How to follow water pipe?

[ajmbonaire]

Can anyone tell me how to follow an underground water pipe? I found a faucet in the woods on 15 acres that has been idle for fifteen years or so. I dug down and started following the pipe but it became too difficult due to the dense undergrowth and trees that have grown up. I would like to determine where it terminates. I have seen no evidence of a well but that doesn't mean there isn't one. Any ideas? The pipe is PVC.

 

[JB4310]

They have pipe locators that use a small transmitter that you run thru the pipe on a snake/ electricians fish tape, then track it with a receiver. You should call around to rental places or commercial pipe suppliers to rent one.

Might be tricky for small diameter pipe, not sure what the smallest size you could do this with.

The only other option for plastic pipe I know of is ground penetrating sonar. I don't know if you could rent that equipment.

JB

 

[Whitnel]

No good way that I know of unless it has a tracer wire with it, which I doubt it has. Most water utilities have no idea where their PVC mains are located due to lack of a tracer wire being installed.

 

[bonefish101]

Pvc is deemed unlocatable until you get up to about 4" diameter, at that size you can detect the void within with gpr (ground penetrating radar).
If you can access the pipe and fish a metal line down through you can clamp on to the tape at one end and induce a signal to be picked up on the surface with a receiver. If you cant get a fish tape in you are pretty much out of luck. There is a fairly new tool called an rd500 (thumper) that creates water hammer down the line that can then be detected audibly. Not many people use thumpers and they can destroy old lines with too much hammer.
Best advice - call a local utility locator and get their take on it.
If you are in the dc/nova area I can help you with it, if not, good luck, you may need it!

 

[JB4310]

Pvc is deemed unlocatable until you get up to about 4" diameter, at that size you can detect the void within with gpr (ground penetrating radar).
If you can access the pipe and fish a metal line down through you can clamp on to the tape at one end and induce a signal to be picked up on the surface with a receiver. If you cant get a fish tape in you are pretty much out of luck. There is a fairly new tool called an rd500 (thumper) that creates water hammer down the line that can then be detected audibly. Not many people use thumpers and they can destroy old lines with too much hammer.
Best advice - call a local utility locator and get their take on it.
If you are in the dc/nova area I can help you with it, if not, good luck, you may need it!

Good idea on the thumper thing.
We use those cheap expanding bladder things that go on a garden hose, they are for clearing drain lines. We use them to locate pipe sometimes as they make an audible pulsing sound that can be heard even up to 4 feet down.

The smallest is about 1.5 inches though.

JB.

 

[RippySkippy]

Here's what I do to locate lines and the like...

Take two 24" pieces of bare 12 gauge copper wire bent about 6 inches from the end in a right angle. Loosely hold one piece in each hand. with your elbows at your side, and hands out front, walk slowly across the area. When you cross the pipe, the wires will cross. Working in a ziq-zag, you will be able to locate the line in question.

I know there will be doubters to this process...but I'm tell'n ya, it can and will work. Verify your own success by walking where the pipe is in a known location. You will have to experiment and adjust your grip, remember the wires must be held loosely.

I've found PVC 4' deep covered in rock and soil. Electrical lines 24" deep, and plastic water lines 5' deep. It's not going to cost you but a few cents in material, but give it a shot.

 

[JB4310]

I have one of these and have had some luck with it,

 

[Rockin' G Ranch]

If the line is open ended (broken off or not connected to anything) at the other end you can pump water down the line from the faucet in the field. Get a 200 gallon tank and 12 volt pump to pump water. By intermittantly pumping and stopping you can possibly cause a "hammer" effect that you can hear. Or just start heading in the direction you already found the pipe heading looking for a water puddle.

 

[bcp]

If the line is open ended (broken off or not connected to anything) at the other end you can pump water down the line from the faucet in the field.

I was thinking of doing the same, but using an air compressor.

Bruce

 

[ajmbonaire]

Thanks for all the replys so quickly. After and doing a little research based on the suggestions I think I am going to introduce a loud buzzer in the end of the pipe and use a mechanics stethoscope to try and follow the sound. If it dosen't work we will try some of the other suggestions. It will be a few days before I try it but will report back with the results.