Coupling for steam pipe?

Jimzito

Do they make a simple coupling to join two pieces of steel steam pipe such that a corroded piece can be replaces by cutting both ends, replacing a new piece of pipe then use some type of compression coupling to join the two pieces?
I'm looking for something simple.

nicholas bonham-carter

You can clean up the area of a pinhole leak, and put a pipe clamp with rubber gasket over it. This will buy time, but is not a permanent repair.--NBC

New England SteamWorks

How big is the pipe? If 2" or less, relatively simple for a contractor to cut out the bad section, re-thread, and reconnect. More complicated if the pipe is larger than 2". Why don't you send us a picture?

SWEI

Viega MegaPress is approved for low pressure steam.

BobC

I'd love to know how well the Megapress holds up over 20 years or so, I guess I'll have to wait and see.

Bob

RJ_4

dresser coupling

Abracadabra

I wouldn't use a dresser on a steam. Maybe on a wet return, but only temporarily. If you do use a dresser, you need to support both sides and prevent the pipe from moving laterally.

RJ_4

used them for years. no leaks

ChrisJ

How do you stop a steam pipe from moving laterally?

Chris_L

RJ said:

dresser coupling

One of these had been installed on 1" steam line in my house before I bought it. It worked fine for about 8 years before it started leaking. Fortunately, it was in readily accessible part of the basement.

Lesson learned: re-pipe with a threaded connection.

ChrisJ

Easily done with a pipe cutter, some threading oil and a ratcheting manual threader.

Even easier with a power threader if you're lucky enough to own one.

jumper

A Swiss company sells very expensive clamps that is supposed to work under far more challenging conditions than low pressure steam.

jumper

How about a Baker coupling? Grease the compression rings and don't over tighten. Will that allow movement from thermal cycles? Steam is miniscule pressure.

Abracadabra

isn't a baker same as a dresser? just different companies.

ChrisJ

All sounds like bandaids that will fail in the neat future.

What's so hard about threading a pipe in place these days!? If it's not a shark bite or pex people throw a fit.










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JUGHNE

We still don't know the size of the pipe do we?

I have a customer with a no longer needed 3 1/2" steam main (still connected to header) that is seeping on the bottom. If they needed to keep it then a welder would be the only solution. I have advised them to get the welder in the spring and cut and cap it off. Not a thread in place item .

ChrisJ

JUGHNE said:

We still don't know the size of the pipe do we?

I have a customer with a no longer needed 3 1/2" steam main (still connected to header) that is seeping on the bottom. If they needed to keep it then a welder would be the only solution. I have advised them to get the welder in the spring and cut and cap it off. Not a thread in place item .

Think about all of those steam mains and run outs that were all threaded by hand.

2", 3" etc.

Welding I suppose is fine too, but like threading it's a skill.

Alan Welch

Why not use a union ? Pretty simple if you are replacing a section.

JUGHNE

I think about someone with really big arms everytime I look at 3 to 4" threaded pipe that was installed in 1915 before electricity was even in this town..........but this was done standing on the ground with a good pipe vise. Not on an 8' stepladder as some repairs might require. Is 3 1/2" threader and fittings common, just curious.

ChrisJ

@JUGHNE

But all in all, you know my meme is still correct regarding modern plumbers.


I shouldn't even say "modern"

Young plumbers......
Guys only using pex and who would actually use a shark bite on a job.

JUGHNE

Yes, refusing to use any type of PEX for H & C supplies has helped to ease me out of most of the plumbing work.....copper sweat or black pipe work only is pretty well all I do in that trade.

vaporvac

JUGHNE said:

I think about someone with really big arms everytime I look at 3 to 4" threaded pipe that was installed in 1915 before electricity was even in this town..........but this was done standing on the ground with a good pipe vise. Not on an 8' stepladder as some repairs might require. Is 3 1/2" threader and fittings common, just curious.

I don't know how common, but I'm guessing not very. I have a 3 1/2" main and my plumbing supply store was THRILLED to sell me a 4" to 3.5" T fitting. They said they had 2 left and hadn't sold one in about 10 years. I almost bought the other "just in case".

@ChrisJ , I had a terrible time finding a compression fitting when I recently changed out the broken fixture in my old claw foot tub. I finally found one at my old faithful old-fashioned supply store. Every other plumbing supply ONLY sold shark bite fittings.