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  • Thanks for the clarification. There appears to be a crack in the copper, and I suspect it did freeze. On replacing the galvanized with PEX, would you be concerned about pressure at all? I figured it would be a good chance to update the line, and most frost-free sillcocks that I've looked at offer 1/2" PEX connection, which seems like a straightforward replacement. Commented 15 hours ago
  • Given that you are already feeding the galvanized from 1/2" PEX, and galvanized has a much rougher interior (when new) that's subject to corrosion (despite galvanizing) making it both smaller and yet rougher, pressure will either be unaffected or better. I prefer to use 3/4" PEX until I'm down to individual branch outlets, but if it works OK for you as is, should be no worse. Commented 15 hours ago
  • Thank you for the information! The PEX swap seems straightforward and not much more work than just replacing the sillcock. Plus, the galvanized pipe is likely 30+ years old. If I were to run PEX, would you suggest routing it the same as the existing line? I.e., keeps the two 90s for the outbuilding tee (lower) and sillcock (right)? I've cut and sweated copper (years ago), but PEX is new to me. Again, thanks for the advice. Commented 15 hours ago
  • PEX is flexible. If you are not a plumber trying to pad the bill by selling more fittings, both flow and cost are improved by using that flexibility rather than treating it as rigid pipe and using a bunch of fittings you won't need if you use the flexibility of the pipe and let it bend gently. The 90 shown in your last picture is completely pointless, IMHO. But you might want to actually support it once in a while with hangers to the joists. You can take the pipe-thread adapter now feeding the galvanized and use it to connect to the PVC to the outbuilding. Commented 15 hours ago
  • I would cut the black elbow out of the PVC and just use a coupling to put the pipe thread adaper on it pointing straight up at the PEX line to the sillcock, and put a PEX Tee there to feed it. Two extra 90's you don't need are helping exactly nothing there. Commented 15 hours ago