I had a leak spring on a hot water pipe (to a tap). Plumber came in and spent literally 2 minutes cutting the pipe and crimping a larger copper fitting over the top. Im not impressed as its still leaking after him (very rapidly) visiting twice more to attempt to rectify. He has now just refunded my money as I said I wanted fixing properly!? Obviously not worth his while I guess.
So is this the way it’s generally done nowadays? I always used to fix this type of thing myself (simple jobs at least) the old fashioned way (replace the duff pipe, flux, solder etc) but as I’ve got older and lazier I usually just pay someone to do it for me.
Interested to hear any experience with these crimp pipe connections for repairs. Cheers
I suspect anyone worth their salt would have, like you, soldered a fresh piece of copper into the equation.
I've no experience of a crimping method but by sounds of it, he's mucked it up or it's more a temporary fix thing.
Either way, break out your blowlamp or call another plumber with specific instructions.
Do you have a valve and if so, is the leak between the valve and the tap?
Replacing it with a flexi pipe is the first things that springs (sorry) to mind, but only for that given scenario.
No it’s a long straight bit of copper a fair distance from the tap. It does look like a fairly old crappy stretch of pipe to be fair, basically ripe to be replaced (and very easy - no joints or bends etc). But if I could see that, so could he.
I’m just a bit disappointed really. I get that this is a minor job and not much of an earner, but surely a bit of pride in your work wouldn’t go amiss. Oh well hey ho.
But as you say FFF, I’m just dusting off the gear and ordering some butane!
I suspect he means a compression fitting?Originally Posted by reggie747
Don’t bother with the butane, just use speedfit fittings and plastic pipe. It’s quick and easy, just as good a job and allows you to quickly make alterations whenever you need to.
Thanks Dave - interesting. I think he used ProPress fittings (or similar). They were definitely crimped after fitting
I put a wash basin and toilet in the utility room a couple of weeks ago using speed fit. The three pipes running to the right are hot cold and waste (for the basin). The waste is clearly not speed fit but it’s all pretty easy in plastic.
Had something similar - pinhole leak on a pipe a couple of years ago. Plumber did as you said you would expect and replaced the pipework completely by soldering it in.
Never in 35 yrs heard of ProPress and looking at the concept, I'll not be using them anytime soon.
Speedfit as Dave suggested is an alternative if you don't want to get the blow gear out.
Thanks Reggie... appreciate your thoughts mate.
A middle ground would possible be copper compression fit fittings with an olive?
A lot of people use the pressed or crimped fitting.
I don't but they are getting popular with new build.
Not forgetting a few wraps of PTFE tape around the olives prior to nipping them up ..
Are you trying to start an argument??? 😂
No, you don’t wrap PTFE around the olives, PTFE thread seal tape should only be wrapped around threads. The olives are designed to create the seal without tape.
Why don’t you use them Rob if you don’t mind me asking?
I've always used copper with soldered joints (Usually endfeed).
I use speedfit when it comes to plastic pipe where many use Hep20.
I've just never tried the pressed fittings and probably never will as I'm happy to use what I know.
Copper pipe with endfeed fittings are probably the cheapest way to go but you find that when you are adding to systems plastic pipe can be the easier way to go.
I nip the nuts up gently to hold the olive then whip then it off and PTFE the olive, just a couple of turns. Never had a conex leak in 30 yrs. Taping the thread in a nut/olive joint does sweet Fanny Adams because it's the olive seat fitting, held by the nut which is the compression point which I'm sure you know so I'll disregard this bit of your comment...
"No, you don’t wrap PTFE around the olives"
Gotcha - thanks for the response 👍
Whoever you used tried to bodge it and earn a quick buck, you either remove the offending pipework and solder a new piece in, use compression fittings, or, as has been suggested, use speedfit connections.
It irritates the hell out of me today that so called trades people just want to earn a quick buck instead of taking pride in their work, ( I appreciate that not all want to do this ).
I recently heard of an old lady, who lives on a retirement complex local to me that my mother in law lives on that needed her shower fixing, electrician attended, said he would try and find a new part, if not it would need a plumber, he came back an hour or so later and said he'd got news, he had located the part, bad news was, it would now cost over £400 for his time and parts. You can fit a new electric shower for just over £100 these days if you buy from screwfix etc.
Yes seems that way. I’m very disappointed as have used him a few times previously and has been good.
It was a poor job. I suspect he knows that too as he returned all of the money without any sort of argument. A real shame
There’s no need to use PTFE tape on a compression fitting. As you said, it’ll do sweet FA on the threads of a compression fitting but it shouldn’t be used on the olives either. The olive is the seal and doesn’t need PTFE tape.
I’ve probably been messing with plumbing as long as you have and never used PTFE on olives, it’s just not necessary.
I put a wash basin and toilet in the utility room a couple of weeks ago using speed fit. The three pipes running to the right are hot cold and waste (for the basin). The waste is clearly not speed fit but it’s all pretty easy in plastic.
I always install clips to support push-fit style, it gives a bit extra security especially next to valves and joints etc.
I’m with Dave on this one. No need for tape on the olive. I’ve never had a leak either. Each to their own I suppose.
Had several sites that have had the crimped compressed fittings that have failed either initially or shortly after PC during the first season.
Latest resulted in several floods. Found that the contractor used the wrong sized jaws in the crimping machine and every joint had to be replaced along with many meters of pipework. The system was tested (air) before being charged, however when heat was applied this caused multiple joint failures over a few weeks. Huge costs implications for the contractors and major inconvenience for the Tenants.
Prior to that, a similar issue occurred as a result of excessive expansion on the length of runs in a multi let building as several fittings pulled apart over time.
Don’t think you can beat a traditional Yorkshire fitting.
B
Interesting again - thanks bomberman.
I can certainly see why, when it works, it’s advantageous from a time perspective. But like anything the real test comes when it fails. Those situations sound like a nightmare!
The time that you have spent on this thread you could have sorted it for yourself by now using simple push fit fittings. If you can’t figure out push fit then maybe you shouldn’t be near a blow torch... get your money out again otherwise and get somebody in.
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🤣🤣🤣
Haha. Well it’s comforting to know you’re still a pr*ck 🤣🤣
Indeed I am:) Could be worse. I could be asking for plumbing advice from my only friends eh ya little old ,lazy keyboard warrior x
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Last edited by Stilgoe1972; 22nd April 2021 at 16:44.
Zinger!
Where do you stand on a quick wipe of jointing compound round the mating face & olive?
Unnecessary, but i can’t see it doing any harm.
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