Alkathene pipe clamp

clyst

clyst

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I have a length of alkathene pipe in my freshwater system which I want to temporarily isolate but it is connected to the watertank without an isolating valve . speaking to a visitor in the marina he suggested I use a pipe clamp that "squeezes" the alkathene pipe to stop the flow . He said he was a plumber but I cannot find such a tool on the Internet. Anyone heard of such a tool or know where I can obtain one ?

cheers
 
Not sure about the clamps, but another option would be a freezing kit, that uses expanding gas to form a plug of ice in the pipe.

Or, since this is a tank rather than the mains, how about just emptying it and then refilling after? Got to be quicker than driving out in search of special tools.

Pete
 
alkathene, whether blue or black, is unlikely to recover properly from being clamped, as it suffers plastic deformation (i.e. does not return to the original shape).

If you can't isolate the pipe properly, you could use a mole grip, I suppose. But it is not the proper way to treat alkathene piping.
 
sarabande said:
alkathene, whether blue or black, is unlikely to recover properly from being clamped, as it suffers plastic deformation (i.e. does not return to the original shape).

If you can't isolate the pipe properly, you could use a mole grip, I suppose. But it is not the proper way to treat alkathene piping.
Click to expand...

It's common practice in the industry - I've seen it done to both gas and water pipes. I didn't think they'd survive the process myself, but if the gas and water companies do it to their own pipes then It's unlikely to cause lasting damage!

The contraption used has rounded jaws - about the same size as the pipe itself - and is tightened down by hand until the pipe is completely flattened. I imagine it still leaks slightly but allows new joints to be inserted when careless landscapers have damaged pipes,(:o) or when special shielded pipes have to be fitted for use through contaminated ground.
 
I think I'd agree with the above comments but here is a link to the tool .

. . . Click on the picture
 
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Well done, Vic: I couldn't really describe the beast, but that's what we've used.

As for 'The meaning of Liff', for those who've stayed a summer season in a beach hut at Wrabness, it sums it up so well that I think Douglas Adams must have stayed there too!
 
easy to make.

I use one a homemade one on the alkathene pipe on my home hot water system. The Hot supply to the shower has no isolation short of draining the entire cylinder (i didn't do it!) and the shower mixer needs regular seal replacements.
So i got two 75 mm lengths of 3/8 galv pipe and drilled holes at each end of each piece so that assembled around the alkathene a pair of 6 mm bolts pull the galv pipes together and squash the alkathene between them. (Same net effect as the tool in an earlier post.)
Easy cheap and effective and i have had no lasting damage to pipe after many repeated uses over many years.
Wouldnt use mole grips as the jaws are designed to be sharp and grippy! Good luck.
 
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hanks chaps, I was beginning to think that I was having my leg pulled about the existance of the clamp. THanks to Vics for being the first with the goodies!! thanks to you all for your input.
 
Thanks chaps, I was beginning to think that I was having my leg pulled about the existance of the clamp. THanks to Vics for being the first with the goodies!! thanks to you all for your input.
 
H
Bbought a clamp as recommended by Vics yesterday and yes you can "squeeze" alkathene pipe .So there you have it chaps job done!!
 
clyst said:
I have a length of alkathene pipe in my freshwater system which I want to temporarily isolate but it is connected to the watertank without an isolating valve . speaking to a visitor in the marina he suggested I use a pipe clamp that "squeezes" the alkathene pipe to stop the flow . He said he was a plumber but I cannot find such a tool on the Internet. Anyone heard of such a tool or know where I can obtain one ?

cheers
Click to expand...

what do you have softwood plugs for :)
 
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