Home plumbing weird gizmo/fitting - what the heck is this thing?

[STINEY]

I have never seen a thingamabob like this dohicky.

What is its purpose?

I know what it does, it makes draining the lines take 5 times longer than the job should take.

It seems to have a set-screw locking it on, then would just screw off. My best guess is it it to prevent little fingers from "accidentally" flooding a basement?

I don't like it, and I can't see any real issues from me just removing it so I can drain the line in a few seconds instead of 20 minutes. The little white tit has to be held to the side so a dribble of water can escape.

[squirrel]

anti backflow valve.

keeps hose water from running into the house plumbing. Remove it if you're trying to drain the line.

[Loren]

It looks like a pressure regulator, of the type used on RVs so when you hook up a hose to a campground, your little plastic waterlines donn't get blown out if the campground pressure is too high.

[Beagle]

looks like an Anti-Siphon hose bib.



doh - treed by Squirrel!!

[milner351]

Anti - siphon for sure - but why the put it on a drain, I don't know - probably what they had laying around.

Is that electric flex conduit under a drain? hope not

[STINEY]

Of course its electrical under.......after all, I'm sure code up there requires the anti-siphon device to protect me from my garden hose.

The fact that it drains directly on to a 220 circuit presents no problem to any inspector apparently.

I hate, with a passion, any and all zoning/permitting/inspections for exactly this reason. I have seen, time and time again, evidence of the ineffectiveness of the system. Its all just a money maker for the jurisdiction.

Notice the silicone that is now actually sealing the wall? That is my work. I also cut the insulation back a little. Might as well, it was soaked anyways from groundwater intrusion from the wadded-up plastic packing that was used to "seal" the entrance. I picked out, carefully so as not to damage the electrical or water line, 2 mostly complete plastic bags that originally held plumbing fittings.

That and a couple of dried boogers were doing a swell job of keeping things dry.

Grrr..... sure glad the system is saving me from myself......

Notice how they also committed a big no-no? You don't, as a rule, use metallic male threads in a plastic female fitting.

Plastic male in metallic female is acceptable, the opposite will crack the plastic. Glad professionals know what they are doing, and the county forces people to employ them.

I could go on, and on, and on......

But I digress. (Deep breaths, Oooom-Oooom-Oooom)

Thanks guys! Looks like I have another "spare part"!

(anyone want a anti-siphon valve cheap?)

[Barry Donovan]

water draining upside down gurgles.

maybe they used that for anti spewing with valve open.

[milner351]

is this the main water system drain for the cottage? (winterizing I assume?)

Lord.

I truly detest the process - and will continue to pull the absolute minimum permits required for anything, ever.

I feel your pain.

[STINEY]

Yep, this is where the well pump line enters the basement, and where the electric exits to the submersible pump.

We leave the baseboard heat on low, roughly 40*, and there is a bunch of solar gain from the layout we planned, but I just can't bring myself to leave water in the lines. I figure its cheap insurance to drain and antifreeze the traps, just in case the power goes out for a prolonged period of time.

Christy says we go there to relax, not work, and with the recent passing of Dad, I believe she is going to start enforcing that policy!

Did I tell you about the ground rods (that are against code) sticking out of the ground 3', like twin daggers of painful death?

Apparently those were okay too, although God forbid our outdoor handrails were 4" wide and not 3".

And the fact that they not only used the ground rods (which are against current code, did I mention that?), BUT that they DID NOT use the UFER ground that HAD to tie into the rebar structure of the basement concrete pour? That was also left sticking out of the ground as a third menace to any soft-bodied creatures unlucky enough to be in the area.

I tied them together, and cut them off 1' underground, with my unshielded die-grinder, without proper safety wear, under the cover of darkness during an eclipse.

[milner351]

Another reason I'm not looking forward to building.... anything.

I wonder if we could round up enough BSers to raise a building in a day? HM..

Have to plant the pine trees first to block the view from the road perhaps.

OH yea - the ground rods! I've driven a few of those 8 footers in myself - starting on a ladder - new 200 amp service? Yes sir - that's right - two 8ft ground rods, 4 - 8 feet apart, yes sir, in addition to a #6 stranded unsheathed ground wire clamped on BOTH SIDES of the water meter - yes sir that's correct. (the water meter was on the opposite end of the basement btw....)

UGH! I so feel your pain.

Maybe I should build my first roll cage for the fork lift, then have the concrete poured, and put up a steel frame building myself!

I'll call the concrete work a parking pad.... after inspection - I'll put in the redhead anchors for the columns.... ;-)

[DanStokes]

John - I have BRUISER Hilti hammer drill. It'll put those suckers in in no time. We'll probably be in MI in May sometime and back for Grandkid time later in the summer but that date isn't set. Happy to help.

Dan

[TheSilverBuick]

I think you are right about it being there to keep any happless person from flooding your basement. It probably was set up so there was a hose with a fitting on it to press in the button when threaded on.

[gearhead1218]

That is a check valve or another name for it is backflow preventer.