XP 150 Problem

[Aqua_Flash]

I've after some searching in the garage managed to find some PVC piping that has a pretty nice fit over the tube. It will still need gluing, but at least there is already quite a good hold. Here are pictures.





Now that I have that sorted out, do I have to put some tubing inside that PVC pipe so it creates a coupler or could I just attach the valve (ball valve most probably, unless there is another good type for this) to the pipe as it is now (after being cut down a bit of course)?

[Silence]

Shoot...I lost the post.

Judging from the pictures, that looks like thinwall PVC, which isn't pressure rated. Granted, stock water guns don't produce too much pressure (at least before a PRVD), so you may be safe. I definitely wouldn't recommend a PRVD though, unless you do use copper pipe instead.

Your ball valve will likely have female threaded ends on both sides. You'll need a male adapter, which can be glued onto the pipe and then threaded into the ball valve. You may also want a male coupler, which has male threads on both sides, to screw into the other side of the valve and into the nozzles.

[Aqua_Flash]

Because of this valve replacement, if it works then I don't plan on doing a Pressure Release Valve Disable if I don't need to. I tried the pipe with one of my 3/4" PVC male adaptors and it is a bit too big. Good thing is though I'll be receiving some 1/2" male adaptors I ordered off eBay soon, so they should work.

When I receive them and they fit well hopefully then I can buy a 1/2 PVC ball valve, as well as a 1/2" male coupler, and then I can get to work on putting the parts together and hopefully getting this fixed and performing well.

[Ben]

Don't disable the PRV. It's more trouble than it's worth, especially on a gun like the XP 150. As I mentioned before, unless you count the pumps, you will break it.

I wouldn't be worried about the thinwall PVC too. I had some thinwall 1/2 inch that was rated for 380 PSI (somewhere around that number at least). The 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch sizes should have plenty acceptable pressure ratings. While the pipe you have doesn't have anything printed on it, I'd imagine it's as strong if not stronger than the XP 150's standard pipe.

[Aqua_Flash]

I'm not really a fan of PRV disabling anyway, doing that has just wrecked my guns in the past. I only thought about doing a PRV disable because I thought that would solve the problem, thankfully I didn't do that and the problem looks like it can be fixed without doing this.

I should have said this but the piping is basically pump tubing from a salvaged CPS 1000 that was beyond repair, so I assume the piping is fine with what I am doing.

Now like I said all I can do at the moment really is wait and hope that the 1/2" male adaptors get here as quick as possible, as then if a good fit I can order the ball valve and coupler straight away as I know where to get them from easily online.

[Ben]

I don't know if the pump tubing has the same OD as 1/2 inch PVC pipe. It should be close, but you might have to fill in the gap with epoxy. Modern (last 10 years) pump tubing has an ID of about 5/8 inches and an OD that's about 3/4 inches from what I remember.

Keep us informed.

[Silence]

Well, if the tube is from another water gun, it shouldn't really be a problem. And also, as Ben hinted, pretty much any tubing in small sizes can contain pressure. While 1/2", Schedule 40 PVC is rated to 600 PSI, you'd be lucky to get 6" PVC rated to 60 PSI.

[Ben]

How's the repair going? Have you run into any snags or forgot about it?

[Aqua_Flash]

I'm waiting for the said parts I mentioned to arrive. It might be a bit, but I haven't forgotten, I'd rather do this when I have everything so I can do it all in one go.

[Silence]

Where did you order the parts from? (Just curious.) McMaster-Carr has very fast shipping inside the US, or at least on the east coast, due to their location and good shipping selection. Unfortunately, we don't know much about their shipping times and prices internationally.

[Aqua_Flash]

McMaster Carr don't even ship internationally. I ordered something there and got an email saying that because of tighter regulations they only ship to long established regular international customers. That annoyed me, but I can't do anything about it.

I either order my stuff of eBay or various UK online places that do actually sell what I need in terms of PVC fittings like endcaps .etc. Most of it though is through eBay, when what I want pops up in good amount I buy it (a few days ago I managed to get a box of 50 white 3/4" PVC endcaps for a pretty good price).

I can start to order the remainder of the parts I need when my 1/2" male adaptors (female to male end) arrive so I can determine whether I will need to get 1/2" or 3/4" size parts to join on (the ball valve and the male coupler).

[Silence]

McMaster-Carr's excuse is a little cold. But ordering PVC in bulk...that's pretty hardcore. Good for you.

How would you quantify PVC prices in the UK? I know it's not easily found, but I'm wondering whether or not it's still practical to use in homemades and for modification. After all, every other materials that can safely hold pressure is much harder to shape.

[Aqua_Flash]

I'd use PVC things for modifications definitely even though the cost is higher, but for homemades, while it is possible, it would take a while and quite a bit longer to get everything. I don't really have time for that, and I'm not really a fan of homemades much either, I pretty much stick to old Super Soakers. Although it is easier to make a copper homemade water gun over here, it is not really my fancy to be honest.

The 1/2" adaptors finally arrived today, and they are a very good size, much better than using the 3/4" inch size. Now I can get around to ordering the other two parts. Now I should be able to start this repair pretty soon now hopefully.