How to clog a PVC pipe

[svincent1]

Hi Everyone,

My name is Stephen and I am Wayne Dempsey's assistant. We are having an issue with a broken PVC pipe in one of our buildings. We need something that fits inside a PVC pipe and expands with the water pressure in order to stop the leak. Please let me know if you have any suggestions.

[Zeke]

Are you kidding? With PVC you cut out the problem and glue in a new piece with unions.

Or, now thinking about this and wondering if you are wanting to"clog" the pipe in order to prevent any flow. For that you can use a 'test weenie."

[dad911]

Test plugs, as Zeke said. But they typically expand with air.

Home depot around here stocks them, as should any plumbing supply house.

[javadog]

The way to fix that is to locate the pipe, remove the concrete slab above it, dig down and fix it. What you were asking for in your original post does not exist.

That could be done and finished in a day, given a competent crew.

[Bill Douglas]

Hi Vinny, as Javadog said there is no instant fix. Nothing like radiator stop leak where you pour it in and it finds the leak and fixes it. There are various couplers available, and great glues to seal the new joins. So sorry, gotta saw the bad bit out.

[Baz]

Good evening Stephen,

Just to add - there is a repair item called a slip fix that comes in handy sometimes.

You only use them when you can't use conventional couplings.

There's also compression couplings but I prefer the slip fix:



Regards to Wayne!

[vash]

I watched a contractor stuff a toy ball into a pipe and inflate it for a temp plug while they fix the break down stream.

I’m assuming this is your goal?

He then reached in and stabbed it to deflate.

[id10t]

Originally Posted by vash

I watched a contractor stuff a toy ball into a pipe and inflate it for a temp plug while they fix the break down stream.

I’m assuming this is your goal?

He then reached in and stabbed it to deflate.

I used to use one of those softball sized red rubber balls like they used to use in PE classes for dodgeball to block my pool drain pipe when working on the pump

[URY914]

Key information is missing: what it the diameter of the pipe?

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by URY914

Key information is missing: what it the diameter of the pipe?

More than that. Where did the idea come from that this was in concrete?

Originally Posted by svincent1

Hi Everyone,

My name is Stephen and I am Wayne Dempsey's assistant. We are having an issue with a broken PVC pipe in one of our buildings. We need something that fits inside a PVC pipe and expands with the water pressure in order to stop the leak. Please let me know if you have any suggestions.

[javadog]

Yeah, I took it to mean that they had an under slab drain or water pipe that broke. Maybe that’s not correct. He needs to come back and describe more fully what the problem is.

[Wayne 962]

He posted a photo, but for some reason it didn't upload properly. The pipe is surrounded by tree roots, and developed a leak. I tried to tighten it, and it broke off. We can indeed try to cut it ou, but access is difficult without harming the tree. We would like to just plug the pipe, as that would be the five-minute solution so that we can turn the sprinklers back on elsewhere. Looking for a plug or something. Some of the expanding ball ideas are good. I'll have Stephen post the picture again...

-Wayne

[Neilk]

Originally Posted by Baz

Good evening Stephen,

Just to add - there is a repair item called a slip fix that comes in handy sometimes.

You only use them when you can't use conventional couplings.

There's also compression couplings but I prefer the slip fix:



Regards to Wayne!

I used one of these to fix a broken water pipe leading into our old house or sprinkler system, not sure. City plumbers who discovered the leak in our alley want $800 to fix. It worked great and you don’t need much room.

[fintstone]

https://www.grainger.com/product/CHERNE-INDUSTRIES-2-Pneumatic-Test-Ball-Plug-1VNE9

[stomachmonkey]

$50 worth of Taco Bell will clog any size pipe.

[svincent1]

Image fixed!

Hi, my name is Stephen Vincent. I am Wayne Dempsey's assistant. We are having leaking issues with one of our sprinklers. The PVC pipe broke and for our short term solution we need something to fit inside the PVC pipe. In addition, sustain the pressure of the water, in other words, it needs to expand with the water pressure. Is there anything that can expand and fit inside the PVC pipe? Any suggestions will help thank you!

[kochtools]

I have filled a sprinkler pipe with two part mold making silicone for this very purpose

[freeform911]

If your not trying to fix it right this minute just cut the pipe and glue a cap on the water supply side of the line. If it irrigation probably only a 1" supply line and very thin water line.

Could also try a 2 part epoxy, something like pool putty..

[nota]

rubber freeze plug replacement or a boat transom drain plug

I just used one to block off a bent leaking hose connection on a 3/4 copper pipe
my solder attempt failed due to the pipe being too far out of round

[nota]

I had tree roots and a hurricane shaking the tree bust my main water line

as there was little room to go around the tree

I dug a small pit and drove a larger 2" steel pipe thru the roots ball
and ran the new line inside protected from the roots