Joining 22mm compression fittings to brass pipe

message from Ken Adam on 09 May 2004

I'm replacing a bath in an old flat.
The existing supply pipes are lead, which are then "soldered" to very short
lengths of 3/4 brass pipe.
What sort of fitting can I use to connect to the 3/4 brass pipe?
I naively tried a 3/4 olive in the 22mm fitting, expecting it to work as on
a copper pipe, but the joint
has a very slow weep (i.e. it gets damp, but no actual drip).
(of course now I can't remove the olive, and there isn't enough pipe to cut
it off and start again).

Am I condemned to getting a new pipe fitted to teh old lead, and if so, does
that still have to be brass?

Is there some other solution?

TIA,
Ken

Dave Liquorice replied to Ken Adam on 10 May 2004

With just a non-drip weep another 1/4 turn tighter would probably have
cured it but as you've now taken the joint part again you'll need a
new olive...

So go to a proper plumbers merchant and get a 3/4 > 22mm adapter or a
3/4 olive for 22mm fittings

A junior hacksaw and flat screwdriver is your friend, or do you want
an excuse to buy another toy (**** site but gives you the idea):

http://www.shop-happy.co.uk/item-Monument+2030B+Olive+Removing+Tool+15
Mm.html

Richard Savage replied to Ken Adam on 09 May 2004

Not sure if this is exactly an answer to the question but IIRC there is
something called a Lead Lock that allows connection of copper pipe to
lead pipe. A friend has used one in his parents kitchen. Again IIRC
it's a type of compression fitting. I guess similar in idea to the
fittings for plastic pipe. Could you cut your brass/lead pipe off just
below the brass and use the lead lock to join to a conventional copper
pipe at that point?

HTH

Richard

Richard Sterry replied to Ken Adam on 10 May 2004

Can you actually get at the olive? If so, the usual thing is to carefully
cut it with a junior hacksaw until it's nearly through, and then split it
with a flat-blade screwdriver. You have to be very careful not to nick the
pipe, of course.

Rick

G&M replied to Ken Adam on 9 May 2004

I expect there are more prefessional solutions from the plumbers out there,
but wrap lots of PTFE tape round the olive for now and try again.

Set Square replied to G&M on 9 May 2004

I think I would use Plumbers' Mait or Boss White rather than PTFE tape - but
that had ought to fix it if it is only a slight weep.

Ken Adam replied to G&M on 10 May 2004

Thanks for all the respones so far.
My first time in this group, and I'm certainly impressed with the
enthusiasm!

I won't get a chance to try anything for couple of days (I'm renovating a
flat for my daughter in my "spare" time")
but I guess I'll start with the Plumber's Mait.

Ken.

Ken Adam replied to Ken Adam on 15 May 2004

Having gone back to the job fresh, I managed to get another 1/4 turn on the
nuts (guess I was getting weak last week).
This, together with Plumber's Mait seems to have done the job.
Thanks again for you advise.
Ken.

Coherers replied to Ken Adam on 09 May 2004

You can get 3/4 olives., e.g BES 9055 which **may** be okay in a 22mm
fitting, or a special compression imperial-metric adapter e.g BES 7826 at

http://www.bes.ltd.uk/products/141.asp

Andrew replied to Ken Adam on 15 May 2004

In article <c7mc9a$p02$1@news5.svr.pol.co.uk>, IMM <abuse-imm@easy.com>
writes
Homebase sell 3/4 imperial to 22 mm end-feed solder connectors for just
this job. £2.99 each and the one on Earls Court rd had ten in stock -
strange (for a shed) but true.

IMM replied to Ken Adam on 9 May 2004

Brass is very "old", and there is no guarantee that it is the same OD as
imperial copper. It was meant to be threaded. Cut it away to the lead.
There are lead compression to copper fitting now available. I think
Screwfix do them. http://www.bes.ltd.uk do them. Better still strip out
all the lead.

IMM replied to IMM on 15 May 2004

The old imperial 3/4 "may" fit the brass, but not guaranteed as brass was
meant to be threaded.

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