Plumbers? Need a little advice...

[shibbershabber]

Going to replace my pressure regulator @ main line to the house.

Ive dug it out and cleaned it off... Thinking about where to disconnect it?

Thinking the threaded part right by the meter and another threared part on the downstream side of the valve.

Theres a 90* elbow downstream of the valve that had a threaded fitting, probably where it connects to the main line to the house.
But this one looks tougher to get to, would have to dig out more to get the wrench horizontal... Plus I dont like the idea of cranking on the fitting by the main, in,case I damage the main... Not trying to pay that one.

What do you think?
How should I proceed?

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[Jay Walk]

Cut that Galvanized nipple right in the middle with a metal blade sawzall, hold piping so it does not vibrate all over the place, CUT SLOWLY. remove the piece in the elbow with pipe wrenches.

Unscrew union with a spanner wrench and a pipe wrench.

Place union on new regulator.

Replace galvanized nipple with two PEX male adaptors and a piece of pex pipe. Grovers will rent a crimper to you.

I recommend replacing that street elbow while you are in there.

Always break those galvanized pipes seal by TIGHTENING them first. NOT the union though, it will only loosen.

Use pipe dope over pipe tape when re-assembling.

You could also replace that street elbow with a pex elbow.

 

[Jay Walk]

Red - two pex male adaptors and one pex elbow.

Blue - pex pipe.

 

[Jay Walk]

Pipe wrench and
12" crescent wrench

 

[Jay Walk]

Spanner wrench
Pipe wrench

Maybe dig a little more and replace elbow and union with

Pex female adaptor
pex elbow
and pex male adaptor into regulator.

Will make install much easier.

 

[Jay Walk]

Is what I like to use.

 

[shibbershabber]

Got er done

Dug it out a bit more and was able to disconnect at the meter and main line side.

Rebuilt the whole assembly with new parts, minus the check valve... Reattached and we're good to go.

Finally have decent pressure!

 

[TT37]

I had a regulator like that. They sell a rebuild
kit for it. I was able to rebuild mine three
times before it needed replaced. It was
easy and cheap, just like me.

 

[justsayin]

Open up your hole so you have more room to work. That is prly the hardest part but way worth it.

 

[JRuby]

When I replaced my mainline I did it by hand. A trick I used was to turn my main line off in the house - required anyway. Then I ran a heavy rubber hose from my neighbors water facet to my houses water faucet and though pressure wasn't great we had water the whole time. Tried not to do use anymore water than we had to. For letting us use thier water we paid thier water bill for the month. It worked well.

 

[Colt Carbine]

When I replaced my mainline I did it by hand. A trick I used was to turn my main line off in the house - required anyway. Then I ran a heavy rubber hose from my neighbors water facet to my houses water faucet and though pressure wasn't great we had water the whole time. Tried not to do use anymore water than we had to. For letting us use thier water we paid thier water bill for the month. It worked well.

This will work, as long as your hose bibb doesn't have a vacuum breaker/backflow prevention device. One could remove this device on some hose bibs. If the hose bibb has a non removable vacuum breaker/backflow prevention device or an internal device, you'll need to connect to a different location with hose threads such as the cold water valve for a washing machine or a laundry tub with ONLY the cold water side of the faucet in the fully open position.

 

[Colt Carbine]

Got er done

Dug it out a bit more and was able to disconnect at the meter and main line side.

Rebuilt the whole assembly with new parts, minus the check valve... Reattached and we're good to go.

Finally have decent pressure!

View attachment 1469359 View attachment 1469361

Your repair looks very professional, nicely done. Turning wrenches inside a meter box isn't the most friendly place, they don't give you much room in there.

 

[JRuby]

This will work, as long as your hose bibb doesn't have a vacuum breaker/backflow prevention device. One could remove this device on some hose bibs. If the hose bibb has a non removable vacuum breaker/backflow prevention device or an internal device, you'll need to connect to a different location with hose threads such as the cold water valve for a washing machine or a laundry tub with ONLY the cold water side of the faucet in the fully open position.

Where there is a will there is usually a way to do it.