Hi,
Last time I bought a bag of olives they were made from copper. I notice that screwfix and toolstation now sell brass olives instead. Is the only reason for this cost? I imagine that brass is cheaper than copper?
I notice that most fittings come with copper olives. Is there a reason the manufacturers choose copper over brass?
Is there any advantage to using the one type over the other? I know copper is softer than brass. Does that make a difference in use?
TIA
Copper Olives for Gas, Brass for Water. Thats what I have always followed.
You need brass to grip a pipe harder than copper (such as a brass radiator tail). I would probably choose brass for chromed pipework too (although I actually take the chrome off and solder it). Otherwise, copper will normally do.
If the best man wants a fake wedding ring to drop in the church, then
22mm brass is about right. No one will hear a copper one land on a stone floor and fall through a heating grate, whereas the brass one makes a nice ding sound which can be heard throughout most churches.On Sunday 29 September 2013 11:24 Fred wrote in uk.d-i-y:
I prefer brass as it bites nicely (slightly deforms the pipe meaning it cannot ever fall off) and you get a satisfying "creak" when it's done up right.
More of less obligatory to use brass on chromed pipe.
Copper olives on plain copper work and are a little easier than brass but I do not like the lack of feedback.
On Sunday 29 September 2013 13:58 Camdor wrote in uk.d-i-y:
There might be some sense there, but I have not heard it before... Can you elaborate?
If you are using compression fittings to join plastic pipe you need to use copper olives rather than the normal brass ones that come with compression fittings - I think this is because copper is softer (as indeed is plastic pipe!)
No neither have I considering that one assumes in this case one is using copper pipe in any case. Brian
I have never seen any requirement (or for that matter even a suggestion) that using copper olives for gas work was in any way preferred over brass.
Both Tolly's and BS6891:2005 seem silent on the matter...
Would copper be more appropriate in circumstances where dezincification-resistant brass is required?
But without knowing anything about the composition of the brass in brass olives, this is pure speculation.
Thanks for all the replies. I managed to get some copper ones from a plumbers merchant and the prices were about he same as brass. I am about to use some chrome plated pipe, so it looks as though I may be going back for some brass ones too! Do copper olives slide off chrome; I can't say I have noticed that before but then again, I haven't done lots of plumbing with chrome plated pipe.
TIA
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.