Im trying to hook up a gas dryer (Electric's Motor is shot). I have a
1/2" threaded black pipe near my hot water heater thats capped off, unfortunately, the cap is very rusty, and im worried about damaging the pipe trying to remove it with a pipe wrench. Any tips for getting the rusty cap off? Would I risk damage if I applied too much pressure to it?My experience would suggest you just use as large a pipe wrenches as you need. You won't hurt the pipe cap. You need two wrenches, one to "back up" the pipe while you break the cap free with the other.
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Is that cap on a drip leg? You still need to have one if it is.
Use the biggest wrenches you can find, slip a piece of pipe over the handle if need be, for more leverage. Yes, it may break the cap, less likely the pipe, but be sure to hold it steady so you don't loosen all the joints in the run.
Options:
-wrenches
-bigger wrenches
-heat the cap with a torch and give it a few raps with a hammer, then wrenches
-cut most of the way through the cap on two sides and the top with a sawzall being careful not to knick the threads (the threads at the very end of the pipe you can just graze). Support the cap opposite the cut with a block of wood or prybar. Use a cold chisel to split the cap.
RRicod,
It's a gas pipe, I don't think heating it with a torch is a good idea.
Dave M.
Gee, you never let anyone have any fun!
R
I agree on general principles, but there shouldn't be any oxygen in the line, so some heating should be ok.
LOL
Thanks for the tips guys! I had my steps> David Martel wrote:
I've not only seen gas pipes heated, but welded. Not long ago I saw a 3" line cut open with a cutting torch when the gas was though to be off. It wasn't. Amazingly, there was just a long flame but not a lot of force as it is low pressure. The line was then shut off and the cutting and welding completed.
Hope you got a group rate on the laundry. ;)
R
I had in mind the amount of heating involved in compressing it -- if it were capable of ignition, that might be a real problem for transmission lines.
It was needed, I assure you.
No doubt! Scared the crap out of me and I'm sitting in a chair reading about it.
RYes, you do risk breaking it. As the other gentleman wondered, wondering if what you have is a drip leg. Hmm.
In any case, the answer is two pipe wrenches. It also sounds like you're not really familiar with working on black iron. I'd suggest to find a more experienced worker for th is job, so you can get some practical training.
Looks like he got the training on the job. He posted yesterday afternoon that he got the cap off.
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