UK How would you fix water pipe in bathroom repaired at previous time using plastic connector?

[gmangee]

How would you fix a water pipe in the bathroom that has been repaired at some previous time using a plastic connector?

 

[DPG]

How would you fix a water pipe in the bathroom that has been repaired at some previous time using a plastic connector?

It depends on what the pipe is made of, and how much access you have to it. Do you have a photo of it?

Welcome to the forum by the way.

 

[gmangee]

It depends on what the pipe is made of, and how much access you have to it. Do you have a photo of it?

Welcome to the forum by the way.

thank you for your reply. I am a trainee electrician and the question is;

imagine you have discovered a water pipe in a bathroom that has been repaired at some previous time using a plastic connector.

explain comprehensively why this situation could be dangerous.
describe using sketches how you would remedy the situation.

 

[DPG]

thank you for your reply. I am a trainee electrician and the question is;

imagine you have discovered a water pipe in a bathroom that has been repaired at some previous time using a plastic connector.

explain comprehensively why this situation could be dangerous.
describe using sketches how you would remedy the situation.

Strange question. Although it's not actually asking how you would fix it - it's asking what the dangers may be.

It may be absolutely fine. It could be dangerous if it hasn't been fitted correctly, or a suitable connector hasn't been used. I assume they are thinking it may be close to part of the electrical installation.

Edit: I was assuming they meant water leaking on to electrical items, and so forgot the obvious issue relating to earths/bonding. I'm not going to give exact details though - have a think what could happen if plastic is used. What feature of plastic (compared to metal) is important?

 

[pc1966]

I did wonder why a plumbing question was being asked on an electrics forum!

As @DPG has said, the question here is about electrical safety. So you need to consider what steps were, in the past largely, taken for safety reasons there and how such a plastic joint might change the situation.

 

[snowhead]

This appears to be a hypothetical / test / coursework question?

And seems to be getting at a potential issue caused by the plastic connector repair on presumably copper pipework which under certain conditions may need to be conductive.

Replacing the plastic connector is not going to be an option as you are unlikely to be be suitably qualified / experienced or insured to work on water systems, so the solution has to be in addition to what's there.

 

[gmangee]

Strange question. Although it's not actually asking how you would fix it - it's asking what the dangers may be.

It may be absolutely fine. It could be dangerous if it hasn't been fitted correctly, or a suitable connector hasn't been used. I assume they are thinking it may be close to part of the electrical installation.

Edit: I was assuming they meant water leaking on to electrical items, and so forgot the obvious issue relating to earths/bonding. I'm not going to give exact details though - have a think what could happen if plastic is used. What feature of plastic (compared to metal) is important?

i appreciate all of your replies, thank you. well being a complete novice to electrics i would assume that there is potential 1- damage over time of the connector and 2- it would not be a conductor.

 

[DPG]

i appreciate all of your replies, thank you. well being a complete novice to electrics i would assume that there is potential 1- damage over time of the connector and 2- it would not be a conductor.

Yes, and what issue could the fact that it doesn't conduct cause?

 

[gmangee]

Yes, and what issue could the fact that it doesn't conduct cause?

a short circuit?

 

[DPG]

a short circuit?

No, the opposite. Something that was once continuous (electrically) is now an open circuit.

Think how that could affect bonding. What function does bonding perform?

 

[gmangee]

No, the opposite. Something that was once continuous (electrically) is now an open circuit.

Think how that could affect bonding. What function does bonding perform?

it ensures the connecting parts are at equal potential and he terminates a fault?

 

[DPG]

it ensures the connecting parts are at equal potential and he terminates a fault?

Yes, sort of. Equipotential bonding ensures all extraneous parts are at the same potential. So what happens if the pipe was bonded, but now has a non conductive part inserted?

For your college answer, draw a diagram showing the position of the bonding clamp and also the position of the plastic coupling. You could show how the conductive path is broken.

 

[gmangee]

Yes, sort of. Equipotential bonding ensures all extraneous parts are at the same potential. So what happens if the pipe was bonded, but now has a non conductive part inserted?

For your college answer, draw a diagram showing the position of the bonding clamp and also the position of the plastic coupling. You could show how the conductive path is broken.

thank you. it must be like trying to get blood from a stone! thanks for your patience. Will the pipe no longer conduct? and like you said an open circuit.

 

[DPG]

thank you. it must be like trying to get blood from a stone! thanks for your patience. Will the pipe no longer conduct? and like you said an open circuit.

Well, we're assuming it's a metal pipe. The question doesn't state that. But I think that's what it's getting at.

Yes, the conductive path is broken if a piece of plastic is inserted.

This can actually be a useful thing to do to avoid the need for equipotential bonding, but don't worry about that yet.

 

[MegaVolt]

thank you for your reply. I am a trainee electrician and the question is;

imagine you have discovered a water pipe in a bathroom that has been repaired at some previous time using a plastic connector.

explain comprehensively why this situation could be dangerous.
describe using sketches how you would remedy the situation.
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It can introduce various risks, including leakage, bursting, health hazards, fire hazards, reduced water flow, and increased maintenance requirements.

 

[DPG]

It can introduce various risks, including leakage, bursting, health hazards, fire hazards, reduced water flow, and increased maintenance requirements.

I think the key factor is that it can affect the equipotential bonding if a non conductive piece is introduced to a metal pipe.

 

[brianmoooore]

It can introduce various risks, including leakage, bursting, health hazards, fire hazards, reduced water flow, and increased maintenance requirements.

Many plastic connectors are totally suitable for joining metal pipes from a plumbing point of view, and are less likely to leak than a traditional metal compression fitting under many circumstances

 

[double Em]

It can introduce various risks, including leakage, bursting, health hazards, fire hazards, reduced water flow, and increased maintenance requirements.

Could you also say that because the plastic connector has been fitted, the metal pipework after the fitting has no channel back to earth. So if an electrical fault was to occur past the point of the connector, that part of the pipe would become live and therefore a shock hazard?

I'm on the same question and I think I understand for the most part that if a plastic connector is used, the current stops there as its not a conductive material, and that you'd use clamps either side of the fitting (#14 i think, though would it be a humid environment and maybe use 15?) to reestablish the electrical connection.