Draining an uphill waterline?

[glennm]

I have a 1 1/2” waterline that runs uphill about 15 ft to a barn about 400 ‘ away. I need to drain it, can I push it uphill with a compressor? There is no option for a drain on the downhill side.

 

[cvairwerks]

If there is no option for draining it on the lower end, pressurizing it from the upper end isn't going to do anything in reality. Probably need to reconfigure the lower end to install a drain valve if it needs to bedrained more than once.

 

[larry_g]

If you have a port to get compressed air in the pipe why can't you drain from that port?

When I have to drain lines I shut off the water supply and then open all the spigots and let the water drain from the high points to the low ones.

lg

 

[glennm]

There is a lot of water in the line and a backflow valve installed. No drain in the basement so if I open the line it will be a big mess that’s hard to control. I have a shutoff but it is on the pump side of the backflow valve.

 

[PCustoms]

Going to need a fairly large compressor....

Is the basement finished?

Might have to bite the bullet and then install a "T" and a valve downstream of the check valve.

 

[cvairwerks]

That's what a big bucket is for.....

 

[Jim greengo]

Big shop vac.

 

[Shiftless]

That's what a big bucket is for.....

YES
Doing the math, I get about 37 gallons of water in 400 feet of inch and a half pipe. That’s about 10 trips up the stairs from the basement with a plastic bucket mostly full. Sounds doable to me.
But not by just unscrewing a fitting and letting it rip.

You really need to install a tee and a valve to gravity drain it in a controlled manner.

 

[cvairwerks]

Just need to unscrew the fitting enough to make it leak out. Use a couple of buckets and let one fill while dumping the other, or drop in a cheap sump pump and turn it on and off as the bucket level rises.

Lots of ways to do things.

 

[PopcornSutton]

Can you cut a tee in between the backflow and the shutoff valve? If the valve and backflow holds, you shouldn't make much of a mess. With a tee in, a compressor can blow the line. Your pump moves water at 50-60 PSI, the compressor has to have that much pressure at least. At some point some water will sneak by, but the majority should blow out.

 

[Shiftless]

You could also freeze a section of the pipe stopping the back flow and quickly install a tee and valve before it thaws.

 

[HoosierMark]

open tha valve with a bucket under it. Set a sump pump in bucket and pump it out to a drain.

 

[mike93lx]

That size line is going to need a big compressor....like a towable diesel

 

[ybnormal]

alternative option:
locate the line outside the house where it runs from basement to barn. cut line, install new valve and stub drain line

 

[The Cobbler]

do you need this once or multiple times? I would add a Tee & a hose bib to the inside lower section as mentioned above. .
draining then would be easy .
to keep the mess down while doing the install , a tag team with one on a shop vac & the other end to allow air in at the low end while sucking the water out would be possible.

 

[mm08822]

Pics of the low point would help with options.

As already asked, is this a onetime need?

 

[no704]

Feed your compressed air line down from the top to the bottom with a sloppy rag seal on it?

 

[chinboys]

You didn't specify what type or the material of the pipe.

I would use a vampire or saddle piercing valve to punch a hole that now has a valve for you to control bleed\drain your line.

 

[PCustoms]

You didn't specify what type or the material of the pipe.

I would use a vampire or saddle piercing valve to punch a hole that now has a valve for you to control bleed\drain your line.

That's not a bad idea, at least to get it drained.

You can always cut it and put proper fittings once it's dry

 

[firebirdparts]

That’s a big line, you don’t have anything at your house big enough to blow that out.

 

[glennm]

To answer a few questions, we only needed to do this to replace the backflow valve and fittings The original galvanized fitting sprung a leak and flooded a section of the basement. The pipe to the barn is plastic and it is buried about 6 ft down so, putting a “t” in outside the house would be a waste. To update the situation, I got the bucket brigade ready and opened the line only to find out that it had already drained out during the initial flood so, I was spared the job of making a huge mess. Replaced the fittings, opened the line and all is well. Thanks for all of the responses, its great to be able to ask a question and get so much help !

 

[coldh2o]

To answer a few questions, we only needed to do this to replace the backflow valve and fittings The original galvanized fitting sprung a leak and flooded a section of the basement. The pipe to the barn is plastic and it is buried about 6 ft down so, putting a “t” in outside the house would be a waste. To update the situation, I got the bucket brigade ready and opened the line only to find out that it had already drained out during the initial flood so, I was spared the job of making a huge mess. Replaced the fittings, opened the line and all is well. Thanks for all of the responses, its great to be able to ask a question and get so much help !

Glad it worked out.

Did you reconfigure to make it easier to drain next time?

 

[The Cobbler]

would have been a good time to plumb in a hose bib for future service work .