Do you want to organize water supply? country house, connecting it to the existing central highway? Automatic feeding water will greatly simplify the life of the household, right? But to implement your plan, there is no way to shut off the water in the main pipeline and you need to tap into the water supply under pressure?
We will tell you how to make the connection in practice, avoiding disconnecting consumers powered from the main line - the article discusses the process of making the connection, taking into account all legal requirements. The material is supplied with thematic photographs and useful video recommendations.
Carefully study the steps to connect to central water supply will help your household avoid fines for violating existing standards when unauthorizedly tapping into a pipeline. If you wish, you can also save money by doing part earthworks on your own.
Work on tapping into water mains, either through welding or without it, cannot be carried out without obtaining the appropriate permits.
Illegal tapping traditionally ends with the owner being brought to financial and administrative liability.
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Gas has a responsible mission - to ensure that we do not freeze and starve. Meanwhile, he himself does not come to visit, for example, like the wind or the sun, gas must be properly “invited”, a green corridor must be organized for him and reliable “transport” must be provided. Let's look at how to crash into a gas pipe according to the letter of the law and like a hooligan - for those who like to tickle their nerves by breaking the rules.
Types of gas pipelines
A gas pipeline is a means of transporting and at the same time storing gas. These designs may vary depending on what mission they are performing. For example, networks that ensure the transmission of blue fuel to long distances, naturally, more powerful, the pressure in them is high. Because of this, “experimenting” with such systems is dangerous, you can provoke trouble, and not only affect you, but also your neighbors. It’s better to let the relevant services that arrived at your request worry about how to make an insertion into a gas pipe of this format. From the pipes operating over long distances, like the vessels in the human circulatory system, small ones come off - called distribution pipes, in which the pressure is lower than in the main networks. But it can also vary - from low to high. You can already try to “make friends” with such structures on your own, however, you need to clearly know what and how to do, and also follow safety measures.
It is, of course, better to entrust the connection to the highway to professionals
Features of the sidebar
What is a sidebar? In professional terms, this is the connection of a new pipe to a working “relative” - already transporting blue fuel. Often systems are connected without turning off the gas, even main ones, but in this process there are important nuances. So, let's look at how to cut into a gas pipe under pressure.
Work rules
Remember the basic rules for handling these systems:
- It is permissible to insert into a network with low pressure at pressure levels not exceeding 80 mm water column, but not lower than 20;
- connection to highways or networks with high/medium pressure is possible only after its level has been reduced to an acceptable level;
- if it is impossible to reduce the pressure, you will have to find special equipment that allows you to make insertions under unusual circumstances;
- According to the law, work without reducing pressure is allowed to be carried out only by appropriate organizations that have permission for this type of activity (sometimes even receiving a special order);
- welding and gas cutting can be carried out in areas with pressure from 40 to 150 kg/cm (and this corridor must be observed throughout the entire process).
Craftsmen working with the gas network must have a special permit. Before starting the process, make sure the contractor has such a document
Types of inset
You can connect a new network to a working system using the following technologies:
- Cold tapping, in which the main pipeline operates without changes (the volume of blue fuel in the structures and the supply pressure remain the same - working). According to this “scenario”, gas networks of new users are often connected to the main line. Many craftsmen know how to cut into a gas pipe without welding, since this technology is relatively simple.
- Welding, popularly called " traditional way“, is a reliable, time-tested technique, although it requires certain qualifications and special access for the performers involved in the connection.
As for the insertion methods themselves, they are divided into:
- reel, implying connection to the end of a working system;
- T-bars, when the insertion is made with the intersection of the axes of the networks.
Video: connecting to the gas system with your own hands
Process description
Connection of metal systems
- Surface cleaning. Remove paint, debris, and rust from the place where you plan to make the insert.
- Marking. Determine where the connection will be, put marks.
- Making holes (with the coil method - 1, with the T-bar method - 2).
- Well treatment. The cracks should be treated with clay, and it is recommended to begin this process while cutting the surface in order to minimize the risk of burning/ignition of leaked blue fuel. The finished holes must be closed as quickly as possible with a special plug (made of asbestos and clay). The treated area must be cooled.
- Installation of disconnecting device. When the metal has cooled, the plug can be opened to remove a fragment of the cut pipe from the structure. After removing the piece of metal, a disconnecting device is placed in the gap, which is a set of disks made of wood and rubber, as well as a bag of viscous clay. If you adhere to the T-bar method, then there will be two such slots.
- Installation of the pipe. When the disconnecting device has covered the gap, it’s time to start making the main hole - for the attached (new pipe). Check that the diameter is correct; it is possible that the markings will have to be corrected. Make a hole and install a pipe. Weld the joints of the pipe on both sides, then close the valve on it.
- Sealing the hole. So, the pipe is welded, now we need to weld a new pipe. To do this, first remove the remaining metal that appeared as a result of making the main gap. Insert them into place, treat them with clay, and brew them too. Check if the weld seam is leaking gas (using soap).
- Connecting a new pipe.
After installation metal constructions It is advisable to paint them to protect them from corrosion
Insertion into a plastic pipe
Increasingly for installation utility networks use plastic structures. If you need to connect to such a system, what should you do? First, be glad that the process will not be more complicated than with metal. Secondly, strictly adhere to such recommendations.
Buy high-quality - factory-made connecting elements (fittings) that comply with GOST, ideally metal. Use a socket joint and special glue to improve the reliability of the seam. Make sure that the joint is perfectly sealed and has maximum density. Before installation, treat the insert with an anti-corrosion compound.
How is the insertion itself carried out in the case of plastic nets? The connection is made by creating inserts located perpendicular to the operating system. The length of the inserts can vary between 70-100 cm. Extension should be done using plastic pipes- based on a socket-contact connection. What is this technology? The steel insert is heated (to approximately 60 degrees). And they’re already impaling her plastic construction, and instantly and with force. If you are cutting into a system with medium pressure, experts advise connecting powdered polyethylene to the “case” in order to make the connection as strong as possible.
This is how you connect to the plastic network
It is, of course, better to cut into a gas pipe with the help of professionals, however, having mastered the theory, you can experiment, meanwhile, it’s up to you to decide.
Video: inserting into a gas system using special equipment
Tapping into a pipe under pressure is sufficient complex operation, which often saves both resources and time.
In progress cold tapping An additional hole is made in the pipeline without heating or deforming the pipe. Of course, to perform this operation you need appropriate equipment, which will be used by trained specialists. Let's look at the main points of the tapping process and highlight the main technological operations.
Pipeline tapping process
The best illustration of the process of tapping into a pipeline is a video from the company ArmProf, which supplies components for tapping into a pipe under pressure. Equipment for tapping into the pipeline is presented on the official website of the company http://www.armprof.ru/catalog/instrument/.
The presented video demonstrates how quick and technologically cutting into a pipe can be. To complete the operation, it was not necessary to dig a huge pit to disconnect consumers.
Let us highlight the main stages of the technological process:
Installation of the clamp
Before installation, make sure that the clamp fully matches the diameter of the pipe in which the tap will be made. The surface of the pipe should be cleaned, then install the clamp and tighten the mounting bolts tightly.
Gate valve installation
The valve is attached to the clamp flange. The valve must seat tightly, this should be checked before drilling.
Installation of drilling equipment
The tapping device is a drill with a cover that is attached to a valve. The tightness of the connection is ensured by seals. Before starting installation, you must check that the drill passes freely through the valve and that it is long enough to make the hole.
Performing the drilling process
After installing the tapping equipment, the pipe is drilled. With the correct selection and installed equipment the drilling process occurs without significant fluid leaks from the pipeline. The appearance of a small amount of liquid is possible only when the drill is removed from the valve.
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Any engineering structures, including gas supply pipes, have their own service life, after which they must be dismantled and replaced. If you are planning a home renovation, then it is worth remembering these parameters so that all cosmetic work can be done after servicing the home gas pipe.
IN this material We’ll tell you how to make a tap into a gas pipe to replace it, and what subtleties need to be taken into account in this process.
Specifications
Uninterrupted gas supplies to consumer homes directly depend on the throughput of gas pipes. In this regard, the calculation of this parameter is carried out especially carefully. Moreover, this process is mandatory regardless of the material of the products used - polymers or steel.
To determine the maximum throughput of each specific pipe, the following formula is used:
Q max = 196.386 T×(P/Z)×(D y /2),
where P is the value of constant operating pressure in the gas pipe, increased by 0.1 MPa; D y – size of the nominal diameter of the pipe; T – indicator of the temperature of the gas passing through the pipe in degrees Kelvin; Z – compression ratio.
Based on the formula, we can conclude that the higher the temperature of the gas transported through the pipes, the greater their temperature should be. throughput to prevent leaks, loss of seal or even explosions.
Although in professional activity Craftsmen often use more complex formulas to calculate throughput, but the above calculation method is more than enough to independently select pipes of the required diameter.
However, to make your task easier, you can take ready-made data from a special table that shows the throughput of pipes depending on the gas pressure in the system.
Preparing to replace gas pipes
Thanks to its complex design The gas supply system performs two functions at once - gas transportation and storage. Depending on the main purpose, different systems may have their own characteristics. In particular, main gas pipelines, the main task of which is to supply energy over long distances, are characterized by high pressure levels in the system.
Therefore, tapping into a gas pipe under pressure poses a great danger to an untrained person. Such actions can pose a danger not only to the employee himself, but also to the life, health and property of others. Hence, illegal tapping into a gas pipe, without the involvement of specialists with the appropriate level of clearance and professional skills, is strictly prohibited.
If you do not know how to connect to a gas pipe, or there is a main line with high pressure, to replace communications in the house, you should contact special service, and under no circumstances do such work yourself.
At the same time, it is unlikely that your pipes will be replaced on the first visit of a gas worker. Typically, he first measures the length of individual components of the system, conducts a visual diagnosis of the condition of the pipes, and then within a few days makes construction estimate. In it he gives everything specifications required tubular products, describes the cost of materials and labor.
Standards for safe tapping into gas pipes
Before crashing into a gas pipe, you need to take care to comply with safety regulations at the site. There should be no open sources of fire near gas pipes, so the work site must be isolated from smokers and strangers in general.
In addition, at the approach to the point of connection into the gas pipeline, warning signs should be placed with the inscriptions “Caution, gas!”, “Passing is prohibited!”, “Smoking is prohibited!” and others with similar content. Such requirements are mandatory to comply with in order to avoid accidents.
When making connections into a gas pipe, you must also follow certain standards for working with them.
The most significant rules are:
- when connecting to a gas pipeline with low pressure, it is necessary to ensure that its value does not rise above 80 mm Hg, but also does not fall below 20 mm Hg;
- if work is planned in networks with high or medium pressure, then before starting the tie-in, this indicator must be lowered to an acceptable level;
- gas cutting or welding of pipes can be carried out only on those sections of the pipeline where the pressure fluctuates between 40-150 MPa. Moreover, it is important to ensure that this indicator remains within acceptable limits throughout the entire period of work.
A standard has been established by law according to which only enterprises that have received a special permit or even an order to do so can tap into gas pipes without reducing the pressure level in them.
Please note that those cases where it is not possible to reduce blood pressure are rather exceptions, non-standard situations. Under such circumstances, to carry out repair work special equipment is required.
Types of insertion and preliminary actions
Stage preliminary preparation is mandatory in any case, whether you are a beginner or experienced master. If you yourself do not know how to cut into a gas pipe without welding or in any other way, contact an office that specializes in such work.
When contacting a contractor, when filling out an application to perform a tie-in, you may be asked to present a whole package of documents required by law for such cases.
When making the initial connection to the gas main of a newly built house, the following documents will be required:
- permission to tie into the gas main from an architectural planning institution;
- topographical photograph of a specific area, certified by the gas industry. In addition to gas pipes, it must indicate all communications connected to the building: water supply and sewerage, heating;
- technical certificate or its copy, certified by a notary, a number of other documents.
But those owners who understand the intricacies of cutting into main gas pipelines, and are also quite confident that they can cope on their own, should only purchase necessary materials. However, be careful, as crashing into a gas pipe is illegal and not entirely safe. If the technology is violated, it can cause damage to the main line, which can result not only in harm to life and health, but also in administrative and criminal liability.
Connect the operating gas pipeline to new branch possible in two ways.
Cold tap
In this case, the main pipe continues to operate normally without changes in the volume and pressure of the transported gas. This method is preferred for the initial connection of new subscribers.
Those who prefer to tap into a pipe under pressure themselves most often prefer this technology, since it is the easiest to perform.
Welding method
But the method of connecting gas pipes to the main lines can be reel or tee. With a coil connection, the ends of the pipes and the operating system are joined, and with the T-bar method, the axes of the pipelines are crossed.
Connecting the system to the gas pipeline
To tie into a common highway, it will be necessary to carry out the following measures:
- Clean the connection area from debris, rust or paint.
- Perform markings, mark the insertion location.
- Make holes, of which there will be two - in the case of the T-bar method, and one - in the reel method.
- Cover the cracks with clay. Processing should begin at the moment the surface begins to be cut. This will reduce the risk of gas fire. Immediately close the holes made with a plug made of clay and asbestos, and cool the surfaces after finishing the work.
- Install the disconnecting device after the metal has completely cooled. To do this, pull out the plug and remove part of the cut pipe. After this, insert the disconnecting device into the resulting gap - it looks like little bags made of viscous clay and several rubber and wooden disks. If the T-bar method is used, there will be two slots.
- Now you need to mount the pipe through which you connect gas pipe with the highway. But first check that the diameters match. If nothing needs to be adjusted, then make a hole and mount the pipe, then weld the joints and close the valve installed on the pipe.
- We close the holes and weld a new pipe. First, get rid of any remaining metal that was created during the process of creating the main gap. After this, connect the pipe to the pipe, treat it with clay and brew it. The quality of the weld is checked with a soap solution.
It is worth noting that welds and their types have strict designations and comply with GOST standards. In this regard, work must be carried out only taking into account all the requirements and standards that correspond to the characteristics of our gas pipeline.
If no leaks were found, then you can proceed to finishing work - that is, backfilling the trench. Despite the fact that the work may seem very simple, it must also be carried out in compliance with regulatory documents.
Typically, such documents contain the following information:
- Soft soil no more than 20 cm thick is poured around the mortise unit, pipe and tap, followed by compaction.
- At the very end of filling the soil into the trench, heavy equipment should not be allowed to collide with pipes, mortise units and ball valves.
Upon completion construction work You will need to sign an agreement with the local gas service to begin supplying blue fuel. In addition, the gas service will be required to provide technical and emergency dispatch services. The same organization will be responsible for accepting the finished gas pipeline system. After starting and setting up work, it is necessary to draw up a report and also seal the gas control system.