How To Fix A Leaking Water Hydrant

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Today we will showing you how to fix a leaking water hydrant. Well will be showing you on this Simmons Frost-Proof Yard Hydrant. We will be showing you how to fix a drip or a leak out of the handle. There are a few models out there so search on the side on the head of the hydrant and it should say who the manufacture is. There are some universal rebuild kits out there that go on the color of the head of the hydrant.

 

The first thing we need to do is shut the water supply off going to the hydrant or isolate it from the water supply. Once we have it shut we can open the handle on the hydrant and bleed off the pressure.

 

Once we have the water pressure drained off we can grab a pipe wrench and adjust it to fit the head of the hydrant and turn the hydrant head and remove it. If you have a stubborn one you can use two pipe wrenches one on the hydrant head and one on the standpipe and work them against each other to give you some more force. If that doesn’t work you can use a torch to apply some heat to the hydrant head and hopefully that will allow you to loosen it and remove it.

 

Once we have it loose we can turn it by hand and remove the hydrant head by wiggling it and slide it upwards. Once we have the head of the hydrant pulled out we can look at the bottom and you will see there is a rubber and the end of the plunger. This is what seals to stop the flow of water. They either get a rip or tear in them or the get really hard and that’s what causes a leak.

 

Next we can grab a small pair of vise grip pliers and snap them onto the brass piece next to the rubber as the rubber is attached to the brass piece. Then we can turn the vise grips one way and turn the hydrant head the other way. We should be able to remove the brass and rubber from the plunger.

Once we have the old one removed we can grab a wire brush and wire brush the threads and apply some anti-seize. With some anti-seize on the threads we can now un-package our new rubber and thread it onto the plunger. Once we have it hand tight we can grab our vise grip pliers and snug it up.

 

Once we have the rubber installed on the end of the plunger we can grab our wire brush again and wire brush the threads on the top of the standpipe. Once we have the threads clean we can apply some soft set thread sealant. In the video I used real- tuff because that is what the homeowner had I would normally use Gasolia.

 

Now That we have the thread sealant on the threads we can make sure the handle on the hydrant is in the wide open position and start to thread it back onto the standpipe. Once we have the hydrant head hand tight we can use our pipe wrench and snug it up. Be Careful on which way the hydrant head will end up when snugging it down as you don’t want it to face a wall, fence or something that will make it hard to get the hose on.

 

Next we can remove the square set screw under the handle that adjusts the lever position. Will the screws removed we can grab a 11mm wrench and channel lock pliers and remove the nut and then the bolt out of the top of the hydrant handle.

 

With that removed we can lower the handle and brass parts that go on the side. Once we have those out of the way we can slide the brass piece of that had the square set screw in it. With that removed we can grab our channel lock pliers and loosen and remove the packing nut.

 

Once we have the packing nut removed we can grab a pick or a flat screwdriver and remove the two o-rings down inside. Once we have both o-rings removed we can grab the two o-rings in our rebuild kit and slide them both onto the plunger rod and down into where the old o-rings were. Once we have both o-rings in place we can slide the packing nut back into position and start it by hand. Next we can give it a ¼ turn or so more to snug it up. We don’t need to go to tight as they are brand new o-rings and if it leaks we can tighten it more later on.

 

Next we can slide the brass piece on that had the square set screw in it. Next we can grab the two side brass pieces for the handle. Then reinstall the handle into the brass pieces and slide it upward and into the top of the hydrant and grab our new 11mm bolt and slide it through the hydrant head and handle and then start the 11mm lock nut on the other side. Next we can take our 11mm wrench and channel lock pliers and snug it down. We don’t want to tighten it too much as it will pinch the handle making it hard to move.

 

Next we can lift the handle and start the new set screw into the brass piece. Next we can move the hydrant handle to about 30 degrees off our standpipe and tighten that square set screw. Next we can turn the valve that supplies water to the hydrant and test it. If yours doesn’t shut off fully or fully open you can shut the water off and re-adjust that set screw. If yours doesn’t fully shut off turn the water off going to the hydrant, drain it off then close the hydrant handle loosen the set screw and move the hydrant handle another 30 degrees away from the standpipe and then tighten the set screw and re-test it.

 

This one works perfectly as when we open it we have full pressure and when we shut it we have no drips or leaks. When we attach a hose the packing nut and where the hydrant head threads onto the standpipe we also have no leaks.

 

So that’s it we have just shown you how to fix a leaking water hydrant

 

 

 

 

 

 

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