Where is the best place to find thin wall PVC pipe for my hand pump?
One question we get often from our customers is where they can find thin wall PVC pipe locally. Our well hand pump kits require both 1 inch and 1/2 inch PVC pipes for installation. It is important to know which pipes to get, and where to get them.
For the installation, the kit requires equal lengths of both the 1” and 1/2”, this is to get down to the desired depth. The 1” pipe is the “outer casing” that suspends the piston at the desired depth and connects to the well cap. The 1/2” pipe is the part of the pump that slides up and down to pump the water from the well.
Thin wall VS Schedule 40
When you go to get your PVC pipe you cannot just go get any 1” and 1/2” PVC pipe. For the pump to work correctly, a thin wall PVC pipe is needed for the 1” pipe. This is commonly referred to as SDR 21 (or class 200). It is called this because the pipe is rated for 200 PSI of internal water pressure. This is contrasted with the more common schedule 40 PVC pipes. The main difference is the wall thickness. As shown below, the schedule 40 PVC pipes are about 0.113 inches thick while the class 200 thin wall pipes are 0.092 inches thick. For our hand pump kit, you need the class 200 as it has the needed interior clearance for the 1/2” to slide up and down with the couplers.
1” PVC Pipe
The 1/2” pipe can either be purchased as the schedule 40 or the thin wall. If it can be found locally in the thin wall, we highly recommend using it instead of the schedule 40. The thin wall pipes are much lighter which makes pumping much easier and it reduces water friction. If the thin wall pipes cannot be found locally, then it is just fine to use the schedule 40. The thin wall version of the 1/2” PVC pipe is commonly referred to as SDR 13.5 (or class 315) as it is rated for internal pressure of up to 315 PSI. As shown below, the SDR 13.5 half-inch pipe is significantly thinner than its schedule 40, making it much lighter.
1/2” PVC Pipe
Where can I find 1” and 1/2” thin wall PVC pipes?
We have found that the best place to find SDR 21 and SDR 13.5 pipes is at irrigation supply stores. Thin wall PVC pipe is what is commonly used in irrigation systems so most irrigation stores supply them. Call around to your local irrigation supply stores and see if they have the needed quantity of pipes in stock.
The next most common place to find thin wall PVC is plumbing supply stores. Stores geared more towards plumbing are more likely to have many selections of PVC pipe and will often keep a supply of thin wall PVC pipe. You can also check out chain stores such as Home Depot or Lowes. Some of their locations will stock the thin wall pipe or allow you to special order them.
If you have any issues finding a thin wall PVC pipe supplier near you for our hand pump, don’t hesitate to reach out to us and we will help you research where you can find the pipes you need.
