete. My solution is to cut a couple of slots in the head where it threads onto the riser pipe with a disk grinder and cutting wheel, being careful to not cut into the threads on the riser pipe. I can then spread the threads on the head with a small chisel and unscrew it. Replacing the seal at the bottom of the rod is then simple, My solution means I have to also buy a new head, but it's still way cheaper and less work than digging it up and replacing everything.

 

[Fixingfarmer]

Propane torch usually is enough to soften pipe compound on them to spin the head out

 

[MarkB_MI]

You will need two large pipe wrenches (or one pipe wrench and a large Crescent) and a couple of pieces of pipe six to eight feet long. It's easier with a helper. Or two.

 

[craigco]

Make sure you install a valve so you can shut the water off near the hydrant then you dont have to turn off the entire system to do maintenance on the hydrant.
When you buy the hydrant get the rebuild kit at the same time and put it on the shelf. Depending on the hydrant mostly Chinese made ones that big stores sell. They change manufacturers every few years and then you can't get parts when you need them.
A little heat on the threaded part of the head and you can use two pipe wrenches to unscrew it. You can pull the rod up and replace the plunger. You might have to adjust the operating lever once installed to get proper shut off.

 

[showcrop]

Owners get into trouble with these due to incomplete drain down, rarely due to seal wear. Be sure to install an adequate sump above mean high water table for it to drain into.

 

[joeysmith]

Don't forget the elbow on the drain hole an at least a foot of galvanized pipe elbowed off the bottom before attaching it to plastic or polly feeder pipe

 

[Mark-Ia]

Put plenty of pea gravel at the bottom of your hole for the water from the hydrant to drain into.

 

[Fred Werring]

Before I installed the last one, I took the head off while I could get it in a vise, cleaned off the putty and replaced with teflon tape.

Been my experience old teflon tape breaks loose a lot easier than old pipe dope.

Only been a few years, haven't needed to take it apart, so who knows if my theory is a good one.

 

[Texasmark]

You will need two large pipe wrenches (or one pipe wrench and a large Crescent) and a couple of pieces of pipe six to eight feet long. It's easier with a helper. Or two.

Sounds like some help would be appropriate.

 

[miangus]

I have made that repair and Mark is correct; I had to heat the head with a torch to get it off and it still took a couple of good-sized pipe wrenches. If the issue is it is not draining back and freezing up, I have got them working by placing a cap on the treaded end, turn on the water and allow a bit to escape, tighten the cap and shut off the water. This exposes the drain hole to well pressure. I also have a fitting that allows attaching an air hose to the threaded end. I do that activity with caution with the valve closed. That rubber end does get damaged and replacing it will often fix the issue; I found the parts at TSC and on-line.

 

[showcrop]

Put plenty of pea gravel at the bottom of your hole for the water from the hydrant to drain into.

Or better yet, CLEAN pea stone or better yet CLEAN 3/4 stone with no fines mixed in.

 

[New to Blue]

Or better yet, CLEAN pea stone or better yet CLEAN 3/4 stone with no fines mixed in.

When i put mine in i got something called a Hydrant “Drain Box” made is the USA none the less!! An injection molded plastic that clamps around the supply line and the stand pipe and provides a clean void space for riser evacuation manufacture claims its equivalent to nine square feet of washed gravel, i still surrounded mine with a few bags clean pea gravel even though the manufacture states its not required.
To the OP, i've have my Woodford Y34 Iowa Yard Hydrant out in the weather for 10 years now with no problems, but like others have stated there is pipe dope on the head and looks like it would take some power to get apart.

 

[New to Blue]

Before I installed the last one, I took the head off while I could get it in a vise, cleaned off the putty and replaced with teflon tape.

Been my experience old teflon tape breaks loose a lot easier than old pipe dope.

Only been a few years, haven't needed to take it apart, so who knows if my theory is a good one.

this would have been a great idea.... 10 years ago lol

 

[moresmoke]

I bought a Woodford repair kit today along with a new hydrant. Installed a couple of hydrants 3 weeks ago. The other half used one today and broke it. Not sure what the issue is yet.

The repair kit contains the rubber seal for the valve at the bottom, the packing, packing nut, and the short piece of brass rod that goes through the packing.

 

[MarkB_MI]

Stay away from no-name hydrants like those sold at TSC; you'll never find repair parts for them. I have personal experience with both the Woodford Iowa hydrant (made, ironically, in Colorado Springs) and the Merrill Any Flow. Both are good hydrants that will last for decades and for which repair parts are readily available. Also, they both feature a hook on the end of a spout so you can hang a bucket from them.

When installing a hydrant, the first several feet of pipe after the elbow should be galvanized steel. That ensures you have a solid mount for the hydrant that won't break if the hydrant takes a hit.

I have heard it is possible to replace a yard hydrant without digging it up. The trick is to leave the water turned on; the flowing water will prevent the hole from collapsing while you insert the new hydrant and screw it in. I have not tried this, nor am I recommending it. YMMV.

 

[chvet73]

Stay away from no-name hydrants like those sold at TSC; you'll never find repair parts for them. I have personal experience with both the Woodford Iowa hydrant (made, ironically, in Colorado Springs) and the Merrill Any Flow. Both are good hydrants that will last for decades and for which repair parts are readily available. Also, they both feature a hook on the end of a spout so you can hang a bucket from them.

When installing a hydrant, the first several feet of pipe after the elbow should be galvanized steel. That ensures you have a solid mount for the hydrant that won't break if the hydrant takes a hit.

I have heard it is possible to replace a yard hydrant without digging it up. The trick is to leave the water turned on; the flowing water will prevent the hole from collapsing while you insert the new hydrant and screw it in. I have not tried this, nor am I recommending it. YMMV.

You are so right on don’t buy a cheap hydrant. I found that out the hard way.

 

[moresmoke]

I have heard it is possible to replace a yard hydrant without digging it up. The trick is to leave the water turned on; the flowing water will prevent the hole from collapsing while you insert the new hydrant and screw it in. I have not tried this, nor am I recommending it. YMMV.

The brass valve on the bottom of the Woodford is not round and is larger than the pipe so not sure how that would work.

There is an outfit that sells a tube that allows the hydrant to be replaced. It is basically a pitless adapter on the bottom of a pvc pipe. Especially useful if the hydrant is in concrete.

 

[matthies]

The brass valve on the bottom of the Woodford is not round and is larger than the pipe so not sure how that would work.

There is an outfit that sells a tube that allows the hydrant to be replaced. It is basically a pitless adapter on the bottom of a pvc pipe. Especially useful if the hydrant is in concrete.

The local well driller here slides a length of white pvc pipe over the woodford hydrant to keep the pipe from rusting and also gets lucky occasionally and unscrews the hydrant and installs a new hydrant.