I want to install a frost free hydrant outside my shed to water the horses. I am wondering if anyone can give me some pointers or direct me somewhere to get some information.
For example I am not sure if I can start right at the well or if I need to come through my basement wall below the frost line with a pipe.
You need to hook your hydrant in after the check valve, some have the valve at the pump, some in the pipe just before the pressure switch and tank.
The check valve lets the pump build pressure in the pressure tank and keeps the water from just running back down into the well.
I would tap into your water lines in the basement to lead to the hydrant, put a shutoff in your basement to turn water off to this hydrant when needed. Plan on burying the end of the hydrant in a bag or bucket or pocket of gravel to let the hydrant have a good non muddy area to drain into when you shut the hydrant off, that draining is what keeps the hydrant from freezing.
The frost free hydrant is only frost free if the water in it when not flowing is ALL below the frost line. The actual valve in the frost free hydrant is remoted to the botton of the assembly and has a control/actuator rod that runs up inside the vertical pipe to the handle. When you shut the water off all the water in the vertical pipe portion of the hydrant drains out of a small (often threaded) hole at the bottom of the assembly.
As TWSTANLEY said, you need to (typically its in the instructions) put the bottom where the drain hole is in a good size volume of gravel. This gives a place for the water to go. If you turn the hydrant on and off frequently you discharge significant water down there so don't skimp on the gravel. You really should wrap the gravel in geotextile or make other arrangements to avoid having fine material like clay or whatever, over time, wash in and reduce the volume of the "inter-gravel" voids. IF you don't have adequate drainage volume you rish having the water drain down too slow and in cold weather may freeze and ruin the hydrant as well as start a flood when temps rise a tad.
No part of any of the water supply pipe should be above the frost line or it will freeze up.
If you choose to drive a T-Post, pipe scrap, rebar or whatever next to the hydrant so you can secure it and avoid having it harmed if hit or leaned on by somethign heavy then yoiu need to insulate the points of contact to avoid corrosion eating a hole in your hydrant. You can use a scrap opf polly pipe, PVC or whatever slipped over the support member before you tie the support to the hydrant.
I have had cattle knock hydrants down and cause flooding. I have had cattle turn a frost free hydrant fully on from a fully off position. Most hydrants have a provision (holes in the handle) for putting something in there to secure the handle against such Murphy's law events.
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