- - AGRICULTURAL CORE CURRICULUM - - (CLF2000) Advanced Core Cluster: AGRICULTURAL MECHANICS (CLF2550) Unit Title: PLUMBING ____________________________________________________________________________ (CLF2554) Topic: INSTALLATION OF A Time Year(s) PLUMBING PROJECT 5 Hours 3/4 ____________________________________________________________________________ Topic Objectives: Upon completion of this lesson the student will be able to: Learning Outcome #: (L-4) - Perform an installation, including cutting pipe to length and installing fittings, using a combination of materials, including steel, plastic, and copper. Special Materials and Equipment: All materials necessary to construct a plumbing project of the instructor's choice; project should include steel, plastic, and copper materials. References: Burke, Stanley R., & Wakeman, T. J. (1990). MODERN AGRICULTURAL MECHANICS (2nd ed.). Danville, IL: Interstate Publishers. Cooper, Elmer L. (1987). AGRICULTURAL MECHANICS: FUNDAMENTALS AND APPLICATIONS Albany, NY: Delmar Publishers. Editors of Reader's Digest. (1973). COMPLETE DO-IT- YOURSELF MANUAL (7th ed.). Pleasantville, NY: Reader's Digest Association. Ripka, L. V. (1978). PLUMBING INSTALLATION AND DESIGN. Alsip, IL: American Technical Publishers. RESOURCES: Black and Decker Home Improvement Library. (1990). HOME PLUMBING PROJECTS & REPAIRS. Available from: Cy DeCosse Inc., 5900 Green Oak Drive, Minnetonka, Minnesota 55343 1-800-328-3895 Evaluation: Completion and testing of project. Grade sheet should be developed according to project constructed. TOPIC PRESENTATION: INSTALLATION OF A PLUMBING PROJECT SAFETY IN PLUMBING WORK* Observe the following general safety practices in doing all plumbing work. 1. Be sure the system is not electrically charged. If a hot or shorted wire is touching any part of the metal plumbing system, the shock can kill anyone who touches it. Thawing frozen water pipes with an arc welder can create shock as well. 2. Wear safety glasses. When plumbing, protect your eyes. 3. Wear hard hat and safety shoes. These protect against blows from heavy objects, bursting pipes, and solvents which are used for soldering plastic pipe. 4. Cut off water pressure. Do this before repairing or adjusting the system. 5. Use a pipe vise. This is the safe way to hold pipe for threading. 6. Guard against burns. When using propane or butane torches for soldering, be careful not to burn yourself or the structure you are plumbing. 7. Guard against fire. In addition to being flammable, some plastic pipe soldering solvents are highly toxic and injurious to the skin. 8. Be careful when installing copper tubing in older buildings. When reworking the plumbing system in an existing structure, be careful not to touch hot electrical wires. If you are unaware of the presence of electrical service in the wall switch, turn the circuit breaker off until you have installed the copper pipe _____________________ * Reprinted by permission of Interstate Publishers, Inc., from MODERN AGRICULTURAL MECHANICS, 2nd ed., by Stanley R. Burke and T. J. Wakeman. Copyright 1992 by Interstate Publishers, Inc. A. Installing a Plumbing Project 1. A drip irrigation system is one example of a plumbing situation that uses many different types of plumbing materials. a. The typical control head for commercial-scale agriculture consists of sand filters and screen filters along with regulators and backflow devices. b. The control head, because of its weight, requires the strength that steel pipe offers. c. The control head may be strategically positioned with unions for easy removal and maintenance. 2. Distribution Lines a. PVC is the material most commonly used for mainlines and headers. b. Lateral lines are often PVC or PE. NOTE TO INSTRUCTOR: Review CLF2450, Project Design. B. General Procedures for Constructing a Plumbing Project 1. First make a working drawing for a small drip irrigation model. Then make a bill of materials and a cutting list prior to starting assembly of the system. 2. Measure and cut the various types of pipe to length. a. Allow for threaded ends and fitting sockets when measuring overall length. b. Use a pipe vise when cutting steel and copper pipe. 3. Ream and thread steel pipe. Ream and clean copper and plastic pipe. 4. Obtain the required fittings and clean them. a. Prefit the pipe with fittings and make sure all parts are present before starting final assembly of the system. 5. Assemble the regulator, strainer, and backflow device with pipe nipples. Remember to place unions on each end. 6. Final Assembly a. Lay out main line and laterals. b. Use pipe joint compound for threaded fittings. c. Solder any copper fittings included in the project. d. Prime and glue plastic fittings. e. Allow the project to sit over night so the solvent weld joints (plastic) cure. f. Clean up and prepare for system testing. 7. Test the project with water and check for leaks. a. Use a pressure gauge to measure flow pressure (dynamic) and available pressure (static). b. Available pressure from the street water main or a well pressure tank generally ranges between 45-60 psi. c. Never exceed 80 psi within any building. d. Flow pressure for common plumbing fixtures range from 8 to 25 psi. 8. Review procedures and discuss other agricultural mechanics plumbing applications. C. Specific Steps to Follow When Cutting and Threading Steel Pipe 1. Wear gloves when handling heavy pipe. 2. Measure and mark pipe. 3. Secure pipe in a pipe vise. 4. Align pipe cutter and tighten handle slightly. Rotate pipe cutter and tighten handle as needed until cut is completed. 5. Ream the inside of the pipe back to the original diameter. 6. Place the proper size die for the diameter of pipe in the die stock and thread the pipe by rotating the die. Lubricate and reverse the rotation slightly every 1/2 turn or so to break off the cutting. 7. Do not go past the end of the die housing. 8. Remove the die and wipe the thread clean. 9. Apply pipe joint compound to the male thread and start fitting by hand. 10. Complete the tightening with appropriate wrench. D. Specific Steps To Follow When Cutting and Soldering Copper Pipe 1. Measure and mark the pipe. 2. Select the appropriate tubing cutter. 3. Secure pipe in pipe vise. 4. Align the cutting wheel on the mark and tighten handle slightly. 5. Rotate tubing cutter and tighten handle every 1/2-1 turn until pipe is cut. 6. Ream the inside of the pipe. 7. Clean the OD of the pipe with a tubing brush or sandcloth. 8. Clean the ID of the fitting with a fitting brush or sandcloth. 9. Wipe pieces clean. 10. Mark the pipe and fitting for its relative orientation. 11. Apply a small amount of flux over the area of contact between the pipe and the fitting. Wipe off excess flux. 12. Place the fitting in its proper relative position. 13. Light the torch and adjust the flame. 14. The approximate amount of solder to use is equal to the inside diameter of the pipe. 15. Apply heat to the tube momentarily. Allow heat to transfer to the end of the pipe. Move heat to base of fitting and place solder at the neck of the fitting. The solder will melt and be drawn into the fitting by capillary action when the temperature is correct. Do not use too much solder. It reduces the inside diameter. Do not overheat fitting. 16. Allow solder to become pasty and wipe fitting neck to remove excess solder. 17. Allow the pipe to cool. E. Specific Steps to Follow When Cutting and Gluing Plastic Pipe 1. Measure and mark pipe for cutting and fitting orientation. A felt tip marker works well. 2. Cut pipe squarely by using a tubing cutter or miter box and saw. 3. Ream pipe by scraping ID with an inside-outside reamer or a pocket knife. Use sandcloth to clean any rough spots on the OD. 4. Check the interference fit with the fitting dry (trial run). The pipe should go in about halfway only. 5. Apply the primer to both pipe and fitting. Wait 5-15 seconds for the primer to soften and dull the finish. 6. Always apply solvent cement to the pipe and fitting. 7. Quickly insert the pipe in the fitting. a. Make a 1/4 turn and align marks. b. Make sure pipe bottoms out in socket. c. Hold the fitting in place for 20 seconds or until the solvent begins to bond. d. Check for a complete bead of cement around the fitting. e. Wipe off the excess cement with a clean rag. f. Allow the joint to cure for at least 30 minutes. 8. Wait overnight for the system to completely cure before testing. _________________________________________________________ ACTIVITIES: 1. Do the plumbing exercise in pipe fitting suggested by Cooper on pp. 396-397 or by Burke and Wakeman on pp. 557-561. 2. Construct a small working model of a hog watering system with at least one gate valve and two nozzles (also known as lickets). 3. As a group, install an additional hose bibb or other necessary plumbing device at the school farm, land laboratory, or school shop. 4. Construct a small working drip irragation model and inspect a commercial drip irrigation system. _________________________________________________________ 7/10/91 JD/JD/tf #%&C