Stuck Hydrant

Curtis B · #1 01/03/10, 04:47 PM

I have a Clayton Mark water hydrant that seems to be stuck. When I lift up on the handle it doesn't pull the plunger up. It has a set screw on the side that has created a flat spot draging up the brass plunger. I thought that it might have froze to packing nut(?), so I took a torch to heat it up and try to thaw, but no luck. I have never taken one apart, so since the temp is in the teens I am a little hesitant. Any other ideas on what could be wrong?

Bearfootfarm · #2 01/03/10, 05:04 PM

Sounds frozen to me
It would take a LONG time for enough heat to transfer down to pipe to thaw it

Curtis B · #3 01/03/10, 05:36 PM

Thats kinda scary. I have been here three years and it has never frozen before.

Beeman · #4 01/03/10, 05:37 PM

Leave it alone for now if it's not leaking. If you tear the rubber plunger off the end of the rod you will say bad words, lots of bad words.

oneokie · #5 01/03/10, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curtis B

I have a Clayton Mark water hydrant that seems to be stuck. When I lift up on the handle it doesn't pull the plunger up. It has a set screw on the side that has created a flat spot draging up the brass plunger. I thought that it might have froze to packing nut(?), so I took a torch to heat it up and try to thaw, but no luck. I have never taken one apart, so since the temp is in the teens I am a little hesitant. Any other ideas on what could be wrong?

Is that set screw tight now?

Does your water have any chlorine in it? If the water has chlorine, the chlorine will soften the rubber plunger to the point that it will not move when you raise the handle to turn on the water. The rod will pull out of the rubber part. Have had to replace mine several times over the years.

Curtis B · #6 01/03/10, 09:46 PM

Yes the screw is tight, it just kept slipping. I don't think we have excessive clorine, just regular old RW. I was thinking of trying to wrap the hydrant with heat tape and then insulate over it to try and thaw. The thought of a broken pipe since it probably froze though has me worried. I have to do something, it took me 2 1/2 hours to bucket water for the animals, and thawing a second 100' section of hose didn't work out too well.

agmantoo · #7 01/03/10, 11:12 PM

Sounds to me as if the drain that is underground failed. Did the installer get a good "bed" of washed stone around the base of the hydrant where the drain is located?

Curtis B · #8 01/04/10, 08:04 AM

I have no idea how it was installed. It was there before me.

Bearfootfarm · #9 01/04/10, 09:54 AM

If you could put something over it with a heat lamp inside, you may be able to thaw it.

Beeman · #10 01/04/10, 10:01 AM

Put a garbage can over it and a droplight inside. Back a vehicle to it and run the exhaust thru dryer duct or something to it under the garbage can.

Ed Norman · #11 01/04/10, 08:29 PM

Ours froze a few weeks ago. We got it running with a weed burner, then it froze the next night. After we thawed it again, I blew air down it to try and open the drain hole. It seemed to work, it hasn't frozen again.

But the next day, I bought a jug of RV antifreeze, which isn't poisonous. My plan, if it freezes again, is to snake some small aquarium tubing down the spout, suck up 60cc antifreeze in a big syringe, and shoot it into the pipe. It might break it loose, I don't know.

Curtis B · #12 01/05/10, 08:48 PM

Does anyone have a diagram/drawing of a hydrant? I never thought about them having a drain, but it makes sense on how the water gets out of the pipe. I am guessing it is a check valve of some sort, but is it a bearing type, or more of a rubber diaphram? I would just like to know what I am working with.

agmantoo · #13 01/05/10, 09:23 PM

Go to the link below then open the heading
How a Freeze Proof Hydrant Works
http://www.wcmind.com/woodford/Yard_...model-y34.html

Parts here
http://www.griggindustries.com/page26.html

Curtis B · #14 01/06/10, 08:59 AM

Thanks