Does anyone know how this happens

[Sue66]

Pinhole leak in old thick copper cold pipe for no apparent reason. See middle of picture

 

[Harvest Fields]

Probably just a week/thin point in the copper.

 

[Sue66]

Probably just a week/thin point in the copper.

Ok thanks just seems wierd in such thick copper. I've had this one time before as well.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

could be corrosion cut it open and find out 🙂

 

[Burger]

Could it be uncleared flux?

 

[Stu-B]

I had the exact same thing Tuesday evening on open vent fill pipe, I bet it’s been in about 30 years too, very strange

 

[Sue66]

I had the exact same thing Tuesday evening on open vent fill pipe, I bet it’s been in about 30 years too, very strange

I find it extremely strange.

 

[Chuck]

Pinhole leak in old thick copper cold pipe for no apparent reason. See middle of picture

Lots of possible causes (Google it). It often said that copper pipe lasts 20-50 years.

If you are lucky, it'll be one defect in an otherwise good system. More realistically, it'll be the first of several in that run of pipe. If you are unlucky, pinholes will start appearing everywhere over the next few years and you'll need to re-pipe the whole house.

Personally, I'd replace the run at this point and have a critical look at the appearance of any other easily visible pipes. If the surface looks 'dimpled' that section is probably on its last legs.

If you do need to re-pipe, my advice would be to use branded high-quality tube such as Yorkshire, not some no-name stuff from China via ebay. (I suspect that plenty of people these days would repipe in plastic but I'm a dinasaur and I don't like the stuff.)

 

[Sue66]

Could it be uncleared flux?

There was nothing on the outside. I just don't get it.
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Struggling with this quote malarkey but Yes I see what you mean. So basically even really thick copper can just suddenly pin hole everywhere even though its super thick and this is just the first to appear.

 

[Harvest Fields]

What do you mean Quote malarkey?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Had one a week ish ago was just full of flux

 

[Sue66]

What do you mean Quote malarkey?

Sorry I was trying to quote what people are saying and it was problematic.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Sorry I was trying to quote what people are saying and it was problematic.

Ohhh. That make absolute sense now.
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Had one a week ish ago was just full of flux

Had 3 in the last 2 weeks. Had not had any in ages before that.

 

[Sue66]

Maybe plastic from now on then. First time I'm actually thinking this!

 

[firemant]

I don;t know w'y it happened.

but about 10 years ago, I had done a conventional to combi swap. Tidying up and getting paid. waked in the kitchen and water was squirting up through the kitchen floor. It was a quite magnificent fountain display, what you would see in a municipal pond / fountain. Had to replace about 9M of hot water pipe.

 

[Sue66]

I don;t know w'y it happened.

but about 10 years ago, I had done a conventional to combi swap. Tidying up and getting paid. waked in the kitchen and water was squirting up through the kitchen floor. It was a quite magnificent fountain display, what you would see in a municipal pond / fountain. Had to replace about 9M of hot water pipe.

Love the image reminds me of Vegas. The bellagio or whatever it's called. Sound bloody awful from our perspective though

 

[Brambles]

Sue,

It is more likely to be a result of the water quality that the pipe work quality. Bimetallic corrosion, high chlorine levels or high PH are all key contributory factors. Look for slight dimpling elsewhere on the system for an indication if this is the start of a longer term issue

 

[pycoed]

Are you on a private water supply? Ours is very acidic & 15mm copper won't last 5 years (which I found 37 years ago after completely re-plumbing our "new" house in copper😡 I had to redo it all in plastic, since when all OK)
I sent pipe samples off to IMI etc etc & was told it was probably flux deposits which I found strange since it often occurred in vertical runs. When the water supply failed one day I went to the spring to investigate & found the brass tank connector on the collection tank had completely dezincified & could be crumbled with my fingers - THEN the penny dropped!

 

[Last Plumber]

Maybe plastic from now on then. First time I'm actually thinking this!

Don't be put off Copper by that. It is more than likely an impurity in the Copper. It might not happen again. Don't worry about it.
If it is corrosion caused by external influence, there is normally some kind of indication of that in my experience.
Plastic.........Ew no! Be a proper Plumber. He Ducks in readiness for the onslaught!

 

[Steve Lindsey]

If it was flux, soldering gas pipes would be a risky business. 💥
I’m pretty sure it’s poor quality copper pipe.

 

[Sue66]

Thanks for all your helpful And interesting responses to my question everyone. The pipe was left with the customer so I don't have it now for further analysis. Hopefully it was a one off problem but judging by some responses this may not be the case!

 

[chris watkins]

http://www.fwr.org/copper.pdf

A good read for anyone who has this type of problem. Blue water & type 1 have given me problems in the past.

 

[centralheatking]

Pinhole leak in old thick copper cold pipe for no apparent reason. See middle of picture

Flowflex produce a really neat solder cap which fits over the leak.Turn water off, drain clip on with flux solder up simple
centralheatking

 

[NickH]

I was told by an older and wiser plumber that back in the 60's / 70's cheap copper pipe was being imported from "Africa", possibly Nigeria.
He reckoned it pinholed after a few years, particularly where bends had been pulled.

 

[centralheatking]

I was told by an older and wiser plumber that back in the 60's / 70's cheap copper pipe was being imported from "Africa", possibly Nigeria.
He reckoned it pinholed after a few years, particularly where bends had been pulled.

It was Rhodesian copper tube, very thin walled and fragile. It does pinhole and when you work on it often developes leaks eleswhere
came accross it in Bath years ago. centralheatking