Handy Plumbing Tips

[leveldrummer]

Here is a tip no one ever thinks about, have a handful of extra pipe, elbows, couplers and other random parts in a box at all times, you never know when something may go wrong and you need to do an emergency fix, and having parts on hand is way easier then running to homedepot at 9 at night because you accidentally bumped something and broke a fitting.

 

[m0nkie]

Here is a tip no one ever thinks about, have a handful of extra pipe, elbows, couplers and other random parts in a box at all times, you never know when something may go wrong and you need to do an emergency fix, and having parts on hand is way easier then running to homedepot at 9 at night because you accidentally bumped something and broke a fitting.

+1

I drove to HD over 10 times in a single weekend..spend the extra $20 and buy extra fittings, couplers and pipes

 

[RVANANO]

Best investment I've made was one of the ratcheting PVC cutters, especially when making all the cuts needed to plumb in a whole system.

Always measure twice before putting glue on pipes, or skip this step and buy a bunch of extra couplings.

Agreed.

Great post btw, OP!

 

[SloppyJ]

Gate Valves > Ball Valves

 

[Metal Man 1221]

Here is a tip no one ever thinks about, have a handful of extra pipe, elbows, couplers and other random parts in a box at all times, you never know when something may go wrong and you need to do an emergency fix, and having parts on hand is way easier then running to homedepot at 9 at night because you accidentally bumped something and broke a fitting.

+2

This is always learned the hard way

 

[MorgueMD]

+1 on a quality pair of PVC cutters. Miter saw is messy. Yes cut can sometimes curve a small amount but as long as you start the cut square, rarely is it a significant amount.

 

[E.Rude]

Do you guys prefer slip X slip bulkheads or slip X thread bulkheads? I like the slip X threaded myself... I tend to put a union as close to the bulkhead as possible so I can disconnect and spin the plumbing onto/from the bulkhead easily.

 

[Egkid]

How long do you guys water test your plumbing before deeming it leak free?

 

[Kyle918]

How long do you guys water test your plumbing before deeming it leak free?

I went one full week. But I also work full time mon-fri so it was easiest to leak test starting on the weekend and wait until the following weekend when I had time to drain, and be home for the RO/DI fill which took 26 hours.

 

[m0nkie]

How long do you guys water test your plumbing before deeming it leak free?

i'm not sure if mine is the right way, but PVC cement dries in minutes.. if it doesn't leak at first, I don't see why it would leak later.. unless you bumped into the piping.

I dry fitted my pieces, cemented it after, filled the tank in 48hrs.. let it sit for a day to check leaks, then started pouring salt inside.

and a BIG +1 on PVC cutter.. I was outside in the sun sawing off PVC pipes and scraping it on the floor to smooth out the ends.. my arms were gone at the end of the day...