Warning: I used a piece of copper pipe to fix a small leak on a steam line last month.

We had a pinhole leak on a 2 inch steam line at a plant in Toledo. The foreman wanted a full shutdown to weld it, which would take half a day. I remembered an old timer saying you could use a soft copper sleeve and a couple of heavy hose clamps as a temporary fix. We cut a piece of 2 inch copper pipe, split it, and clamped it over the leak. It held the 150 psi for three days until the scheduled shutdown. Some guys say this is a hack and never safe, others say it's a smart field fix if you know the limits. What's the line for you between a good shortcut and a risky move?

3 comments

3 Comments

matthew86425d ago

That 150 psi steam line is no joke, but a three day temp fix with a plan is solid. I get what @ericgonzalez is saying about the follow through being key, but copper gets real soft when it's hot. I'd be nervous about it creeping under the clamps over time. The line for me is if the shortcut adds a new failure point you can't predict, that's when it gets risky. Good field fixes work with the pressure, not against it.

the_pat18d ago

Totally agree about the copper getting soft. Had a similar leak on a condensate return last winter. Wrapped it with a proper high temp silicone tape first, then put the clamps over that. The tape acts like a gasket and stops the creep. Lasted a full week until the new section arrived. The right temporary material makes all the difference.

ericgonzalez25d ago

Honestly, that's just solid field work. The key is calling it temporary and actually having a plan to fix it right, which you did. If you slapped that on and walked away for a year, that's a hack. Knowing the difference is what separates a good mechanic from a liability.