# Lead service



## JorgensenPlbg (Jul 12, 2010)

I've seen a lot over the years but this was a first. Lead coming into the house with copper at the first joint. Usually I see brass adapter or a brass valve and then the meter.


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## Rexticle (Nov 12, 2011)

There aren't too many lead water services left in my city but every now and then you come across that set up. I think the old timers call that a wiped joint.


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## Toli (Nov 7, 2015)

Made a few quickie repairs by soldering a piece of copper in a lead service. 

Haven't done it in a while and probably won't as I recommend replacement.


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## plumbdrum (Nov 30, 2013)

Got a ton of lead services and water piping in the it's I work for. Good stuff


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

Rexticle said:


> There aren't too many lead water services left in my city but every now and then you come across that set up. I think the old timers call that a wiped joint.


yes its a wiped joint, for my plumbing license, the practical was wiping a brass ferrul onto a lead bend..what fun with melted lead..but the wiping lead wasnt pure lead, we put some bars of 50/50 that we use to use on lead pans to wipe in the strainers...


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## GREENPLUM (Jul 27, 2008)

plumbdrum said:


> Got a ton of lead services and water piping in the it's I work for. Good stuff


What??? Yah, that lead isn't messing up yer brain


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## plumbdrum (Nov 30, 2013)

GREENPLUM said:


> What??? Yah, that lead isn't messing up yer brain


But the pipe is ssssssstilllll workkkking thoughhhhhhh.


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## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> yes its a wiped joint, for my plumbing license, the practical was wiping a brass ferrul onto a lead bend..what fun with melted lead..but the wiping lead wasnt pure lead, we put some bars of 50/50 that we use to use on lead pans to wipe in the strainers...




Ahh ... But your terms are wrong ... It was not melted lead, it was melted solder. And the solder was made pasty by adding tin. In the old days.

Our test also included wiping a furrel to a lead stub. We had to use lead to the closet from any cast iron our steel. We also had to wipe a corporation cock to 5/8 lead. This wiping was for our Journeyman test.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

PLUMBER_BILL said:


> [/COLOR]
> Ahh ... But your terms are wrong ... It was not melted lead, it was melted solder. And the solder was made pasty by adding tin. In the old days.
> 
> Our test also included wiping a furrel to a lead stub. We had to use lead to the closet from any cast iron our steel. We also had to wipe a corporation cock to 5/8 lead. This wiping was for our Journeyman test.


it was so dam long ago , I dont think I could wipe a lead joint now..lol


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## Rexticle (Nov 12, 2011)

What did you guys use for the wipe? I've heard of guys using a wad of wet newspaper.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

it was a special wiping pad you can get at the supply house...well or use to, be able too..lol


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## Debo22 (Feb 15, 2015)

Anybody know if they used to make lead nipples. About a year ago I was at an old house installing a faucet, unscrewed angle stops on what looked like dull galvanized. Threads were bad so I put small pipe wrench on nipple to remove it and it crushed fairly easily. Used nipple extractor and easy out and it just seamed so malleable they wouldn't bite. I don't give up easily so I finally got it out but always wondered what that was.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

PLUMBER_BILL said:


> [/COLOR]
> Ahh ... But your terms are wrong ... It was not melted lead, it was melted solder. And the solder was made pasty by adding tin. In the old days.
> 
> Our test also included wiping a furrel to a lead stub. We had to use lead to the closet from any cast iron our steel. We also had to wipe a *corporation cock* to 5/8 lead. This wiping was for our Journeyman test.


 








I haven't heard that term, corporation valve in many years. That is the shut off valve at the meter, is it not?


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## KoleckeINC (Oct 22, 2011)

Corp is tapped on the main-in the box is the curb key-them there's the way it was splained to me


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## JorgensenPlbg (Jul 12, 2010)

I remember being sent out to install a water heater and having to call the boss because the distribution piping was lead! He couldn't believe that it had never been changed. It was a cool old house with a lot of quarter sawn oak and it was on a brick paver street.


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## rwh (Dec 17, 2014)

JorgensenPlbg said:


> I remember being sent out to install a water heater and having to call the boss because the distribution piping was lead! He couldn't believe that it had never been changed. It was a cool old house with a lot of quarter sawn oak and it was on a brick paver street.



My how times change. Now we have to buy lead free brass fittings that won't take solder because our old lead free stuff contained too much lead


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## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

*Still some interest in wiping?*

Well this is before my time dated 1912.
https://books.google.com/books?id=C...SCtEQ6AEINTAA#v=onepage&q=lead wiping&f=false


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