Pipes in the ground

[TheJay]

I was tilling the soil to get it ready to lay slabs when bits of clay pipe started to appear. I was concerned about what it was for so I started putting water down different drains. Based on testing, it appears to be the pipe that takes the rainwater from the gutter of our garage. Why does it have red wire wrapped around it?

Is it likely to be shared with any other properties? It goes straight under the garage.

Also, there was a small metal pipe to the side of it. I'm not sure what it is, I've been hoping to uncover the electric supply cable that goes to the garage. Is it possible that this pipe contains an electric cable? If not, I don't know what this pipe is for, because our water main runs from the front of the property, which is where the water shut off is located. I already uncovered a hot and cold supply that went into the utility toom and so this pipe is a mystery to me. Any ideas? It too also goes straight under the garage.

 

[CBW]

I don’t know what the red wire is for. The drain looks damaged though, and the pipe appears to be lead?

 

[thomp1983]

Is your gas meter in the garage?

 

[TheJay]

I don’t know what the red wire is for. The drain looks damaged though, and the pipe appears to be lead?

Yes, the clay drain is damaged. The small pipe is likely copper covered in a protective layer, something like petro tape, the same as the other two pipes I decommissioned.

Is your gas meter in the garage?

The gas meter is in our house.

 

[TheJay]

After more investigating, the clay pipe connects the gutter. It's strange because it takes a bend under the garage before bending back out away from the garage to the gutter drain pipe.

I really need to know what the copper pipe is for, any ideas?

 

[Laurieo]

Run a cold tap in the kitchen and listen to the pipe ,use a large screwdriver with tip against the pipe and handle to your ear .

 

[JohnD]

or an engineer's stethoscope which inexpensive, simple, and much better

 

[TheJay]

Thanks for your replies. I am fairly certain it's not the water main, because the tap to turn the water supply off comes from the front of the house to the kitchen, not from the back of the house to the kitchen, so that makes me wonder what it is.

I have looked at plans and the gas main also appears to come from the front.

 

[jelliottelectrical]

What electricity do you have in the garage, it does look like it could be an old paper lead cable (PILC) often used a supply cable but they were also used as private cables

 

[TheJay]

What electricity do you have in the garage, it does look like it could be an old paper lead cable (PILC) often used a supply cable but they were also used as private cables

I've been scratching my head about where the electricity supply goes into the garage. The supply in the garage is old, I asked for an extra socket and the electricians said they wouldn't touch it until a new cable was fitted from the house to the garage. There is an old fuse board that uses fuses with metal cable, the original going back to around 1960.

It's weird because this pipe goes towards the left of the garage, yet the fuse board is to the right of the garage.

 

[jelliottelectrical]

I've been scratching my head about where the electricity supply goes into the garage. The supply in the garage is old, I asked for an extra socket and the electricians said they wouldn't touch it until a new cable was fitted from the house to the garage. There is an old fuse board that uses fuses with metal cable, the original going back to around 1960.

It's weird because this pipe goes towards the left of the garage, yet the fuse board is to the right of the garage.

Have you got any pictures of your set up in the garage?