Oil: Inserts for compression joints in flexible plastic coated copper pipe??

[WHPES]

It was common practice some time ago, not sure how long ago.

Compression fittings have never been allowed underground as far as I am aware (should always be flared)

Soldered fittings have also never been allowed on oil lines.

 

[Gray0689]

As I said I'm not Gas Safe and as such wouldnt dream of touching gas.

If you're not OFTEC registered you won't be up to date on regulations and requirements, you cannot self-certify, and one day you will do something which goes wrong / leaks etc and come a cropper. You cannot prove you are competent and you will have no comebacks. An OFTEC engineer will confirm it has been fitted incorrectly and you will be for the high jump.

I live in northern Ireland know lots of oftec boys never do they fit inserts to copper and they not heard of thisso I'm guessing it's just an English thing

 

[Smt]

Thanks for your direct answer WHPES.
The oil installation is temporary and to be in service for a maximum of three years. The property is being renovated and converted to use a mixture of ground source heat pump (heating), wood (via central wood burning stove), electricity and bottled lpg (cooking).
I am beginning to feel marginally less fretful now.

 

[Gray0689]

It was common practice some time ago, not sure how long ago.

Compression fittings have never been allowed underground as far as I am aware (should always be flared)

Soldered fittings have also never been allowed on oil lines.

No soldered fittings now that's just silly suppose your not allowed oil in the pipes too lol

 

[dontknowitall]

No soldered fittings now that's just silly suppose your not allowed oil in the pipes too lol

There are good reasons for this!

 

[pmac10]

There are good reasons for this!

solder being well known for its high melting point, just the type of joint you need in a fire, eh?

 

[SimonJohns]

If you're not OFTEC you shouldnt be touching oil stuff anyway!

Not really true

Building control can sign off oil lines and tanks

Service and maintenance doesn't require a registration

Commissioning is a lil grey but would agree you should be registered to do this

I know the arguement about competency but I'm not talking abut that

 

[Gray0689]

solder being well known for its high melting point, just the type of joint you need in a fire, eh?

Is that not what a fire valve is for!!!

 

[Smt]

Are they fitting the flexible soft copper tube that comes in reels though?

 

[kimbo]

The regulations regarding inserts have been out longer than 2 yrs, the problem was when they brought them out no one sold them and like everything oftec does it is never very well publicised so no one fitted them. The merchants should not be advising trained engineers or even the public because they are not trained in the regulations. If they advised something that was wrong they could be sued in a civil court.
Oil regulations are not backward enforcible you only have to look at the number of oil tanks that dont comply with current regulations.
Yes compression fittings will eventually leak on soft copper, you will find it wont be a drip but only what we call sweating which is a damp stain. The soft copper pipe under compression by the olive eventually gives up and is compressed to the point that it does not push back against the olive, the use of the insert is to make sure the joint is compressed by the olive onto the insert which will not give and therefore wont weep.
The use of the inserts as I understand it is a british standard, how many merchants know about british standards. It sounds like you have done the best you can and I am sure there are a lot of people out there even qualified oftec engineers by the sound of it who would have done exactly what you have done, I would not be happy if my own oil installation was not done by the book whether I agreed with it or not. All oftec engineers stand to lose their registration if they do not do their job properly and we do get inspections.

 

[Smt]

Thanks kimbo for putting things in context. Very clearly put and very helpful indeed.

 

[WHPES]

I have a War Office specification document of my Grandads somewhere which states never use soldered joints on fuel lines, so its not new!