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sizing water intake lines

 
pollinator
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Happily things are beginning to progress with the tiny house. so many things I didn't think about planning for ahead of time. I'm coming off of a rural water main and the pressure will be 70 to 80 psi. I am only allowed a 3/4-in meter. It is about 400 ft to the tiny house from the water main and it is overall downhill; there is a terrace to go over which is about 8 ft tall. I'm planning on burying pipes 3 ft deep. I'm in Western Oklahoma where we just got that arctic blast that made all the pipes in Texas burst.

Today, my question is how do I know what size pipe to use from the main to the house? This is a hopefully expanding tiny house and the appliances I will have eventually are: dishwasher, bathtub, kitchen sink, bathroom sink, washing machine. I'm planning on a composting toilet. I definitely use the bathtub as a bathtub. Plus, I may have a garden at some point probably 20x20 max.
Can anyone direct me to a table, chart, or the like online?  I can do the math probably.
 
steward
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Here's a link to a chart showing pipe size psi & flow reduction by pipe size at 60 degrees fahrenheit: https://www.advantageengineering.com/fyi/166/images/chart_12052017.jpg

Fluid dynamics and how they flow through pipes, through elbows, friction from pipe wall, and turbulence passing by tee's for examples can be quite complicated, and I believe understanding it all really isn't necessary. For ease, the chart shows how water flowing at 5 gallons per minute, the pressure drops by 11.2 psi per 100 feet of 1/2 inch pipe, and the pressure drop is 0.8psi for 1 inch pipe over the same 100 feet, a substantial difference. Because the pipe is twice the size doesn't mean the pressure reduction is by half. There's crazy ratio's involved calculating these sorts of things which I find confusing.

Most municipal supplies to homes in america is either 3/4 in or 1 inch. 1 inch pipe provides a lot of flow, and I believe 1 inch pipe will provide all the satisfactory supply needed for your tiny home. Hope this helps!



 
denise ra
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I'm going from the rural tap straight to the house. I am branching off of that line to the east and to the west. In each of those branches I am going to put a backflow preventer also known as a check valve and a ball valve to shut off the water in case there's a leak in those lines. The check valve is to keep livestock water in the east and west lines from coming back to the house line. My question is how far off the main line should I put the ball valve and the check valve? And a second question is, is it better to come off the main line at 135° angle than a 90° angle? How much difference will it actually make? If it matters about the run length then from the meter to house is 400 ft, east line is 2,800 ft, and west line is 800 ft.
 
pollinator
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Wow, those lengths of the off shoots are long.
And all 3 ft below the ground? That will be expensive I am guessing.
As a Water Engineer in Australia, I agree if all factors are the same as other properties the 1 inch would be fine.
BUT, if you think you may need greater flow for say fighting a fire I would go to 2 inch from the meter to the house area.

Why do you need any angle at the meter? Straight off is always best, but its not very harmful to have an elbow, but use a larger fitting [11/2 inch ]if you go with 1 inch main pipe to the house.

As for ball valves and check valves have them as close to the main pipe as possible.
Maybe install them inside a building where frost will not jamb them up.
Maybe build a manifold using lager fittings to reduce frictional losses.
IE If sidelines are 1 inch build a manifold with 1 1/2 inch fittings and fit a ball valve on the end of the main line also.

If the sidelines are for stock watering think about installing a tank filled by a float valve and then discharged by another to the trough.
If the main supply is cut off for any reason, you will still have stock water. I dont know how the snow will effect that tank.
 
denise ra
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John c. Daley,
"Why do you need any angle at the meter? Straight off is always best, but its not very harmful to have an elbow, but use a larger fitting [11/2 inch ]if you go with 1 inch main pipe to the house.
...
Maybe build a manifold using lager fittings to reduce frictional losses.
IE If sidelines are 1 inch build a manifold with 1 1/2 inch fittings and fit a ball valve on the end of the main line also. "

John, how do I use a one and a half inch fitting on a 1-in pipe? Is there a picture online you can show me for building a manifold with one and a half inch fittings on the one inch sidelines? Thanks..
 
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