Page 139 - The City and Guilds Textbook: Plumbing Book 1 for the Level 3 Apprenticeship (9189), Level 2 Technical Certificate (8202) and Level 2 Diploma (6035)

Chapter 2 Common processes and techniques

to copper tube installation, fabrication and planning, savings can be made on
labour costs and material usage. A big part of installing copper tubes is the
planning of pipework routes, ensuring that surface-mounted pipework, once
installed, looks neat, and is well clipped, unobtrusive and performs to the design
criteria.
The correct clipping of copper tube is essential. It prevents excessive noise and
fittings failure from vibration, movement and water hammer, and can assist
in preventing accidental or intentional damage of the pipework. There are
many different types of pipe clip available for copper tubes and each one has a
specific use.

For most domestic installations, plastic stand-off pipe clips are preferred, the
most common type being the interlocking clip lock type where several banks of
pipes of different sizes can simply be clipped together. This ensures a uniformity
that is often hard to accomplish with single, individually fixed pipe clips because,
once assembled, all of the pipe clips have exactly the same tube centres and, p Figure 2.43 Interlocking clip lock
provided the first clips are installed correctly, the others will be perfectly
aligned. Single plastic pipe clips are also available for single runs of tube, and
double pipe clips are a good idea when installing hot and cold pipework or flow
and returns for radiator installations and central heating systems, as these also
ensure uniform tube centres.

Nail-on clips are also available, but should be used with caution with copper p Figure 2.44 Nail-on clip
tubes as the expansion of copper can loosen the clips making the copper tube
vulnerable, especially in places where the pipework is hidden, such as under a
suspended timber floor.

When fixing copper tubes to a skirting board, the use of copper saddle clips
is recommended as the copper is fixed close to the skirting, which makes the p Figure 2.45 Copper saddle clips
tube a little less noticeable. Again caution should be exercised with saddle
clips as they are not suitable for fixing to masonry or plastered walls. This
can create corrosion of the copper due to the reaction between the copper
tube and the wall surface, and can also encourage condensation on the tube
surface.
For installations that require a more rigid fixing, such as light commercial/ p Figure 2.46 Strip brass school
industrial installations, strip brass school board clips or cast brass school board board pipe clip
clips should be used. These types of tube brackets give more resistance to tube
movement and subsequent damage.
Industrial installations require a very secure type of fixing. Brass munsen rings
fastened with 10 mm tapped rod and back plates are the strongest types of
bracket available for copper tube installations. As well as being screwed to the p Figure 2.47 Brass munsen ring
building fabric, munsen rings can also be hung from the ceiling in banks of pipes
using a special metal slotted channel.

Table 2.32 shows the clipping distances of the common sizes of copper tube.

p Figure 2.48 Brass back plate

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