I've been busy with my other hobby lately and thought I could get some good advise/opinions on it. A little project I've put off for far too long now because I failed months ago at the first attempt...sort of.
I'm installing a nipple watering system for chickens and am wondering if I should rethink my schematics among other issues. I have a 55 gal drum with 3/4" pvc running from it to the pens. There will be 3 nipples per pen...12 pens total...total length of pens is 20yds. Here's a couple pics so to help visualize..
The 55gal drum is uphill slightly
from the valve on that drum to the corner of the pens is about 15yds..
again, total length of pens from corner to corner is 20yds..so around 35yds of pvc
The nipples work on 1psi OR LESS and during my first bout they leaked. I opted to drill the pilot hole a tad bigger than recommended to make the screwing in process easier on the fingers (if you've installed these before you know what I mean)...I thought I could just use some pipe dope on the threads and be good to go...
I was wrong and every damn one of them leaked!!!!!!!!!
However, it seemed like some were leaking from the actual nipple and not from the threads so here's my question..
Is it possible I may be not be getting close to 1psi due to the length of pvc or that something else is going on that I don't quite understand?
Is it plausible to think that if the nipples receive a bit less than the required working pressure that the little stainless ball valve inside won't seat and therefore leak?
This may be a long shot but I couldn't think of a better group of folks to kick around this particular scenario with
So before I attempt to waste my time trying again I thought I'd waste it typing this thread
