BajaNomad - pila fittings (plumbing)

pila fittings (plumbing)

volcano - 12-31-2011 at 07:23 AM

Hi....this long distance/once a year/ building project has it's difficulties. This year..trying to get plumbing done (including fittings for non standard hand made cement sinks)...and trying to bring many fittings down. What size is the normal threaded spiggot with on off valve that is installed at the base of pilas? It is male and threaded...and I was hoping to bring connections and filter for this point.

Bob and Susan - 12-31-2011 at 07:27 AM

there is NO "standard"

what was available at the time is what is used

larryC - 12-31-2011 at 09:47 AM

Mine was 1.5", yours, quien sabe? Maybe buy some adapters so that you can change the size down or up to whatever you need. If you are going to run 3/4" into the house then get reducers from 2", 11/2", and 1" down to 3/4", that should cover it.
HTH
Larry

durrelllrobert - 12-31-2011 at 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by volcano
What size is the normal threaded spiggot

NORMAL?

Islandbuilder - 12-31-2011 at 11:28 AM

Do you mean the angle stop, which is on the end of the pipe (in the US typically 1/2 copper) and then attached to the bottom of the faucet with a flex line? If so, usually (!!) the flex line attaches to the angle stop with either 3/8 or 1/2 straight thread (not pipe thread, which is tapered) the bottom of the faucet is usually 1/2.

Like someone said above, bring lots of 3/8:1/2 and 1/2:3/4 adaptors.

If your plumbing is PVC or Pex, it could be terminated with about anything.

Can you provide anymore clues or info? Did you do the rough plumbing? Are the pipes copper, or white plastic, or red and blue plastic?

In the absence of more info, I would invest in a bucket full of misc. parts. Even if none of them work for you, they'll work for your new neighbors projects, and make you instantly popular.

Good luck!

Fittings and Lines

bajaguy - 12-31-2011 at 11:52 AM

3/4" PEX lines and Sharkbite fittings are the way to go for all interior plumbing.

Get the red PEX lines for hot water and the blue for cold....even a caveman can figure it out.

No soldering or gluing with Sharkbite fittings

Islandbuilder - 12-31-2011 at 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajaguy
3/4" PEX lines and Sharkbite fittings are the way to go for all interior plumbing.

Get the red PEX lines for hot water and the blue for cold....even a caveman can figure it out.

No soldering or gluing with Sharkbite fittings

I totally agree, but it sounds like he's already roughed in, and isn't sure about the rough ins terminal fittings (or I could have totally misunderstood his post:?

Diver - 12-31-2011 at 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by larryC
Mine was 1.5", yours, quien sabe? Maybe buy some adapters so that you can change the size down or up to whatever you need. If you are going to run 3/4" into the house then get reducers from 2", 11/2", and 1" down to 3/4", that should cover it.
HTH
Larry

Your stub will be pvc.
Above is correct but don't forget 1 1/4".
If you are feeding the house by gravity, you will want at least 1" pipe into the house. For a pumped system use at least 3/4"piping to the pump.
.

volcano - 12-31-2011 at 02:09 PM

she, not he. he'll help me, but it is my little mess of a project. I made the concrete sinks....and ya, nothing is normal. Gravity flow from pila above the cabin. I was asking the size that they usually install exiting the pila.....there is something there that seemed that it may be 3/4 or 1".............................so would it most likely be inches and not metric?

thanks for all the ideas....I need all I can get

[Edited on 12-31-2011 by volcano]

Islandbuilder - 12-31-2011 at 02:32 PM

Sorry about the sexist stereotype! And yeah, for gravity flow it's probably larger diameter pipe so as not to restrict the flow. A box full of MIP adaptors, glue-up and threaded bushings, and assorted other parts should get it done.

At least being PVC it will be much cheaper than PEX or Copper!

Also, parts should be available somewhere near by your Baja location, since PVC pipe is pretty much universal SOB.

Don't forget solvent primer, thread goop (better than tape), and PVC glue!

vgabndo - 12-31-2011 at 03:18 PM

I would caution to be aware that there is PVC "sanitario" white plastic pipe in Baja and does not work with US sizes. It shouldn't be an issue with your output from the pila though.

Pacifico - 12-31-2011 at 04:17 PM

Is yours a Rotoplas?

Check this out:

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=27873

volcano - 12-31-2011 at 07:13 PM

yes, I believe it is

volcano - 1-1-2012 at 06:44 AM

thanks for the very helpful link.

volcano - 1-1-2012 at 07:25 AM

the next question..is why inches? do they purchase the pvc from u.s.?
are any of their plumbing parts in metric?
(and I am aware of that hot water pvc looking pipe, that is not compatible with the other)

choyero - 1-1-2012 at 07:37 AM

Why don't you just buy the fittings in baja. Everything is available in San Jose. All your doing is giving yourself a headache trying to save a few pesos.

The days of needing to bring everything down is long gone. These days damn near everything one would need is available locally, except some speciality items.

maspacifico - 1-1-2012 at 09:41 AM

Buy down here. Every plumbing place will have what you need. Home depot has a Rotoplas section where you can see all the different parts if language is the a problem.

durrelllrobert - 1-1-2012 at 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by volcano
the next question..is why inches? do they purchase the pvc from u.s.?
are any of their plumbing parts in metric?
(and I am aware of that hot water pvc looking pipe, that is not compatible with the other)

the only metric size fittings in MX are the small brass ones, not normally used for anything other than propane.

time is my limit

volcano - 1-1-2012 at 10:25 AM

I will have less than a month there to accomplish many projects...every day driving 3 hrs rt to find parts is a day not working...so trying to cover as many bases as possible on this end.
thanks for all the great suggestions, as always. you guys have been helping me along the way for several years now.

larryC - 1-1-2012 at 02:06 PM

Didn't know your pila was a Rotoplas pastic one. What size? I have an 1100ltr, and a 2500ltr that are 1.5", my 5000ltr is plumbed 2".
Hope this helps
Larry

volcano - 1-1-2012 at 02:58 PM

just located the receipt for it....2500 L rotoplas. I think the connection may already have been reduced from 1.5..as from my memory it really seems more like 1" or 3/4.and I will go prepared

larryC - 1-1-2012 at 03:11 PM

When I bought my 2500 liter tank it came with a filter, valve, vent and a fill/shutoff device. The valve that it came with was already reduced to 3/4" and 1/2" depending on which fitting you used. It had both. Not sure what came with yours, but the tank itself is threaded 1 1/2" and then the valve and filter screw into that. My tank is a black Rotoplas, a little over 5' tall, with a tapered top and a lid about 14 or 15" in diameter. Just to let you know what type of tank I am talking about. Pretty common tank, white on the inside.
Larry
PS At first I thought you were asking about a cement pila, which could have almost any fitting the builder happened to have laying around.

[Edited on 1-1-2012 by larryC]

RnR - 1-1-2012 at 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by larryC
PS: At first I thought you were asking about a cement pila, which could have almost any fitting the builder happened to have laying around.

[Edited on 1-1-2012 by larryC]

larryC - 1-1-2012 at 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RnR

Quote:

Locally, in southern Baja, "pilas" are large, concrete, water tanks that can typically hold the entire contents of one to two water trucks. The black plastic Rotoplas tanks are locally called "tinacas" (sp). And, the bigger blue plastic tanks are called "cisternas".

RnR
Thanks for the clarification, I always figured "pila" was any water tank that supplied water to the house. My spanish is rudimentary at best. I can ask questions but the answers usually go misunderstood.

FWIW

volcano - 1-1-2012 at 08:55 PM

thanks LarryC...my tank sounds the same as yours....thanks for the guidance. I get to see it all once a year, briefly, at this point...and try to plan as best I can for the work session. all is helpful. H

Bob and Susan - 1-2-2012 at 05:56 AM

take a camera and take pictures of everything

even the underground stuff...like septic lines

you'll be happy you did later