Connecting imperial and metric pipes

[GB]

I have some old central heating to upgrade. Some of the pipework is probably imperial. Can somebody kindly confirm that connections can be as follows:

Half-inch to 15mm : use an ordinary 15 mm compression fitting.

Three-quarter-inch to 22 mm : Use an odinary compression fitting but swap the olive to a special one. (BES part no. 9055 on page 142)

Am I right in thinking that this is fine for gas as well as water?

Am I right in thinking that I cannot use solder fittings, even for half-inch?

BES have a rather expensive part (no 7826 on page 141) specifically for joining three-quarter inch to 22 mm. Should I be using this?

Thanks in advance.

Geoff

[David W.E. Roberts]

Geoff,

unless you are a registered Corgi gas fitter (which I doubt, or you wouldn't be asking the questions) you should not be even considering touching gas pipes.

All gas work must be done by a Corgi registered fitter, by law.

With regard to the water pipes, any decent plumbers merchant will carry a variety of conversion fittings. These can be compression or solder. You can probably get away with 1/2" to 15mm compression and 3/4" to 22mm compression (as you say, a conversion olive is a good idea).

I leave others to answer the BES specific questions :-)

HTH Dave R

[Lee Blaver]

HWGA :-)

However, do make certain that any gas fittings you use are the right ones for the job. The local plumbers merchant tried to palm me off with a 3/4" to 22mm adapter that was totally unsuitable for gas, even though he claimed it was correct...

Lee

[Bob Eager]

(all together)

Oh, no it doesn't!

[Anonymous]

Only if carrying out the work as a trader do you need to be CORGI reg - otherwise competent DIYers have no restrictions - but traders would like us to think there are. I invite any correction with a link to the appropriate regulations. In Australia DIYers are forbiden to work on gas installations by law.

[PoP]

Actually I'm not sure if the law has been changed recently or not, if you read the first paragraph of the CORGI section on the deputy prime ministers page below it definitely says that it is a legal requirement for businesses and self-employed people working on gas fittings or appliances:

weasel words appear to leave the door open for non-businesses and non-self-employed people (e.g. homeowners) to do their own thing. Slip me a fiver guv and I'll connect your gas cooker.....

BUT, don't forget that a fairly recent change has come into play when a house changes ownership. It is now mandatory (I think....) for the buyers solicitor to send the sellers solicitor a standard form listing lots of questions about the property, and you as the seller get the privilege of signing your life away on those questions. I can't remember the details now, but I suspect that conveyancing malarky might want to know about any material changes which may have taken place on the property with respect to gas fitting. Adding 2+2 gives the usual 4, where the buyers solicitor may well ask for a certificate covering any such work, and homeowners aren't allowed to write such certificates.

Labour governments, usual red tape and useless legislation.

PoP

[GB]

Dave

I reckon I'm competent, which is all that is required as I am not being paid for this work. I have some technical qualifications to back that up.

However, it's a while since I've done any serious plumbing work, and hence my rather naive questions. For my own peace of mind, I am having the work checked over and the new boiler commissioned by a Corgi-registered fitter.

Thanks very much for the advice about the fittings, which is really helpful.

[Bob Eager]

Oh no it doesn't. Really.

[geoff]

In message , "" writes

You can work on your own gas appliance at your own risk of your definition of "competence" on non gas carrying parts

To work on a gas appliance for financial gain, you need to be CORGI registered.

I think that what I posted above is now also true

I shall phone CORGI on Monday and ask them directly whether it is law or "CORGI Law" and get this sorted out once and for all

[geoff]

And therein, as they say, lies the rub.

[Rick Dipper]

For 15mm, you can use a solder fitting, it can be a tight fit onto the 1/2 inch For 22mm, you can do it, but its loose on the 3/4 inch, so its a bit tricky.

The main problem is how dirty the old pie is, can you get it clean enough ?

I use compression for 15mm - 1/2, and try to avoid old 3/4 by ripping it out.

Rick

[Dave Plowman]

Use an aggressive flux - like Everflux. For an experiment I tried it on a bit of green old pipe, that had been in a damp cellar for years, without cleaning it. Worked a treat. When I dismantled the joint it was perfectly tinned. I still clean things, but don't worry quite so much. ;-) Just remember to clean the outside of the pipe with a damp cloth afterwards. And try not to get it on your skin.

[Huge]

No need. It's been "sorted out once and for all" here on numerous occasions.

You're wrong, BTW.

[Huge]

Even though the final connection to the hob is a compression fitting...

[Lee Blaver]

Isn't aggresive flux deprecated for gas work? Or am I mistaken yet again... :-)

Lee

[Dave Plowman]

That could be it, as I'm not a gas fitter. But surely most gas pipes are hidden apart from where they emerge to connect with an appliance?

[geoff]

Well I hope I am, but I'm sure I've seen labels on items recently which say that it is illegal to interfere with gas carrying parts unless you are CORGI registered.

We'll know tomorrow after I've phoned them

[John Stumbles]

Yup, compression is OK as long as the joint is accessible. I'm pretty sure it also says you should keep joints to a minimum.

-- John Stumbles

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-+ Things don't like being anthropomorphised.

[Bob Eager]

Assuming they tell you the truth....it's hardly in their members' interests, is it?

[tim]

having just filled in this form I don't recal a single question wrt work on any gas fitting.

Lots of question on DG windows though