soldering lead pipes

[Agile]

Hi Tony, great question

Many people cannot afford to replace a water main so they opt for repairs if possible.

I do not understand how lead pipe even extra heavy could be used for gas service?

I think you are missing the point!

In the UK where we are located its ILLLEGAL to repair any lead water pipe by soldering!!! I dont like to see you advocating an ILLEGAL repair!

Whilst you may not understand lead being used for gas, all I can say is that in the UK its very common to still find a lead meter tail in use and very occasionally a lead run of pipe although these are very few and far between.

Tony

 

[cowboyplumber]

Think about yankee-doodle-dandy friend. Mains pressure is usually about 3 bar.
Gas is 20mb.
TWENTY THOUSANTHS OF A BAR.
Don't need a whole lot of holding in, do it?

 

[Sylvan Tieger]

Think about yankee-doodle-dandy friend. Mains pressure is usually about 3 bar.
Gas is 20mb.
TWENTY THOUSANTHS OF A BAR.
Don't need a whole lot of holding in, do it?

Granted gas pressure (natural) is low BUT lead is still one of the softest materials so it can be punchured by rocks or nails or sheet rock screws

 

[Softus]

I do not understand how lead pipe even extra heavy could be used for gas service?

That says everything that anyone needs to know about the soundness of your advice.

 

[Agile]

Granted gas pressure (natural) is low BUT lead is still one of the softest materials so it can be punchured by rocks or nails or sheet rock screws

I dont have many falling rocks in my house!

Nails or screws will also puncture copper pipes very well!

We use copper pipes indoors for most gas runs now. Older houses it was in screwed steel.

Tony

 

[Softus]

Whats a "sheet rock screw" ?

It's a poor quality edition of a rock screw.

 

[Softus]

Last edited by Agile on Thu Jun 19, 2008 2:10 am, edited 1 time in total

Yeah, you can try and pretend you didn't write it, but you did.

 

[Agile]

I agree that I wrote that!

But then I looked it up on the internet and got a kind of an idea so deleted the question.

Then you replied!

Tony

 

[Softus]

But then I... <snip> ...deleted the question.

Then you replied!

You can pretend that's what happened, but the timestamps on the posts are evidence to the contrary.

 

[doitall]

If its a water supply pipe then its ILLEGAL to solder it !!! ( That includes both mains or distribution! )

That should have been advised to you at the beginning of all the replies!!!

The only lead pipes you can solder are lead waste pipes and rainwater pipes!

Generally a sharp tap with a ball peen hammer will seal a pinhole as a temporary repair!

Tony

Oh no it isn't illegal Tony.

The regs say you can make a repair but not a connection to lead pipe.

 

[Sylvan Tieger]

On Gas piping I only used steel although some places do allow copper.

We do have some old cast iron gas mains but the utility is replacing them or relining them.

Many of the older homes I work in had gas lighting and the piping is still there but like I stated even in the homes built in the early 1800's as far I as I know never saw lead for gas service or distribution, live and learn as one would think lead piping would melt in a fire and put the fire brigade at risk

 

[mattylad]

In my youth I accidentally put a nail into a lead gas pipe that was used to feed a fireplace.

Called a plumber out who simply took his blow lamp to it & wiped it about a bit.

Fixed the leak.

I later had the whole thing replaced when getting CH installed.

 

[The Baker]

On Gas piping I only used steel although some places do allow copper.

We do have some old cast iron gas mains but the utility is replacing them or relining them.

Many of the older homes I work in had gas lighting and the piping is still there but like I stated even in the homes built in the early 1800's as far I as I know never saw lead for gas service or distribution, live and learn as one would think lead piping would melt in a fire and put the fire brigade at risk

Hi Sylvan Tiegerits refreshing to get an over the water slant on things plumbing.

Dont be disheartned by some well meaning but brusk and in my case miss spelt postings. Your pictures are eye watering.

Get your self across to http://www.argi-online.org.uk/community/ .
Being the Member Sec I will do my best to get you accepted, I am all for international plumbeing chat. Hope to see you there.

Tim

 

[Sylvan Tieger]

Folks SOFTUS in the head never gets to me as I realize some may have taken a drink from the old lead piping and it proved to cause softus brain damage as its called in medical terms

 

[Softus]

Guns.

Killing.

Guns and killing.

Guns guns guns guns guns guns guns guns guns, and killing.

Nothing wrong with mentioning them is there?