Fernco rubber fittings

[miamicuse]

I have a question for pond plumbing.

If I am using schedule 40 PVC pipes for the suction and return lines to the pond, and at the pump I need to make the connections to the pump inlet and outlet.

I have in the past connected with hard piping using male adapters into the pump ports, and solvent the rest. Of course this makes it difficult to disconnect the pump for service or if there was a leak at the port you have to cut the pipe just to tighten the connection.

So I started to use unions. That makes it easier. But the problem with unions is they are bulky, a 2" union is like a 3" thick pan cake, plus you need room around it to tighten and loosen it with a large plier.

I have also used pool high temp unions that goes right into the ports - in other words those have a male threaded end that seals with a compression gasket, those work too.

But I have seen in this forum some use Fernco couplings to make these connections. I can see the advantage in taking things apart with just a hex socket screwdriver. But Ferncos are designed for drains, so my concern is whether Ferncos will work for connections subjected to positive pressure of a pump? Will it blow apart?

and which kind of Fernco? The thick rubber kind with two hose clamps or the thinner ones with a shear ring over the entire sleeve?

Would also be nice to see your installation pictures of Ferncos to get ideas where you strategically placed the Fernco connections, if they are horizontal or vertical, if they are exposed to air, submerged in water or buried in soil etc...

Thank you in advance.

 

[Mmathis]

I don’t have a lot of experience with the physics of Ferncos, so don’t know about the “high pressure” aspect. But I do know that they are a life-saver, and I’ve never had an issue. I used several to connect my pond pump so it could also push water to my bog (old pond, don’t have any more). These were the “hose clamp” type. I used reducers, which was a big help for the way I had my plumbing set up.

 

[mrsclem]

Hello- I have several fernco fittings on my 2 ponds. A couple are completely under water and have been there for over 10 years. I've never had one fail. Pressure to bog is 1600gph, Pressure to filter is 4800gph. The under water ones are hard to see as they get covered with algae!

 

[GBBUDD]

Your on the right track with the unions but I think what your still missing is the STRAP wrench. Instead of using big bulky Chanel locks to losses and tighten in the tight space.
You take the strap wrap it around the nut of the union and put it through the handle this then requires only half the nut be clear the rest can literally be and inch off a wall if you had too.

 

[addy1]

I have them on a lot of my piping. I remove the external pump, and open up lines for the winter. Removed replaced for 10 years, still doing great.

 

[addy1]

I use the thick ones with two hose clamps.

 

[GBBUDD]

The only other issues that I do have with fercos is that they are rubber and anyone who has drank out of an old rubber garden hose can attest to the after taste of the rubber. Cheap ferncos are no different.

 

[addy1]

The only other issues that I do have with fercos is that they are rubber and anyone who has drank out of an old rubber garden hose can attest to the after taste of the rubber. Cheap ferncos are no different.

Has not seemed to bother the fish.

 

[GBBUDD]

neither does epdm which is rubber it's the cheap stuff that leaches

 

[miamicuse]

Hello- I have several fernco fittings on my 2 ponds. A couple are completely under water and have been there for over 10 years. I've never had one fail. Pressure to bog is 1600gph, Pressure to filter is 4800gph. The under water ones are hard to see as they get covered with algae!View attachment 159951View attachment 159952View attachment 159953

Thank you for the pictures! Wow you use it even with the flex tubing, I am surprised it holds and the hose clamp tightening wouldn't crush the flex tubing.

 

[GBBUDD]

Thank you for the pictures! Wow you use it even with the flex tubing, I am surprised it holds and the hose clamp tightening wouldn't crush the flex tubing.

the flex is probably 1/3 as flexible as you assume it to be

 

[mrsclem]

The flex tubing I use was something suggested by @sissy . It is sump pump tubing. Under $20 for 25'. Have been using it for 10+years, never had it get rigid or crack.

 

[YShahar]

I'm also using Fernco couplings to connect my pump to the main flex pipe that goes to my stream. My pump is rated at 16500 lph, so the pressure is definitely high enough that if it was going to fail, it probably already would have done so. Turns out that the Fernco 1.5 inch coupling fits my 50 mm line like a glove. I probably could get by without even tightening the clamp.

 

[GBBUDD]

The flex tubing I use was something suggested by @sissy . It is sump pump tubing. Under $20 for 25'. Have been using it for 10+years, never had it get rigid or crack.

The price makes me believe that your referring to is Kink free pvc tabbing I hav 3 times the price as kink frre

Eee used both. Kink free has parts of its wall that are rather thin. The Flex is latterly about 3/16 of an inch thick with reinforcement stands wrapped around the pipe. Hands down ill spend the money on flex. But it is like