When a copper pipe with restricted access in a camper van boiler system developed a crack through which water escaped whenever the system was turned on, the van owner need to make a quick and easy repair to ensure there was little disruption to the heating or hot water supply.

Case Study Overview

Site Camper van
Location UK
Pipe Type Copper pipe in boiler system
Repair Type No pressure leak repair
Products Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty, SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage

Pipe Defect

The boiler system supplied heat and hot water to the camper van. After the deep crack developed, a pressurised jet of water would spray from the pipe whenever the boiler was turned on.

Repairing the problem was not straightforward because of the location of the hole. It was on a section of pipe underneath the boiler cover and facing towards the side of the casing, meaning that access was extremely restricted.

This confined space meant that there was no room to fit a pipe repair clamp, nor apply Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape with enough stretch to guarantee successful self-amalgamation of the silicone.

SylWrap Solution

Because the boiler could be turned off, Sylmasta recommended to the camper van owner that they use Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty Stick to plug the hole in the pipe.

Before Superfast Copper was applied, the pipe was cleaned and dried to aid the adhesion of the putty to the metalwork.

Superfast Copper comes in a 114g pre-formatted stick. The camper van owner simply had to cut the required amount of putty from the stick, knead it by hand and then push it into the hole whilst soft.

Within 10 minutes, Superfast Copper hardened to seal the crack. It was easily pressed against the pipe despite the space constraints, filling in the damage and covering an area above and below the hole.

A SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage was then used to reinforce the entire copper pipe. SylWrap HD is a composite repair wrap with a water activated resin which sets rock hard in minutes, providing an impact resistant layer o protection.

Normally, SylWrap HD would be wrapped and smoothed around the pipe as it cured. The space constraints in this application meant that this could not be done effectively and so the Bandage was held in place using cable ties whilst it set.

Outcome

Once the boiler pipe repair was completed, the system was turned back on. Water was no longer escaping, denoting a successful repair.

The camper van owner had saved a considerable amount of money compared to the cost of hiring a plumber or replacing the damaged pipe.

Follow Up

This Case Study is often referred to by Sylmasta when highlighting the benefits of epoxy putty in pipe repair applications where access is extremely restricted.

Products Used

Superfast Copper
Fast working epoxy putty used to seal holes in pipes made of copper and non-ferrous metals

SylWrap HD Bandage
Water-activated wrap sets rock hard to reinforce and strengthen repairs

Standard Pipe Repair Kit
Kit containing Superfast Epoxy and SylWrap HD for permanent no pressure pipe repairs

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