ucw458 Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 There's a 3/4" copper water pipe coming out of the ground in my side yard. One foot up there's a shutoff and then the backyard sprinkler valves. At ground level before the shutoff something is dissolving the pipe. I've been here 4 years and this is the third time it has leaked. Any flux from the initial install was washed away years ago. I've fixed it twice with HVAC silver solder. (no flux) But the side of the pipe keeps corroding right at ground level. Tonite I found it leaking again. I put a piece of hose and some hose clamps around it as a temp stop leak. But I'm annoyed it's leaking again. Anyone know what may be causing this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy larry Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 My quess is a dog keeps lifting his leg on it, (very corrosive) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 grounding problems can cause this. copper service lines often get pitted and eroded when there is a constant current run though them to equalize a ground plain issue in the area around your home [if your own ground is poorly made or not in a conductive soil]. might also be the PH of the soil, or dog piss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 What's the purpose for that pipe? If non, just plug it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ucw458 Posted February 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 I don't have any dogs. As far as I know this pipe loops around the house and goes to the main on the front of the house. From what I can tell it's 3 feet of copper near the surface and the rest is PVC underground. The copper stub comes out of the ground, to a shutoff, then back underground over to the sprinkler valves. Out of the valves is PVC. It doesn't rot the copper by the sprinkler valves 2 feet away. Only the line coming in before the shutoff. I didn't build this setup. It was here when I moved in. I would have done it a little different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holeysocks Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 electrolysis,, something is grounded to the water pipes or if you have an electric water heater it has a bad elenent and it is grounding thru this pipe ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott87star Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 Fertilizer, it rots copper really quickly. Replace it with PVC or black iron or galvanized, even if the iron pipe continues to oxidize its so much thicker than copper tube that it won't leak in your lifetime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 deff go pcv all the way , even in area's that freeze copper gets colder faster then pcv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jszucs Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 (edited) I'm going with it's a mix between chems applied and on the ground and electricty. ether from the house, and or possible lightning ground? Ether way I would first check the house the main ground, and I bet it's not the best conenction in the world causing it to ground anywhere else it touches ground. More details also very important. Concave (for anyone going to really use it most important) and hopfully a modern design. Next Mellow? then looks. Edited February 29, 2012 by jszucs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turborusty Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 electrolysis,, something is grounded to the water pipes or if you have an electric water heater it has a bad elenent and it is grounding thru this pipe ?? Aye^^^^ Turborusty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 Jeff, let that sucker burst and call the Lanlord and water and power. Landlord to fix it, water and power to let em know you had a leak and need a discount on that water bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 if the feed to that pipe is plastic al the way, then goes metal just before poking out of the ground, that little bit of copper that touches the ground is now a ground rod at that point. They used to use metal water pipes as ground rods before the advent of plastic. Worked great cause you were connected to a metalic grid of gorund for many blocks worth of piping via the water main and all your neighbors. Now you only have that little bit of copper making contact in your back yard, but the same current load on it. Pound a metal rod into some damp/wet ground a few feet deep about 10-20' feet from this water pipe and measure the voltage difference between it and your leaky pipe. If there is more than a volt or two AC, you found your problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts