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Name this plumbing fitting!

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markyfly

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ImageUploadedByTapatalk1438219043.497453.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1438219200.112170.jpg

So I've wanted to make up a fitting to attach an air line from my compressor in place of my water meter to blow out the water lines at our vacation property for winter. However I don't have a foggiest idea of what this kind of union is called, Anybody?
 
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SJR033

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I sell those parts. We call it a "meter coupling" but I have heard others call it, "meter ******" or "meter spud" or "meter adapter" or "meter pig tail"


Note: The side that connects to the meter is NOT standard pipe thread.
 
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CNGsaves

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Is all that below grade in hole that keeps it from freezing ??

WHERE are you located, is it really necessary to blow out 100% of all underground water all the way back to meter ??

Why can't you add blow-out port on the house side after you turn off waterflow at meter?? Also add drain port on house side (likely in basement that can dump in floor drain). Likely most of that below-grade water will flow out with gravity, and with the compressed air you'd get 100% of that water out (not sure if that's necessary though).

Sometimes the shutoff at meter isn't all that great anyway and leaks past the shutoff. Likely better solution to let all that flow out with gravity (or help w/ compressed air) and just let that below-grade line stay "open" to the drain port.

You'd obviously blow out all in pipes within the house which is where your REAL RISK of frozen water pipes can cause damage.
 
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TheEquineFencer

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markyfly said:
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1438219043.497453.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1438219200.112170.jpg

So I've wanted to make up a fitting to attach an air line from my compressor in place of my water meter to blow out the water lines at our vacation property for winter. However I don't have a foggiest idea of what this kind of union is called, Anybody?
Click to expand...

I'd call it George...

Sorry it's hot out here...LOL
 
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markyfly

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Highbeam said:
The water company won't be happy with you pulling their meter. It looks like you are installing a jumper to steal water.
Click to expand...


If I don't remove the meter in the winter it'll freeze and burst and then they'll make me pay for a new one
 
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markyfly

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CNGsaves said:
Is all that below grade in hole that keeps it from freezing ??



WHERE are you located, is it really necessary to blow out 100% of all underground water all the way back to meter ??



Why can't you add blow-out port on the house side after you turn off waterflow at meter?? Also add drain port on house side (likely in basement that can dump in floor drain). Likely most of that below-grade water will flow out with gravity, and with the compressed air you'd get 100% of that water out (not sure if that's necessary though).



Sometimes the shutoff at meter isn't all that great anyway and leaks past the shutoff. Likely better solution to let all that flow out with gravity (or help w/ compressed air) and just let that below-grade line stay "open" to the drain port.



You'd obviously blow out all in pipes within the house which is where your REAL RISK of frozen water pipes can cause damage.
Click to expand...


Yes the point is to blow out all the pipes on the property. I just figured at the meter was the easiest place to start.

I will also let the house gravity drain but In the past this doesn't always work as not all the copped piping in necessarily slopped down to drain so I figured blowing out the pipes couldn't hurt!

I'm in northern Ontario and we get frost 3 feet into the ground... Although I've never had the under ground water feed line rupture, again it couldn't hurt

There is no basement to the building, the copper pipe just hangs below the floor joists.
 
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TheEquineFencer

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markyfly said:
If I don't remove the meter in the winter it'll freeze and burst and then they'll make me pay for a new one
Click to expand...

Around here, North Carolina, most of our meters are in the ground in a "waterbox." If anything happens before the meter it's the utility problem, after the meter it's out problem. Why is it above ground? How are everyone else's meters around/near it mounted?
 
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markyfly

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TheEquineFencer said:
Around here, North Carolina, most of our meters are in the ground in a "waterbox." If anything happens before the meter it's the utility problem, after the meter it's out problem. Why is it above ground? How are everyone else's meters around/near it mounted?
Click to expand...


Honestly I have not gone snooping to see what the neighbours set up is like, but that's how the township installed it when we switched to metered water, I can only guess the neighbors are the same.... Unless they paid more for a buried meter. In the suburbs the water meter are usually inside the building to keep them warm with a contact mounted outside that they use to read it.

Just before the meter there's a gate valve I installed and then you there's the curb valve . down 3 feet. I have a curb key (yes I'm sure they don't appreciate home owners having these, but when it takes 2 days for someone to show up and close it 'in an emergency' i purchased my own on Amazon) and shut it off there in the fall and remove the meter
 
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markyfly

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SJR033 said:
I sell those parts. We call it a "meter coupling" but I have heard others call it, "meter ******" or "meter spud" or "meter adapter" or "meter pig tail"


Note: The side that connects to the meter is NOT standard pipe thread.
Click to expand...


Got a link?
 
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CNGsaves

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Wow, sounds like you're doing a lot of work every year, because the township has sub-standard water system subject to freezing . . ie ABOVE frost line !! :eyecrazy:

Heck, since you're shutting off water (ie the protected portion under frost line) with the "curb key" then effectively OP is doing the township's work every year to prevent THEIR meter from freezing (since above ground) !!! Going the extra nine yards and removing the meter to prevent that portion of line from freezing is again extra unpaid work OP is doing for the township !!

What OP really needs is blow out port IN-LINE in the buried portion ahead of the meter (BELOW frost line) but after the curb shut-off valve !! Thus another curb key shutoff in T that leads to pipe above ground that OP could blow out the entire system. NOT going to happen as township won't let you touch that portion of waterline.

OP is right on track with what he's doing . . . but ALL FOR FREE (that should have been done by township on their nickel) !! :D

Carry on . . . . and OP you're waaaaaay too nice of a guy doing all that for free.
 
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markyfly

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CNGsaves said:
Wow, sounds like you're doing a lot of work every year, because the township has sub-standard water system subject to freezing . . ie ABOVE frost line !! :eyecrazy:

Heck, since you're shutting off water (ie the protected portion under frost line) with the "curb key" then effectively OP is doing the township's work every year to prevent THEIR meter from freezing (since above ground) !!! Going the extra nine yards and removing the meter to prevent that portion of line from freezing is again extra unpaid work OP is doing for the township !!

What OP really needs is blow out port IN-LINE in the buried portion ahead of the meter (BELOW frost line) but after the curb shut-off valve !! Thus another curb key shutoff in T that leads to pipe above ground that OP could blow out the entire system. NOT going to happen as township won't let you touch that portion of waterline.

OP is right on track with what he's doing . . . but ALL FOR FREE (that should have been done by township on their nickel) !! :D

Carry on . . . . and OP you're waaaaaay too nice of a guy doing all that for free.
Click to expand...


I can't seem to find the male version of the meter coupling stub... So I'll just get the female stub and attach that to the inlet side of the meter and start blowing from there. Hopefully that won't make the meter spin too much!

And yes I'm usually waaay to nice about doing other people's work for them, which may be why I'm always in demand at work, and that means lots of overtime for me!
 
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SJR033

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zmaxmotorsports

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Id just pull the meter and leave it out for the winter.Then Id go from faucet to faucet and remove the water line from each stop valve in the house and blow air back through the stop valves with a compressor and a blow gun till you've got no more water.
Id dump about a 1/2 gallon or so of rv anti freeze in each fixture trap and call it good.
Ive winterized many houses this same way over the years with out a problem.;)
 
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