# At least he got the direction of flow right.



## johntheplumber (Feb 11, 2013)

Found this at a customers house.


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## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

Is that a water heater nipple??


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Maybe he thought he was installing low budget anode protection :laughing:


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## johntheplumber (Feb 11, 2013)

TX MECH PLUMBER said:


> Is that a water heater nipple??


Yes. Yes it is.


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

Hell, I've done that. But it didn't have the ball in it. Gotta do what you gotta do in a pinch and that is better than a plug and works.


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Best Darn Sewer said:


> Hell, I've done that. But it didn't have the ball in it. Gotta do what you gotta do in a pinch and that is better than a plug and works.


Sure does....until the gas breaks down the plastic


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

It doesn't matter where you look now a days you will see potential work ...

All these screw ups are money in the bank


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

johnlewismcleod said:


> Sure does....until the gas breaks down the plastic


But it's dielectric.


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

Breaks down plastic? Poly pipe is plastic and is used to convey gas underground. Natural gas or propane don't degrade plastic.


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

Best Darn Sewer said:


> Breaks down plastic? Poly pipe is plastic and is used to convey gas underground. Natural gas or propane don't degrade plastic.


Not in our lifetime. Anyway.


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

OldSchool said:


> It doesn't matter where you look now a days you will see potential work ...
> 
> All these screw ups are money in the bank


I guess I don't see that as much of a screw up as was an ok way to cap a line when you didn't have any standard galv nipples or black iron.


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

Best Darn Sewer said:


> I guess I don't see that as much of a screw up as was an ok way to cap a line when you didn't have any standard galv nipples or black iron.


Except it was used. My Insurance company would shiot bricks if it caught me recycling product.


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Best Darn Sewer said:


> I guess I don't see that as much of a screw up as was an ok way to cap a line when you didn't have any standard galv nipples or black iron.


You can't seriously open your self up to liability like would you ...

A lawyer would eat you alive ...

For crying out loud there must be a hardware store some where near you...


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

Explain why I would end up in a court of law over capping of a gas line with a dialectic nipple and cap, all approved materials. The Fuel Gas Code may not approve but whatever. What issue do you foresee with the nipple and cap that would give cause for a lawsuit? It's not going to leak. It has no more potential to leak then were you to use a brass or black iron nipple.


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

If your way outside of the city limits and it's 8 o'clock at night a hardware store may not be near you.


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

Best Darn Sewer said:


> Explain why I would end up in a court of law over capping of a gas line with a dialectic nipple and cap, all approved materials. The Fuel Gas Code may not approve but whatever. What issue do you foresee with the nipple and cap that would give cause for a lawsuit? It's not going to leak. It has no more potential to leak then were you to use a brass or black iron nipple.


An argument could be made that re purposing a fitting for other than its intended use is negligence. A dielectric nipple has only one industry standard/approved use. The conveyance of NG isn't that one designated use.


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

Best Darn Sewer said:


> If your way outside of the city limits and it's 8 o'clock at night a hardware store may not be near you.


Bootleg it in for the evening and then come back and make it right the following day.

I'm not saying it isn't going to hold for an evening -- I'm just saying it's an easily foreseeable/avoidable insurance claim.


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Not wanting to further burnish my image as a narcissistic primadonna plumber, but I feel compelled to point out that all plastics _are not_ created equally.

Plastics are petroleum based and most will degrade quickly when exposed to petroleum gas. 

Polygas pipe is _formulated specifically_ to be non-reactive to gas and I think it's safe to assume that water heater nipples are not polygas formulation.

Assuming the plastic in a water heater nipple is gas stable is like assuming that because you can freeze and thaw pex without damage, then you can freeze and thaw_ any_ plastic pipe without damage...or that because gray plastic conduit is UV resistant, then _all_ plastic pipe is UV resistant. It's just plain _wrong_.


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

A little over the top but you have made your point. I don't believe this particular instance is as grave as you're making it out to be. Yes, there are different grades of plastic and assuming one is ok for something its not approved for is naive but this isn't conveying gas just merely capping it which does make a slight difference but nonetheless you are right, it's not legit for a reason. I will concede to you for that. But even if the plastic degrades the steel surrounding it will not.


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## Titletownplumbr (Feb 16, 2011)

It's definately hackish, but I would trust that before csst anyday.


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## Rando (Dec 31, 2012)

johnlewismcleod said:


> Sure does....until the gas breaks down the plastic


Why would that matter? The threads make the seal, not the plastic. 
Meh, doesn't seem like that big of a deal to me.


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Rando said:


> Why would that matter? The threads make the seal, not the plastic.
> Meh, doesn't seem like that big of a deal to me.


In your minds eye remove the plastic from that water heater nipple and visualize what is left: a paper thin sheath of steel with threads on it.

Is that something you'd be willing to cap a gas line with? 

Is that something you'd be ready to defend to your licensing agency, a lawyer, or an insurance adjuster?

It's crazy wrong IMO, but that's just me. 

If I was an RMP and I caught on of my guys leaving something like that in a gas system I'd have my boot up his arse to the pull straps.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

johnlewismcleod said:


> In your minds eye remove the plastic from that water heater nipple and visualize what is left: a paper thin sheath of steel with threads on it.
> 
> Is that something you'd be willing to cap a gas line with?
> 
> ...


^^^ What he said.

One of the largest problems with plumbing failures is using products and materials in scenarios they were neither intended or designed for. Yes, even service plumbers should be jealous for our trade and defend it with craftsmanship.


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