Gun Barell Screwed&Socketed

[pache]

Any mechanical guys able to help me out with a delima.

Im currently carrying out a pipe fitting install using 50mil galvanised iron screwed & socketed pipe.To begin with i noticed the pipe sockets(that came with the pipe)were a bit loose on the pipe threads and contacted the supplier to inform them of this issue before i started the install.

After three days on site and a whole lot of fitting later i carried out an air pressure test on the first section of pipeline of 70meters in length to find all the sockets leaking.The method of jointing i used was hemp and boss white which,to me,is a bullet proof joint that i reguarly use.

Im looking for a solution to the cause to keep my agreed schedule on track.Is their an engineer willing to proof the pipe and fittings for me as i see this getting nasty down the tracks.None of the other fittings used,ie 90's,tees,unions or valves failed the test,just the sockets.

Any suggestions would be appriciated.

 

[villa 1]

Get back to your supplier. There's a lot of dodgy stuff out there. The sockets should not be loose on the pipe and you are right hemp and boss white is bullet proof.
I tend to use Corby steel which is of UK origin as it appears to be very good quality. Check to to see if the threads are corresponding, eg BSPT - NPT will leak.

 

[DavyJones]

Are you talking about the sockets that actually come attached to the lengths of pipe when they are delivered?

If so, we would normally dump them, on the rare occasion we end up with threaded pipe, we chop the threads off and thread them ourselves. We then use standard sockets. All for the reasons you just said.

 

[pache]

Thanks for the replys lads.

Davy,yes i was talking about the sockets that came with the pipe in the first instance and see your point but i ordered the pipe screwed & socketed as to plain to reduce the amount of threading.

To have to cut all the threads off the pipe and rethread it again is alot of extra time(labour) that simply defys the reasoning for ordering screwed & socketed in the first place and would certainly indiciate to me the threads and sockets that come with the pipe are not fit for the purpose to which they were intended.(but there you go,you live & learn!!).

So after much deliberating with my suppliers and insisting they get the wholesalers on site(a belfast firm) it was agreed by the wholesaler to replace the sockets with the higher quality "GF" brand and advised me to install unions at regular intervials along the entire install "in case of issues down the line" which worries me as the pipeline is a fire ring main with a working pressure of 6 bar.

Anyway villa & davy thanks for the input and i will let ye know how i go.