Snapped gas pipe (1 Viewer)

[PhilandMena]

Bugger ! I've snapped the gas inlet pipe from my main valve to my Thetford oven inlet pipe. Anyone know where I can get a replacement ?

 

[phil1946]

As it is low pressure (after the regulator) you could make a temporary repair with gas hose and jubilee clips. I would expect any good gas fitter to be able to make a replacement as the ends are only olives.

 

[Neckender]

If it’s 8 mm copper by a new length and 2 new olives from a plumbers merchants and use the original nuts.

John.

 

[TheBig1]

1 8mm straight compression connector, all thats needed

 

[funflair]

As it is low pressure (after the regulator) you could make a temporary repair with gas hose and jubilee clips. I would expect any good gas fitter to be able to make a replacement as the ends are only olives.

Don’t you know what happened last time Phil tried to jubilee clip a pipe joint, luckily it wasn’t gas

Martin

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[Richard n Ann]

How do you snap a copper pipe?

 

[TheBig1]

How do you snap a copper pipe?

they get brittle and dont like being bent out of the way

 

[Richard n Ann]

they get brittle and dont like being bent out of the way

Of course yes. I'm glad I don't need to bend ours. Perhaps the new pipe can be re-routed.

 

[Silver-Fox]

Buy another piece of copper tube, it’s either 8 or 10 mm a couple of olives and re use the nuts

 

[Busman]

If it's to difficult for you Phil get Mena to fix it

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[PhilandMena]

If it’s 8 mm copper by a new length and 2 new olives from a plumbers merchants and use the original nuts.

John.

You have nailed it! I'm off to a marina tomorrow to get pipe and fittings one of the olives is unique. The problem is caused by the pipe being so long so it's still connected when you pull the oven out. It's been in and out a few times over the years and a weak spot must have been created in one of the many bends and it's failed. Should be straight forward to replace and I'm hopeful when completed will be the last time i need to remove the oven for many years to come. Thanks one and all for your helpful advice. I just love the membership on this website.

 

[scotjimland]

one of the olives is unique.

can't see clearly.. but it looks like a Truma 8mm Shouldered olive..

if so replace with the correct one, a normal 8mm olive won't make a proper seal on the valve.. and yes, I've seen it done.

.. https://www.gasit.co.uk/8mm-shouldered-olive.html

 

[Neckender]

If you have a blow lamp and heat the pipe along its length to cherry red then quench it with water it will soften it and make it more flexible, until it age hardens again.

John.

 

[Lenny HB]

You are not supposed to use the gas pipe for weight training.

 

[Richard n Ann]

If you have a blow lamp and heat the pipe along its length to cherry red then quench it with water it will soften it and make it more flexible, until it age hardens again.

John.

I wouldn't do this, heating the pipe to cherry red you will get an oxidised layer of crud inside the pipe that will flake off and may block any jets or orifices further down the line.
In refrigeration and AC pipework (above a certain size) we have to purge with nitrogen to stop any oxidisation.

In the past I've put a big horizontal coil of copper pipe behind a fridge system that needs to be pulled out and it works great . Oh and that's with hundreds of psi in them, not 0.4 psi

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[PhilandMena]

Thanks one and all. Replacement pipe and collets now in place. Thanks @tonka , you were right about that non-standard collet. However, the chap at the marine chanderly store took apart a brand new connector still in it's box as he knew what type of collet it was and gave it to me, (for a boat) and even put a bend in the new pipe for me.
Replacing was easy peasy and did the suds test to make sure I had a gas tight seal . £10.80 all in,

 

[Geo]

He swapped you an olive for a boat
You were done

 

[PhilandMena]

He swapped you an olive for a boat
You were done

All part of the sail

 

[Gromett]

How do you snap a copper pipe?

It's called work hardening. If you buy a short length of 8mm copper pipe and bend it one way gently, then the other, you will find it gets harder and harder to bend and it will eventually crack and break. Other metals don't work harden in the same way and will just start splitting. Copper is nasty for this one.

What I suspect happened here is that they left a floppy bit floating in the air which had enough weight on it to cause flexing during motion, this caused work hardening and eventual breakage.
Copper pipes should never be left flapping and should always be fixed firmly in place. The other option is they were fixed firmly in place to two surfaces that do not remain static with respect to each other, in which case a flexible section should have been used at the part of the pipe to allow for this. Either bad design or bad installation.

 

[Gromett]

In the past I've put a big horizontal coil of copper pipe behind a fridge system that needs to be pulled out and it works great . Oh and that's with hundreds of psi in them, not 0.4 psi

This would work as well. Sorry missed it on first read of thread.

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[tonka]

Thanks one and all. Replacement pipe and collets now in place. Thanks @tonka , you were right about that non-standard collet. However, the chap at the marine chanderly store took apart a brand new connector still in it's box as he knew what type of collet it was and gave it to me, (for a boat) and even put a bend in the new pipe for me.
Replacing was easy peasy and did the suds test to make sure I had a gas tight seal . £10.80 all in,

As much as I like any praise. Think this "thanks" is meant for someone else as I never commented. Glad your sorted anyway.

 

[TheBig1]

As much as I like any praise. Think this "thanks" is meant for someone else as I never commented. Glad your sorted anyway.

twas @scotjimland

 

[PhilandMena]

It's called work hardening. If you buy a short length of 8mm copper pipe and bend it one way gently, then the other, you will find it gets harder and harder to bend and it will eventually crack and break. Other metals don't work harden in the same way and will just start splitting. Copper is nasty for this one.

What I suspect happened here is that they left a floppy bit floating in the air which had enough weight on it to cause flexing during motion, this caused work hardening and eventual breakage.
Copper pipes should never be left flapping and should always be fixed firmly in place. The other option is they were fixed firmly in place to two surfaces that do not remain static with respect to each other, in which case a flexible section should have been used at the part of the pipe to allow for this. Either bad design or bad installation.

Bang on ! Although I bought my motorhome from new, when they installed the oven the gap between the back of the oven and the external wall would be around 8 inches and the oven inlet pipe near the top of the oven encroaching that gap by about one inch. The oven sits on a shelf and below the shelf are the 3 main cut off valves. So the pipe has to more or less go from the main Valve connection under the self and then in a very big loop (anti-clockwise) so it can fit in the space between the cooker and the external wall and continue in a circle so it connects with the cooker inlet pipe which is pointing towards the floor of the motorhome. I figured out the big loop was so the oven could be pulled out with the pipe intact so a check can be made to ensure a gas tight seal is made. The only way possible !. The loop is free floating and over the years I have had the oven out umpteen times, replacing worn or damages parts. relocating sink as it's retaining clips had vibrated loose, (Morocco) waste pipe becoming loose, replacing sink seals, taps etc. and making sure I have no gas leaks and this has contributed to the demise of the gas pipe ,for certain. I'm now confident the sink will not need any attention again after I made a mod so the retaining clips cannot vibrate loose and fitted new seals pipes and taps and with the new gas pipework and collets am hopeful I will not need to pull the oven out for a few years at least. I now know how to change a gas pipe and it's cheap as chips. Another job completed and a little more knowledge learnt about my motorhome.

 

[PhilandMena]

twas @scotjimland

Shit ! your right! @scotjimland thanks for your kind help! @tonka please accept the freebie. I'm sure you deserve it anyway.