Replacing a T-Joint

[Spinal]

Right... So long story short as I'm frankly knackered!

I needed to flush the CH system, opened the drain valve and found it blocked. Poked a wire-hanger into it to clear it (which worked) - but then found out the rubber seal was long dried and broken. As such, the drain valve wouldn't close anymore.

No issue, popped by wickes, bought a new one and started heating the old one (yorkshire fittings) with a torch to get the fitting off. Sadly, the fitting had been there a good few years, and instead of the solder melting and the fitting sliding off, the fitting broken in half.

I've temporarily patched it, but need to replace the T-junction it's connected to (the T fitting has a piece of the drain valve stuck in the 15mm end).

I was thinking of cutting out the old T, and replacing it with a new T and some new pipe.

Problem is, there isn't much space on either side to deform the pipe to allow me to slide the pipework into a new fitting... (and it looks like it's 3/4" pipe instead of 22mm... sigh)

Ideas?

M.

 

[muggles]

You'll need to find a way of cutting it out and replacing a bit of pipe and the joint.

For future reference, you could have just replaced the washer in the drainoff...

 

[CornishCrofter]

You may be better off trying to get the rest of the old one out of the Tee. Can you use a twist drill to get a purchase on it?

If you can then you can end feed the new one in after cleaning up the inside of the tee.

I have cleaned up a few end feed fittings in my time. I didn't tell Holty whilst he was sorting one of our systems out but I got stuck with a failed end feed on the very system he replaced the boiler on.

A 15 to 10mm reducer solder joint failed. As I had no 15 to 10 end feed or ring solder joints on me I had to completely remove the solder joint, clean up both pipe and solder joint and refit it. It was the only way.

 

[TicklyT]

A slip joint could help you out. Cut through the pipe one side of the tee to give yourself the elbow room to dismantle everything. The slip coupling hasn't got a stop in the middle, so it will slide all the way over the pipe giving you room to reassemble everything before you finally centre it over your new cut ends and solder up.

Finding a 3/4" one may be a bit more of a problem, but it's often possible to file the stop out of the middle of a straight coupling to do the same job.

 

[CornishCrofter]

You can get 3/4 in to 22mm converters on Ring Solder or endfeed from good plumbers merchants.

If you're stuck with having to slide joints onto the job then the 3/4 inch IIRC is slightly smaller dia. If you do file the stops inside you may be able to slide these onto the old 3/4 inch pipe and then over the slightly bigger 22 mm pipe once you've soldered together a new Tee and pipework.

Whatever you do, when you solder the new drain cock into place, don't forget to remove the valve innards first. It wouldn't be the first time the torch has melted the rubber

 

[Spinal]

Right - so a few replies here...

Drill isn't an option due to constricted space (about 20cm between the bottom of the T and the floor).

Tried replacing the old washer - but half the dry washer was jammed inside and I couldn't fish it out...

Blowtorch to the T-joint MAY work, but the system seems to perenially drip... and I'm worried about having bread in the system

What I'm thinking of doing is hacksawing through the T-joint's middle, then tring to pry it off. Otherwise, cutting about 10cm of space either side, then putting a 3/4" to 22mm converter on both ends. 2 slip joints, a bit of 22mm pipe and a T-joint and it should do the trick...

I hope... (it's all being held closed with duct-tape at the moment... it was all I had last night, and didn't want to freeze)...

M.

 

[CornishCrofter]

The idea with the twist drill bit was not to use a drill with it.

Simply hold the twist drill bit in your hand and twist it until it locates in the rest of the fitting. Then when you apply heat you can use the twist drill to pull it out when it comes out. At this point you may want to use a pump wrench or grips etc on the end of the twist drill to pull it out as it will get very hot!

I didn't mean drill it out. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Spinal]

So I brazed the T joint; which went without issues.

Then, as I started brazing the slip-joint on, I ran out of oxygen. Popped by B&Q (where I last bought the bernzomatic cylinders) only to find they don't stock them anymore. Neither does wickes, hellfrauds or any other I can find...

Grumble... ideas?

I'm tempted to just wrap the slip joint in self-amalgamating tape...

Any cheap blowtorches available at wickes that will do the job?

M>