Frost free spigots

[Simkie]

With regard to frost free spigots–

Are the major components compatible brand to brand?

Can I swap the handle/down rod/stopper in a currently installed unit with a handle/down rod/stopper for another brand?

Or do I have to dig up the whole thing and replace everything from the waterline up to put in a new handle?

Yes, I’ve rebuilt the current unit, but the brand installed gets poor reviews and pretty much sucks. Replacing the whole thing is going to require breaking through cement. Would be great if I could just drop Woodford parts in.

[ToTheNines]

I tried to replace between brands and it did not work. Specifically, I tried the one that Home Depot sells.

However, I did proper internet research with the brand name of the spigots and found a replacement online. I believe it was directly from the manufacturer. It was a chore because mine was old and the models had changed. But I was careful and got the right one. So it can be done!

As I recall, the manufacturer had a list of the replacements with very good pictures and descriptions and measurements. I pulled the rod out of mine and had it one my desk to compare.

[Simkie]

That’s great info, @ToTheNines, thank you. Do you by chance remember what brands you were working with at all? I see a few options at Home Depot:

https://www.homedepot.com/b/Plumbing-Valves-Yard-Hydrants/N-5yc1vZca23/Ntk-Extended/Ntt-frost+proof+hydrant?Ntx=mode+matchpartialmax&NCNI-5&visualNav=Yard%20Hydrants

I have Campbell now; would like to go to Woodford. Not much info out there on the Campbell, but the parts diagrams look close enough to be possible…

[Mango20]

I was able to get replacement parts for my very old Merrill hydrant. They sent a kit with all of the guts, even though it’s about 40 years old (only actually installed for 20, my father bought it for my horses as a kid, but it sat in his garage until I moved to my own place and installed it there).

I would think the parts would not be compatible from brand to brand, but if you can’t find parts for your brand, it might be worth the relatively cheap cost of buying another brand’s guts and see if it works before investing in a totally new hydrant.

[Simkie]

@Mango20

I was able to get replacement parts for my very old Merrill hydrant. They sent a kit with all of the guts, even though it’s about 40 years old (only actually installed for 20, my father bought it for my horses as a kid, but it sat in his garage until I moved to my own place and installed it there).

Yeah, I’ve done this already. The hydrant itself is garbage, so rebuilding it doesn’t really change that.

”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹I guess getting the rebuild kit would allow me to compare stopper size, hmmm.

[ToTheNines]

Simkie, I looked at your links. Mine was a sillcock not a hydrant. But my suggestion is still to go to the manufacturer’s website or call them. I’d start with a part number for the one from the manufacturer. I bet if you plugged that part number into google, you might come up with an equivalent.

[imaginique]

I’ve tried Campbell and whatever they sell at TSC. I finally broke down and replaced both of mine with Woodfords. I have a Woodford at another location on the property and it’s been there since before we moved here in 1982 and it still works. All the others lasted a year at most. If you’re going to replace them just bite the bullet and buy a Woodford.

[Leather]

Is Woodford open right now? I know I hate threads when somebody tells you to call the company (because I HATE calling), but they were helpful when we needed to repair ours. They might know if their parts would retrofit the Campbell valve and the riser pipe/threads for the hydrant head or if you’re SOL.

When we were looking to repair ours my husband called Woodford, who then put him in contact with a local installer who had replacement parts on hand and could cut a new rod for us.

[jawa]

If you have to cut the concrete to replace the current hydrant, I would create a frame that can be filled with a moveable material all the way down the length of the hydrant. Just be sure that the area cut out and the frame itself allow a space that is workable for total replacement or repair in the future.

[Simkie]

I have no desire to cut the concrete and replace the whole damned thing. I’d like to replace the handle, down rod and stopper with Woodford.

It looks possible. It sounds like no one has tried this? I’ll report back on how it goes.

Leather, that’s promising Woodford was helpful. I’ll poke around and see if I can contact them.

[ToTheNines]

Here is the spec sheet I got from Prier for my sillcock. I pulled the stem and had it in front of me also. So it was fairly easy to identify which one. I wonder if they have a spec sheet like this for their ground hydrants, and maybe you could compare yours.

As you can see the stem is not the problem – it’s the valve at the bottom that changes from model to model.

https://www.prier.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/mansfield-stem.pdf

[Simkie]

Welp, I pulled the hydrant apart today. The stopper is a little different between Campbell and Woodford–Woodford is longer. It might work, but I dunno :-/ Tough to tell from the product diagrams.

The Campbell stopper is just SHREDDED 🤬🤬🤬 It’s new in the last year or so…really frustrating to see how badly it’s beaten up. Of course I don’t have a spare (dumb!)

Guess I need to call the Campbell people to see if they have a clue what might be happening down below to damage the stopper like that. Man, this is the stuff I truly hate. Grumble grumble.

[skydy]

Hang in there @Simkie Hope you can figure it out. Perhaps you’ll be able to reach a (possibly very bored) person at the company who will have some answers for you.

[Simkie]

Thanks, skydy!

The answer to my initial question here is (I’m pretty sure) no. The Woodford stopper blocks the Campbell weep hole.

I wound up digging up the hydrant. And the other one, at the end of the barn. Ordered the Woodfords, had the plumber come out to replace, and now it just BLOWS MY MIND that I can turn on the barn water and not have a solid stream or spray of water from underneath the handle. :lol: :lol: It only comes out where it’s supposed to, what a concept!

Anyway, Campbells are crap, Woodford rocks, post hole diggers are good for narrow, deep holes and there is just nothing better than a hydrant that works the way it’s supposed to.

[Bluey]

@Simkie

Thanks, skydy!

The answer to my initial question here is (I’m pretty sure) no. The Woodford stopper blocks the Campbell weep hole.

I wound up digging up the hydrant. And the other one, at the end of the barn. Ordered the Woodfords, had the plumber come out to replace, and now it just BLOWS MY MIND that I can turn on the barn water and not have a solid stream or spray of water from underneath the handle. :lol: :lol: It only comes out where it’s supposed to, what a concept!

Anyway, Campbells are crap, Woodford rocks, post hole diggers are good for narrow, deep holes and there is just nothing better than a hydrant that works the way it’s supposed to.

All is well that ends well.

[cwg]

Tacking on to your post relating to hydrants, our barn was set up (What were we thinking?) with the hydrant at the end of the barn opposite where it would be used most of the time. So we need to walk about 150 feet every time to turn it on and off. We’ve tried getting a heavy-duty hose with a brass nozzle at the end and leaving the hydrant on. But within a fairly short time, the hose/nozzle connection starts to leak pretty seriously. We wouldn’t want to leave the hydrant turned on during freezing weather. But I’m looking for a solution (other than digging up the hydrant and moving it) so we can leave it turned on, with some sort of pipe/hose directing the water to the other end of the barn, where we use it most.

[Simkie]

@cwg

Tacking on to your post relating to hydrants, our barn was set up (What were we thinking?) with the hydrant at the end of the barn opposite where it would be used most of the time. So we need to walk about 150 feet every time to turn it on and off. We’ve tried getting a heavy-duty hose with a brass nozzle at the end and leaving the hydrant on. But within a fairly short time, the hose/nozzle connection starts to leak pretty seriously. We wouldn’t want to leave the hydrant turned on during freezing weather. But I’m looking for a solution (other than digging up the hydrant and moving it) so we can leave it turned on, with some sort of pipe/hose directing the water to the other end of the barn, where we use it most.

I don’t think there’s any way to do that. Water will freeze in the hydrant and the hose.

Unless, I guess, you heat the barn. Or use a heated hose and wrap the hydrant in heat tape. Even then, you can’t heat the up pipe that’s below ground, and that may freeze.

A frozen solid hydrant is a much bigger PITA than one 150 feet away…

[clanter]

@Simkie

. Even then, you can’t heat the up pipe that’s below ground, and that may freeze.
…

there are insert-able heating tapes that go inside waterlines (we used these on automatic gate systems that had the gates on ground tracks that we set below grade so when cars ran over the track it was a smooth crossing, we ran the tapes inside the track to keep the gate rollers from freezing to the track)

a product like this
https://heatline.com/retro-line#:~:t…to%20excavate.

cwg, rent a trencher and move that hydrant closer. Unless you disconnect the hose the hydrant will not drain thus will freeze

[cwg]

I’m only looking for a solution during the time when freezing isn’t an issue. When we hit freezing weather, we carry warm water from the house and don’t use the hydrant.

[clanter]

@cwg

I’m only looking for a solution during the time when freezing isn’t an issue. When we hit freezing weather, we carry warm water from the house and don’t use the hydrant.

use a remote control on/off value that is commonly used in irrigation systems

there are all sorts of those available

https://www.wish.com/product/5d26d44…_BwE&share=web