when did copper pipe go metric

When did they start using copper pipe for plumbing?

With the import of cast iron from the U.S in the 1960’s and light-gauge copper tubing coming on the market in the 1930’s the ability to fit piping to new and old properties became accessible to most. The copper piping method has remained the piping of choice for domestic properties right up to the current day.

What is the size of copper pipe in Europe?

Europe. In the plumbing trade the size of copper tubing is measured by its outside diameter in millimetres. Common sizes are 15 mm and 22 mm. Other sizes include 18 mm, 28 mm, 35 mm, 42 mm, 54 mm, 66.7 mm, 76.1 mm, and 108 mm outside diameters.

When were pipes invented?

The history of pipes in the United Kingdom stretches back to the Romans. Evidence of various degrees of engineering marvel, has been found from as far back as 43 AD when the Romans invaded England. The Romans were masters of engineering.

What size copper pipe is used for refrigeration?

The North American refrigeration industry uses copper pipe designated ACR (air conditioning and refrigeration field services) pipe and tubing, which is sized directly by its outside diameter (OD) and a typed letter indicating wall thickness. Therefore, one-inch nominal type L copper tube and 1

Lead leaching

Corrosion

Pinholes

What size were old copper pipes?

Copper pipework in older installations will probably be sized in imperial measurements - 1/2 inch, 3/4 inch, 1 inch etc.

When did copper plumbing become standard?

Copper was the plumbing pipe of choice from the 1950s until 2000 and was widely used both in new construction and to replace the galvanized steel water supply pipes that had been the standard into the 1950s. But copper's use has gradually faded, due to the introduction of PEX plumbing tubing.

Is there metric copper tubing?

Malone Specialty Inc. offers Rigid Metric Coper Tubing in various metric sizes and wall thicknesses. This Metric Copper Tubing is to be used with DIN tube compression fittings.

What is the imperial equivalent of 22mm pipe?

3/4" 20mmConfused about Metric and Imperial Pipe Sizes?Imperial Nominal Bore Mild & Stainless SteelMetric Nominal Bore Mild & Stainless SteelMetric O.D. Copper Tube3/4"20mm22mm1"25mm28mm1 1/4"32mm35mm1 1/2"40mm42mm26 more rows

What type of plumbing was used in 1975?

Polybutylene Pipes Builders installed polybutylene (or poly) piping in an estimated 10 million U.S. structures between 1975 to 1996. Unfortunately, this piping material had a significant flaw that ultimately resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in water damage.

What type of plumbing was used in 1978?

PolybutyleneFull or Partial Polybutylene (PB) Polybutylene is a form of plastic resin that was used extensively in plumbing pipes from 1978 until 1995. However, this type of piping began to fail and caused a lot of damage to people's homes.

What size is normal copper water pipe?

Copper pipe is commonly available in diameters ranging from ½ inch to 2 inches. Lengths of copper pipe are joined together with fittings, which come in many sizes and shapes, including: 90° elbows, 45° elbows, couplings, reducing fittings, and T-fittings.

What are the 4 types of copper tubing?

Copper pipe manufacturers offer four standards of copper pipe which are types L, M, DWV, and K. These letters partially indicate the relative pipe wall thickness. A pipe's wall thickness is dependent on the pipe size.

What are the different sizes of copper pipe?

Nominal Pipe Size inchesO.D.I.D.Type1/20.6250.5275/80.7500.6523/40.8750.74516 more rows

Is 3/4 the same as 22mm?

19mm = 3/4 inch. 20mm = 25/32 inch. 21mm = just over 13/16 inch. 22mm = almost 7/8 inch.

Are there metric pipe sizes?

Robert Flindall. In Canada the metric pipe sizes are actually English pipe sizes (i.e. inches) but are nominally referred to in terms of Inches x 25mm. For example a 24-inch pipe is called a 600-mm pipe but the true internal dimension is 609.6-mm with allowance for manufacturing tolerance.

Are plumbing fittings metric or imperial?

Fittings are always supplied referenced Imperial/Inch i.e. there is no such thing as a Metric/mm threaded fitting in pipework systems, enabling you to adapt from one system to another with ease.

What is the most common type of copper for water lines?

Solder-connected rigid copper is the most popular choice for water supply lines in modern buildings. In situations where many connections must be made at once (such as plumbing of a new building), solder offers much quicker and much less expensive joinery than compression or flare fittings.

Why is copper water pitted?

Copper water tubes are susceptible to cold water pitting caused by contamination of the pipe interior, typically with soldering flux; erosion corrosion caused by high speed or turbulent flow; and stray current corrosion caused by poor electrical wiring technique , such as improper grounding and bonding.

What is soft copper tubing?

Soft copper tubing in a close quarters tubing cutter. Copper tubing is most often used for heating systems and as a refrigerant line in HVAC systems. Copper tubing is slowly being replaced by PEX tubing in hot and cold water applications. There are two basic types of copper tubing, soft copper and rigid copper.

What type of copper is used for refrigerant lines?

It can be joined by any of the three methods used for rigid copper, and it is the only type of copper tubing suitable for flare connections. Soft copper is the most popular choice for refrigerant lines in split-system air conditioners and heat pumps .

What type of tubing is used for underground burial?

Type K has the thickest wall section of the three types of pressure rated tubing and is commonly used for deep underground burial, such as under sidewalks and streets, with a suitable corrosion protection coating or continuous polyethylene sleeve as required by the plumbing code.

What is a type Z pipe?

Type Z is a thinner walled pipe, also used for above-ground service, including drinking water supply, hot and cold water systems, sanitation, central heating and other general purpose applications. In the plumbing trade, the size of copper tubing is measured by its outside diameter in millimeters.

What is 8 mm tubing called?

Tubing in 8 mm and 10 mm outside diameters is called a "micro bore" and is easier to install, although there is a slightly increased risk of blockage from scale or debris. It is sometimes used for central heating systems, and 15 mm adapters are used to connect it to radiator valves.

Newboy1996

Copper pipe looks a different size when tarnished. But I would go to the plumbers merchant and get a compression T, 1/2''X1/2''X15mm. You can usually take stuff back if they are any kind a merchant!

gas4you

If you used solder/compression fittings, then 15mm will fit 1/2" ok, just a little bit tight.

Agile

The house is 150yrs old, not sure how long there has been a bathroom, but the existing one was fitted in 1986 I think (hence it's time for a change!).

DIYBaz

Thanks all! Will get an imperial fixing just incase it all goes wrong, but I'm 99% sure it's metric. Found a solder joint that I could access that looks to be on the same kind of discolored pipe with 15mm on it. Oh, and the other marking was >B< 864 (BS864) so all is well.

DIYnot Local

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

doing a bit New Member

when did the pipe sizes change to metric ?? doing a bathroom at the moment and its 22mm under the floor and house was built in 1968 , definitely original job when house built, as i am only 35 i dont know when it happened !! one for the captain ???

Captain Leaky New Member

22mm/3/4" will be the only real problem, use imperial to metric adapters or imperial olives.

rome60 New Member

Yes late 60s,treat yourself to a pipe expander no requirement for fittings you can make 3/4"& 1" sockets no problem,

mully123 New Member

Your not suggesting he expands 40 year old copper pipe,he needs to get rid of as much as he can and fit new stuff.

Dick Puller New Member

I it was 1972, I started my apprenticeship in 1974 & there was still a lot of old copper around.

Dick Puller New Member

Your not suggesting he expands 40 year old copper pipe,he needs to get rid of as much as he can and fit new stuff............Another pearl of wisdom from the brain dead brylcreem CCC!!

rome60 New Member

Mully,think before you post,you don"t know what a pipe expander is do you.What i said & do is expand new copper to 3/4" & 1" to fit the old copper get it.

When were pipes invented?

The history of pipes in the United Kingdom stretches back to the Romans. Evidence of various degrees of engineering marvel, has been found from as far back as 43 AD when the Romans invaded England. The Romans were masters of engineering.

When was pipe technology invented?

Wooden piping has still been found in use even as recent as the 1890’s.

What was the biggest change in water in the 1800s?

The Victorian era and the Industrial Revolution brings the biggest change in water movement and pipes, with areas of population gaining central pumps but these only been open for a short time each day and the water carried home in anything you could. The grander houses were fitted with pipes but only to one floor and the water was heated in kettles and moved around the house by hand. It is in the 1800’s that towns and cities such as Manchester, London, Liverpool and Aberdeen began the building of reservoirs, Leicester built the first sewage treatment works and Bristol gained pipeline and Aqueduct to bring clean water for over 20 miles away. It is in this time that government began to legislate and invest with polluting drinking water becoming a criminal offence in 1847 and in 1848 the Public Health Act was passed and created the model for the current plumbing code of today. This act made it mandatory for some form of sanitary unit in every house; this could be a flushing toilet or privy. The government of the day also invested a significant sum of £5 million pound for research and engineering works, from here a solid sewer system grew.

When did Plymouth install a water system?

In 1584 Plymouth installed a water system bringing water to the town and storing it in cisterns for public use free of charge, and Oxford build covered gullies to bring spring water to a 20,000 gallon tank for public use.

Who developed the metric system?

The application of the metric system in the fields of electricity and magnetism is developed through the British Association for the Advancement of Science (BAAS), under the active leadership of two British scientists, J C Maxwell and William Thomson, later Lord Kelvin.

When did the Hodgson Committee conclude that metric conversion was inevitable?

1951. The Committee on Weights and Measures Legislation (the Hodgson Committee) concludes that metric conversion is inevitable, and that the long-term advantages which would flow from an organised change would far outweigh the inconveniences of the change itself (UK Department for Transport please note).

How long does it take for metrication to become compulsory?

The House of Lords debates metrication and votes to make metric compulsory after two years. The House of Commons fails to rise to the challenge. The British Weights and Measures Association (BWMA) is formed “for the purpose of defending and, where practicable, improving the present system of weights and measures”.

What is the White Paper on Metrication?

The White Paper on Metrication (Cmnd. 4880) confirms that metric units should become the primary system of measurement in the UK , and says that the changeover should take place in a well-ordered and regulated manner. The Building Regulations are re-issued in metric units to match progress in the building industry.

What was the Royal Commission for the Restoration of the Standards of Weight and Measure?

A Royal Commission for the Restoration of the Standards of Weight and Measure is appointed . In its report, it refers to the advantages of establishing decimal currency in the UK, and goes on to say that this is required before reform of weights and measures could be undertaken. 1845.

What scale is used for urban surveys?

The 1:500 scale is prescribed for urban surveys instead of 6 inches to one mile. This decision and that of the Treasury a year before are not universally welcome, and in 1857 a House of Commons vote forces a temporary reversion to the six-inch scale. This is reversed a year later by a Royal Commission. 1857.

When was the UK Metric Association formed?

The UK Metric Association (UKMA) is formed. 2003. The DTI, the British Standards Institution and the CBI publish the “Final document” and “Implementation annex” of the National Standardisation Strategy Framework (NSSF) – a joint attempt to improve the UK’s economic performance by harmonising standards.

Overview

Sizes

Common wall-thicknesses of copper tubing in the U.S., Canada and India are "Type K", "Type L", "Type M", and "Type DWV":
• Type K has the thickest wall section of the three types of pressure rated tubing and is commonly used for deep underground burial, such as under sidewalks and streets, with a suitable corrosion protection coating or continuous polyethylene sleeve as required by the plumbing code. In the U…

Types

Lead leaching

Corrosion

Pinholes

See also