Hole in cast iron pipe for condensate pipe

[skip11]

Hi got new boiler fitted the guy installed new condensate pipe going to ground and cut the old one from cast pipe leaving hole in pipe which leaks water as the bathroom waste goes into it as well saying he can’t plug hole in cast surely he has to fix it ?
Any idea best way to fix

Cheers

 

[Madrab]

surely he has to fix it ?

Yes, he should but if that wasn't agreed before hand then it could be contentious. Absolutely ridiculous though if he says he can't repair a hole in cast. Worst case is some kind of repair patch/sleeve is used and oversized clips to secure and then paint it but there would be tidier ways. There are chemical metal repair pastes that can be used too.

Obviously you would be left with a patched pipe which may not look the best, if that's an issue then a replacement piece could be fitted but that's a whole different much more complicated and expensive process.

 

[Jake2021]

You got a pic ?

 

[skip11]

In the quote it said pipe work upgrade inc condensate he must’ve come across this scenario before but he never mentioned anything about it only found out by accident myself as the pipe is behind a fence in neighbours garden
Asked him about it said you can’t repair cast I would have to get new length of pipe

 

[skip11]

No pics at work the now, the hole is about size of 10 pence

 

[Jake2021]

He is right cast iron can’t be repaired you would cut it at floor level add an adapter then replace the soi pipe with a modern material.

If the hole isn’t too big you could get a mechanical boss strap and a blanking plug.

 

[JohnD]

Is this a round hole drilled in a cast iron soilpipe?

 

[Madrab]

He is right cast iron can’t be repaired

Erm sorry, have to disagree, of course it can be repaired, a patch could be braised or TIG welded. It all depends on how far the client wants to go though.

Ultimately though it could be cleaned up, apply a suitable anti rust coating and then use a cast iron repair collar.

Worst case would be a fernco and then painted.

Loads of options for the tradesman to make good.

 

[Jake2021]

Mad rab
What I’m on about is welding it the high carbon content would not allow it to be welded with a tig or mig welder , that’s why when it’s made it in a cast .Obviously you can cut it out joints in and out mechanical fixings on as I mentioned however you have the risk of cracking cast iron when cutting it

 

[Madrab]

What I’m on about is welding it the high carbon content would not allow it to be welded with a tig

Again, I have to disagree ... as you suggest the problem with welding cast is down to the carbon content and is so predisposed to cracking, another reason is down to the impurities which also promotes cracking. With the right approach though and rods, you can actually TIG weld cold, no pre-heat.

You can also braise it using brass and lead fillers

I used to use a blacksmith that could perform wonders when it came to cast, could weld repair just about any break/crack, no longer with us unfortunately and no apprentice

Cut cast all the time without a problem, 1mm INOX bade in an angle grinder cuts cast clean as.

 

[Jake2021]

Hi Rob ,
I'll bow to your experience in this one ... I've had quite a few dealings with cast iron and wielding however I never mix the two ... That said black Smith's are a dying trade and what they can do with metals is nothing less than amazing ! I probably don't use this approach because patching something just seems a plaster over a wound rather then a permanent fix, I just like leaving jobs,right to my standard lol That said I can see welding by a black Smith on such a pipe worth it's weight in good especially a listed building, been a plumber for years but every day is a school day lol
best
Jake

 

[Madrab]

If you have a look about, lots of guys on You Tube etc now welding cast and TIG using specific welding rods specifically designed for cast, allows them to cold weld which was always a no no, always had to heat the piece to several hundred deg. This guy even arc welds a cast manifold.

When braising it was always the case to slow heat the whole piece, a) to ensure the flux and rod would flow properly and b) so it didn't end up stress warping & cracking as it was spot heated

The other method for crack repairing cast was studding with steel keys, stich drill holes, then fit keys etc

There was a day when it was a no go for sure not these days tho

 

[oldbutnotdead]

JB Weld- awesome stuff. Latest fix with the stuff involves 3000 psi on a Citroen hydraulic suspension circuit- working a treat . Araldite would probably work as well on cast SVP

 

[Madrab]

JB Weld- awesome stuff. Latest fix with the stuff involves 3000 psi on a Citroen hydraulic suspension circuit- working a treat . Araldite would probably work as well on cast SVP

For sure, given it's just a soil pipe, there's no pressure to hold and it's just to attach a patch, only issue with an adhesive is they tend not to be good long term given the oxidation that cast is prone to. Many a time I've seen a chem metal peeling off a soil pipe as its rusted.

@skip11 .... I think the point here is - the installer certainly had loads of options to 'repair' the soil pipe and for him to say he can't repair it is just a swerve, insist that he finishes the job.