Black plastic mains water pipe - questions

While you're about it, why not go under the stream with it?

Mini diggers aren't that dear to hire, good fun, and you'll be able to forget about the pipe entirely.
 
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Actually the black mdpe is readily available from the larger merchants try BSS or Pipeline.


You will have the ID markings on the pipe blue writing for class D or green writing for class C. :LOL:

For what it's worth black is suitable for above ground use, blue isn't. ;)

Blue was class C.

Green class D.

OD was the same D had thicker walls and different insert.
 
Thank you terry, I thought someone would pick me up on that. :oops:
 
While you're about it, why not go under the stream with it?

Mini diggers aren't that dear to hire, good fun, and you'll be able to forget about the pipe entirely.

I have a suspicion that being Scotland the stream may have a base and banks of granite or other igneous rock with a hardness over "7".

He might need to drill and blast it!

Tony
 
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Fair point :) I've done this on dartmoor though, often quite a lot of soft before the hard.

If you can't get a five foot iron bar at least some of the way in by hand, it's going to be a lot more trouble than it's worth.
 
Fair point :) I've done this on dartmoor though, often quite a lot of soft before the hard.

If you can't get a five foot iron bar at least some of the way in by hand, it's going to be a lot more trouble than it's worth.

Nice idea but the stream is about 4 metres wide and the bed is about 2 metres below ground level at the bridge. The sides are built up with vertical stone banks. I don't think the iron bar would go in more than a few inches - it's pretty rocky.

I think I've identified the connectors as Plass4 Universal Couplings - does it seem reasonable to hope that cleaning the threads will stop them leaking ?

The stream is very full today after a lot of rain, so it will be tomorrow at the earliest before I can have a go, and check the writing on the pipe....

John
 
I'll tell you a secret (the older plumbers will be down on me like a ton of bricks)

If a compression joint leaks, it is because the olive is not making a perfect seal against both the pipe and the olive-fitting recess in the fitting.

If you wrap a few turns of PTFE tape round the olive, overlapping onto the pipe, it has enough elasticity to squeeze against the pipe and the olive and the recess, and make a good seal. You need the olive to be seated against the pipe first, if it slides about the wrap will get disturbed.

Gas tape is thicker than plumbers tape so will take up a bigger looseness.

If you keep the wrap inside the fitting, no-one will see it. If you let the wrap go round the pipe so it is visible once the nut has been tightened, elderly plumbers in cloth caps and blue overalls will pursue you, waving their paraffin blowlamps and blocks of tallow, shouting about traditional workmanship. However you may think that curing the leak is more important.
 
I'll tell you a secret (the older plumbers will be down on me like a ton of bricks)

If a compression joint leaks, it is because the olive is not making a perfect seal against both the pipe and the olive-fitting recess in the fitting.

If you wrap a few turns of PTFE tape round the olive, overlapping onto the pipe, it has enough elasticity to squeeze against the pipe and the olive and the recess, and make a good seal. You need the olive to be seated against the pipe first, if it slides about the wrap will get disturbed.

Gas tape is thicker than plumbers tape so will take up a bigger looseness.

If you keep the wrap inside the fitting, no-one will see it. If you let the wrap go round the pipe so it is visible once the nut has been tightened, elderly plumbers in cloth caps and blue overalls will pursue you, waving their paraffin blowlamps and blocks of tallow, shouting about traditional workmanship. However you may think that curing the leak is more important.

I would agree 100%.

Even with brand new pipe and fitting, If there is a draw line in the tube it will cause a small leak.
That is why I always use a smear of paste on compression fittings and a few turns of ptfe on plastic.
 
transition fittings are available over the counter at most decent plumbers merchants,i prefer talbot fittings had a FEW INCIDENTS WITH PHILMAC AND NO LONGER TRUST THEM.the body of philmac stop cocks have unscrewed themselves whilst being turned off on a few recently leading to unwanted water features which have not been pretty to sort out.
 
I'll tell you a secret (the older plumbers will be down on me like a ton of bricks)

If you keep the wrap inside the fitting, no-one will see it. If you let the wrap go round the pipe so it is visible once the nut has been tightened, elderly plumbers in cloth caps and blue overalls will pursue you, waving their paraffin blowlamps and blocks of tallow, shouting about traditional workmanship. However you may think that curing the leak is more important.
You need a block of tallow as a suppository :evil: saying things like that ;) There is nothing wrong with a few strands of Dry hemp in front of the olive - No paste, it eats plastic :idea:
 
Actually the black mdpe is readily available from the larger merchants try BSS or Pipeline.


You will have the ID markings on the pipe blue writing for class D or green writing for class C. :LOL:

For what it's worth black is suitable for above ground use, blue isn't. ;)

Blue was class C.

Green class D.

OD was the same D had thicker walls and different insert.

Well, the water level in the stream dropped a bit today and I managed to re-join the Plass4 connectors and stop the leaks. I cleaned the threads and applied a bit of PTFE tape. Had to tighten them fairly firmly, with a wrench. All I can see written on the black pipe is "POLYPRENE 1972 BS 1" - the writing is nearer white than blue, definitely not green.

Thanks to all for the suggestions.

One final question - we could do with a larger key than the one we've got for the stop valve. Longer shaft (5-6 foot) and wider T bar. The man from Scottish Water had the perfect thing - he said they get them made specially ! But a colleague of his mentioned the name of a supplier to my neighbour, the same company who make the metal detectors they use. My neighbour can't remember the name. Any ideas ?

John
 
One final question - we could do with a larger key than the one we've got for the stop valve. Longer shaft (5-6 foot) and wider T bar. The man from Scottish Water had the perfect thing - he said they get them made specially ! But a colleague of his mentioned the name of a supplier to my neighbour, the same company who make the metal detectors they use. My neighbour can't remember the name. Any ideas ?

John


Try http://www.diytools.co.uk/diy/Main/sc-39-4866-stop-cock-keys.asp

spraggo
 
I got a 42" one with a crutch plus two sizes of square inside each other and inside the crutch. The long T handle makes it very easy to use

Sone people say they are not as good as a single-use tool but it was quite expensive so I hoped it would fit most things. I was a bit surpised my stopcock has a square not a T-handle. I do live at the end of the lane so maybe I'm at the end of the pipe. They come and flush out the hydrant occasionally.

Doesn't fit my fire hydrant though

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p.s. if you look out on Fleabay you might find someone selling a used one.

I actually got my Hydrant key and standpipe off Freegle from the family of an old builder.
 

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