Swivel tee - what and when to use? 1

[austinengineer]

How is a swivel tee different from a regular tee, and when would it be useful to have?

I have a project with a proposed tee for a 12" D.I. branch from an existing 12" D.I. pipe. Plan review by others suggested using a "swivel tee" there.

Can a gate valve be connected directly to a swivel tee, or would I need to specify a short section of pipe or something like a Foster Adaptor?

 

[rconner]

fyi see e.g. structure at

http://www.acipco.com/adip/fittings/mechanical/glands.cfm,

and contrast the branch appearance/workings with standard solid mechanical joint branch tees elsewhere on that same website (I see no obvious reason e.g. why a mechanical socket end gate valve hub could not be connected to the swivel branch, I guess at least as long as that GIS etc. location close to the main is OK with the Owner)

 

[coloeng]

We typically use a swivel tee when the water main is on a slope and we want to have a valve restrained to the tee with the operator straight up and down. The swivel tee allows you to use a mechanical joint valve on the tee instead of a flanged valve for the restraint. If you were to use a flanged valve where there is considerable slope on the pipe, the operator would not be straight up and down.

 

[tnboy82]

Another instance in which I have seen swivel tees spec'd is when a fire hydrant is branching off of a water main (for the same reason I think as coloeng mentioned). You can install the fire hydrant plumb as well.