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Help with downspout adapter please.

ive

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Joined
Mar 8, 2011
Messages
1,532
Location
Canada
Hi all.

Running some 4” pvc from the downspout. A 2x3 adapter is too small amd a 4x3 is too big. I can’t find any 3x3 as that’s what I need.

Any ideas?

thank you.
 

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SpiderDave

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Feb 17, 2018
Messages
207
If it were me and I was out of options, I'd just make one. Buy a PVC adapter for the pipe your connecting to, the one that takes the water away from the house. Then buy an adapter for that which bumps it up to a larger size you need to connect to the metal 3" spout. You're going to form the round end into a square shape for the 3" pipe so you can determine what size round will be enough to make that square using a cloth measuring tape for sewing, was the easiest for me. If you have BBQ grill, fire it up and have yourself a PVC marshmallow roast on a stick and keep rotating. Elongated needle nose pliers or vise grips will help keep control over the piece. Only until it gets soft though, not scorched. It's better to heat it slow than quick, be patient. Ahead of time, I'd be ready with a vice and two blocks of wood to form it quickly before it cools. Squeeze it with the vice and use the blocks of wood to flatten the sides and wait a minute for it to cool or use an air compressor hose for super fast cooling - might be best with two people. If you don't have a vice that big them two boards squeezing with a loop of rope or a nailed hinge block at one end will work too. Am I making sense? Probably not, but hopefully you can pick through that and find something useful. LOL!

I've done this before yrs back, it works. Get an extra or two to experiment and get the feel first. You can always return them. Or experiment with some scrap pipe if you have to get the feel of how it reacts first. You may have to stack two to get the opening you need. It's been a while but I remember it came out good. I bend PVC and Plastic conduit that way all the time for projects where I need a gentle bend or to follow a contour, I use a big plumbing torch usually. But for a big or thick piece, a BBQ will heat it better and all at once more evenly.

Like I said, do it gradually, be patient. When it's ready it'll happen quickly so be alert. You don't have to get it molten or melt it, just softer. It will be hot, wear gloves. Oh and I remember putting a piece of cut off pipe in the other round end to keep it true so it wasn't distorted by my tinkering. Might wanna do something along that lines too. If nothing is available perhaps you could jig saw out a piece of plywood or something for a plug? Just giving you ideas here. Someone no doubt has a better option like a rubber boot joiner or something but if all else fails,.. this is my 2 pennies in a pinch. (y)
 

Sumboodie

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Joined
Mar 20, 2021
Messages
10,762
Location
AK
Call your local gutter guy. He'll whip something up easy... at least the guy I use can. I swear he could build a car with gutter materials.
 
OP
I

ive

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Joined
Mar 8, 2011
Messages
1,532
Location
Canada
Call your local gutter guy. He'll whip something up easy... at least the guy I use can. I swear he could build a car with gutter
If it were me and I was out of options, I'd just make one. Buy a PVC adapter for the pipe your connecting to, the one that takes the water away from the house. Then buy an adapter for that which bumps it up to a larger size you need to connect to the metal 3" spout. You're going to form the round end into a square shape for the 3" pipe so you can determine what size round will be enough to make that square using a cloth measuring tape for sewing, was the easiest for me. If you have BBQ grill, fire it up and have yourself a PVC marshmallow roast on a stick and keep rotating. Elongated needle nose pliers or vise grips will help keep control over the piece. Only until it gets soft though, not scorched. It's better to heat it slow than quick, be patient. Ahead of time, I'd be ready with a vice and two blocks of wood to form it quickly before it cools. Squeeze it with the vice and use the blocks of wood to flatten the sides and wait a minute for it to cool or use an air compressor hose for super fast cooling - might be best with two people. If you don't have a vice that big them two boards squeezing with a loop of rope or a nailed hinge block at one end will work too. Am I making sense? Probably not, but hopefully you can pick through that and find something useful. LOL!

I've done this before yrs back, it works. Get an extra or two to experiment and get the feel first. You can always return them. Or experiment with some scrap pipe if you have to get the feel of how it reacts first. You may have to stack two to get the opening you need. It's been a while but I remember it came out good. I bend PVC and Plastic conduit that way all the time for projects where I need a gentle bend or to follow a contour, I use a big plumbing torch usually. But for a big or thick piece, a BBQ will heat it better and all at once more evenly.

Like I said, do it gradually, be patient. When it's ready it'll happen quickly so be alert. You don't have to get it molten or melt it, just softer. It will be hot, wear gloves. Oh and I remember putting a piece of cut off pipe in the other round end to keep it true so it wasn't distorted by my tinkering. Might wanna do something along that lines too. If nothing is available perhaps you could jig saw out a piece of plywood or something for a plug? Just giving you ideas here. Someone no doubt has a better option like a rubber boot joiner or something but if all else fails,.. this is my 2 pennies in a pinch. (y)
I didn’t k ow about this. Thank you.
 
OP
I

ive

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Joined
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Messages
1,532
Location
Canada
Gentlemen. This is how far I’ve come. Do you guys think I need to put glue on?
 

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slow84lx

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Plano, TX
Lowe's in my area has the adapter that you need. I recently routed one of my downspouts in a very similar way using 4" PVC pipe. The pipe to downspout adapter was available for 3" & 4' PVC pipe. Worked great, was easy to install, and inexpensive.
 
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OP
I

ive

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Joined
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Messages
1,532
Location
Canada
Lowe's in my area has the adapter that you need. I recently routed one of my downspouts in a very similar way using 4" PVC pipe. The pipe to downspout adapter was available for 3" & 4' PVC pipe. Worked great, was easy to install, and inexpensive.
I couldn’t find the 3x3x4 in stock.
 

dcg9381

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Joined
Jun 20, 2018
Messages
11,927
Location
Austin, TX
I had some "odd" downspouts on my shop - too large for most adapters. Ended up getting a piece of PVC and cutting my own.
 

bamawildcat

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Joined
Jul 12, 2014
Messages
148
I'd glue it. You don't want a joint leaking and making a mini-sinkhole before you have caught it. Above ground level, I was extra careful to make the joint not look like the typical purple/blue mess typically seen for a good solid connection.
 

Miss the Pontiacs

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Nov 7, 2016
Messages
16,540
Location
Saskatchewan Canada
Where in Canada do you live? Is it susceptible to freezing? Where does this water end up? If it freezes and the water backs up in the pipe the pipe will expand and crack and will be a great project to tear out. Don’t ask me how I know!☹️
 

SRU1436

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Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
571
Location
Bay Area, CA
I don’t live in an environment where it snows so I don’t have to deal with freezing like the OP. My only concern with glueing it is the ability to take it apart later for modifications or for unknown work that may need to be done in that area where you’d need to dismantle it.

As an example, I put unions on all my sprinkler valves so I can work on them or replace them down the road, that way I’m not cutting and regulating a bunch of stuff.
I could be over thinking it.

🤷‍♂️
 
OP
I

ive

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Messages
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Location
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Understood gentlemen.

Next question I have is do I put on a pop up drain emitter or grate on top of the dry well.

Thank you.
 

SRU1436

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Joined
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Messages
571
Location
Bay Area, CA
Understood gentlemen.

Next question I have is do I put on a pop up drain emitter or grate on top of the dry well.

Thank you.
What does that area look like? I have grates, my downspout drains go all the way to the curb line. I live in a residential area.

My concern with pop ups would be if they get obstructed or something covers the top without your knowledge and then you have a backup at the down spout. Ive seen that with my neighbor.

I am by no means an expert, just what’s worked and not worked for me.
 

bamawildcat

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Joined
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Messages
148
What does that area look like? I have grates, my downspout drains go all the way to the curb line. I live in a residential area.

My concern with pop ups would be if they get obstructed or something covers the top without your knowledge and then you have a backup at the down spout. Ive seen that with my neighbor.

I am by no means an expert, just what’s worked and not worked for me.
I had a pop up drain on my sump pump. One day my neighbor was kind enough to mow my grass. As he was going over the pop-up, the sump pump was discharging. The pop-up became an open drain as the emitter was turned into plastic mulch.
 

SRU1436

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Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
571
Location
Bay Area, CA
I had a pop up drain on my sump pump. One day my neighbor was kind enough to mow my grass. As he was going over the pop-up, the sump pump was discharging. The pop-up became an open drain as the emitter was turned into plastic mulch.
that *****, but that was nice of your neighbor.
 
OP
I

ive

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Joined
Mar 8, 2011
Messages
1,532
Location
Canada
What does that area look like? I have grates, my downspout drains go all the way to the curb line. I live in a residential area.

My concern with pop ups would be if they get obstructed or something covers the top without your knowledge and then you have a backup at the down spout. Ive seen that with my neighbor.

I am by no means an expert, just what’s worked and not worked for me.
It’s gonna be grass.
 
OP
I

ive

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Joined
Mar 8, 2011
Messages
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Location
Canada
Thank you.

And a big thank you to all for helping me out. Much appreciated.
 
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