water hydrantsI

[Tom Coughlin]

I will be redoing both of my water hydrants this fall and replacing them, they are your standard ones with the handle at the top with the shutoff at the bottom 5 1/2 to 6 feet below grade one is in the barn the other is outside next to the horse run in shed . Last winter they both froze despite the fact that i installed heat tape on the above ground part . i was able to get the outside one working after a week or so by digging ,more like chopping down 2 to 3 feet and adding more tape and insulation but the inside one stay frozen until spring i think it was froze down at the drain.anyway i will not haul water from the house in buckets on a sled this winter, so i am looking for suggestions on what has and has not worked for others in installing hydrants ,ie what size rocks to put at the bt. so the water drains -gravel or something bigger can i run the water pipe in a larger pipe ,like a 3 or 4 inch pipe and run a longer heat tape below grade ? any suggestions will be greatly appreciated .thanks ,Tom

[carl ny]

We never had a problem with our’s.If they are working properly they should drain every time you turn them off,no need for heat tape.If you leave them on and have a float shut-off on a stock tank then you are defeating the purpose of the hydrant.We have a float shut-off in the summer but take it off in the fall and just fill stock tank and then turn it off. We do have a floating heater on the stock tank. We live in northern New York and have some of the coldest temp’s around and have never had a problem as long as the hydrant works like it should. We use about 1″ pea stone and fill from about 6″ below bottom of Hydrant to about 1′ or a little more above the bottom of hydrant, and about 2′ in diameter. HTH

carl nny

[Crabapple Farm]

I have had problems with hydrants that freeze up because they don’t drain properly. My soil is heavy, drainage is slow, and the water table is high in winter/spring. When the groundwater table is high, water fills the riser, then freezes.
I had to dig a trench to daylight and put in a drainage pipe from the bottom of the hydrant to ensure that everything drained and stayed drained. You need to make sure there is somewhere for the water to go when the hydrant drains.
-Tevis

[Jay]

Ditto both comments above. They outline the problems and solutions I’ve found in 35 years of using them. Jay

[Donn Hewes]

I have had the same problems as crabapple, but I wouldn’t put heat tape on them. They are not freezing up top. Mine often will have freezing problems when the weather starts to warm a little after a cold spell. A rising water table, and a poorly drained barn meet the still cold ground. Better drainage would be the only solution I could think of. I the worst case I carry a hot tea kettle and pour that on slowly. That will usually get it going. D

[ghoward]

I have found that in some models the issue becomes adjustment of the on/off handle. If you do not have the on/off handle adjusted (or the adjustment changes) so that when the handle is in the off position the seal at the bottom of stand pipe is completely closed so that absolutely no water can enter the stand pipe, a small amount of water will enter the pipe after the hydrant has been shut off and freeze. Thawing it becomes difficult because it is very deep.

[mitchmaine]

mine used to catch if you used it early in the morning, it was on the northside of the barn and always in shade. we had a rusty couple sections of 11″ stove pipe off the evaporator, that we stuck down over the hydrant, hung a 60 watt bulb in and covered with a horse blanket. never stuck after that

[dlskidmore]

How do you fix the adjustment if it doesn’t turn off quite all the way? I think that’s the problem I had with mine, it had a slow leak and the leaking water froze. I got it thawed out again by wrapping it in blankets and garbage bags over the heat tape (yes, I know that’s against package directions.)

I’ve been considering digging it up and replacing it, but if I can make an adjustment or change seals without doing all that digging it would be worth a try. Time is the thing I have the least of.

[Brad Johnson]

Is this a Campbell frost proof hydrant? If so, I may be able to help. I have fiddled with them many times. First, is it leaking from the hydrant mouth itself? If so, take a 3/8 open end wrench and loosen the set screw (small one sticking out of the back of the brass extension rod). Lift handle and retighten the screw and then push the handle all the way down. When you have it in the closed position (off) you should be able to put your ear to the threat and hear water draining out of the weep hole below frost line. If not, then the hydrant still needs adjustment. It should sound like a decreasing “whoosh” as the water drains. You also may need to change the packing nut, and a Campbell repair kit from the hardware store has that part. The instructions that come with it are easy enough to follow. Also, in the winter I use heat tape on both my hydrants to keep the frost away – it is a small investment to avoid a major hassle!
-Brad

[dlskidmore]

The leak is around the valve handle, not out the spigot.

[Rick Alger]

The rod that the handle is attached to goes through what is called a packing nut. If the nut leaks only while you are running water, then tighten the nut. If it still leaks, you’ll have to change the packing. You can get repair kits at hardware stores. It usually makes sense to take the top off the hydrant and replace the stopper at the bottom of the rod while you’re at it. Also it’s best to go in with a part# or the hydrant top in hand, because some kits may not work with all hydrants.

[dlskidmore]

Are the repair kits generic or do I need to match brands? I’m not sure which brand mine is. I’ve not seen obvious markings. Previous owner installed it…

[Rick Alger]

I am not a plumber.

I have repaired a few hydrants over the years, usually using a brand and model specific kit. I remember getting at least one kit from FW Webb and another from an Ace Hardware. The last repair I did, I used a generic kit from Tractor Supply. The stopper turned out to be the wrong length and the packing was an entirely different type from the original.

I made it work, but I doubt the fix will last long.

So if you can’t identify the make and model, I suggest you bring the parts in to the store see if they match.

[dlskidmore]

Thanks!

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