Help redoing pipe work for electric shower

[johnbhoy]

Hi.

First off I'm not a plumber, this is a diy project so go easy😱

I'm fitting a new shower for my mother and got it connected up ok but soon noticed a leak dripping down the wall cavity. The pipe is 8mm copper and goes from the bathroom shower up into the attic were its connected to the bathroom water supply which is 15mm copper. The 8mm copper pipe running from shower to water connection is about 5m in length with no joints, it's just bent into place. I took it out to investigate the leak and it's burst where it was situated halfway up the wall cavity.

Would I be ok to re pipe it using 15mm speedfit grey pipe and could I run it for the complete 5m with possibly 1 elbow joint in it?

Also are copper compression fittings ok the use with this?

PS. Am I right in saying 8mm copper is quite unusual for a shower? It's an old house

 

[PlumbBobBob]

speedfit is quite alright to use with compression fittings just don't forget the inserts for the pipe. 8mm is very unusual as a feed for a shower, probably did for ease of placing and laziness.

 

[nysk2008]

as steveb says, will be fine, don't forget your inserts, I've seen them go and it aint pretty

 

[johnbhoy]

Thanks for the speedy reply guys. Yes I'll remember to inserts, I was unsure if they were used with compression fittings so thanks.

Will I be able to buy say a 5m lenth of pipe from my local plumbers merchant? Looking on screwfix they only seem to do them in 25m length which are quite pricey considering I would have 20m waste

 

[nysk2008]

you should be able to get a 3m length from you local plumbers merchant and will be loads cheaper than the diy stores, just get a couple of these and sorted

 

[GQuigley67]

8mm pipe ??? madness

 

[plumbandplumber]

Will I be able to buy say a 5m lenth of pipe from my local plumbers merchant?

You can buy it by the metre on Fleabay.


John Guest Plumbing Speedfit Pipe 15mm 1 Metre New on eBay (end time 15-Apr-11 23:32:09 BST)

 

[Plumbstar Tom]

8mm is awful for an electric shower, so 15mm is the proper stuff

I'm going to remind you again about the inserts 😀

one elbow should be fine

You will likely get away with a few more than that being mains

 

[mjt]

i hate 8mm pipe and 10mm for that matter especially the copper stuff - so flimsy

 

[WaterTight]

i've never ever used it or worked with it. will have to one day i suppose.

 

[mjt]

its a real git especailly when a radiator union nut is seized or 'being diffcult' and you have your grips on the valve and the spanner on the nut - you are just waiting for the grips to slip and the pipe to bend/split and ........................