stainless steel domestic pipework

[Jerry]

Gentlemen!

Any idea how to T off of this shiny pipe?

I've heard about them but new come across them before.

Many thanks,

J

Ps I have heard they are a liability and best replaced. Any comments?

 

[Jerry]

My only plan is compression but donthey require a special fitting, olive etc etc??

 

[Chalked]

Run!!!
It’s fine until you move it. Then it just falls out of the soldered fittings.
If your careful, you can use a compression fitting. 15mm is fine. But, as it’s imperial. You will need 3/4 olives.
Use paste too.

 

[Jerry]

My only plan is compression but donthey require a special fitting, olive etc etc??

Run!!!
It’s fine until you move it. Then it just falls out of the soldered fittings.
If your careful, you can use a compression fitting. 15mm is fine. But, as it’s imperial. You will need 3/4 olives.
Use paste too.

Many thanks

 

[Last Plumber]

Gentlemen!

Any idea how to T off of this shiny pipe?

I've heard about them but new come across them before.

Many thanks,

J

Ps I have heard they are a liability and best replaced. Any comments?

View attachment 39362

Is it SS or truweld?
If it's Truweld you can normally solder it but it does depend on the external condition. It was steel pipe which had been tinned. It is best to remove it altogether if possible.

 

[Jerry]

Can't ID the pipe

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Trueweld

 

[Stigster]

Was that a product of the copper shortage all those years ago?

 

[Last Plumber]

Was that a product of the copper shortage all those years ago?

1960's

 

[king of pipes]

Remove it would be my advice . Kop

 

[Drewy]

I thought it was truwell not trueweld but I’m happy to be educated.

You can solder onto it.

 

[Jerry]

Thank all!
The client doesn't want to replace.
I have decided to connect on to it, at a less aesthetically pleasing location, where there are some old compression joints.
Thanks for the help.
J

 

[AMGasServices]

Trace the pipes and check if you can find any soldered joints.

 

[chris watkins]

Looks like stainless to me & with that steel nail as a clip on the joist it is a good job it isn't copper. If only compression joints have been used most likely, how old is the house / installation? S/Steel was being used 1977 - 1979 in Kent

 

[Jerry]

After some reading and listening to the advice here, I cut the pipe with a hack saw and fitted a 22mm compression fitting with 3/4" olive. Plenty of tape and paste.

It seems to have held but getting the olive on was a bigger.

Cheers all!

J

 

[chris watkins]

All you need is a bit of barrel & some s/w plastic to get the full set of materials & joints on that job J 😀
Good luck

 

[Jerry]

All you need is a bit of barrel & some s/w plastic to get the full set of materials & joints on that job J 😀
Good luck

Agreed! Every tool out of the box!

 

[chris watkins]

Don't envy you soldering today😎

 

[Jerry]

Thankfully I am not!

 

[Warmiger]

We do what is suggested above. If you do get an awkward one we then use a utc with the correct size insert.
Hope that helps if you come across a pipe this will not work on.

 

[OffshoreGas]

Never heard of trueweld before but the design of olives/ferrules for s/s are completely different to copper due to the hardness of the stuff. There generally a wedge shape that crimps into the tube wall.

 

[Jerry]

So, from my very recent experience with the stainless stuff.....that is not soldered:

• Only tried compression fittings
• 22mm needs a 3/4" olive. 15mm needs 15mm olive. Plenty of tape and paste
• You will need a file to chamfer the 22mm pipe to get the 3/4" olive on. I resorted to hammering the fecking thing on.....while in the fitting with the nut on!
• Cut pipe inside looked clean
• Get a new hacksaw blade

I also heard a press fitting might work.

Some of the pipe bends were extreme. I guess they really really wanted to cut down on joins.

Pipe clips? Try bent over nails!

Hope this helps some other poor fool who stumble across this stuff.

J

 

[OffshoreGas]

So, from my very recent experience with the stainless stuff...that is not soldered:

• Only tried compression fittings
• 22mm needs a 3/4" olive. 15mm needs 15mm olive. Plenty of tape and paste
• You will need a file to chamfer the 22mm pipe to get the 3/4" olive on. I resorted to hammering the fecking thing on...while in the fitting with the nut on!
• Cut pipe inside looked clean
• Get a new hacksaw blade

I also heard a press fitting might work.

Some of the pipe bends were extreme. I guess they really really wanted to cut down on joins.

Pipe clips? Try bent over nails!

Hope this helps some other poor fool who stumble across this stuff.

J

Given the potential damage involved with water I’d be questioning the manufacturer as to if their products can be used with this type of pipe.

If anything were to go wrong I suspect the manufacturer and your insurers may have something to say. Best mixing steel and copper you’ve created a galvanic corrosion cell at the fitting that will likely dramatically reduce its life.

 

[Jerry]

Given the potential damage involved with water I’d be questioning the manufacturer as to if their products can be used with this type of pipe.

If anything were to go wrong I suspect the manufacturer and your insurers may have something to say. Best mixing steel and copper you’ve created a galvanic corrosion cell at the fitting that will likely dramatically reduce its life.

Agreed. They will probably say that it should all be taken out. Glad I got it in writing that the homeowner accepts full responsibility!

Also, stainless was only used in non visible locations. The installation was there already a mix of copper and stainless steel, joined with compression only. I just added a touch of (non reactive?) plastic to the mix