Plumbing Question re Yorkshire fittings

**Discomark** · 19th January 2015, 08:15 AM

Had a small hole appear in a copper water pipe at home. It was underground and amazing the Wife heard it and no other evidence of a leak. Anyway I made it worse when trying to seal it so had to cut out a section of pipe. Last time this happened a few years back I got some pre soldered 'Yorkshire fittings' and just used a propane torch to make up a new section. I can't seem to find these fittings anymore and someone mentioned they have been banned in Oz? maybe due to lead content? I can still buy some from EBAY but they are in UK.
Reluctant to use compression fittings as it will be buried.
Cheers
Mark

**numpty** · 19th January 2015, 08:28 AM

If they're still available, any decent plumbers supplier should have them. Failing that, ordinary solderless fittings are easy to use. You just need some flux and solder and roughly the same heat as required for the Yorkshires.

Compression fittings are a doddle and seal well.

**p38arover** · 19th January 2015, 08:43 AM

I doubt Yorkshire fittings use lead based solder any more. Lead-tin solder in potable water fittings has been banned in the UK since the Eighties.

They now use a lead-free tin-copper solder in capillary fittings.

If you have a propane torch, you could silver solder the fittings.

The problem will be any water still in the pipes getting into the joint while soldering. Water shouldn't be a problem with compression fittings.

**DeanoH** · 19th January 2015, 10:46 AM

Use compression fittings, as Ron says water in the pipe will make it very difficult if not impossible to get sufficient heat into the joint to properly melt the solder, lead free or not.

Deano

**jimr1** · 19th January 2015, 11:19 AM

If you want to go down that road and do a repair , use compression fittings . Of course you can use capillary fittings , but as been said you have to make sure there is no water in the pipe , plus you need a lot of heat . As you say you have done a repair on this pipe before , You may have to face the fact this pipe is coming to the end of It's life , good luck . Jim

**jx2mad** · 19th January 2015, 11:41 AM

I heard from a plumber friend that Yorkshire fittings were banned because the ordinary solder joints were too soft and often cracked if pipes had any movement. All joints now had to be silver soldered which gave them a lot stronger joint. Jim

**V8Ian** · 19th January 2015, 05:01 PM

Compression fittings are not legal, underground, in Queensland.

**worane** · 19th January 2015, 10:22 PM

legal or not ,they will fix your problem for now.
Think up plan B after you have the leak fixed.
My plan B would be to replace the whole pipe later.

**Discomark** · 21st February 2015, 11:48 AM

Still not got around to doing this job but SWMBO is putting the pressure on

Lucky its a vacant Granny flat.
Anyway was in Bunnings the other day and noticed these push on fittings called Smartex. Almost seem to good to be true so wondering if anyone has tried these yet?
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17r3AREkals[/ame]

Bit pricy are around $15 a piece but saves stuffing around if they seal properly.

**Rextheute** · 21st February 2015, 12:04 PM

Yep , good option .
Have used them on caravans and campers - very resilient , just make sure work is clean and cuts are not daggy . .

p.s . read you tilte as 'yorkshire puddings ' which made me a little hungry ....

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