# Main water line



## ckc (Sep 19, 2012)

Hi, I need to replace my main going into the house from the meter. I will be using 60 ft  of 3/4 poly line as that is what is there now. I have patched it but
the line has busted three times in the last 5 years so this time is replacement.

I do not want to dig tru my yard and I have heard of pulling the new line in as you pull the old one out.

Dig a hole at the meter and one at the house  disconnect both and with a nipple inserted into the old line at the house, then the new line (thus connecting them) and drill tru the line and nipple and place two bolts in each side.  (pluging the new line first) Then using a wench or a tractor/ truck pull the old line out and at same time the new line in. Also maybe using sopy water as lube?

Any ideas as to if this will work or suggestions??
Thanks


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## nealtw (Sep 20, 2012)

There are outfits that do this, I haven't heard of people doing it themselves. If you have had a failing pipe, will it be strong enough to pull a new one? And welcome.


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## Wuzzat? (Sep 20, 2012)

You will need to pull almost exactly in a horizontal direction and you will need a tension meter so you don't overstress the pipes as you pull them.

If there is a lot of friction between the outer surface of the old pipe and the soil and if the old pipe is perfectly straight you may be able to break this loose by rotating the pipe in place before pulling, but you may need to limit the torque used to do this for the same reason as above.  
Applying a twisting force to both ends at the same time may help with this.

Is your soil clayey or sandy or what?  The technique may need tweaking depending on what you're dealing with.


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## ckc (Sep 20, 2012)

N Carolina  red dirt.  line is fairly strait. I have a driveway directly opposite the meter in a strait line, well almost.  Maybe a cable inserted tru old pipe and attached to nipple?


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## Wuzzat? (Sep 20, 2012)

ckc said:


> N Carolina  red dirt.  line is fairly strait. I have a driveway directly opposite the meter in a strait line, well almost.  Maybe a cable inserted tru old pipe and attached to nipple?


Yeah, that would solve the problem of overstretching the pipe.  
Just be careful.  
Do not stand near any steel cable that is under tension in the open air.
Maybe try a comealong because you have more control over the force exerted.

On the other hand, depending on the depth, if you peeled it out of the ground by pulling vertically on one end, burying the new pipe might not be that difficult since the soil would then be loose and uncompacted.  
My WaCo guy told me that nobody really knows how deep my water line is buried.


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## Shawner (Sep 21, 2012)

I've used this in the past:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003FWILEC/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Run the cable through the head, run the cable through the pipe, attach the new pipe to the pipe slice head and pull through.  As you pull it through (we've used a pickup truck and a snatch block with a slow continuous pull), it bursts the old pipe and replaces it with new.  

Only thing to note, this might not be the best solution if the leaks in your old line are due to poor bedding (rocks against the pipe, etc).  Then you'd just be putting your new line against the same bedding and probably ending up with the same problems


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## ckc (Sep 21, 2012)

My line has only broken within 5-7 feet of the meter. The first time it broke I was careful to remove any rocks when I recovered the line, and I had dug under the line also checking for rocks. Not real rocky here anyway.   this last leak was an inch long slit which is consistant  with a pressure burst I have been told and found no rocks near pipe.
I filled both holes with water and it drained down (slowly) where the line went in to the ground towards the center. We have had a good bit of rain and the ground is very moist.   I shall try it and let you know.


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## ckc (Sep 28, 2012)

Did not work. Line and cable snapped before the line even moved.   went to back up  
plan....  dig dig dig     thanks for the help guys.


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## nealtw (Sep 28, 2012)

Sorry to hear that, good luck with the dig.


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## Wuzzat? (Sep 28, 2012)

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## Wuzzat? (Sep 29, 2012)

ckc said:


> Did not work. Line and cable snapped before the line even moved.   went to back up
> plan....  dig dig dig     thanks for the help guys.


What diameter line?  At least we will know what line is too small for this.
1/4" steel breaks at 3 tons.


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## nealtw (Oct 1, 2012)

Would have been better to fish the cable thru the old pipe to the new pipe and some kind of cutter to split the old pipe.


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