HappyHippyDad

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If you're a qualified, trainee, or retired electrician - Which country is it that your work will be / is / was aimed at?
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Evening all,

As you can see from the title I have not had a good day.

For the second time in my 6 year career I made a small nick in a water pipe whilst taking up the floorboards (using multitool). i thought i was prepared from the last time as I bought some clamps. However, they could not fit as there were other pipes right by the one I cut!!

So.... I shall try and be prepared again!

Can anyone recommend a putty (or whatever other methods you use) that just stops the leak temporarily until I get the plumber in? It would save me having to keep my thumb over it for 20 minutes whilst the entire heating system drains!

I have some electrical compound, is that the same as some sort of emergency putty?

An exhausting day! :(

Now having a beer :)
 
Sorry to hear that HHD !
I keep 15 and 22mm versions of this on hand for a rainy day.

IMG_1243.JPG
 
Open all the taps to reduce pressure then turn off the stop cock...

Some Yorkshire fittings, flux, heat mat and a blow torch are always handy to have on the van. And a couple of old towels for mopping up.
 
Putty?
Batter the pipe upstream of the leak completely flat.
That'll buy you some time till plumber boy arrives.

Cant tell if you're joking Archy :). Although the fact they you have highlighted 'completely' makes me think you are being serious!

Open all the taps to reduce pressure then turn off the stop cock...

Some Yorkshire fittings, flux, heat mat and a blow torch are always handy to have on the van. And a couple of old towels for mopping up.

That sounds like it requires some plumbing knowledge Strima. I absolutely detest plumbing. I have tried it in my own house twice and each time it leaks. Water has a will of it's own whereas electrons make sense to me!
 
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There must be a magic putty or magic temporary repair until the plumber gets there?

Ps.. Prevention is better than cure, perhaps I'll start putting a bit of tape on the blade of the multi tool to gauge the depth a bit?

Any other good preventative methods?
 
Last edited:
Bit of SA tape might do it ? I know you can get specific SA type pipe repair tape.
Interesting. I had some SA tape on the van but didn't think of that. Do you think it would work on a wet pipe though?
 
Probably not, but I'd flap about trying it, lol.
Bloody pipes! The customers plumber had left 1 minute before so they got him straight back luckily (to bleed the system). My plumber was already booked in for tomorrow so he's going to fix it. All in all I was pretty lucky.
 
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Bloody pipes! The customers plumber had left 1 minute before so they got him straight back luckily (to bleed the system). My plumber was already booked in for tomorrow so he's going to fix it. All in all I was pretty lucky.

Last time I did that I had to dig out a stud wall with a faceful of mains pressure coming through a 5.5mm hole. Pretty much soaked the whole kitchen.
I then had to wait with my finger on a pipe while my mate searched in vain for the stop tap. Turned out there wasn't one, just lead incomer.
I waited, plugging the leak, some more while an emergency plumber turned up. Was only 45 minutes !
Stop tap turned out to be in an alley 4 houses down.
Earned nowt on that one and it cost me a couple hundred quid, ha ha.
 
That sounds like it requires some plumbing knowledge Strima. I absolutely detest plumbing. I have tried it in my own house twice and each time it leaks. Water has a will of it's own whereas electrons make sense to me!
It's not hard, plumbers manage it.

Yorkshire joints are easy, hey're pre-soldered so all you do is flux the joint, put together, apply heat until some solder appears, cool with a damp cloth.
 
Evening all,

As you can see from the title I have not had a good day.

For the second time in my 6 year career I made a small nick in a water pipe whilst taking up the floorboards (using multitool). i thought i was prepared from the last time as I bought some clamps. However, they could not fit as there were other pipes right by the one I cut!!

So.... I shall try and be prepared again!

Can anyone recommend a putty (or whatever other methods you use) that just stops the leak temporarily until I get the plumber in? It would save me having to keep my thumb over it for 20 minutes whilst the entire heating system drains!

I have some electrical compound, is that the same as some sort of emergency putty?

An exhausting day! :(

Now having a beer :)
I always use self amalgamating tape for temporary repairs in the home or car.
 
These are handy for emergencys

https://www.screwfix.com/p/jg-speed...Viud3Ch0eHQPREAQYAyABEgKRAPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Have to cut the pipe in half first though before they fit on
That's just not going to happen.
I'm happy to cut them by accident.
I'm happy to look at the water spurting out of them and stick my thumb over them.
I'm happy to yell at the customer that they need to call a plumber.
I'm happy to foot the bill.
But..... I'm not going to cut a pipe, unless it leaks electrons!
 
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Y
Open all the taps to reduce pressure then turn off the stop cock...

Some Yorkshire fittings, flux, heat mat and a blow torch are always handy to have on the van. And a couple of old towels for mopping up.
Your better off carrying push fit connecters and a length of pipe, wet pipes are a pain to solder.
 
Wasn't there a thread on here quite some time ago about some tape that could be used???? It was quite a few years ago...
 

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HappyHippyDad

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If you're a qualified, trainee, or retired electrician - Which country is it that your work will be / is / was aimed at?
United Kingdom
What type of forum member are you?
Practising Electrician (Qualified - Domestic or Commercial etc)

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Which putty for emergency fix of water pipe?
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