Is it lead?

[MrFrosty]

Hi,

I'm in the process of Plumbing in a new ktichen for a friend however now he has fitted all of his units it turns out I need to remove a old stopcock that is now redundant however still on his water main. I've looked at the pipe, originally I though it was a pieve of galvanised steel, however on closer inspection it is not that. It looks like it could be lead. The house is 70ish years old I would say. The pipe itself is darkish grey in appearance, is 18mm in diameter (external measurement) and seems to have a very brittle black coating on it which I had to scrape off to get to the pipe itself. Is there anything else it could be, it's definietly not any form of poly. If it is lead what fitting would you use to get onto it? I have managed to use a Johnsons couplin in the past and I need to go onto 22mm copper.

Any suggestions would be gratefully accepted.

Ben

 

[good old the jazz]

Dont touch it and see if you can fit another valve upstream.

 

[MrFrosty]

I already have, however the problem is my friend has decided this is where his washing machine need to go, and has built all the units to suit. However the body of the old stop cock won't let the washing machine go far enough back to the wall. So it unfortunately has to come out. Really hoped that wouldn't be the case!

 

[Happyplumber]

All you need is a Leadlock plumbers,available from any decent plumbers merchants .Goes stright onto lead and you can come off in copper

A relatively simple job for a plumber to sort out really ,just need the right bits.

 

[rojaca]

The name of the fitting is a leadloc that you want. I'm sorry, not very good on lead sizes and weights. Think it may be 1/2 inch 7lb. Would check with local plumbers merchants before you go cutting any pipe

 

[rojaca]

This'll start the old timers up. There'll be half a dozen responses about doing lead wiped joints (with their bare hands) when plumbers woz plumbers...

 

[MrFrosty]

Thanks chaps I though there was a fitting like that however hadn't come across on in the 6 years since I started Plumbing, I'll give it a try.

 

[neds]

Careful cutting the pipe because you will have disturbed the natural barrier lining inside the pipe (Patina) Cutting it will leave exposed lead which will invariably be used for wholesome water...

 

[Happyplumber]

Unfortunately you cant wipe lead joints anymore Rojaca,even though the method is hundred timeds better then a lead lock

Personally if it was my friend i would advise him to have the lead ripped out back to main stop cock and replaced with MDPE ,but if one is on a budget then the Leadlock is a solution for the problem

 

[IJWS15]

Personally if it was my friend i would advise him to have the lead ripped out back to main stop cock and replaced with MDPE ,but if one is on a budget then the Leadlock is a solution for the problem

I would support this, after all their drinking water supply is almost certainly coming through lead pipe - at the least tell them to run the tap for a couple of minuted every day before dringing any! I would not want to chance the long term effects.

 

[WDIK]

This'll start the old timers up. There'll be half a dozen responses about doing lead wiped joints (with their bare hands) when plumbers woz plumbers...

never happened they used mole skin

 

[Happyplumber]

and Tallow was excellent moisturiser for your hands!

 

[Nige F]

This'll start the old timers up. doing lead wiped joints (with their bare hands) quote]Yeah cuz no one wore bleedin rubber gloves and hi-viz vests then

 

[Garfeild]

and Tallow was excellent moisturiser for your hands!

When i was an apprentice in the 70s,one of the old plumbers reckoned he fried eggs in it!! Yuk!!