Early plastic pipe

wrs · 13 Feb 2020

Hi All, just been to price a bathroom swap. Hot and cold water pipes are in a dark brown solvent weld pipe, looks slightly larger than 15mm. Never seen in 47 years! Any ideas?

CBW · 13 Feb 2020

Not a clue, only solvent weld pipe I’ve ever seen was polyorc, which was a dark blue colour?

wrs · 13 Feb 2020

The Novice said:
Not a clue, only solvent weld pipe I’ve ever seen was polyorc, which was a dark blue colour?

Could have been blue, may have faded. When was polyorc available?

wrs · 13 Feb 2020

Thanks mate, just Googled polyorc, that's the stuff. Looks like philmac is the answer.

leakydave · 13 Feb 2020

leakydave · 13 Feb 2020

This is some 'Hunter' pipe [if I recall correctly]. Very brittle stuff, I would avoid it at all costs. I have suggested to several customers it was all taken out and replaced with copper. In 1970's there was a copper shortage after a trade embargo on Rhodesia so other materials had to be found quickly.

wrs · 13 Feb 2020

I remember using some very poor quality copper in the mid 70s also stainless steel. Didn't see any plastic before Acorn in 79ish

Madrab · 13 Feb 2020

ooohh, that looks like the old durafit that you used to get in some new builds in the early 70's, it was supposed to be a cost effective early plastic pipe system, it's an early ABS/pvc glued water pipel trouble is it's doest age well, if you need to touch it you need to replace it. The other alternative at the time was stainless steel, looks like you drew the short straw. Cut it all out and replace.

Madrab · 13 Feb 2020

You still get it btw, much better these days of course (I hope)

https://www.pipekit.co.uk/pressure-plastics/abs/durapipe-superflo-abs-imperial.html

CBW · 13 Feb 2020

Philmac - 1st I’ve heard of using these for polyorc, however there’s a compression coupling available as well from MWM distributors, can be pricey depending who your merchant is.

http://www.mwmdistributorsltd.co.uk/products/products.php?product=pipeline

SandyLyon · 14 Feb 2020

Some of the old solvent weld plastic becomes so brittle you’d be better off ripping it all out and replacing with copper or Hep2o.
Once you start disturbing it you can open a real can of worms.

I recall a whole estate in Runcorn had it all replaced because of problems.

SandyLyon · 14 Feb 2020

wrs said:
I remember using some very poor quality copper in the mid 70s also stainless steel. Didn't see any plastic before Acorn in 79ish

Acorn was originally brown (Before it became Hepworth) but was polybutylene and Push Fit, this stuff is more rigid and doesn’t age well.

Terrywookfit · 14 Feb 2020

leakydave said:
This is some 'Hunter' pipe [if I recall correctly]. Very brittle stuff, I would avoid it at all costs. I have suggested to several customers it was all taken out and replaced with copper. In 1970's there was a copper shortage after a trade embargo on Rhodesia so other materials had to be found quickly.

Hunter "Genoa" was cream coloured.

wrs · 14 Feb 2020

SandyLyon said:
Some of the old solvent weld plastic becomes so brittle you’d be better off ripping it all out and replacing with copper or Hep2o.
Once you start disturbing it you can open a real can of worms.

I recall a whole estate in Runcorn had it all replaced because of problems.

I agree repipe Is the best option. Unfortunately the job is a three storey guest house with pipe starting in the cellar!
Season starts at Easter. I may swerve this one.

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Early plastic pipe

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