Gas pipe too small, inspection camera advise needed

icewinder · 13 Mar 2015

I had my combi boiler recently serviced and the guy said that the gas was low 12.33mBar. We only have the one gas appliance but he left a warning note to get it sorted.

He said that the pipe to the meter and to the boiler was 22mm so he couldn't understand why but after a further inspection by myself the pipework goes from 22mm to 15mm then at some point back to 22mm when it hits the meter.

Cut a long tail short, it's upstairs in a cubbyhole in the bathroom so the pipe nose dives , reduces on a 90 bend to a 15mm then fires off under the tiled flooring and down out outside but at it stands I don't know which route or were the 15mm starts or finishes.

The problem I've got is the bathroom floor is tiled and boarded out. Is there a cheap inspection camera I can use with a light say that connects to a laptop just so I can drill a small hole and try to find out were the 15mm pipe work is ?.
I can lift a roof tile and thread a new 22mm down the service void but first I need to find out which route the pipework takes and were the 15mm starts and ends.
Once I know were the 15mm is I could do the donkey work and thread new 22mm I've got off a friend along side till leaving access for a fitter so they can couple the new pipework up thus saving a few quid

Dan Robinson · 13 Mar 2015

The size of the pipe needs to be calculated by some one who knows what they are doing. The guy who you've had obviously doesn't know how to size a pipe (worrying in itself).

Just saying what sizes you have is irrelevant.

Loads need to be known as do the distances, number of bends etc.,.

You might need 28mm for some of the run for all we know.

Get a professional.

icewinder · 13 Mar 2015

Thanks for the advice , the advise I took was from a Vaillant engineer while serving the boiler, the boiler has been in for 4 years.

His words were 22mm would be sufficient but he couldn't understand why it was low.The joint were the pipe goes from 22mm 15mm was not in view for the engineer I only spotted it by removing 2 lots of screwed down boards underneath the boiler to locate the joint and the thinner 15mm.
The distance is only 20ft from meter supply outside to boiler itself, so basically somewere under the floor there's section of 15mm and I would like to know were and how much.

I would have thought that with him saying 22mm would be fine I could save a few bob and do the donkey work and thread the new 22mm in place for an engineer to come along and connect up. I just wanted to find out which route the pipe travelled and my best option for a new one.

There I will beg to differ with you, though the work needs to be carried out by an engineer I'm dam sure I don't need to pay someone to thread pipe.

Dan Robinson · 13 Mar 2015

Crack on then

I guess you are fully conversant with the rules on supports and distances.

Being a Vaillant engineer means nothing.

the boiler being fitted for 4 years means nothing.

His words were 22mm would be sufficient but he couldn't understand why it was low

eeerrrm.... Says it all really.

TeaTime · 13 Mar 2015

You may not need to pay someone to thread pipework or lay a run that will eventually be connected to the system by a Gas Safe Engineer, but you will not know what effect on the flow rate etc, additional short radius bends will have.

Ideally, if you knew how the pipework should be run and in what materials etc, you could carry out the donkey work, but if you throw a load or SR bends in there and run pipe however you please, you may be effecting your system negatively and not even know it.

Additionally, whilst the boiler engineer may have 'suggested' that 22mm 'should' be ok, he was making an assumption. He didn't have all the information he needed to acertain the issue, so, in essence, you will need to get someone to identify cleary what the problem is and the best way to solve it.

You should at least get some professional advice now that you have identified the restriction.

Are you sure you are not going to hit the existing gas inlet when digging down to find it?

icewinder · 13 Mar 2015

TeaTime said:
Are you sure you are not going to hit the existing gas inlet when digging down to find it?

I'm more than competent with a camera and threading a few pipes in without puncturing the old,
thanks for the advice

TeaTime · 13 Mar 2015

icewinder said:
TeaTime said:

Are you sure you are not going to hit the existing gas inlet when digging down to find it?

Click to expand...

I'm more than competent with a camera and threading a few pipes in without puncturing the old,
thanks for the advice

Well, as previously stated by Dan... crack on then.

icewinder · 13 Mar 2015

will do , thankyou

Dan Robinson · 13 Mar 2015

Often wonder why smartarse knowitalls even bother to post on here

icewinder · 13 Mar 2015

Dan_Robinson said:
Often wonder why smartarse knowitalls even bother to post on here

well don't bother next time

picasso · 13 Mar 2015

I can see the heading of your next post " new gas run but still low pressure"

or

you could learn to pipesize domestic gas installations

or

you get someone in thats not guessing what pipes you need.

icewinder · 13 Mar 2015

OK, thanks for that advise

Mystic Meg I shall keep your special powers in mind look into my eyes

picasso · 13 Mar 2015

And your back in the room (and unfortunately still a pratt)

hazetimesfive · 13 Mar 2015

does no one ever go to work in this country, just sit at home wondering how they can save a few quid by doing a tradesman out of a job.

Dan Robinson · 13 Mar 2015

Probably all sat in an office using their employer's time and internet connection to find a way of saving a few quid because they are too tight and stupid to pay for a proper job.

Threading 22mm pipe?

What a knob.

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Gas pipe too small, inspection camera advise needed

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