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bubble tester pipe size


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quick question. please short answer or link to video would be great. please do debates on if i should get one or models as the last post was stressing me out.

i am about to order an Alde Bubble tester. the choices i seen were 8mm and 10mm.

is getting connected to a copper pipe. i dont see any measurements on the pipe.  what is the most accurate way to measure so i dont buy the wrong one?

thanks in advance

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How old is the boat?  It's most likely to have 3/8" pipe unless quite new. If so you buy the bubble tester with either size of metric glands (because you're going to throw them away) plus a pair of 3/8" glands which you will replace them with. 

Note that the existing fittings are VERY VERY tight. 

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thanks guys

yeah measuring by eye did not work out for me. 2mm was a bit to hit or miss with me.

the boat is 1975 so yeah i presume the old school one but who knows when the pipes were fitted.

there is 2 here. just an example i found them on ebay. same company just cheaper.  https://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/search.aspx?q=bubble tester

no mention of the other measuring system or anything about glands. oh i presume you meant buy either one and the end gets replaced. is that something easy to do like just unscrew and fit the right one. sorry i know nothing about this topic

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1 hour ago, garyslaw said:

i presume you meant buy either one and the end gets replaced.

Yep. 

1 hour ago, garyslaw said:

is that something easy to do like just unscrew and fit the right one.

Yes. But like I said earlier the ones that will come fitted to it are VERY VERY tight. 

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  • 1 year later...

Can i ask exactly what size fittings i need to replace the Alde bubble tester - The blue one in 8mm - to fit 3/8" OD pipe.

 

Southampton Calor do one ready made up but it is 30 quid more expensive... so seeing if it is worth the effort ref the fittings are in tight!

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They're not that tight. No problem with a vice and a couple of spanners. Use proper lpg gunge (sorry, can't think of the name!) to seal the joints.

Edited by Onewheeler
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Best way to size pipes is find an open ended spanner that fits well. 3/8" is a bit smaller than 10mm, 5/16" and 8mm are almost exactly the same size. You can use 8mm fittings on 5/16 pipe, may be a little tight as 5/16" is 8.255mm.

Plasticol is the compound to seal gas fittings, expensive. Blue Hylomar is approved I think, please check first.

Edited by Boater Sam
added more
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10 hours ago, Onewheeler said:

They're not that tight. No problem with a vice and a couple of spanners. Use proper lpg gunge (sorry, can't think of the name!) to seal the joints.


Flomasta PTFE Liquid 50g (5321J) from Screwfix.

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Thanks for the info.

 

What i do know is that i have 3/8" gas pipe and so will need a compression fitting of that size. It's the male thread size of the fitting that goes into the bubble tester I would like to know, if anyone does that would be very helpful.

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12 hours ago, Onewheeler said:

They're not that tight. No problem with a vice and a couple of spanners.

Requiring a vice says to me that they’re very tight. I couldn’t replace mine without resorting to a vice. 

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On 14/07/2017 at 18:46, WotEver said:

Yep. 

Yes. But like I said earlier the ones that will come fitted to it are VERY VERY tight. 

Indeed. Ours were so tight I feared shearing something off on our new tester. I think the sealer used glues them in. I bought two adaptors from Midland Chandles that could be fitted over the existing stubs. These worked very well.

DSCF4955.JPG

Edited by Guest
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1 hour ago, catweasel said:

Ours were so tight I feared shearing something off on our new tester.

Ditto. I was waiting for something to break. Fortunately nothing did. 

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I am told the 8mm blue tester is "easier" to get the old fittings out and replace than the silver one but still requires a bit of effort...

 

I shall just order the one from Southampton Calor ready made up for the 3/8" pipe.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Onewheeler said:

The vice only keeps it steady while you wield the spanners.

Not on mine. The vice held it solid while I used two hands on the spanner waiting for something to break. 

1 hour ago, catweasel said:

I think the sealer used glues them in

That’s certainly what it felt like. 

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1 minute ago, WotEver said:

Not on mine. The vice held it solid while I used two hands on the spanner waiting for something to break. 

A butt clenching moment! I wasn't as brave as you so took the easy way out ;)
Past form shows that I am heavy handed.

6 minutes ago, Paringa said:

I am told the 8mm blue tester is "easier" to get the old fittings out and replace than the silver one but still requires a bit of effort...

 

I shall just order the one from Southampton Calor ready made up for the 3/8" pipe.

 

 

Interesting, could explain a few things.

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6 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Not on mine. The vice held it solid while I used two hands on the spanner waiting for something to break. 

That’s certainly what it felt like. 

When my mate changed the heat exchanger in our ancient house gas boiler, there were similar fittings held in by what he described as "the devil's snot." This was some kind of green sealant that had been in there for 30 years. He needed the fittings for the new exchanger, so with the aid of two blowlamps, some stillies, my weight stood on the exchanger, and about 30 mins of swearing and bashing, they eventually lost the will to seal and came free. 

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  • 9 months later...

If you decide to fit 3/8" fittings to the 8mm Alde Bubble Tester which is the Blue one, i don't know about Silver 10mm one, you will need:

 

Wade 3/8" x 1/4" BSP male stud.

 

This is what the Southampton Calor Centre fit to theirs to make it the 3/8". 

 

The fittings are £15 pound for the pair...

 

I decided to pay up and buy their 3/8" tester without the faff of changing the fittings myself.

 

 

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On 14/07/2017 at 17:23, garyslaw said:

quick question. please short answer or link to video would be great. please do debates on if i should get one or models as the last post was stressing me out.

 

 

Well, that's probably enough technical information for the OP. Now I think we need to get a proper debate going on this thread on the merits or otherwise of bubble testers.  

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2 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

Well, that's probably enough technical information for the OP. Now I think we need to get a proper debate going on this thread on the merits or otherwise of bubble testers.  

Why bother with one just get a proper examiner who is qualified to do gas.

 

  • Greenie 2
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9 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

Every time you want to test the system? Sounds like that might get expensive.

 

You can get lpg monitors to fit in the bilges and/or use your highly sensitive nose to test for gas leaks.

 

https://www.force4.co.uk/department/safety/fire-gas-safety/gas-fume-alarms.html

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