Personally I never use any pushfit stop ends unless just as a temp measure while I am still on site, I just never trust them
how to cut copper pipes in tight spot
- Thread starter Jupiter01
- Start date
My sentiment exactly 
Thanks all.
I managed the job with a hacksaw and then leveraged the pipes to get a clean cut and apply a hep20 stop end. This is a temporary measure as all the heating pipes will be abandoned and replaced by the new pipes I have laid.
On a related note, I have used hep20 extensively as I was advised on this forum on the basis that all new homes use this and also that it would be too risk to try and master soldering
I managed the job with a hacksaw and then leveraged the pipes to get a clean cut and apply a hep20 stop end. This is a temporary measure as all the heating pipes will be abandoned and replaced by the new pipes I have laid.
On a related note, I have used hep20 extensively as I was advised on this forum on the basis that all new homes use this and also that it would be too risk to try and master soldering
Just a story re Plastic v. Copper......My neighbour had quite a bit of trouble with copper pipework under the block and beam floor.
This was a new build bungalow and only after a while the boiler pressure could not be maintained.
Problem eventually traced to an end feed joint once the floor was 'opened up'.
The joint was not soldered, at all.
The builder blamed the heating engineer who, in turn, blamed the apprentice.
All good for a while then pressure started to drop again.
Builder shrugged his shoulders, heating engineer went AWOL, so she got another engineer to pipe through the loft and install drops to the rads.
All OK since.
In this case it would have been "Copper ! Nah, don't trust it".
This was a new build bungalow and only after a while the boiler pressure could not be maintained.
Problem eventually traced to an end feed joint once the floor was 'opened up'.
The joint was not soldered, at all.
The builder blamed the heating engineer who, in turn, blamed the apprentice.
All good for a while then pressure started to drop again.
Builder shrugged his shoulders, heating engineer went AWOL, so she got another engineer to pipe through the loft and install drops to the rads.
All OK since.
In this case it would have been "Copper ! Nah, don't trust it".
Plastic or copper: pressure test all new pipework, at least overnight, before allowing builder to proceed with covering it up.
My work is a mixture of copper and plastic... Depending on the client and the situation. I prefer copper for complete repipes in empty properties and extensions. For repair work, in fully furnished, occupied homes, plastic can be a godsend!
I use the latest Hep2o fittings that need a removal tool to demount and I only really trust these above all others.
The "speedfit" stopends, which seem to be everywhere as they are quick and easy to remove, do not have a metal grip ring and are not to be trusted for permanent use, being at the end of a dead leg, they are more prone to working loose with constant on/off water pressure applied.
If you are using the hep2o stopends and they have metal teeth which have properly 'bitten in' then failure is less likely but I'd still look for a better way for permanent which you have said your are doing
Had I replied earlier then I would have said that I would have used an angle grinder to cut the pipe.
They can cut a pipe with no access to the other side.
Then I would have bent the pipe down about 10 mm and jammed it at that distance. Put double thickness soldering mat over, sprayed water onto the underside of floor and then soldered an end cap on.
Easy to blame an apprentice but the boss always takes the financial blame for what his employees do.
They can cut a pipe with no access to the other side.
Then I would have bent the pipe down about 10 mm and jammed it at that distance. Put double thickness soldering mat over, sprayed water onto the underside of floor and then soldered an end cap on.
Easy to blame an apprentice but the boss always takes the financial blame for what his employees do.
Tony good chance it will not work as double thickness soldering Matt will most likely touch the end cap resulting in uneven heating of fitting. Can visualise heat being applied to solder ring end cap, water being turned on and it starts spraying because solder has only 'glued' the joint where there is no Matt touching the pipe. Once this happens now it will be recut and remake. My money would be on a compression fitting and use of hacksaw. And that compression fitting would be tighter than a ducks backside and you know it is water tight
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