Temporarily sealing live leaks on larger pipe?

[Jstreet]

Hello gents. I'm stuck on this one so could use a few tips. I'm a maintenance engineer and the building I work in is very old which means that the majority of local isolation points are either seized or nonfunctional. Generally, a leak means isolating the whole site via the plant room or cutting in live and slamming on a lever valve which is something I would rather avoid if necessary. I have some of those Kibosh pipe clamps for 15mm and 22mm which work a treat so I am wondering what methods there are for sealing live leaks on larger pipes (28-35mm). I was thinking along the lines of a quick setting metal/epoxy? Is there such a product out there? Any help would be appreciated. Cheers!

 

[Scott_D]

Rubber and a jubilee clip

 

[Last Plumber]

Hello gents. I'm stuck on this one so could use a few tips. I'm a maintenance engineer and the building I work in is very old which means that the majority of local isolation points are either seized or nonfunctional. Generally, a leak means isolating the whole site via the plant room or cutting in live and slamming on a lever valve which is something I would rather avoid if necessary. I have some of those Kibosh pipe clamps for 15mm and 22mm which work a treat so I am wondering what methods there are for sealing live leaks on larger pipes (28-35mm). I was thinking along the lines of a quick setting metal/epoxy? Is there such a product out there? Any help would be appreciated. Cheers!

When you say "leak", what are we talking about?

 

[Jstreet]

Pin holes or weeping soldered joints

 

[Jerry]

Try googling leak repair clamp:
Copper Pipe leak repair clamp
If you need to cut live try:
http://www.nerradtools.com/other-tools/jet-swet/

 

[Jstreet]

Thanks for those links, love me some Nerrad tools.. Those clamps look extremely handy to have about, thanks for that.

 

[Jerry]

No worries. In honesty, i have the Jet Swet on the van but have never had to use it...yet

 

[ShaunCorbs]

You can get the emergency tape never used it myself but repaired a few joints after they used it sealed and stayed dry

 

[Chalked]

Will the building invest in a pipe freezer?

 

[Riley]

Will the building invest in a pipe freezer?

Won’t freeze if it’s a leak though

 

[oz-plumber]

Repair clamps are a temporary measure.
Time to get something set in place to replace the valves and leaking pipework.
Last week, I sent a letter off to a facility that we work in, stating that unless we can repair the current leaks we have placed repair clamps on, we will not be liable for any leaks caused by repair clamp failure.
Some of the clamps have been there for more than 12 months.

Also, the isolation valves don't work...a catastrophe waiting to happen.

The facility is a waiting time bomb, but the number crunchers won't pay for required repairs.

Not in budget so I am told.

Not covered by my insurance - I told them.
( Hopefully be covered by paper trail and emails )

 

[Jim Goodenough]

One way of stopping weeps on screwed barrel joints is get a bit of slate and tap it into the fitting.

 

[Nick Drake]

Been there done that in a factory environment...
Same issues..due to 24 hour running. ..
Years ago we temporary fixed to the end of the run....
Then temporary fixed till the days end...
Then temporary fixed it till weekend
Then fortnight ly shutdown...
Then monthly shutdown...
Then yearly shutdown...
And beyond....
It got so bad we actually discussed "Not doing the best repair possible, because it would become permanent...and end up being the aforementioned time bomb...



But for the op rubber and jubilee Clip can be your friend.. bug there are purpose made clips now with built in rubber and 3/4 wrapped Flexi steel bands with multiple Allen bolt pull up clamps so a much better job...but the wrap products where you force in some two pack kneadable putty then wrap in bandage soaked in water work very very well on bigger pipes...the go off hard like ceramic and are extremely hard ....we used them on waste water 4" - 8" and even bigger but you need so may packs for that it has to be a real emergency....