The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California

How To Design And Install Plumbing

Cast-Iron Pipe and Fittings. Cast-iron pipe, commonly referred to as water main, is used on public water supply systems and on branch connections of the main which serve large buildings. Water services which require pipe 2 inches or more in diameter should be constructed of cast-iron pipe. Cast iron is well suited for water service. It is, with its protective coat of tar, highly resistant to acid soil conditions. Cast iron is rigid, does not sag readily, and withstands tremendous pressures. It is not affected a great deal by ordinary water, and a water service carefully installed will last indefinitely.

Cast-iron water main is manufactured in lengths of 12 feet and is cast in single and double hub (often called bell) form of A, B, and C quality.

The pipe is joined by a calk joint, which will be discussed in detail in the next chapter. Cast iron of the screw thread variety is also manufactured, but is not commonly used for water supply. The use of cast-iron pipe for distribution within the walls of a building is still uncommon.

Fittings used on cast-iron water main consist of tees, curves, elbows and other special types.

Elbows, illustrated in Fig. 188, are used to make right angle turns or change of direction. The tees (Fig. 189) are used for branch connections into the main.

Curves, shown in Fig. 190, are used to make changes of direction less than right angles to the vertical or horizontal run. These are provided in long and short pattern.

The fittings in Fig. 191 are those used on special installations and consist of sleeves, caps, branches, and crosses.

The following table gives the weight and quality of cast-iron water main.
Galvanized Steel and Wrought-Iron Pipe and Fittings. Galvanized steel pipe is the material most commonly used for water distribution systems within the walls of a building. It is well suited for most waters and is a very practical material to use. In some localities, however, it is readily attacked and deteriorates quickly.

Galvanized Wrought-Iron Pipe. Galvanized wrought-iron pipe is gradually replacing steel and is better suited to water distribution. It may be affected by water that is low in mineral content but not so readily as steel pipe. The weight and size of wrought pipe used for water supply is of the same specification as that for waste pipe, and reference to Table 4, presented in Chapter 3, will give the reader complete information relative to it.