Use of flared-end (bell) pvc drain pipes

I bought some 3" by 10' sections of pvc drain pipe for my yard that were flared on one end so two or more pipes can be connected in succession without couplings. The thing is, I want to place a tee every 10 feet for a drain grate at the surface. I cut off the bell end on one, tried to attach a coupling, but it was very loose and leaked like a sieve. In fact, it was so loose, I could hold it up vertically and it would fall off. Is the pipe supposed to be a smaller diameter just behind the flare? How far back do I have to cut it off so that it will have a normal fit with a tee or other coupling?

Thanks,
RF

Sounds like you are not using the same pipe. Sounds like you have SDR pipe and schedule 40 fittings.

No, it's not that. The regular end fits the fitting perfectly, it's just the other end that's too loose, where I cut off the flared part.

RF

We need some pictures here.

Ok, if I did it right, I have attached a couple of pictures. The first shows the flared ends of two of the pipes, the one on the left being the one I cut the flared part off of. The 2nd picture shows an 90 degree elbow attached to the cut end of the first pipe,while the 2nd pipe has another pipe inserted into the flared end. If I attach the elbow (or any other fitting) to the end where I cut the flared part off, it is way too loose. If I attach the same fitting to the other end, which was not flared to begin with, it fits perfectly.

I would have thought the pipe was of uniform diameter along its entire length, until it got to the flared part, which of course is bigger so you can fit another pipe into it. It appears however, that the pipe may taper down to a slightly smaller diameter just before the point at which it flares out, or maybe I got a weird pipe? I was just curious if it was supposed to be that way. It would seem to limit the usefulness of the pipe if you wanted to attach fittings to both ends. One thing I guess I could do is cut off a short length of pipe from the non-flared end, and insert it into the flared end. At the cost of an extra joint, I should be able to get two pipe ends of the same diameter.

I was going to solvent-weld these drain pipes in the hopes of keeping roots out. If the fit is loose, will the PVC glue be able to form a bond? Being a drain pipe, it won't be under pressure, I just need to keep it from leaking and keep root fibers out.

Thanks,
RF

Does not look like Sch 40 to me - looks like SDR35 - light gauge pipe....
It will work if glued right, but I would use the heavier Sch40 piping...

pipe

Your picture should have showed us more of the printing on the pipe so we could see what type it is. It appears you do not need the bell anyway, so just cut the pipe anywhere and put the two pieces together to get a section of plain end pipe.

Thank you for the picture. You do have SDR pipe, not sch. 40. The elbow you show is also and SDR sized fitting. The only thing I can think of is that you have a sch. 40 coupling. Does the wall thickness of the coupling you have appear to be thicker than the wall on the elbow in the picture?

RF said:

I bought some 3" by 10' sections of pvc drain pipe for my yard that were flared on one end so two or more pipes can be connected in succession without couplings. The thing is, I want to place a tee every 10 feet for a drain grate at the surface. I cut off the bell end on one, tried to attach a coupling, but it was very loose and leaked like a sieve. In fact, it was so loose, I could hold it up vertically and it would fall off. Is the pipe supposed to be a smaller diameter just behind the flare? How far back do I have to cut it off so that it will have a normal fit with a tee or other coupling?

Thanks,
RF

Click to expand...

Your pictures show 'sewer and drain' pipe, which is slightly smaller than DWV pipe and fittings. You need to buy 'sewer and drain' fittings, and not DWV fittings. Confusing, isn't it? At least your fittings should be cheaper than DWV, since they can also be made from styrene plastic.

All the fittings I have are SDR35 also, and remember, it does fit the other end of the pipe. I guess it's just a weird aberration that the pipe is a little more narrow at one end (before the flare). Will it still work to glue it if the dry fit is a little loose?

One other question -- I have an odd angle where I'm trying to join one of the new pipes to the existing drainage system in my yard. I can't find any angled fitting that will allow a nice square joint, so I was thinking I would use flexible PVC to complete the connection. Can flexible pvc be solvent-welded to a rigid SDR35 fitting? My pvc primer and glue say they are for "all pipe schedules and classes".

Thanks,
RF

RF said:

All the fittings I have are SDR35 also, and remember, it does fit the other end of the pipe. I guess it's just a weird aberration that the pipe is a little more narrow at one end (before the flare). Will it still work to glue it if the dry fit is a little loose?

One other question -- I have an odd angle where I'm trying to join one of the new pipes to the existing drainage system in my yard. I can't find any angled fitting that will allow a nice square joint, so I was thinking I would use flexible PVC to complete the connection. Can flexible pvc be solvent-welded to a rigid SDR35 fitting? My pvc primer and glue say they are for "all pipe schedules and classes".

Thanks,
RF

Click to expand...

You usually aren't cutting off a bell end of that pipe. That is wasteful. Work from the other end to obtain shorter lengths. Anyway, a lot of drainage is not going to be glued together, such as with corrugated plastic drain pipe. One way to make up odd corner angles is with several 1/8 or 1/16 elbows put together.

Can't explain the problem. But if the pipe is styrene, it won't glue. You just press them together, and if necessary use the 20mil pipe tape to secure.

pvc

SDR and flexible PVC are different sizes so you need an adapter bushing to make them work together.

jimbo:
The pipe is pvc, and so are the fittings. I do need some tape for securing the connection of the old PE pipe to the new pvc fittings, what is the stuff you mentioned called? Is it better than silicone?

hj:
So 3" flexible pvc won't fit into my 3" pvc fittings?

By the way, any idea where I can get 3" flex pvc by the foot online? I can only find it in 100 foot coils locally.

Thanks,
RF

RF said:

jimbo:
The pipe is pvc, and so are the fittings. I do need some tape for securing the connection of the old PE pipe to the new pvc fittings, what is the stuff you mentioned called? Is it better than silicone?

hj:
So 3" flexible pvc won't fit into my 3" pvc fittings?

By the way, any idea where I can get 3" flex pvc by the foot online? I can only find it in 100 foot coils locally.

Thanks,
RF

Click to expand...

If you're talking about trying to fit the end of the pipe you cut next to the bell, forget that, or just get out the duck tape. Cutting a drain pipe by the bell is never correct procedure.

Hundred foot coils would probably be the corrugated drain pipe, and a different system entirely. Nothing there to glue. What are your drain grates? Different drains work with different pipes, or might need adapters.

hj:
Ok, I understand a little better now about the flex pvc. I called someone who sells it, and they said it fits schedule 40 or 80 pvc fittings, which I take it is not compatible size-wise with SDR35. I guess even though they are both nominal 3", the thickness of the pipe is different so the outside diameter is different.

You mentioned using an adapter bushing. Do you know if they make one for connecting schedule 40 to SDR35?

Thanks,
RF