old lead water mains

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Discuss old lead water mains in the Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board area at PlumbersForums.net

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supper plumb

just thought id ask if any of you guys carry stock for old lead water pipes????

busted an old lead water main the other day first one ever and had to crimp the pipe over to stop it!!!
wasn't carrying any plumbing gear so had to rush about looking for 25mm lead to 20mm MDPE fittings and pipe...
£50 and 4 hours later lesson learnt carry some fittings and pipe at all time....
knocked out about 7 houses no water wasn't good.
But i bust it soo i fixed it no way i was calling the water board out lol
 
Yes we do. The lads also carry over 10 end feed elbows, straight couplings and a meter or two of 15,22 & 28mm copper pipe.:charming:
 
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i know there is a leadlock in my transit somewhere! think id be quicker going to buy a new one than looking for it tho :(
 
lol i went to 3 different merchants .looking for the fittings found them at drain center in the end
there not stranded stock so no one keeps them!!!!
£50 for a roll of 20mm MDPE and two lead to MDPE fittings!!!! only needed 2ft of pipe......
going to start carrying some gear now i think
 
always keep a 6lb x 15 and a 7lb x 15 leadloc on the van.
 
supper plumb said:
lol i went to 3 different merchants .looking for the fittings found them at drain center in the end
there not stranded stock so no one keeps them!!!!
£50 for a roll of 20mm MDPE and two lead to MDPE fittings!!!! only needed 2ft of pipe......
going to start carrying some gear now i think
Click to expand...
Why didn't you get 2 lead locks and a length of copper to suit? way cheaper
 
You can fix it the naughty way.....tin up the right dia copper tube with solder - about 2 inch
- bell out the lead - drive the copper into the belled out lead. Then get some paper napkins
(McDonalds ones are good) with flux on and heat up gently - wipe the joint - hey presto.

If its leaking a bit with water when ur doin it just bend it so the water drips out. :bandana:

centralheatking
 
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gas man said:
cheap way to join on wont fail
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I have never welded lead pipe and I have been plumbing for over 25 years, I can put a leadloc on in the time it would take to get the welding kit out the van.
 
It's still in breach of the water regulations. A mechanical coupling must be used on lead.
 
image.jpg
Fist time iv ever hit a main iv found loads but I fixed it
 
dont mess with lead just do it right and get it done safe job done
 
why bother with a lead lock - all you need is a roll of leaded solder and a length of copper:

First cut copper to length in order to suit gap or attach a 15mm comp fitting.

Tin the end of copper with the lead solder to give an even coating, while this is cooling....

Ream the inside of the lead pipe out to form a socket deep enough and big enough to push the tinned end into the lead pipe.

use the lead solder to bond the copper to the lead, job done, more permanent than a lead loc, and a damn sight cheaper too, and there is no risk of joint failure if done properly!
 
of course if for a mains supply then to satisfy water regs and to keep my scarp bag healthy its mdpe all the way to the stopcock in street!
 
phil plumb thats a good idea, at the endo of the day if somebody went thru a lead main doing some diy on a saturday afternoon where would you get hold of a leadlock untill monday morning? if you leave them with no water for the best part of 2 days they would find another plumber that would just do it that way and praise him to everybody and tell them that you failed to help them out! even tho ive never done it id defo give it a try!!!!
 
CXR100 said:
phil plumb thats a good idea, at the endo of the day if somebody went thru a lead main doing some diy on a saturday afternoon where would you get hold of a leadlock untill monday morning? if you leave them with no water for the best part of 2 days they would find another plumber that would just do it that way and praise him to everybody and tell them that you failed to help them out! even tho ive never done it id defo give it a try!!!!
Click to expand...
Toolstation > Plumbing > Compression
Last two items on the page !!! There open all weekend.
 
20130730_222220.jpg

Sorry for hijacking the thread but I cannot start a new one due to cookies or summut. Anyone else having this
 
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