How to Repair the Woodford Y34 Frostproof Hydrant

[@PHNursery]

Very well made and edited video. Excellent repair demo!

[@pschlentz6885]

Thanks so much for your common sense approach to this repair! I can't thank you enough for your experience, your confidence and being an all around nice man! God bless you and yours!

[@frankk.9409]

Thank you so much for posting this video. I was able to fix a hydrant at the barn I volunteer at using the info you provided at the 13:30 mark.

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Glad it helped!

[@stewartwenerstrom3607]

Just did this job myself thanks to your great video!

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Great to hear!

[@StoneKathryn]

Thanks so much for doing this video! We bought a Woodford Y34 for our farm hydrant because our old one wouldn't stop dripping no matter what we tried. I'm so glad to see that the new hydrant we installed can be repaired from the top. Ours is a bury 6' so we don't want to dig down that deep again! There was no way to fix the old hydrant! I'm even more sure that the hydrant we picked is the one we need!

[@DirtFarmerJay]

That is awesome! Our Woodford is a great unit and we think you'll have the same experience. Best, DFJ

[@slimwantedman6694]

Good morning from Southeast South Dakota

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Morning!

[@PeterFabrick-f5x]

Thank you, it saved me saying unkind things about the designer during adjustment. Thanks again

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Love it!

[@marknelson6514]

I love this guy!

[@benjaminrazo5869]

Thank you just want I needed 🙏

[@Mentalstealthh]

Awesome video sir, thank you🫡

[@daftnord4957]

When we have the plunger out and it's dirty, does it work to turn the water on for a few seconds to help clean it out

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Yes, you can do that. It will just make the area around the hydrant muddy unless you have gravel or bark to work on. And, you'll need only a few seconds. Best, DFJ

[@daftnord4957]

@DirtFarmerJay I did that before I put the new plunger back in, cause the old one was covered in rust bits. Didn't want that junk to be left down there and ruin the new one

[@tomhorrigan5769]

Dumb question. Where do you turn the water off?? In a house you have a valve but this is outside? Would like to add an external water source to my lake homes existing well. For if/when SHTF scenario or lose electricity. Thanks. Luv your channel!

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Tom, I'm sorry I didn't get to this until now. I'm not sure where it would be on your property, but a typical layout is that there is a main shut off inside the house. If the house has a basement, it's typically there, somewhere near the utility room. As for the outside, I've seen it in a sprinkler/utility box somewhere near the front door, as it is where irrigation systems are plumbed and wired to. Since you've written this 2 months ago, have you had any success in locating your lines? Thanks for the kind comment as well. Best, DFJ

[@tomhorrigan5769]

@@DirtFarmerJay Thanks for responding. My main shutoff is in the basement utility room. I’m trying to see if/where I could place a hand well pump in case electricity goes out. Would I need a separate well or can I tie into my existing well? Guessing a new well would be needed. Great channel. How long have you been doing this? Great topics with clear simple directions!! Love the channel!!

[@pschlentz6885]

Agreed Tom, Dirt Farmer is my new Go To Guy! @@tomhorrigan5769

[@soldierofapathy1]

Will the adjustment made at the end of the video help if the snap is adjusted too tight and is making it extremely difficult to open and close? It’s summertime and the farm we just bought requires a lot of force to open and close and I am suspecting that the linkage for the snap is adjusted way too tight

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Yes it will. You'll need to experiment a bit, but when properly adjusted, the snap is pretty easy to accomplish and is easier on the hydrant components. Let me know how it turns out! Best, DFJ

[@soldierofapathy1]

@@DirtFarmerJayit seemed to help make it easier to open and close. But now it’s freezing at only 30 degrees. I’m hoping you have some advise? It seems like the seat is freezing so I’m thinking/hoping that it just needs that seat seal replaced.

[@pjanders87]

If you dont pull the plunger/rod out do you still need to shut the water off? I only need to replace the head.

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Yes, you'll need to turn off the water. As soon as the tension is released on the connecting rod to the valve body, you'll have quite a geyser. Best, DFJ

[@user-gt7on9co4g]

Can this model be used in reverse ? … ie., as a way to periodically feed water into the system by attaching a garden hose from an outside faucet to the hydrant outlet, when finished detaching the hose , shut off the hydrant, and outside faucet …Does it have a backflow preventer?

[@DirtFarmerJay]

I don't know. It doesn't have a backflow preventer, but you could add one. I don't see why you couldn't, it doesn't depend on the direction of the flow of the water to operate correctly. I hope this helps!

[@moonbanditranch736]

Mine is leaking at the packing nut and I can’t seem to get it moving to adjust it. I have sprayed it several times with wd40 and admittedly I am both a little wimpy and also afraid to damage the stand going down into the ground. Any advice on how to get it started? It’s caused a fair amount of rust below the leak…

[@jamesmccullough7964]

I have same problem

[@moonbanditranch736]

@ I have hit it with pb blaster now too and still- more worried about stripping that nut and I wonder if I will need to replace the whole thing. 🤨

[@johnwalters7415]

What would cause the water to just let a small stream come out when open

[@DirtFarmerJay]

I suspect your handle is set to not open the valve enough when you put the valve in the upright position. Is this something new, or has the hydrant been "misbehaving" for some time? You need to position the lifter rod a bit higher in the handle so when you lift the handle, the plunger at the end of the rod down in the valve body opens more and lets a full stream of water flow. Let me know how this turns out for you! Best, DFJ

[@davidpavely4539]

Woodford hydrants are the best

[@DirtFarmerJay]

David, I agree with you. They are the standard that others are measured against. Best, DFJ

[@johngallati8164]

DOES THIS SUCK WATER OUT OF THE GROUND?

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Nope, this is connected to the water system but the lines to it are buried below the frost line so that the hydrant has access to unfrozen water even with the temps above ground are below freezing. Make sense? Best, DFJ

[@robjones8733]

Before y'all start working on these things, make sure you got a couple of BIG pipe wrenches. I'm off to H freight and spend 50 more bucks on this primitive piece of junk. I'm used to dealing with ball valves 😉

[@DirtFarmerJay]

LOL!

[@jpfeil06]

Do you have to turn the water off to adjust the snap?

[@DirtFarmerJay]

Depending on how high the water pressure is, you may need to. That is because when you loosen the adjustment nuts at the top, the valve keeps wanting to open and it's difficult to tighten the nut where you need it each time. If the water can be turned off and you can slightly lengthen the amount of the rod's length pressing down into the valve body at the bottom of the shaft, that would work the best in my opinion. I hope this helps!