WTH is this?

[Sid Viscous]

Just come across some tube I've not seen before. Looks like soft plastic but feels at least semi rigid & appears to be glued on. BTW it's on a live gas supply

 

[Ray Stafford]

Polyorc? Is it grey, and brittle?

That was rigid glued plastic, back in the late 70s, early 80s. Not supposed to be used for gas, but in the copper shortages of those days, lots of odd stuff happened.

 

[Sid Viscous]

No, it's blue & doesn't look very old.

 

[Irish]

Just PVC coated tube helps against corrosion, like sea air etc I think

 

[mcniven]

Id make sure, can u not open it up a little with a knife

 

[mountainman]

Soldered fitting below if I'm not mistaken.
Irish is correct, plastic coated copper used to be common.
For gas I personally always used yellow coated pipe.

 

[Sid Viscous]

Like I said, it's connected to a live gas supply. Don't really want to go prodding about with a knife! I was hoping someone could give me a positive ID & advise whether it's an approved fitting or, more importantly, not

 

[Sid Viscous]

Cheers Mountain, how's that jointed then? Like I say, it looks like its glued!

 

[mountainman]

If it is plastic coated copper then the coating has no other function than protecting the copper from corrosion.
You'll really have to have a prod about as a picture will not give you a definite answer.
Do you have access to an old school gassie who can take a look for you?

 

[Killy Bing]

Plastic coated anealed 15mm isnt it?

 

[mcniven]

Like I said use a knife to make sure it's just a coating, because if its not and its plastic pipe then you have a problem

 

[Sid Viscous]

I will. Its passed a soundness test fine. I thought about pumping it up to 0.5 bar to see if held that, but that wouldn't help if it's not an approved fitting. It disappears under a quarry tiled floor, so if it's not approved, we really do have a problem!!

 

[diamondgas]

Only ever seen it with a yellow coat on but it just looks like plastic coated copper! Heat has transferred up the copper to give it that 'melted on' look To verify, as has been said a couple of times, slice a bit off and see the shiny copper underneath

 

[diamondgas]

Check out here ... they do coils of it ... Kuterlex | Yorkshire Copper Tube

 

[Crinkmeister]

I have a couple of lengths in my garage that I bought years ago when I thought I might have to replace my old lead cold water pipe. I didn't fancy digging up the drive though, so I drank lead flavoured water for 5 years! Interesting that it's green now for water!

 

[smileyplumber]

looks like plastic coated soft copper to me the sheathing has melted back when it was soldiered
normaly yellow as said earlyer but they did some blue stuff for water pipes too.
used to have to use it on any out side gas pipework but people kept complaining about the ugly site of it so relaxed to stand off clips instead mid 90's I'd say

 

[stevetheplumber]

if its going under a solid floor its almost certainly what every one has said coated copper

 

[basildog]

yes looks like as others say plastic coated copper .
We used to use it a lot underground for oil pipes .