Description
The Spears® 1401-010 is the 1 in. PVC tee that branches a flexible-poly irrigation line into a 90° tap without thread or cement. Three barbed insert ends, dark-grey UV-stable PVC, push-on-and-clamp on all three sides. Spears USA marking, domestic-manufactured to ASTM D2466.
Why You'd Reach for the 1401-010
- Three barbed insert ends (insert × insert × insert) — the standard in-line tee for 1 in. flexible polyethylene irrigation tubing; the straight run accepts 1 in. poly on both sides, the perpendicular branch accepts the same 1 in. poly
- Retention ribs on each barb — the molded ridge profile grips the poly inner wall; cinch with a stainless screw clamp or pinch clamp on each end for a long-term joint that holds at full irrigation pressure
- Branches a poly mainline without breaking the run — lets you tap a feeder zone, drop a head, or split into a sub-circuit at any point along a 1 in. poly line
- Dark-grey UV-stable PVC — molded for outdoor / surface-exposed irrigation lines; doesn't require burial like white SCH 40 PVC pipe fittings
- NSF-certified domestic manufacture — carries the “NSF-pw” mark for potable-water service, made in the U.S.A.
- Manufactured per ASTM D2466 — the controlling spec for PVC pressure pipe fittings
- Spears USA, domestic manufacture — computer-stress-analyzed mold design with reinforced material at the branch junction where flex-poly clamping pressure concentrates
Where It Fits in the System
- Drip irrigation submain branching (the classic use): a buried 1 in. poly drip submain gets a 1401-010 wherever a zone needs to tap off. The straight run continues the mainline; the branch feeds a drip distribution manifold or a head riser further along the system.
- Sprinkler-head branches off a poly mainline: when the system is built with flexible poly instead of rigid PVC, the 1401-010 is the corner fitting that puts a head riser anywhere along the lateral without breaking the run.
- Multi-zone manifolds: chain 1401-010 tees inline along a 1 in. poly mainline to split it into several zones, each branch feeding a downstream valve or distribution.
- Pool, pond, water-feature plumbing: branching a flexible 1 in. poly supply to feed a skimmer line, return jet, or aeration drop in addition to the main loop.
- Workshop / hobby plumbing: anywhere a 1 in. poly run needs a 90° branch and the joint is non-threaded.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Spears Manufacturing Company
- Manufacturer part number: 1401-010
- First Supply item number: PITG
- Series: 1401 (Insert × Insert × Insert standard tee, dark-grey UV-stable PVC)
- Type: standard branching tee, barbed insert × barbed insert × barbed insert
- Nominal size: 1 in. (all three ends)
- End 1 (run inlet): 1 in. barbed insert (for 1 in. ID flexible polyethylene tubing)
- End 2 (run outlet): 1 in. barbed insert (for 1 in. ID flexible polyethylene tubing)
- End 3 (branch): 1 in. barbed insert (for 1 in. ID flexible polyethylene tubing)
- Material: PVC, Type I, dark grey, molded for UV exposure
- Pressure rating: matches 1 in. SCH 40 PVC pipe (cold water service); 1 in. flexible poly tubing is typically the limiting factor below this
- Maximum operating temperature: 140°F (PVC service-temperature ceiling)
- Origin: domestic, U.S.A.
- Certifications: NSF-pw (potable water service), Spears USA mark
- Reference standards: ASTM D2466 (PVC pressure fittings); base material ASTM D1784
- UPC: 10054211160500 (case GTIN-14)
- Suitable for: cold water only on PVC (for hot water above 73°F, choose a different fitting material)
Installation Notes
All three ends are barbed inserts — same procedure on each: Cut the poly square. Warm the poly tubing in hot water for 30 seconds if it's a cold-day install (makes the insert push-fit easier). Push the barb fully into the poly so the pipe is seated past the last retention rib. Secure with a stainless steel hose clamp or pinch clamp positioned over the barbed section — tighten until the clamp screw is snug but not over-deformed.
Plan branch direction before clamping the run: the branch port can be rotated to any angle around the run centerline before any of the three clamps are tightened. Dry-fit into the mainline, mark the branch orientation (which way the branch poly will face), then clamp all three.
All three ends need clamps — an un-clamped barb joint can creep loose under temperature cycling and irrigation surge pressure. The branch end especially: water hammer from valves opening / closing on the branch line concentrates at this joint.
No cement, no cure time — unlike SCH 40 PVC fittings, this tee can be pressurized as soon as all three clamps are tightened. Useful for emergency repairs or temporary zone splits where the system needs to go back into service quickly.
What’s in the Box
- One Spears 1401-010 1 in. PVC insert tee (insert × insert × insert), bulk-packed
Compatible Accessories — Sold Separately
- 1 in. stainless hose clamps or pinch clamps (need 3 per fitting — one for each barb)
- 1 in. flexible polyethylene irrigation tubing for all three ends
- Spears 1429-010 straight insert couplings (insert × insert) for non-branching poly-to-poly joints in the same run
- Spears 1407 series 90° reducing elbows (insert × female NPT) for branching to threaded heads or equipment ports off the same mainline
- Spears 474 series insert adapters (insert × socket) for poly-to-PVC transitions where the system switches to rigid SCH 40 PVC
Stop by Garoppo’s to pick one up, or schedule local delivery within our service area.