Space required for gas micropoint socket

[AdamW]

First off, I must point out that I will NOT be doing any gaswork myself! Seeing as I don't always make water joints seal first time, there is no way I am touching gas. I have highlighted gas-fitter just to emphasise this!

I am fitting a new kitchen. I will be getting a CORGI gas-fitter to plumb in my gas hob. However, I have uncovered what could be an expensive problem: currently there is a cooker bayonet socket elbow coming straight out of the wall. This will obviously be replaced with a micropoint socket for the solid piping that the gas-fitter will fit. It would appear to be screwed into a 1/2" BSP outlet. But here comes the problem:

The built-under oven will be installed where the bayonet socket currently comes out of the wall. I need 55cm depth for the oven (not including any clearances). But, the depth of the cabinets means that the rear of the oven will only be 2-2.5cm from the wall.

Will 2cm be enough space for a 90-degree elbow for micropoint pipe?

 

[kevplumb]

move it to the side most built in ovens have space at the side

hob should be in rigid pipework

 

[AdamW]

Cheers Kev.

I've just had another look, I think the wallplate itself comes out at least 2 cm, so it is going to need to be moved anyway. This is a right bu**er because the gas pipework is all hidden in the external wall cavity.

I have had a look at the oven and there is plenty of room near the top of it. I guess I will be having two trips from the gasman! Wonder if they'll do a reduced rate?

I think I'll chase the wall in advance and make good myself, should make it a bit cheaper, right? How deep should the wall be chased for gas pipework? It would be going vertically upwards, following the direction of the existing pipework

 

[kevplumb]

I've just had another look, I think the wallplate itself comes out at least 2 cm, so it is going to need to be moved anyway. This is a right bu**er because the gas pipework is all hidden in the external wall cavity. icon_mad.gif

adam please tell me this is a typo

 

[AdamW]

Unfortunately I don't have a digital camera to show you, but what is there at the moment is one of these:

This comes straight out of the wall, i.e. I can't see a BSP wallplate elbow or any pipework.

However, the fitting that the bayonet elbow is screwed into projects out of the wall about 2cm.

The wall itself is an external wall. The inner skin is breezeblock, the outer skin is brick. Built circa 1985.

The gas enters the property at the meter, which is on the outside wall directly underneath where the cooker bayonet is fitted. Presumably the pipework runs inside the cavity. The property is a first-floor maisonette.

It is almost definitely original, hasn't been changed since it was built.

Is this a really bad thing? I would like to reiterate that I will not be touching the gaswork itself, but I am willing to chase the walls and make good.

 

[kevplumb]

that aint a micropoint mate
standard bayonet fitting
you mean the pipework is behind the drylining
if so its ok according th the regs

 

[AdamW]

The wall isn't drylined, the breezeblock has screed then plaster. So, in order to get at the existing pipework I suspect I will need to cut a large hole in the wall.

I guess the best thing I can do now is to knock some plaster off to see just how deeply the pipe is covered, and get a gas-fitter to come and quote on the job.

Yes, the existing connector is a bayonet, but presumably the gas-fitter will fit a micropoint for the hob.

Thanks for the help Kev.

 

[kevplumb]

no probs mate
be gentle with me in general chat

 

[AdamW]

Right, I tapped on the wall, noticed it sounded hollow directly underneath the bayonet. So, I shut the gas off at the meter (electric water heating, what a blessing!) and took a bolster to it.

What I have found is 15mm copper pipe, protected by metal capping, just under the plaster. I will cut the capping back and knock some working room in around the area, and chase a channel for new pipework up to the new outlet location. I will be leaving the gas off until the gas fitter has done his work, just in case I have inadvertently punctured the pipe with my chisel.

I will phone a gas fitter tomorrow to come round and quote.

I know this contravenes the rules, but just as a matter of interest, but how much would you charge to

1) remove a soldered-on wallplate elbow that was embedded in plaster but is now uncovered,
2) extend the pipe upwards about 30cm in a pre-cut chase,
3) fit a micropoint socket,
4) come back 2 weeks later to plumb in a hob to the new socket (which will be about a 30 cm run)
5) test it to make sure it doesn't leak (I guess that would be part of the job anyway)

So, no chiselling or making good required on the fitter's part

 

[kevplumb]

strictly speaking
the hob should be in rigid pipework
unlass the MI s say different

 

[namsag]

If you are not doing it yourself why are you so concerned about what is a basic installation . Just leave it to the engineer as he will have no probs connecting into your current everyday gas supply

 

[AdamW]

If you are not doing it yourself why are you so concerned about what is a basic installation . Just leave it to the engineer as he will have no probs connecting into your current everyday gas supply

If I wanted an engineer to do it, I'd do it myself

I'm just interested in what is required, I would think that most keen DIYers would like to know what goes into a job even when they are getting someone in to do it.

Also, it would be great if I could save a bit of cash by doing the bits that don't require expertise i.e. exposing the existing pipework and chasing out the channel for the new pipework. If it's going to take the guy an hour to do that, then I can (presumably) save an hour's labour charge by doing it myself.

Anything involving gas I will of course have the qualified expert do.

 

[ChrisR]

It all depends on the guy and his favourite methods. Sounds though like it might be easiest to convert to smaller pipe where the old bayonet socket was, (say10mm) go up the wall in your chase then (maybe after a bit of a loop for ease of fitting) go to the hob connection which is usually at the back right corner. There needs to be a service valve, which could be in-line or on the hob connection.
All within a 1 hour visit, so £30 - £100 + parts.

 

[Agile]

I dont understand why the customer here keeps talking about a "micropoint" gas socket. Apart from the Midlands the only bayonet socket permitted in a kitchen is the standard one as shown in the picture above.

However, the hob should be connected with rigid copper tube and the 10 mm soft copper is ideal if space is restricted.

A common error is to forget to fit an assessible isolating tap on the gas supply to the hob.

Tony

 

[AdamW]

It seems I have my terminology confused. Looking at the pictures I originally thought the micropoint connector screwed into the elbow in place of the cooker bayonet connector, and allowed microbore pipe to be used.

Looking at it again, I can see it appears to be just a small bayonet connector.

Good to know the isolator has to be accessible, I'll leave room in the next cupboard for it... does the word "accessible" cause as many arguments in gas as it does in electricity?