Things you MUST always do!
- Always make sure the product complies with, and is installed in compliance with, all the applicable national and / or local plumbing and building codes.
- Select an appropriate location that has good drainage year around.
- Call before you dig! You should always get locates from your local municipality to avoid accidentally interfering with any underground infrastructure including but not limited to power lines, gas lines, and water mains, for example.
- Select the proper bury depth. It's better to err on the side of installing the pipe slightly deeper rather than too shallow. A general guideline is to bury it at least 12 inches below the deepest frost line for your area. For specific recommendations, consult your plumber or local retailer.
- Always install a patio stone or cement block in the drain bed for the raised pad of the hydrant tee or elbow to rest on. The raised pad prevents the poly pipe and / or SS clamp from abrasion wear. The slab or block will help prevent the hydrant from settling into the drain bed over time.
- Always install appropriate back flow prevention between the yard hydrant and the water source whether it be a private well or a municipal water supply. The water source must be protected against accidental back siphonage. Make sure all plumbing and building codes are followed.
- Always use a corrosion resistant fitting such as bronze, stainless steel, PVC, or other approved plastic fittings to make the connections between the supply line and the
yard hydrant inlet. Brass fittings are not recommended for direct burial applications. Brass alloys with less than 80% copper content are subject to dezincification corrosion. - Always grip on the valve body hex when connecting the supply fitting. Avoid gripping on the standpipe with the pipe wrench which could damage the protective coating.
- Always use a quality PTFE thread seal tape or a quality thread sealing compound on all NPT threaded pipe connections. When joining stainless steel components, it is recommended to use both an anti-seizing PTFE tape along with an anti-galling thread sealing compound formulated for stainless steel. This will reduce the chance of a leaking connection.
- Always use a clamp made of 300 grade stainless steel.
- Always pay attention to the yard hydrant head orientation when connecting the supply line. If the connection is getting tight and an additional full 360° rotation will not be possible, stop and test for leaks. You cannot loosen the connection to achieve proper orientation as the connection will leak.
- Always prepare the drain bed as per the BOSHART installation instructions. The bigger the drain bed the better. It is better to err on the side of having the drain bed a little deeper and wider than the minimum.
- Always install the 1/8” street elbow in the drain port. With the open end facing straight
downward. This will eliminate the risk of dirt and debris getting into and possibly plugging the drain port.
- Always flush the supply line and yard hydrant after the connections are made to make sure no foreign debris is left in the line and that no foreign debris from the line gets lodged in the yard hydrant valve body.
- Before developing the drain bed and backfilling:
- Always pressure test the connections to the supply line to make sure there are no leaks.
- Ensure the hydrant is working properly. First open the yard hydrant by lifting the
handle; water should flow freely out of the spout and there should be no water coming out of the drain port. Then close the hydrant; this should stop the water flowing out of the spout and you should observe water coming out of the drain port for approximately 45 seconds to 1 minute until the standpipe is drained. It is best practice to re-check all pressure connections between the hydrant and the supply line one last time to make sure there are no leaks before developing the drain bed.
- Always pressure test the connections to the supply line to make sure there are no leaks.
- Always add a barrier such as landscaping fabric over the crushed gravel or stone in the drain bed to keep soil from working its way into the drain bed media which will adversely affect the drain beds efficiency over time.
- It is best practice to add a stabilizing post to secure the yard hydrant standpipe if the hydrant could be contacted by livestock or equipment. Or build an adequate barrier around the hydrant to prevent it from getting damaged.
- Always keep a record of the model number, bury depth and installation date, as well as a maintenance schedule of service for the hydrant. For example, this could document each time that the O-rings have been changed or packing nut is tightened.
Things you should NEVER do!
- Do not install the yard hydrant for potable (drinking) water applications.
- Never install a yard hydrant in wet swampy areas where drainage could be a potential problem in the rainy season.
- Never install near a driveway as frost will penetrate deeper. If this cannot be avoided, you may need to select a longer bury depth.
- Never install with the spout higher than indicated in the instruction, if the desired height from ground to the bottom of the spout is more than indicated you must order a longer hydrant as the valve body must be installed below the worst-case frost level.
- Do NOT cheap out on the drain bed!
- Never use brass (yellow brass) fittings in a below ground installation, only use quality bronze alloys (alloys with over 80 % copper content and less than 15 % zinc content).
- Never use clamps that are manufactured from either 200 or 400 grade stainless steels or that have any plated steel components.
- Never forget to install the downward facing street elbow.
- Never loosen off a pipe joint or connection to obtain a desired yard hydrant head orientation.
- Never twist on the standpipe which will exert force on the underground connections which could result in breaking the supply line or damaging the connection to the hydrant.
- Never grip the standpipe with the pipe wrench when connecting the supply line fitting, only grip on the valve body hex.