Plumbing tips - layout

[Biff0rz]

Plumbing my sump soon from the tank - what's the best way to measure / mock all the parts before making final cuts? I have to Plumb through a wall so I want to measure 3x then cut. I was thinking of using doll rod or even paper towel tubes with some tape to mock it up. Ideas?

 

[glb]

Plumbing my sump soon from the tank - what's the best way to measure / mock all the parts before making final cuts? I have to Plumb through a wall so I want to measure 3x then cut. I was thinking of using doll rod or even paper towel tubes with some tape to mock it up. Ideas?

If you measure 3 times, I think you’d be ok to cut. When I built my sump I put everything together dry after I cut the pipes to make sure it fit before I glued anything. I’d also put in as many unions as you can. They allow adjustments to the plumbing once it’s installed, and they make maintenance a lot easier in the long run. Good luck!

 

[ZoWhat]

Totally agree that you should be confident in making cuts in walls and to your pipes.

But I think you're overthinking this.

Theres not a mistake you cant fix.

Cut the wall wrong = re-drywall it

Cut a pipe the wrong length = go back to HD and get a new pipe.

Make sure you prime (purple stuff) and glue all permanent pvc connections that wont move. ONLY AFTER YOU'VE CUT AND CONNECTED ALL PVC PIECESGluing avoids leaks and the gluing process

actually melts the pvc together for a strong bond.

.

 

[glb]

Also, when you cement stuff together, insert one piece into another and then twist them about 45 degrees. This helps prevent any leaks from gaps in the cement. Plus, I think you can get the purple primer in clear. The purple is for plumbing inspections so you can clearly see that something‘s been glued. I made a total mess with the purple primer and had to paint over it to make the plumbing presentable.

 

[ZoWhat]

The purple is for plumbing inspections so you can clearly see that something‘s been glued. I made a total mess with the purple primer and had to paint over it to make the plumbing presentable.

I hate to be a "Karen".....but purple primer is not just a dye to pass inspections

 

[RobB'z Reef]

I've always been a bit skeptical about 'dry' fitting because while in most cases, 1" is the approximate depth the pipe goes into most fittings, you can't achieve that depth in a dry state. When you properly add primer (clear or dyed) which softens the pipe and fitting as well as the glue you'll achieve that full depth where as dry you only get around 3/4" of it in my experience. So if your tolerances for assembly are pretty open that may be fine. However, if you are looking to be exact you may run into tolerance stacking issues, this is proportional to the number of connections you have between your start and end points. Just some thoughts to consider...

 

[KStatefan]

I hate to be a "Karen".....but purple primer is not just a dye to pass inspections

What is the difference between purple primer and clear primer?

 

[dbowman5]

I hate to be a "Karen".....but purple primer is not just a dye to pass inspections

good information but the post said that primer was available in clear which is what i use and it works well.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

What is the difference between purple primer and clear primer?

the color, to elaborate, they function the same. The dye is used to 'prove' to home inspectors that primer was used.

 

[ZoWhat]

Purple just ends up being the industry standard.....

What I'm trying to say is DONT skip using a primer whatever color it is.

Friend of mine bought into the folklore that the prime is only for Inspectors...he skipped the primer and just glued. 2 yrs later he had major leaks everywhere.

Dont skip the primer....it works with the glue/cement to MELT the pvc plastic together where the two chemicals meet


.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

Purple just ends up being the industry standard.....

What I'm trying to say is DONT skip using a primer whatever color it is.

Friend of mine bought into the folklore that the prime is only for Inspectors...he skipped the primer and just glued. 2 yrs later he had major leaks everywhere.

Dont skip the primer....it works with the glue/cement to MELT the pvc plastic together where the two chemicals meet


.

^^^ that, for reef tanks, just use the clear version. But as above, use it.

 

[Biff0rz]

Purple just ends up being the industry standard.....

What I'm trying to say is DONT skip using a primer whatever color it is.

Friend of mine bought into the folklore that the prime is only for Inspectors...he skipped the primer and just glued. 2 yrs later he had major leaks everywhere.

Dont skip the primer....it works with the glue/cement to MELT the pvc plastic together where the two chemicals meet


.

Ok, this is good information - I have not purchased primer, only the cement...where can I get clear primer? ie do they sell it locally at hardware stores?

 

[Biff0rz]

Totally agree that you should be confident in making cuts in walls and to your pipes.

But I think you're overthinking this.

Theres not a mistake you cant fix.

Cut the wall wrong = re-drywall it

Cut a pipe the wrong length = go back to HD and get a new pipe.

Make sure you prime (purple stuff) and glue all permanent pvc connections that wont move. ONLY AFTER YOU'VE CUT AND CONNECTED ALL PVC PIECESGluing avoids leaks and the gluing process

actually melts the pvc together for a strong bond.

.

I purchased some fancy orange piping which they don't sell locally

 

[Bret]

As has already been mentioned, don't rely on dry fitting for your measurements. It is difficult to get a dry pipe inserted as far as it will go once glued.
Best practice is to go one fitting and pipe section at a time. Measure - glue - measure - glue...
If you fit everything up dry and it expect it all to fit back up the same way after you take it apart and glue it, you will likely be disappointed.
Also, definitely use primer, and definitely use clear. It may be hard to find at HD, but plumbing or irrigation supply stores should have it, they will also have a much better selection of pipes and fittings.

 

[glb]

I hate to be a "Karen".....but purple primer is not just a dye to pass inspections

I didn’t say don’t use primer. You have to use primer before applying the cement. What I said was that you can buy clear primer to use with the cement.

 

[Bret]

Here’s a pic of mine for reference. All done one fitting/pipe at a time.

 

[takitaj]

Measure the distance between fittings, edge to edge. Then measure the inset of each fitting and add them all together to give the final length to cut the pipe. Always measure both fittings' inset because different brands and different types of fittings will be different. You should also sand a small bevel on each end of the pipe to get rid of any burrs.

*Use enough unions in the right places so you can remove the pipe later on for cleaning or whatever. You'll be glad you did!

 

[WVNed]

I dry fit it all up. Then I glue up the sections that are straight and then the corners.

 

[Bret]

Measure the distance between fittings, edge to edge. Then measure the inset of each fitting and add them all together to give the final length to cut the pipe. Always measure both fittings' inset because different brands and different types of fittings will be different. You should also sand a small bevel on each end of the pipe to get rid of any burrs.

Also, re-measure your pipes after you cut them. If you are using hand held pvc shears, there could easily be 1/4" variance.
I would suggest using a miter saw if you have one available, or at least a hack saw and a miter box. The saws will get you a nice square edge

 

[takitaj]

+1 for miter saw.

One more quick tip: Don't cheap out and use ball valves. After a while it'll be near impossible to operate them. Use gate valves. Also use the threaded valves with adapters if you have enough space. Someday down the road if you upgrade or want to re-do the plumbing you can re-use the valves and just get new adapters.