Central heating alterations
 

A couple of weeks back I asked on here about soldering joints on existing
pipework. Having now had a good look around, i see that Conex et al
produceflame-free copper push fit pipe fittings, which are less chunky and
exactly what I need.

Also, Screwfix stock a plastic pipe system by FloPlast (Flo-Fit) at a good
price. Does anyone have any experience of it?

(Screwfix is finally coming to Cornwall on November 9th!)

Thanks

Central heating alterations
 

On Thu, 3 Nov 2011 08:11:36 -0000, DIYer wrote:

Also, Screwfix stock a plastic pipe system by FloPlast (Flo-Fit) at a
good price.

Check the temperature and pressure ratings. The pressure rating drops
dramatically as the temperature rises. Plastic also needs to be well
supported if you aren't going to get excessive sagging, over time,
between supports.

--
Cheers
Dave.

Central heating alterations
 

On Nov 3, 8:11*am, "DIYer" wrote:
A couple of weeks back I asked on here about soldering joints on existing
pipework. *Having now had a good look around, i see that Conex et al
produceflame-free copper push fit pipe fittings, which are less chunky and
exactly what I need.
fA
AAAAAAAAa
Also, Screwfix stock a plastic pipe system by FloPlast (Flo-Fit) at a good
price. *Does anyone have any experience of it?

(Screwfix is finally coming to Cornwall on November 9th!)

Thanks

Additional to above, you need the inserts to go in plastic pipe cut
ends.

Central heating alterations
 

In message o.uk, Dave
Liquorice writes
On Thu, 3 Nov 2011 08:11:36 -0000, DIYer wrote:

Also, Screwfix stock a plastic pipe system by FloPlast (Flo-Fit) at a
good price.

Check the temperature and pressure ratings. The pressure rating drops
dramatically as the temperature rises.

Is that likely to be a problem with any of the plastic plumbing systems
though and even a pressurised system is only run at 1 bar or so. Hep2O
and Speedfit are fine.

I've no experience with flopast, it looks similar to Speedfit, which is
fine. They have their own website if yoiu want more info.

http://www.floplast.co.uk/


Plastic also needs to be well
supported if you aren't going to get excessive sagging, over time,
between supports.


True, and I'd not use it in visible areas where appearance mattered. but
it's easy to install and I find it useful when working in awkward areas
--
Chris French

Central heating alterations
 

On 03/11/2011 08:11, DIYer wrote:
A couple of weeks back I asked on here about soldering joints on existing
pipework. Having now had a good look around, i see that Conex et al
produceflame-free copper push fit pipe fittings, which are less chunky and
exactly what I need.

Also, Screwfix stock a plastic pipe system by FloPlast (Flo-Fit) at a good
price. Does anyone have any experience of it?

(Screwfix is finally coming to Cornwall on November 9th!)

Thanks



Why not just use solder fittings?
I (like many) consider push-fit to be crap, especially on CH systems.
Soldering really isn't hard, and will remain mechanically strong and
leak-free for decades. Push-fit relies on rubber 'O' rings.

Central heating alterations
 

On Thu, 3 Nov 2011 10:25:51 +0000, chris French wrote:

Check the temperature and pressure ratings. The pressure rating
drops
dramatically as the temperature rises.

Is that likely to be a problem with any of the plastic plumbing systems
though and even a pressurised system is only run at 1 bar or so.

Just a heads up more than anything else. The drop in pressure rating
with temperature is quite dramatic.

Do rodents like it? They don't attack copper but nice soft chewy
things seem to be a magnet for little teeth. They might not be able
to get a start on plain pipe but the sticky out bits of fittings are
just asking to gnawed and once they can get a bit of purchase the
little bleeders don't stop.

--
Cheers
Dave.

Central heating alterations
 

"AlanD" wrote in message
...
On 03/11/2011 08:11, DIYer wrote:
A couple of weeks back I asked on here about soldering joints on existing
pipework. Having now had a good look around, i see that Conex et al
produceflame-free copper push fit pipe fittings, which are less chunky
and
exactly what I need.

Also, Screwfix stock a plastic pipe system by FloPlast (Flo-Fit) at a
good
price. Does anyone have any experience of it?

(Screwfix is finally coming to Cornwall on November 9th!)

Thanks



Why not just use solder fittings?
I (like many) consider push-fit to be crap, especially on CH systems.
Soldering really isn't hard, and will remain mechanically strong and
leak-free for decades. Push-fit relies on rubber 'O' rings.

The problem that brought this about, was expelling water / steam in the
existing pipework

Central heating alterations
 

On Thu, 03 Nov 2011 10:47:59 +0000, AlanD wrote:

Why not just use solder fittings?

IIRC the OP can't get the pipe dry...

--
Cheers
Dave.

Central heating alterations
 

Dave Liquorice wrote:

On Thu, 03 Nov 2011 10:47:59 +0000, AlanD wrote:

Why not just use solder fittings?

IIRC the OP can't get the pipe dry...


There are always Cuprofit (IIRC) - pushfit for copper and the fitting is
brass. Can be demounted wiht a special (but cheap) tool. Still has o-rings,
but is otherwise bomb (and mouse) proof.

--
Tim Watts

Central heating alterations
 

On Thu, 03 Nov 2011 11:20:58 +0000, Dave Liquorice wrote:

On Thu, 03 Nov 2011 10:47:59 +0000, AlanD wrote:

Why not just use solder fittings?

IIRC the OP can't get the pipe dry...

Solder the joint up dry on the bench, then attach it to the system with a
couple of push-fits... ;-)

Central heating alterations
 

In article , chris French wrote:
In message o.uk, Dave
Liquorice writes
On Thu, 3 Nov 2011 08:11:36 -0000, DIYer wrote:

Also, Screwfix stock a plastic pipe system by FloPlast (Flo-Fit) at a
good price.

Check the temperature and pressure ratings. The pressure rating drops
dramatically as the temperature rises.

Is that likely to be a problem with any of the plastic plumbing systems
though and even a pressurised system is only run at 1 bar or so. Hep2O
and Speedfit are fine.

If you've got mains pressure hot water, that can get a fair bit over 1 bar.
(Without checking the ratings, I don't know if it's likely to be a problem.)

Central heating alterations
 

On 03/11/2011 08:11, DIYer wrote:

A couple of weeks back I asked on here about soldering joints on existing
pipework. Having now had a good look around, i see that Conex et al
produceflame-free copper push fit pipe fittings, which are less chunky and
exactly what I need.

Yup, they work ok, bit pricey though...

Also, Screwfix stock a plastic pipe system by FloPlast (Flo-Fit) at a good
price. Does anyone have any experience of it?

The fittings yes, the pipe no. Not been that impressed with FloPlast
fittings - they seem to need quite high insertion forces to get a
properly seated joint, and they are not at all tolerant of any
misalignment on entry.

The pipe however may well be fine since I can't see much they could do
wrong with that!

(Screwfix is finally coming to Cornwall on November 9th!)

Thanks




--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Central heating alterations
 

Alan Braggins wrote:

In article , chris French
wrote:
In message o.uk, Dave
Liquorice writes
On Thu, 3 Nov 2011 08:11:36 -0000, DIYer wrote:

Also, Screwfix stock a plastic pipe system by FloPlast (Flo-Fit) at a
good price.

Check the temperature and pressure ratings. The pressure rating drops
dramatically as the temperature rises.

Is that likely to be a problem with any of the plastic plumbing systems
though and even a pressurised system is only run at 1 bar or so. Hep2O
and Speedfit are fine.

If you've got mains pressure hot water, that can get a fair bit over 1
bar. (Without checking the ratings, I don't know if it's likely to be a
problem.)

Temporary fit Speedfit here - 4.5bar pressure on the hot water side, up to
60C, no problems.

--
Tim Watts

Central heating alterations
 

In message , Alan Braggins
writes
In article , chris French wrote:
In message o.uk, Dave
Liquorice writes
On Thu, 3 Nov 2011 08:11:36 -0000, DIYer wrote:

Also, Screwfix stock a plastic pipe system by FloPlast (Flo-Fit) at a
good price.

Check the temperature and pressure ratings. The pressure rating drops
dramatically as the temperature rises.

Is that likely to be a problem with any of the plastic plumbing systems
though and even a pressurised system is only run at 1 bar or so. Hep2O
and Speedfit are fine.

If you've got mains pressure hot water, that can get a fair bit over 1 bar.
(Without checking the ratings, I don't know if it's likely to be a problem.)

I can't remember now without looking it up, but Hep2O was fine for the
mains pressure water in our old house - and that had pretty high
pressure.

Of course this ha smade me go and look it up :-)

http://www.floplast.co.uk/pages.asp?pageid=43012753&catid=312

for Floplast it gives a max working pressure of 12 bar at 20C

at 85C, 4 bar
--
Chris French

Central heating alterations
 

In message o.uk, Dave
Liquorice writes
On Thu, 3 Nov 2011 10:25:51 +0000, chris French wrote:

Check the temperature and pressure ratings. The pressure rating
drops
dramatically as the temperature rises.

Is that likely to be a problem with any of the plastic plumbing systems
though and even a pressurised system is only run at 1 bar or so.

Just a heads up more than anything else. The drop in pressure rating
with temperature is quite dramatic.

Do rodents like it? They don't attack copper but nice soft chewy
things seem to be a magnet for little teeth. They might not be able
to get a start on plain pipe but the sticky out bits of fittings are
just asking to gnawed and once they can get a bit of purchase the
little bleeders don't stop.


Anecdotally, no. In our old house I used it quite a bit and it had mice
but we had no problems with nibbling. I've had abit in this house for a
couple of years (running a temporary replacement supply out through the
old stable and that's also fine.
--
Chris French

Central heating alterations
 

"AlanD" wrote in message
...

Why not just use solder fittings?
I (like many) consider push-fit to be crap, especially on CH systems.
Soldering really isn't hard, and will remain mechanically strong and
leak-free for decades. Push-fit relies on rubber 'O' rings.

I have seen copper pipe fail after less than 20 years and fittings that
never worked, I have yet to see any plastic pipe/joints/fittings fail even
in heating systems.
I have plastic pipe in my heating system, its ~29 years old.

Central heating alterations
 

dennis@home wrote:
"AlanD" wrote in message
...

Why not just use solder fittings?
I (like many) consider push-fit to be crap, especially on CH systems.
Soldering really isn't hard, and will remain mechanically strong and
leak-free for decades. Push-fit relies on rubber 'O' rings.

I have seen copper pipe fail after less than 20 years and fittings
that never worked, I have yet to see any plastic pipe/joints/fittings
fail even in heating systems.

So says the bloke who still see the fairies in the bottom of his garden.

--
Adam

Central heating alterations
 

In article , chris French wrote:
In message , Alan Braggins
writes
In article , chris French wrote:
In message o.uk, Dave
Liquorice writes
On Thu, 3 Nov 2011 08:11:36 -0000, DIYer wrote:

Also, Screwfix stock a plastic pipe system by FloPlast (Flo-Fit) at a
good price.

Check the temperature and pressure ratings. The pressure rating drops
dramatically as the temperature rises.

Is that likely to be a problem with any of the plastic plumbing systems
though and even a pressurised system is only run at 1 bar or so. Hep2O
and Speedfit are fine.

If you've got mains pressure hot water, that can get a fair bit over 1 bar.
(Without checking the ratings, I don't know if it's likely to be a problem.)

I can't remember now without looking it up, but Hep2O was fine for the
mains pressure water in our old house - and that had pretty high
pressure.

Of course this ha smade me go and look it up :-)
http://www.floplast.co.uk/pages.asp?pageid=43012753&catid=312
for Floplast it gives a max working pressure of 12 bar at 20C
at 85C, 4 bar

Hmm. In the middle of the night when the mains pressure might reach
10 bar in some areas you won't be running hot water through it, and
you won't run your hot taps or shower at 85C. But I think you would
want to be cautious about how close you ran it to a combi boiler or
thermal store heat exchanger.

Central heating alterations
 

Alan Braggins wrote:


Hmm. In the middle of the night when the mains pressure might reach
10 bar in some areas you won't be running hot water through it, and
you won't run your hot taps or shower at 85C. But I think you would
want to be cautious about how close you ran it to a combi boiler or
thermal store heat exchanger.

This is true. One set of boiler installation instructions I read said to
take the last bit (1m, IIRC) in metal pipework and not plastic.

--
Tim Watts

Central heating alterations
 

"Tim Watts" wrote in message
...
Alan Braggins wrote:


Hmm. In the middle of the night when the mains pressure might reach
10 bar in some areas you won't be running hot water through it, and
you won't run your hot taps or shower at 85C. But I think you would
want to be cautious about how close you ran it to a combi boiler or
thermal store heat exchanger.

This is true. One set of boiler installation instructions I read said to
take the last bit (1m, IIRC) in metal pipework and not plastic.

That is to limit damage when the boiler decides to keep firing after the
stat has broken.

Central heating alterations
 

On Thu, 03 Nov 2011 22:26:45 +0000, Tim Watts
wrote:

This is true. One set of boiler installation instructions I read said to
take the last bit (1m, IIRC) in metal pipework and not plastic.

I had to rectify a cowboy's work on a new boiler. The tosser had
connected the Qualpex right onto the boiler. It had lasted three
months or so, which surprised me.

Central heating alterations
 

In message , Tim Watts
writes
Alan Braggins wrote:


Hmm. In the middle of the night when the mains pressure might reach
10 bar in some areas you won't be running hot water through it, and
you won't run your hot taps or shower at 85C. But I think you would
want to be cautious about how close you ran it to a combi boiler or
thermal store heat exchanger.

This is true. One set of boiler installation instructions I read said to
take the last bit (1m, IIRC) in metal pipework and not plastic.


I think that is the recommendations of the plastic pipe makers as well.
--
Chris French

Central heating alterations
 

In message , ARWadsworth
writes
dennis@home wrote:
"AlanD" wrote in message
...

Why not just use solder fittings?
I (like many) consider push-fit to be crap, especially on CH systems.
Soldering really isn't hard, and will remain mechanically strong and
leak-free for decades. Push-fit relies on rubber 'O' rings.

I have seen copper pipe fail after less than 20 years and fittings
that never worked, I have yet to see any plastic pipe/joints/fittings
fail even in heating systems.

So says the bloke who still see the fairies in the bottom of his garden.


The one 'random - failure of material leak' I've had to deal with was in
copper pipe. A pinhole developed in the pipe, dripping water slowly.
--
Chris French

Central heating alterations
 

On Thu, 3 Nov 2011 18:47:50 +0000, chris French wrote:

for Floplast it gives a max working pressure of 12 bar at 20C
at 85C, 4 bar

Our mains pressure is about 5 bar... OK you won't have mains pressure
in the CH but I still think it's begining to sail a bit close to the
wind even with DHW.

--
Cheers
Dave.