Description
The Spears® 1407 Series is the right-angle transition irrigation crews keep on the truck for the joint that’s neither all-PVC nor all-poly: one end is a 1 in. barbed insert that pushes into flexible polyethylene tubing, the other end is a smaller female NPT thread (1/2 in. or 3/4 in.) for sprinkler risers, brass nipples, threaded valves, and equipment ports. Molded dark-grey UV-stable PVC, Spears USA marking, domestic-manufactured to ASTM D2466.
Why You'd Reach for a 1407
- One fitting, three jobs: 90° bend AND a reduction from 1 in. poly to a smaller threaded port AND the poly-to-thread transition — no separate clamped barb + elbow + reducer stack
- Barbed insert end with multiple retention ribs — molded ridge profile grips the inner wall of 1 in. flexible polyethylene irrigation tubing; cinch with a stainless screw clamp or pinch clamp for a long-term joint
- Female NPT thread on the smaller end — receives a male-threaded sprinkler riser, brass nipple, threaded valve outlet, or equipment port (1/2 in. or 3/4 in.)
- 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 bend and the thread base
Where It Fits in the System
- Drip irrigation submains (the classic use): run 1 in. flexible polyethylene tubing as the buried mainline, then use a 1407 elbow at each branch to bring the line up and out to a 1/2 in. or 3/4 in. threaded port feeding a pressure regulator, filter, or drip distribution manifold.
- Sprinkler-head risers off a poly mainline: when the system uses flexible poly instead of rigid PVC for the mainline, the 1407 is the corner fitting that drops to a threaded riser at each head.
- Equipment port transitions: pump suction / discharge, filter housing inlets, pressure tank ports — most take female NPT in 1/2 in. or 3/4 in. and connect from a 1 in. poly supply.
- Hose bib / frost-free hydrant feeds: route a buried 1 in. poly supply to a wall-mounted hose bib that uses 1/2 in. or 3/4 in. female NPT.
- Pond, water-feature, pool-system plumbing: when a flexible poly return line needs to terminate at a threaded bulkhead or skimmer port on a pump, filter, or aerator.
Size Combinations
- 1 in. × 1/2 in. (Model 1407-130, SKU 50787) — 1 in. barbed insert end into 1 in. flex poly; 1/2 in. female NPT branch for a 1/2 in. male-threaded riser. The standard residential drop from a 1 in. poly drip submain to a 1/2 in. sprinkler head or drip filter inlet.
- 1 in. × 3/4 in. (Model 1407-131, SKU 50788) — 1 in. barbed insert end into 1 in. flex poly; 3/4 in. female NPT branch for a 3/4 in. male-threaded port. Transitions a 1 in. poly mainline to a 3/4 in. hose bib, equipment port, or pressure regulator.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Spears Manufacturing Company
- Series: 1407 (Insert × FNPT 90° reducing elbow, dark-grey UV-stable PVC)
- Type: 90-degree reducing elbow, barbed insert × female NPT thread
- Bend angle: 90°
- Material: PVC, Type I, dark grey, molded for UV exposure
- Insert end: 1 in. barbed (for 1 in. ID flexible polyethylene tubing)
- Female NPT end: 1/2 in. or 3/4 in. (see Size variants)
- Pressure rating: matches 1 in. SCH 40 PVC pipe (cold water service)
- 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; threads per ANSI / ASME B1.20.1
- Suitable for: cold water only (for hot water above 73°F, choose a different fitting material)
Installation Notes
Barb end into poly pipe: 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 pipe so the poly 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.
Female NPT thread: 2 to 3 wraps of PTFE thread tape (or pipe dope) on the MALE fitting that threads into the 1407’s female port. Hand-tighten plus 1 to 2 turns with a strap wrench. DO NOT over-tighten. PVC female threads can split if you crank a male fitting too hard. If the joint leaks at proper torque, replace the tape and try again — don’t keep tightening. Over-tightening is the #1 cause of cracked PVC female-thread ports in the field.
Plan rotation before clamping: The 90° elbow can be rotated to any angle around its insert centerline before the hose clamp is tightened. Mark the orientation of the threaded port (which way it faces matters because that’s where your riser goes), then tighten the clamp.
Use a strap wrench, not channel locks, on the PVC body: a metal pipe wrench digs into PVC and concentrates stress. Strap wrenches spread the load around the body and prevent point-stress cracks.
What’s in the Box
- One Spears 1407 series PVC 90° reducing elbow (insert × female NPT) in your selected size combination, bulk-packed
Compatible Accessories — Sold Separately
- 1 in. stainless hose clamps or pinch clamps for the barb-end joint
- PTFE thread tape (white for PVC; pink heavy-duty for stainless / metal-on-metal)
- 1 in. flexible polyethylene irrigation tubing for the insert end
- 1/2 in. or 3/4 in. male-NPT-threaded sprinkler head nipples, risers, brass nipples, hose bibs
- Spears 474 series straight insert adapters (insert × socket) for poly-to-PVC transitions in the same run
Stop by Garoppo’s to pick one up, or schedule local delivery within our service area.