3000 ft house supply line help

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mr fixit

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I'm between a rock and a hard place. I'm asking for help from those with the knowledge.

I have to install a supply line from my water meter to my home which will be just shy of 3000 feet. I need to know what size line i need to install.

Some particulars; i have 30 acres in the county, there is no code requirement, and no inspection. I say that not as a good thing, or so that i can get away with anything, only to explain that it is what it is, and there is no oversight except for my own doing it right.

I am almost finished with a house on this property, it is a 3br, 2 bath house. I have kitchen sink, dishwaser, clothes washer, water heater, 3 vanity sinks, 2 toilets, and 2 outside hose connections. The meter is tapping into a 6" main, which I have been told has 65+psi. There is minimal, if any elevation change from meter to house, possibly 5-10 feet max increase. As i said, it will be just shy of 3000 feet.

I have done what research I can, and have a size of supply line in mind based on that research. But, I want to make sure, as much as I can.

So, what size do i put in?
 

mr fixit

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Actually, that is exactly the size I had in mind. The thing is, I have had more than a couple of people tell me I should use 2". They cant explain why, but they think is would be needed, or better, or...something. One of them was the guy at the supply house where I will be getting the pipe. Only explanation I got was, "well, if it was me...." Just made me doubt myself.
 

hj

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As a practical matter what is the maximum gpm flow you will have with ANY fixture/faucet? Once you reach the optimum size, then anything over that has limited benefits. Use 1 1/2".
 

Terry

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That far off the grid, it would be nice to have something large enough for fire protection. I would have to see something burn down because your incoming line was a smidge too small.
For my friend on a large piece of property, he installed a couple yard hydrants. Those things can really put out the water.
 

mr fixit

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Looks like the black poly SDR 9 in 1.5" all the way. 6 500' rolls. Time to break out the shovels.
 

Jadnashua

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It all depends on the max volume of water you want at any one time. The bigger the flow, the more friction, the bigger the pressure drop. There's a HUGE difference between having 35psi and 65psi at the house, especially if you ever want to water the lawn or the garden. One calculator I used showed at 10gpm, over 3000' of 1.5" line, the pressure drop would be 12.6psi. Throw in some fittings, and it could easily drop off some more. At 2", using the same calculator, the pressure drop was only 3.1psi. But, change the flow to 5gpm (about what you'd have filling a bathtub), and the pressure drop goes to 3.5psi. Conversely, try filling the tub, a WM, and watering the plants, and your flow might try to go to say 26.7psi, or a dropoff of more than double when it was only 10gpm on a 1.5" pipe.

So, it all comes down to max volume and what your tolerance is. Being out in the boonies, possibly far from the nearest fire department, I'd want all the pressure I could get and the biggest volume.
 

hj

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Unless he has a fire sprinkler system in the house, the 1" meter would limit how much "fire suppression" he could do. A swimming pool and a gas powered pump with a hose would be better for that.
 

Terry

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1" meter would limit how much "fire suppression"

Not for an inhome fire protecton scheme, more for watering down the vegatation around the home in case of a forest fire. Though if you have a roaring fire, it's doubtfull that it would help much.
 

mr fixit

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Not for an inhome fire protecton scheme, more for watering down the vegatation around the home in case of a forest fire. Though if you have a roaring fire, it's doubtfull that it would help much.

DSC_0057.jpg
Forest fires aren't a concern, grass fires that burn 100's of acres at a time are. I'm in North Texas. Rural land, volunteer Fire Department, water restrictions keep you from watering plants often.

One of the options I looked into for potable water was rain water collection; gutters, downspouts, and multi-thousand gallon tanks to store it in. That was when the water company wanted me to pay $15,000 to run a water line. The 3000' line solved that issue for much less.
Although I am considering the collection set up for watering the lawn and garden and having a source for fire protection.
 
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