Frost Free Hydrant...good brand?

[Stainless]

What’s a good and durable brand of these?

 

[RiverDave]

Is that like a little pump or something?

 

[Headless hula]

Is that like a little pump or something?

the handle on top is connected to a rod that runs down the inside of the pipe, to a valve thats buried below the frostline. there is a drain that lets the water empty out of the vertical pipe when its not in use. saves from having to drain or blow out outside water lines in cold climates. like Wiscaaaaaaaaaaaaaaansin...

 

[Stainless]

Is that like a little pump or something?

What HH said, takes the place of a water spigot.
In my case it gets into the 20’s occasionally and I have to wrap the faucet and riser and these don’t need to be protected, at least in my case they wouldn’t.

 

[RiverDave]

the handle on top is connected to a rod that runs down the inside of the pipe, to a valve thats buried below the frostline. there is a drain that lets the water empty out of the vertical pipe when its not in use. saves from having to drain or blow out outside water lines in cold climates. like Wiscaaaaaaaaaaaaaaansin...

Gotcha..

 

[Headless hula]

What HH said, takes the place of a water spigot.
In my case it gets into the 20’s occasionally and I have to wrap the faucet and riser and these don’t need to be protected, at least in my case they wouldn’t.

yea... here they get buried at least 8' deep...

 

[Stainless]

yea... here they get buried at least 8' deep...

Do you know of a good brand? Reviews are kinda all over the place.

 

[Headless hula]

i wish i had something for you. i honestly haven't heard of anyone having issues with them.

 

[Stainless]

i wish i had something for you. i honestly haven't heard of anyone having issues with them.

Ok, I looked at them at Tractor Supply and Amazon. Thanks!

 

[lbhsbz]

the handle on top is connected to a rod that runs down the inside of the pipe, to a valve thats buried below the frostline. there is a drain that lets the water empty out of the vertical pipe when its not in use. saves from having to drain or blow out outside water lines in cold climates. like Wiscaaaaaaaaaaaaaaansin...

What's a frostline? I imagine its something I'd likely have to change out of my shorts and flip flops to deal with... amIright?

 

[Flying_Lavey]

What's a frostline? I imagine its something I'd likely have to change out of my shorts and flip flops to deal with... amIright?

That was that line that formed on Dave's driveway last "winter".

 

[Headless hula]

Ice. Just for reference.

 

[Sleek-Jet]

Ok, I looked at them at Tractor Supply and Amazon. Thanks!

There is a Tractor Supply store up in Marana, I'd go up there and ask.

I wrapped my pipes in an old blanket in the winter. Never did have a freezing issue except for the one time I didn't put the blanket on them.

 

[Stainless]

There is a Tractor Supply store up in Marana, I'd go up there and ask.

I wrapped my pipes in an old blanket in the winter. Never did have a freezing issue except for the one time I didn't put the blanket on them.

We have one in Green Valley now, can you believe that?
I was in it yesterday and they have better prices than Amazon but I don’t know about the quality.
My motivation is not to have to wrap them every year.
We’re you still here the year SW Gas ran out of gas and there were hundreds of broken pipes in Tucson?
I’m at a higher elevation so we see colder temps, not unusual to have low 20’s and occasional teens.

 

[Gramps]

I have 5 of 'em all Merrill brand. they work good and can be rebuilt.

 

[Sleek-Jet]

We have one in Green Valley now, can you believe that?
I was in it yesterday and they have better prices than Amazon but I don’t know about the quality.
My motivation is not to have to wrap them every year.
We’re you still here the year SW Gas ran out of gas and there were hundreds of broken pipes in Tucson?
I’m at a higher elevation so we see colder temps, not unusual to have low 20’s and occasional teens.

Yep, that's the only time my outside pipes froze, because I didn't think of wrapping them. I had neighbors that had thrown blankets over their exposed pipes and the pipes didn't freeze. We lived up by the Tortolita's, the house was right around 3000 feet elevation, so it got below freezing quite a few times, though never as cold as that one night. Our heat stayed on at least, we were upstream of the shut off.

 

[Stainless]

I have 5 of 'em all Merrill brand. they work good and can be rebuilt.

Thanks Gramps!

 

[Gelcoater]

What's a frostline? I imagine its something I'd likely have to change out of my shorts and flip flops to deal with... amIright?

Yep

Only frost lines I want to deal with are on my mug when I pull it from the freezer.

 

[Bobby V]

Yep

Only frost lines I want to deal with are on my mug when I pull it from the freezer.

Why do you put your head in the freezer....

 

[Gelcoater]

Why do you put your head in the freezer....

Because it's F#%^g hot outside, and I don't have a pool.

 

[JDKRXW]

Yep, that's the only time my outside pipes froze, because I didn't think of wrapping them. I had neighbors that had thrown blankets over their exposed pipes and the pipes didn't freeze. We lived up by the Tortolita's, the house was right around 3000 feet elevation, so it got below freezing quite a few times, though never as cold as that one night. Our heat stayed on at least, we were upstream of the shut off.

If you've got a day or 2 of cold temps and your're worried about the lines freezing/cracking -- just leave the the valve open with the water dribbling (a little more than a fast drip). Water won't freeze in the pipe/valve if it's moving - at the temps you guys are talking about.
If you know what you're doing, you can have water lines laying on the ground when it's really cold as long as there's some flow.