Hi,

I've got a 55 metre Alkathene water pipe running to an outbuilding....

The pipe has never carried water - instead I've "pulled" some CAT5 and alarm
remote cables through it (done using two vacuum cleaners, some fishing line
and a ball of cotton wool!).

As we are now a "wireless" property, I was wondering if I removed the cables
from the pipe caould I re-use it for water to the building. The caveat is
that I used some PTFE cable-pulling lube in the pipe when getting the cables
through.

What do you think? Can I re-use it - is that PTFE cable-pulling stuff really
toxic? Should I lay a new pipe?

I have the oportunity to lay a new pipe as we are finally having our
geothermal (heat pump) underground coils laid, and they go pretty much
between the two buildings, so I can lay a new pipe in one of the trenches...

Thanks

Mike

Mike Deblis wrote:
Hi,

I've got a 55 metre Alkathene water pipe running to an outbuilding....

The pipe has never carried water - instead I've "pulled" some CAT5 and alarm
remote cables through it (done using two vacuum cleaners, some fishing line
and a ball of cotton wool!).

As we are now a "wireless" property, I was wondering if I removed the cables
from the pipe caould I re-use it for water to the building. The caveat is
that I used some PTFE cable-pulling lube in the pipe when getting the cables
through.

What do you think? Can I re-use it - is that PTFE cable-pulling stuff really
toxic? Should I lay a new pipe?


PTFE has very low toxicity. The lubricant will have had an oil base,
which may or may not be slightly toxic. If it was me, I'd flush the pipe
through with plenty of water (and maybe some detergent) and use it.


--
Grunff

Isn't there a risk of freezing your water pipe if you share a trench
with the heat exchanger pipe?

John

Grunff wrote:
Mike Deblis wrote:
Hi,

I've got a 55 metre Alkathene water pipe running to an outbuilding....

The pipe has never carried water - instead I've "pulled" some CAT5 and alarm
remote cables through it (done using two vacuum cleaners, some fishing line
and a ball of cotton wool!).

As we are now a "wireless" property, I was wondering if I removed the cables
from the pipe caould I re-use it for water to the building. The caveat is
that I used some PTFE cable-pulling lube in the pipe when getting the cables
through.
snip
which may or may not be slightly toxic. If it was me, I'd flush the pipe
through with plenty of water (and maybe some detergent) and use it.

A ball of cotton (cloth), pushed through with water pressure wouldn't be
a bad idea either.

"Ian Stirling" wrote in message
...

A ball of cotton (cloth), pushed through with water pressure wouldn't be
a bad idea either.

I had thought of pulling a cotton plug through the pipe as I pulled out the
cables.

FWIW, the PTFE lube I used was DuPont, "Yellow 77 Lubricant" from Ideal
Industries Inc. No mention on the container at all about toxicity, which is
why I'm interested....

Thanks

Mike.

It looks pretty benign according to the safety data sheet

http://www.idealindustries.com/pdf/Y...ubricant.pd f

In article ,
"Mike Deblis" writes:
"Ian Stirling" wrote in message
...

A ball of cotton (cloth), pushed through with water pressure wouldn't be
a bad idea either.

I had thought of pulling a cotton plug through the pipe as I pulled out the
cables.

FWIW, the PTFE lube I used was DuPont, "Yellow 77 Lubricant" from Ideal
Industries Inc. No mention on the container at all about toxicity, which is
why I'm interested....

It doesn't look completely harmless in the Material Safety Data Sheet:
http://www.idealindustries.com/pdf/Y...ubricant.pd f

--
Andrew Gabriel

Andrew Gabriel andrew@a17 wrote:
In article ,
"Mike Deblis" writes:
"Ian Stirling" wrote in message
...

A ball of cotton (cloth), pushed through with water pressure wouldn't be
a bad idea either.

I had thought of pulling a cotton plug through the pipe as I pulled out the
cables.

FWIW, the PTFE lube I used was DuPont, "Yellow 77 Lubricant" from Ideal
Industries Inc. No mention on the container at all about toxicity, which is
why I'm interested....

It doesn't look completely harmless in the Material Safety Data Sheet:
http://www.idealindustries.com/pdf/Y...ubricant.pd f


Water doesn't look completely haremless in its MSDS.

Andrew Gabriel wrote:

It doesn't look completely harmless in the Material Safety Data Sheet:
http://www.idealindustries.com/pdf/Y...ubricant.pd f


I'd say that's pretty harmless - a quick flush through with water and
I'd be quite happy to drink out of that pipe.


--
Grunff

On Sun, 31 Jul 2005 14:35:04 +0000 (UTC), Mike Deblis wrote:

As we are now a "wireless" property, I was wondering if I removed
the cables from the pipe caould I re-use it for water to the
building.

I'd keep the handy duct for when you want fibre or a real connection
to the out buildings again. Bung in another pipe you know it makes
sense.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Hi Mike

What do you think? Can I re-use it - is that PTFE cable-pulling stuff
really
toxic? Should I lay a new pipe?

PTFE is pretty well inert. For example thread tape and frying pans.

Dave

"Grunff" wrote in message
...
Andrew Gabriel wrote:

It doesn't look completely harmless in the Material Safety Data Sheet:
http://www.idealindustries.com/pdf/Y...ubricant.pd f


I'd say that's pretty harmless - a quick flush through with water and I'd
be quite happy to drink out of that pipe.

So would I.

Mary


--
Grunff

On Sun, 31 Jul 2005 21:17:20 GMT, "David Lang"
wrote:

PTFE is pretty well inert.

It's also a solid. Anything that stops PTFE being a solid is likely to
be somewhat nasty. This material seems fairly benign but lubricants
like Tri-flow and Break-free are significant hazards.

I'd use this pipe, but I'd pull a cleaning swab through a few times and
flush it.

Andy Dingley wrote:

It's also a solid. Anything that stops PTFE being a solid is likely to
be somewhat nasty.

Well, true, but PTFE based lubricants are just a suspension of PTFE dust
in a base, usually oil. Nothing more than that.



--
Grunff