Pipe size--I am confused !

Brian Lacey · 28 Apr 2009

We are in the process of getting estimates for a new replacement gas boiler, amongst other bits. The gas meter is around 8meters from the present boiler and has a 15mm gas feed copper pipe. Gas hob is tee'd off from it in the kitchen.
One group of Gassaferegister fitters tell me that the present pipe is too small for the required pressure in a new boiler and 22mm (?) pipe will be required. The second group of Gassaferegistered fitters look at exactly the same pipe and tell me that it is OK and does NOT need replacing. Boiler will be in the same place.

So, here I am, hapless customer, footing the bill and the trained "experts" are telling me two totally different things.

Who is correct ? Are they both correct ? Can someone try to un-confuse me please.

Thank you

Brian

gigz · 28 Apr 2009

What make and model of boiler are you getting ?

gas4you · 28 Apr 2009

2 appliances off a 15mm gas pipe

I would go with those who say it needs up grading to 22mm.

doitall · 28 Apr 2009

It would depend on the boiler, but a minimum 22mm.

Brian Lacey · 28 Apr 2009

Ah, so it depends on the boiler, no one told me that.
Might be a Worcester/Bosch or a Baxi and a Potterton was mentioned.

But it seems that the gas feed pipe needs to be 22mm ?

Thanks, and for prompt replies.

Brian

bengasman · 28 Apr 2009

Not a chance running a cooker and a boiler on a 15 mil pipe.

What do you mean by: group of gasfitters?

Brian Lacey · 28 Apr 2009

bengasman said:
Not a chance running a cooker and a boiler on a 15 mil pipe.

What do you mean by: group of gasfitters?

Three people have said change the pipe, two said OK so 5 visits from Gassaferegister people/fitters/companies, hence the expression 'two groups'.

Old Vulcan and gas hob have all been OK but I suppose that the old Vulcan uses less gas or gas at a lower pressure ?

Cheers

Brian

nogoodatfaultfinding · 28 Apr 2009

Go for the people who tried to give you the 22mm and the Worcester boiler.
These people are trying to do right by you.
Any chance on telling us what the quote was from the people with the 22mm and the worcester against the people with the 15mm and the Baxi??

bengasman · 28 Apr 2009

Two reasons your old boiler could have been ok.
Very small, and working below the specified pressure.
In the old days it war pretty much a case of: if it works, it must be ok.
Those days are gone.
It is really unbelievable that a RGI can even consider running a hob and a boiler of a 15 mm pipe.
Did you actually verify that they were qualified?

Brian Lacey · 28 Apr 2009

nogoodatfaultfinding said:
Go for the people who tried to give you the 22mm and the Worcester boiler.
These people are trying to do right by you.
Any chance on telling us what the quote was from the people with the 22mm and the worcester against the people with the 15mm and the Baxi??

Not all the quotes are in yet and I'm not sure that I really ought to publish them on an open forum, not sure that it is the done thing !
Lets say that the Worcester/bosch was surprisingly competitive and one Baxi about £600 more, but another a little less than the w/b. We are having a new h/w cylinder, tvr's, controls and pipe changes etc , all in an old cottage.

My preference is for the Worcester/bosch, at the moment.

Cheers

Brian

Brian Lacey · 28 Apr 2009

bengasman said:
Two reasons your old boiler could have been ok.
Very small, and working below the specified pressure.
In the old days it war pretty much a case of: if it works, it must be ok.
Those days are gone.
It is really unbelievable that a RGI can even consider running a hob and a boiler of a 15 mm pipe.
Did you actually verify that they were qualified?

Every person who came was from the Gassaferegister site.
Pictures matched people who arrived.

Brian

landyandy · 28 Apr 2009

Brian.

Be prepared that part of your pipework may need increasing to 28mm. It depends on the kW input of your appliances, distance from meter and no. of bends and elbows.

Any gas safe engineer should quite easily do the calculations for you imho.

Andy.

bengasman · 28 Apr 2009

Just for the record Brian, I don't disbelieve you when I say: unbelievable.

To give you a rough idea how far these clowns were off:
It might just be possible to run the smallest combi in the entire UK on a 15 mm pipe if it is in touching distance of the meter. Might being the operative word.

The smallest heat only boiler in the UK, and a hob; maybe, just maybe about 5 metres. And that is in theory under ideal circumstances, not in real life.

Paul Barker · 28 Apr 2009

I supose now that people can chose a fitter from the picture I won't get any more jobs.

A huge amount of gas work before I came a long was done very badly. Your gas supply pipe is the tip of the iceburg.

Some of the idiots who did work to that standard are still around, hence the complete wally who said 15mm was ok. Any chance his phot is of a dinasaur.

You will find this hard to believe but for many years to be corgi registered you just turned up occupied a seat and were passed. When you actually had to prove competent a lot of the olf guard gave up.

With hindsight they were right to do so, but for different reasons.

nogoodatfaultfinding · 28 Apr 2009

Brian Lacey said:
nogoodatfaultfinding said:

Go for the people who tried to give you the 22mm and the Worcester boiler.
These people are trying to do right by you.
Any chance on telling us what the quote was from the people with the 22mm and the worcester against the people with the 15mm and the Baxi??

Click to expand...

Not all the quotes are in yet and I'm not sure that I really ought to publish them on an open forum, not sure that it is the done thing !
Lets say that the Worcester/bosch was surprisingly competitive and one Baxi about £600 more, but another a little less than the w/b. We are having a new h/w cylinder, tvr's, controls and pipe changes etc , all in an old cottage.

My preference is for the Worcester/bosch, at the moment.

Cheers

Brian

If you can get the WB at just a little more including the 22mm gas pipe that is required then ther is no competition, it has to be the WB all day long.

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Pipe size--I am confused !

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