soldering next to a gas pipe... bang?

[traineedrip]

Trying to solder onto a 22mm copper today and was on it a while due to wet pipes.
Although well protected it sat next to a 22mm copper gas pipe. How nervous should i have been about the gas. Is there a danger of explosion if the copper heats up too much?

Sorry its basic but worth asking before i end up stuck to the ceiling

 

[payney1974]

it is very dangerous if your close to a fitting and it un solders it for obvious reasons.

 

[traineedrip]

Yes , should have added its on straight pipe with no soldered joints.

Heat from the pipe itself wouldnt bother the gas?

 

[payney1974]

i dont think so no but you could always put a soldering matt in between.

 

[helpsy]

I've used the mat and also a wet towel around pipe under mat.

 

[traineedrip]

I had a feel of the pipe under the mat and it wasnt hot.. but it did raise the question in my head.

 

[oldplumber]

methane will ignite at 580 deg C max temp propane burns at in air is 2810 deg C, do you feel what you were doing was really sensible now!!!!!!
NOTE WELL:
Always leave your fire extuinguisher in the van when heating up a gas pipe, that way, once you been blown out through the window, you can crawl over to your van to get the fire extinguisher and try and put out the ensuing blaze, without having to go back in to the property to find it first.

 

[quality]

Ignition - flash point - setting on fire call it what you want, but when you mix vapours together it alters ther flammability thats why we use town gas which is not methane - It does contain methane as well as other gases including hydrogen which is far more flamable than mathane but it could be heated to over 3 -4 hundred D C with with no oxygen and not be ignited --- but common sense must prevail not to overheat gas pipes

 

[danielp]

or the easy answer nothing would happen atall

 

[oldplumber]

Ignition - flash point - setting on fire call it what you want, but when you mix vapours together it alters ther flammability thats why we use town gas which is not methane - It does contain methane as well as other gases including hydrogen which is far more flamable than mathane but it could be heated to over 3 -4 hundred D C with with no oxygen and not be ignited --- but common sense must prevail not to overheat gas pipes

What I was trying to get across was the stupidity of heating gas pipes, you dont do it as a minute leak anywhere on your system may kill you, and you can get away with it for years until you have a fault one day. Also methane is one of the major components of natural gas, I cant comment on town/coal gas though, as that was before my time

 

[migoplumber]

ive seen once a colleague of mine up 3 storeys on scaffold soldering pipes, next to it where the lead city gas mains, he wasnt concentrating, went straight through a lead pipe with blowtorch, it was an interesting picture, a 1metre flame pinning him in position. was funny looking back at it -but scary at time. kept heads on, didnt turn off gas (very bad idea to turn gas off in this situation) smothered escaping joint with a type of dens tape. once flame gone. turned off gas. fixed joint, bar for a pint !!

unless your being extremly stupid and careless, dont believe you would have the same problem with copper pipe !!

dont worry so much. just be carefull

 

[traineedrip]

methane will ignite at 580 deg C max temp propane burns at in air is 2810 deg C, do you feel what you were doing was really sensible now!!!!!!
NOTE WELL:
Always leave your fire extuinguisher in the van when heating up a gas pipe, that way, once you been blown out through the window, you can crawl over to your van to get the fire extinguisher and try and put out the ensuing blaze, without having to go back in to the property to find it first.

It was in the morning so wind free and anyway i never do egg sarnies on a propane day

 

[oldplumber]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6G6Ap-mF0k]YouTube - Dont drink this water[/ame]

hope this link works, b**ger soldering next to gas pipes!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

YouTube - Dont drink this water

hope this link works, b**ger soldering next to gas pipes!!!!!!!!!!!!

would imagine that would cause painful and lethal indigestion

 

[traineedrip]

What I was trying to get across was the stupidity of heating gas pipes, you dont do it as a minute leak anywhere on your system may kill you, and you can get away with it for years until you have a fault one day. Also methane is one of the major components of natural gas, I cant comment on town/coal gas though, as that was before my time

Re-read what i said, i wasnt heating up a gas pipe i was soldering a pipe next to it, protected by a doubled up heat mat. Pipe didnt get hot but it made me wonder what would happen to the gas if it reached a certain temp within a pipe.

So your saying the danger of heating near a copper gas pipe is more that gas could come into contact the flame via a leak. The pipe in question is complete, has no connections on it and is in good condition.

What im actually asking is how hot does a copper gas supply have to get for the gas to ignite... or wont it due to the absence of air/ spark?


Obviously im not suggesting people heat up gas pipes, but even if you dont go down the gas route as a plumber you still have to work around it. how close is close enough for a comp fitting?

ive seen once a colleague of mine up 3 storeys on scaffold soldering pipes, next to it where the lead city gas mains, he wasnt concentrating, went straight through a lead pipe with blowtorch, it was an interesting picture, a 1metre flame pinning him in position. was funny looking back at it -but scary at time. kept heads on, didnt turn off gas (very bad idea to turn gas off in this situation) smothered escaping joint with a type of dens tape. once flame gone. turned off gas. fixed joint, bar for a pint !!

unless your being extremly stupid and careless, dont believe you would have the same problem with copper pipe !!

dont worry so much. just be carefull

That puts it into context

 

[oldplumber]

what I was trying to get across is when working in someones property you cant afford to take risks, so be careful and if you are worried about doing something dont do it. So in answer to your question how close is close enough to acomp fitting, I wouldnt go anywhere near it cos if things can go wrong they will.
If you still dont like my advice read the signature, or you could ask your tutor what he/she would advice, then let us know what they say.