When Did Domestic Copper Pipe Change To Metric?

[plumbandplumber]

One for the oldies

Which year approx. did copper pipe change from inches to mm?

Would help me know, so that when I visit houses that look as if they were built around the changeover date, I know that there may be imperial pipework present.

Thanks.

 

[seco services]

about 71 if i remember

 

[45yearsagasman]

.......I wish I could remember that far back..........

 

[Boilerman2]

It was 1971 my friend the summer of 71 was fantastic!!

 

[kirkgas]

at last, a post that requires info from before my working time, i started in feb '77, although i do remember decimal money coming in when i was at primary school in 1972 (i think),

 

[Garfeild]

ME TOO!!!! i started my apprenticeship in 1978,i can remember the decimal money coming in,and all the TV adverts pereparing for it.
I can vaguely remember the arrival of north sea gas and our Ascot water heater being converted,the moon landing,and reports of the Viet Nam war on TV.
The blackouts when the electric supply was cut, i thought were great,the old man got all the candles and tilly lamps out.

 

[Tibbot]

It was 1971 my friend the summer of 71 was fantastic!!

Miserable Winter though. When I used to hear the song 'White Christmas', I thought they meant one without power cuts.

 

[matt1e]

It was 1971 my friend the summer of 71 was fantastic!!

cant remember the 71 summer but 76 was a scorcher

 

[Tibbot]

71 then 76, From no lights to no water.

 

[gavinda]

just keep a suply of 3/4 olives and you'll be ok.

 

[GaytonTonner]

Decimal money was early 1971 and pipes and other things mid 1971. The French, and others, had adopted the BSP pipe thread sizes, but never went to metric in this. The UK was to go metric in threads, but the French insisted we stay imperial in BSP, hence why threads are still 1/2", 3/4", etc.

We never finished it off when we should have. We buy petrol by the litre and judge a car by miles per gallon. We buy kitchen units by the mm. It is very silly. We never changed because older people meant votes - people who could not work in metric, which is so, so easy. The job should be finished and all things go metric. I believe the French have 14mm copper and other sizes. The EU should have the same sized pipes all through. It is silly having different sizes. Look at the USA, OK all is imperial, but all the same in one massive country.

 

[GaytonTonner]

just keep a suply of 3/4 olives and you'll be ok.

Which I found out that along with 3/4" to 22mm copper adapters, are the only things you will need to get from old to new.

 

[expertgasman]

Decimal money was early 1971

15th february, to be precise

 

[GaytonTonner]

Decimal money was early 1971

15th february, to be precise

I just Googled. Australia was 14th Feb 1966. All coincided.

Out go the pounds and the shillings and the pence
In come the dollars, and in come the cents

 

[gavinda]

i dont even worry about the adaptor. bit of hawk white seems to do the trick. does this make me bad