McElroy’s Hot Tap Tools make it possible to add new service connections to live water or gas mains while keeping existing services up and running. The tools have been available for a number of years and are available in imperial sizes and metric sizes for Polyethylene as well as a tool specifically designed for Polypropylene pipe.
They provide the most precise and economical way to tap through 2″, 3”, 4”, 6” and 63mm – 160mm branch
saddles. The gland is customized to meet the user’s material of choice, eliminating the need for material compatibility
fusion in the field
The tool itself is fused to a ball valve assembly, which is fused to a saddle fitting on the opposite side using a McElroy Sidewinder®. Total components are butt fused together, eliminating the need for safety chains.
A specially-designed cutter pushes through the ball valve and drills through the branch saddle and into the main line. Main line contamination is eliminated by containing continuous chips in the cutter, ahead of the coupon, then retracting them out of the main.
The gland fitting of the tool includes a packing seal for safety, ensuring no leakage around the cutter drive shaft and a test valve. As the tool is removed, the ball valve is closed, and a pressure relief valve is used to release gas or water pressure from the assembly. At that point, the line is ready to be fused to the ball valve and opened for service, once all the other fusions on the branch line are complete.
Watch the process here:
This is a simple process for a trained fusion operator and has the added benefit of avoiding service disruptions.
To learn more about HDPE Hot Tap Tools, click here.
Click here for more information on PP Hot Tap Tools.
