Yard hydrant stuck freezing weather

[LetaJo]

Hello all, I hope someone here has some advice for me. I have cattle in the field and corral, and I depend on two yard hydrants to water them. I'm suddenly having problems with both hydrants!

#1
I have a Merrill Mfg C-1000 yard hydrant at the corral, that's apparently freezing up. It's buried 3' in the ground (we are in Missouri). It developed a leak at the nozzle a month or so ago, and I replaced the plunger and packing nut. Worked fine, though a bit stiff. Come freezing weather, and it's stuck. I can raise the handle only part way, but no more. Once it warms up, it's fine. I adjusted the packing nut a bit looser and it operates easily, but then cold weather came and once again, stuck. I can't loosen the packing nut any more or it starts to leak. There is some play, or wiggle, in the standpipe, about 1/2" - so I suspect frigid air is getting into the hole. I see no evidence of ground seepage, so I don't think it's leaking from the plunger or underground anywhere. I'm a retired homemaker and did not install this thing, but I need it and must fix it myself.

Do I need to adjust the pivot connector and nuts (up? or down?)?
Is there something interfering with the plunger at the bottom? (Like gravel not installed correctly?)
Is the simplest fix just to widen and then backfill the hole tighter? How do I keep debris/dirt from getting into the plunger area?
Is it a dumb idea to just wrap heat tape around the standpipe and pack some dirt down around the standpipe?

#2
This one is a Pro Plumber brand, keeps a water tank filled for the pasture cattle. It operates just fine, cold or warm - but we have an underground leak somewhere. The whole area just south (slightly downhill) from the hydrant is a swamp and remains muddy even in drought conditions. I have a buddy coming this week with his ditch digger to investigate and fix this thing.
Prior to digging the damn thing up and possibly chasing water lines and connections, is there a simple adjustment on the hydrant I should be looking at? It has just one nut, I believe the packing nut.

Thank you for anything you can advise.

 

[LetaJo]

Here are photos:

#1
Freezing problem & can't raise the handle:
Aha - I see a slight leak at the packing nut. I'll need to tighten that back up again.


#2
Leaking underground:

 

[gfulton]

Can't offer anything on the hydrant that has the leak and that you'll have your buddy dig up. But the one that's freezing up: sounds to me like the drain hole at the bottom that lets the water in the hydrant pipe drain out after you shut the handle is plugged? Would leave a water column in the hydrant pipe that freezes? I've got one at my place that will do that and I likely did not put enough gravel at the bottom when I installed it and soil has plugged the drain hole. I'm in NC and the thing freezes very seldomly so I have not gotten around to digging it up and fixing it. Hope this helps.

 

[LetaJo]

Can't offer anything on the hydrant that has the leak and that you'll have your buddy dig up. But the one that's freezing up: sounds to me like the drain hole at the bottom that lets the water in the hydrant pipe drain out after you shut the handle is plugged? Would leave a water column in the hydrant pipe that freezes? I've got one at my place that will do that and I likely did not put enough gravel at the bottom when I installed it and soil has plugged the drain hole. I'm in NC and the thing freezes very seldomly so I have not gotten around to digging it up and fixing it. Hope this helps.

Thank you - I'll dig down around it and check that out.

 

[LetaJo]

@gfulton We completed repairs today. #1 hydrant (leak) was cracked at the bottom, right above the elbow connector to the water line. Replaced it with a better brand, stabilized with a T-post, and installed a much deeper gravel bed. #2 hydrant (stuck when frozen) was indeed plugged at the weep hole, but once cleared it would not operate correctly. Only gave a trickle of water when fully open. At that point, we were tired, muddy, sore and fed up - I put it aside to investigate and possibly repair later, and installed a new, better hydrant at that location, too, again with a T-post and deeper gravel bed. Buried them both and crashed in the house.
Fingers crossed that everything dries up and goes well, now. Thanks for your input.

 

[gfulton]

Glad it worked out for you, sir. Those hydrants can be an aggravation. Last one I had to fix, in a location outside that I had to have water, the operating rod was stuck full down. Had to take a die and cut threads on the top of the rod to attach a big slide hammer. I'm no spring chicken and it wore me down to a nub getting that rod out.