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Opinion requested on this photo

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SlamDunk
SlamDunk Member Posts: 1,580
edited January 2022 in Pipe Deterioration
This hole would be perfectly round if not for tool mark. It served as a condensate line from a base board. I Bought it from Lowes and installed it seven years ago. It was fine until a year ago when I noticed I was loosing water then this past Wednesday it opened up and triggered a leak alarm I had in crawl space. It is 1/16" hole. It was not in an area where it could have been accidentaly drilled.

I know this sounds like a conspiracy theory but do you think someone pre drilled this but not all the way thru to fail at a later date?

Comments

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,519
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    Chinese pipe?
  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 4,845
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    $hit Steel
    order Sch 80 from supply house dot com. 
    SuperTech
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,832
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    Water hammer?
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • bucksnort
    bucksnort Member Posts: 167
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    Looks like you got a hernia when you bore down with the pipe wrench on cheap pipe.
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,131
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    Looks like an electric arc hole. A live wire touch it?
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,637
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    Looks like there was a defect in the steel, some slag layered in to it and the piece of steel surrounded by a thin layer of slag broke free.
  • SlamDunk
    SlamDunk Member Posts: 1,580
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    This is a 3/32” drill hole.   Look at these photos.    Thank God it wasnt used on a gas line.  Do you agree?  Or am I coo coo ?
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,519
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    Does look a little to perfect to be anything but a drill
    SuperTechMikeAmann
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,637
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    Is it possible this was a return to the store with a hole drilled in it and you just got enough condensate now to reach the level of the hole? Or it clogged enough that it slowed enough to reach that level?

    If it was a defect it would look more blown out than that on the inside, it wouldn't be that clean
  • SlamDunk
    SlamDunk Member Posts: 1,580
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    mattmia2 said:

    Is it possible this was a return to the store with a hole drilled in it and you just got enough condensate now to reach the level of the hole? Or it clogged enough that it slowed enough to reach that level?

    If it was a defect it would look more blown out than that on the inside, it wouldn't be that clean


    I think the hole was in the seven to nine oclock position and as crud built up the condensate level rose and spilled out. The pipe needs better pitch so that gets added to my list.

    None the less, there is a nut job out there vandalising pipe.



  • SlamDunk
    SlamDunk Member Posts: 1,580
    edited January 2022
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    pecmsg said:

    $hit Steel
    order Sch 80 from supply house dot com. 

    Schedule 80 for 9oz of steam? Actually, zero steam. It is condensate return.
  • bburd
    bburd Member Posts: 912
    edited January 2022
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    On commercial and industrial work, Schedule 80 black pipe is normally specified for condensate lines because condensate contains small amounts of carbonic acid from CO2 in the air. Schedule 40 is normally specified for steam lines.

    This is why condensate lines rot out well before steam lines that are pitched for proper drainage.
    —
    Bburd
  • SlamDunk
    SlamDunk Member Posts: 1,580
    edited January 2022
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    But this is residential. Most of of the system is 90 years and looks great.
  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 4,845
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    SlamDunk said:
    $hit Steel
    order Sch 80 from supply house dot com. 
    Schedule 80 for 9oz of steam? Actually, zero steam. It is condensate return.
    Look at the wall thickness where the threads are. That’s why we use Sch 80 
  • SlamDunk
    SlamDunk Member Posts: 1,580
    edited January 2022
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    The worst part of this is last year I thought I had a horizontal steel drain pipe in my wall rotted thru. It always drained slow and over the years I have hit it with a lot of draino. I thought it finally rotted and caused the puddle in crawlspace so I opened the wall and replaced it. Now, I believe it was this hole all along. All in the same vicinity.
    Whoever drilled that hole cost me a few hundred bucks, a couple vacation days, a sore body and a bottle of Alleve.
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,519
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    Just another reason to hate the big box stores. I agree with schedule 80 on commercial/industrial where there is a lot of make up water.

    I have never seen #80 installed in a house
  • SlamDunk
    SlamDunk Member Posts: 1,580
    edited January 2022
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    I dont hate them. Someone vandalized a pipe and returned it. It could have happened to any pipe supplier that accepts returns. I hate the vandal. I hope he had a very miserable seven years. That hole was so small that I almost reinstalled the pipe.

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