nick penfold

Hey guys,

Thought i'd post on here to see if other peeps have come across this.

*Working on a rented property. Needed to replace cistern and pan.

*Turned off mains.

*On looking at the old cistern, it seemed to have some painted plastic hep pipe with a service valve and your typical tap connector attached.

*due to access space, we started to cut the hep with a hacksaw

*The paint did not come off the hep as we sawed through and it took ages.

*Once it was all disconnected, we examined the pipe only to find it was not your typical plastic piping.

*It seemed like underfloor heating pipe made from two layers of plastic and one layer of metal(aluminium?).


Now for the problem....On inspection, the pipe was 16mm diameter. The tap connector on its end was obviously fitted with some sort of clamping tool.

After visiting 5 or 6 plumbers merchants (live in cornwall so travelled miles). We found that no one stocks this stuff and nothing could fit on this 16mm plastic/metal concoction.

We found that they use it a lot in France etc. Eventually found a pipe specialist merchants who dug out some big ass alkethene connector set up which would grip it but it was still a bloody nightmare.

On inspection of this property (new build in the last 10 years or so). we found the whole house had been kitted out in this 16mm set up..

I tried searching the unipipe website but all their tech docs seemed to suggest they did 15mm plumbing pipe and only 16 mm underfloor heating pipe. im wondering whether 15mm unipipe fittings were connected to this 16mm pipe.

I know now that perhaps i should have examined the pipe a hell of a lot more prior to cutting but definatley did not expect this hassle.


Now i know ive waffled on but thought i'd share the nightmare..

So has anyone else come across this stuff or even used it for general plumbing?

manx12

The pipe comes from a company called Buteline here is the website for all the info Buteline Plumbing System -.. they have been using this pipework in Australia and NZ for years.. They only slight drawback is that you have to buy the particular clamps for the different pipe sizes 16mm 22mm etc.. which can work out to be expensive... and if you have worked with a clamping or crimping tool you have to work from the tight corners and area outwards.. (if you know what i mean) it is difficult to the clamp into difficult areas (ie behind cylinders etc)... hope this help.