Rusted section of 1970's steel central heating pipe - pics

[will77t]

Hello,

I've just been into the loft to find a water mark on the loft boarding. I've taken the insulation off to reveal a rusted section of pipe. (see pictures).

The pipe was probably fitted int he 1970's so is likely to be imperial. I've measured around the pipe and it's about 4 1/4 inches. I've worked out that it's probably around 35mm diameter pipe (there's a 28mm copper pipe next to it for comparison).

What's the best way of joining a new section of pipe with imperial to metric and steel to copper ? I'd like to know:-

- Is there a plastic pushfit option to avoid copper to steel corrosion?
- What's the best way to cut the steel pipe - any tips?
- Why did it rust?

I'm off out this afternoon so may not be able to reply immediately but I'll be back later today and any help would be very much appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Will

 

[will77t]

Please help!

 

[Nige F]

It`s 1 inch black iron barrel Should only be used in central heating systems , not fresh water- what does it come from/go to you`ll probably get a Philmac coupling to fit it and copper pipe

 

[will77t]

Thanks for your reply. The pipe feeds a fanned warm air heater for the lounge. We've never used it but may one day so I'd rather keep it.
Have you had any luck cutting this type of pipe before, what's best to use?

Is 1" the bore with heavy walls, as it's quite a bit larger than the 28mm pipe I've got pictured next to it?

Off on holiday now until Monday and will be having a go a replacing the section immediately on my return. Any advice would be very much appreciated so I can have a running start.

- Any ideas why it rusted as the rest of the lengths are in good order?

Thanks again,

Will

 

[Nige F]

It is the bore that`s 1 inch - cut with a hacksaw - it`s screwed into the fittings - coupling -elbow etc. use heat and 18 inch stillsons to remove from a fitting then adapt to copper with a male iron/copper compression fitting

 

[Agile]

Far better and easier to cut once and unscrew from each end.

Then use a copper to 1" male adapter.

Tony

 

[ChrisR]

If it's pumped, and for one heater which isn't enormous, you certainly don't need pipe that big. 15mm copper may well be big enough!

 

[will77t]

Thanks so much for everyone's help. Managed to get a Philmac coupling that worked. Just a standard 32mm one with a 28mm copper insert on the other side. All is watertight now. That said, it wasn't cheap. I think the merchants had my pants down. Two philmac couplings + 2 inserts £32. Thanks also for the suggestion that the pipe may be too large anyway, but have stuck with the larger bore as I had a bit of 28mm copper that was good enough to do the job.

 

[will77t]

Also.. I did try to unscrew it but it didn't shift. I didn't have a blowtorch for heat or the tools for leverage so I just used an anglegrinder. Perhaps not advised in the loft due to the sparks but my blunt hacksaw was not man enough for the job. I think I was lucky I didn't burn the house down.

 

[Charnwood]

Standard 32mm Philmac fittings are for MDPE, not steel pipe.
What you should have used is a Universal Transition Coupler (UTC).

Watertight now maybe, but for how long?