Water to off grid cabin
Contributors to this thread:General Topic
From: MF
03-Feb-24
I want to use black polyethylene tubing from a well to holding tank. I can’t actually talk to someone for a direct answer as to whether or not its safe for drinking. The distributor and manufacturer only use email. Probably would only be used for showers, dishes, etc. anyways. Anybody know or use this tubing? Thanks
From: fdp
03-Feb-24
Are you talking about the type used for drip irrigation systems ? And why not just use PVC ?
From: fuzzy
03-Feb-24
The black poly " water pipe" is considered safe. PM me if you to talk about it. I'll give you my phone number. I've designed and inspected well water systems for 35 years. fdp the main "knock" against PVC in cabins and off grid is that freezing will split it
From: MF
03-Feb-24
Yes, Landscaping hose. It's about 600 feet over a drop in elevation of about 60 feet.
From: Highlife
03-Feb-24
From: fuzzy
03-Feb-24
Yeah Dave but that was for the beer supply I think he's running water. ;)
From: Highlife
03-Feb-24
From: fdp
03-Feb-24
Got it fuzzy. We use the black pipe in the garden, never thought about it residential type use.
From: fuzzy
03-Feb-24
fdp if it has a blue stripe it's safe for potable water. The main issue for indoor use is connecting to fittings abd resistance to punctures. I'd use a barb to threaded a b d go to PEX indoors
From: t-roy
03-Feb-24
Are you burying it, or running it on top of the ground?
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
03-Feb-24
Troyx2
From: Shuteye
03-Feb-24
My wife and I washed in our well for the house over 56 years ago and it has been just fine and the water tests are just fine. Well drillers around here use it all the time to go from the well to the pump inside the house.
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
03-Feb-24
I would only use underground not above for sure outside for black of a UV barrier
From: fuzzy
03-Feb-24
From: MF
03-Feb-24
It wont be buried but I could cover it with leaves and debris. I’ll be running it through the woods.
From: t-roy
03-Feb-24
Assuming it’s just going to used for seasonal use and not in the winter? Rodents chewing on it might be an issue, but that would be a potential issue whether it’s just the thin irrigation pipe or the heavier stuff.
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
03-Feb-24
I would only use underground not above for sure outside for black of a UV barrier
From: fuzzy
04-Feb-24
I did a very similar setup with 1/2" light duty black poly tubing years ago. Ran 600 feet through oak/mixed hardwood on top of the ground. Had no horses or cattle in the area and had no issues with damage. I did bury a short section through area where there was occasional Jeep or horse and rider traffic
From: VAMtns
04-Feb-24
Bears will bite into it if they hear water running through it .
From: VAMtns
04-Feb-24
Most well pumps operate on 30 50 pressure switch , elevation drop of 60 ft must also be counted for , I would use poly rated for at least 100 psi . Black roll pipe marked safe for potable water is safe .
From: hdaman
04-Feb-24
A 60 ft drop will provide about 26 psi of pressure on it own. Probably adequate for washing and bathing. I've also seen the same setup in hunting camps utilizing a small propane water heater for showers and they worked fine. Good luck!
From: RonP
04-Feb-24
if it were me, i would use PEX and run it through plastic pipe to protect it.
From: Vaquero 45
04-Feb-24
Excellent thoughts , comments , info thread . Good read ! ..... premium brainstorming .
From: Highlife
04-Feb-24
From: MF
04-Feb-24
Money is an object:) I think pex and pvc would be kinda pricey at over 600 ft. Looking at the"pipe with the stripe". PIA not being able to actually talk to someone.
From: VAMtns
05-Feb-24
The rolls of poly are available in 300 ft rolls and longer saving 5 to 10 bucks per coupling and labor .
From: Buckdeer
05-Feb-24
I would also use the heavier black roll pipe.rodents will be chewing on your thin wall irrigation pipe.Just buy brass couplings and put 2 hose clamps on each side and heat up pipe with butane torch or heat gun to slide over couplings.Figure your gallons to figure size of pipe
From: CBFROMND
05-Feb-24
Buckdeer spot on... no need to over think fittings etc.. heat the pipe up a bit and double hose clamps on fittings.. brass insert fitting are cheap and you can choose either 125# or 250# for the pipe in 300' or 500' rolls. I once saw a setup where they just dropped poly pipe from a collection box in a spring/creek down to the cabin. cold fresh water with plenty of pressure..
From: luckychucky
05-Feb-24
I had about 400 yds of black polyflex for water from a lake to my house in SE Alaska. Use hot water in a thermos warm the pipe for connections. Metal couplings will freeze fast. Buried pipe will stay frozen for a long time after a cold spell. I left the line running all winter but still had a few freezes. When it did freeze I would pull 300' sections of pipe down the hill and shove it out into the ocean for an hour or so and then pull it back up the hill and reconnect the fittings. Never had any problem with sunlight (here in the rainforest).
From: Aspen Ghost
05-Feb-24
If you can't talk to the vendor when trying to buy then I can only imagine how bad it will be trying to resolve any issue (like no delivery or wrong delivery) after you buy. Find someone else to buy from.
My only experience with a surface system was going to a Boy Scout summer camp in Minnesota that had a several hundred foot black Polyethylene water system laid out on top of the ground through the woods to a couple buildings. They said that every spring they had to find all the new leaks and repair them. I don't know if it was the freezing, the rodents/porcupines or sunlight degradation. Be ready with repair couplings and extra pipe to repair the system every year.
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
07-Feb-24
Just bury pex…do it once and be done. No repair upkeep and fixing cuz it gets chewed on and broken.
From: fuzzy
08-Feb-24
Highlife if I'm the extreme colonoscopy you're referring to, I just think beer tubing should never be defecated in such a way
From: fuzzy
08-Feb-24
MA-PA deerslayer I'll do a "point-counterpoint " to the buried PEX. Granted that is the way to go if possible. If the decision is "no water til some future time when I have $x000 to spend, and no maintenance" versus " water now, at $x00 i have periodic PIA to keep water" it may look different.
From: MF
08-Feb-24
Looking into well tubing and also found some 3/4 in pex at a reasonable price. I think trying to bury it through 600 ft of woods would be a nightmare. thanks for the replies, ill keep ya’ll posted.
From: Aspen Ghost
08-Feb-24
If you already have the holding tank another option is to buy a 285 gallon cage tank (they are pretty cheap if you get a used food grade one) and haul water in a truck or trailer. If you don't use that much water you might only have to do it every week or two.
From: fuzzy
08-Feb-24
Rent a Walk behind vibratory plow or trencher?