# hydrants too tall



## Bubbas Boys (Apr 11, 2013)

So, we got the hydrants installed yesterday and the ones we bought are too tall. They were the 8 ft overall height and I was thinking with us going 4 ft deep they would be fine BUT, after I plumbed the bottom to join pipe and put rock under them(all stuff I didn't think about) the stupid things are almost 6 ft out of the ground. I am 5'8" and my family is shorter than me. haha. Can I cut this off somehow without screwing them up?


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## littlebitfarm (Mar 21, 2005)

If they are 8' tall and still sticking out of the ground by 6', that means your water line is only 2' deep. Not deep enough for Illinois! I've got 6' hydrants, in Illinois, with about 2 1'2' sticking out of the ground. That has worked here for the last 22 years.

Do you have it sitting on a pile of rock? Maybe you just need to pull it out and enlarge your hole, so the water line is flat in the bottom and add your rock. 

Don't think there is an easy way to cut them off.


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## Bubbas Boys (Apr 11, 2013)

Water line is 4 ft but with the plumbing joints I had to put on bottom of the hydrant it raised it up about a foot. They are not quite 6 ft high now. What is the recommended frost line for Illinois? I didn't even check I just figured that 4 ft was plenty. Thanks.


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## littlebitfarm (Mar 21, 2005)

Bubbas Boys said:


> Water line is 4 ft but with the plumbing joints I had to put on bottom of the hydrant it raised it up about a foot. They are not quite 6 ft high now. What is the recommended frost line for Illinois? I didn't even check I just figured that 4 ft was plenty. Thanks.


4' is plenty for central Illinois.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Here is the question - How deep to the water level when the hydrant is off?
See where the frost line is in this image? I suspect your hydrant is WAY too high. 3' to that line would be about right. We used 4' depth in Vermont as the frost line.


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

when I set a hydrant I use a running or street ell, the elbow that is male on one end and female on the other, 

or I use a tee, and a "short" nipple , (the term short is a length of nipple, there is close, shot and then they usually are measured in inches after that,) (basically a 11/2" to 2" inches long, nipple), 

I usually put a two foot steel nipple on the incoming line at the elbow, it give the hydrant more stability, if I am going or leaving the possibility to extend the line I use the tee, and two steel nipples capping one of them, If I had to use a check valve like the picture above shows I would most likely put it horizontal and not raise the hydrant any, 

in my method the bottom of the hydrant is about 1" above the water line, 

If I was in your situation , I most likely would dig out the hole and deeper, and if necessary make a U shaped pipe to lower the hydrant more in the earth, to where the head was about 3 feet at the top above the ground, 

I you have pipe threading dies and cutter, and a bolt dies set, most likely one could cut off the pipe X amount and the rod as well, and rethread it, but since the tolerances are with about 1/32 may be a 1/16", on the having the hydrant work and drain back properly cutting them down would be tricky for most, even with the proper tools, 

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I would either rework the pipe to make it work or see if the retailer would take it back and trade for a shorter unit, 

and I would plumb it so you do not extend it up any more than necessary, if done correctly I can not see any reason why it would raise it about a foot above the water line, 

http://www.merrillmfg.com/about/installation/installation-video.php


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