Placky plumbing query

[Lobster]

Hi I need to disturb a couple of the plastic fittings installed on my shower feeds by a plumber a couple of years ago. Before I do so I'd like to be clear what I'm up against...

The installation has 15mm plastic pipe, but the elbows and connectors don't look like any others I've seen. They are grey, slightly rubbery in texture, and crucially lack the sliding plastic sleeve bit which I'm used to seeing on pushfit fittings; in fact, I can't see any 'moving' parts on my fittings at all. Does anybody recognise these; if so how do you get them apart and reassemble them?

Thanks David

[Toby]

They could be Marley Equator if they have a pressed metallic shroud over the ends. If so then a demounting tool is needed. It's just a small pronged bit of plastic that pushes into the collar.

They recommend trimming the pipe back after demounting it so it might be easier to cut the pipe flush with the fitting and replace it.

The only situation I can think these particular fittings would be preferred is if they need to be tamperproof.

[Lobster]

Thanks Toby, but no that's not the one (no metal shroud!) David

[Seri]

It could be a 'solvent welded joint', just looking through my various DIY manuals and in the plastic piping section they refer to: HEP2O, SpeedFit and Solvent-Welded joints. The solvent welded joint is just a basic glue the pipe then push it into the connector type fitting.

The manual does say that a solvent-welded connection can normally be identified by an accumulation of the solvent around the part where the pipe meets the connector.

[Lobster]

Maybe... (I thought solvent welding was just for waste pipes rather than pressure-bearing ones?)

Mm, looks like that's where I'm headed; just that it changes a quick'n easy task into a fair-sized job involving cutting away of plasterboard to access the fittings. SWMBO will *not* be amused.

David

[Lobster]

OK, I've evidently drawn a blank with this one - on to Plan B.

As the existing plastic fitting under discussion terminates in a 1/2" (female)tap connector, is there an adaptor or fitting (with a 1/2" male tap fitting on one end) which I can attach to it, which will get me back to 15mm copper pipe again, in as short a distance as possible? Can't see one anywhere. Ideally the other end of the adaptor will have a Yorkshire or compression fitting? All sounds a bit horrible but I really don't want to have to demolish the plasterboard!

Thanks David

[Dave Plowman]

With a new washer, it should seal ok to a normal 15mm compression coupling.

[Simon Avery]

Hello Lobster

They sound a bit like the B&Q ones that aren't either speedfit or hep20. Or, they could be the Osma brand ones I've seen about too.

You should be able to push something in (maybe with a tool) or turn something. The copper pushfits are an utter bastard to demount though, I've given up on one section with a bunch of cupro fittings on it because I just can't get 'em off.

As for re-assembly, use something else?

[Simon Avery]

Hello Lobster

Um...

Either a normal straight-through or bent 15mm compression (the nuts are

1/2" - metric only for the inside), OR if it's the other way round then a 1/2"-15mm tap connector, available straight or bent.