Pump Service Unions.

[Crossy]

Anyone know what the locals call a pump service union?

One of these:-

Our wonderful 'plumber' has installed the pump with welded connections, have to cut the pipe if the pump fails

[seedy]

Also available in copper and iron.

What would you like to know ???

[Crossy]

As per my OP "Anyone know what the locals call a pump service union?"

I'm having difficulty getting over what I want, I'll be giving the man the photo today but he does not seem to grasp what it's for.

[lopburi3]

Actually I have never seen them here - what I have seen used are slipover (larger than pipe with rubber compression at both ends to seal it around pipe) that look similar to the check valve shown below but knob ends are compression rubber rings. Second attachment is what I mean.

[Boksida]

The second picture in lopburi3's post is called a "Union PVC" by the Thais. You can get specs on the various sizes on the Thai Pipe Industry website.

More commonly used are the metal ones attached to PVC fittings. The galvanized ones are usually poor quality but steam fittings are better. (Union s-team dang in Thai). They are available at all hardware stores.

[Crossy]

Cheers guys, I actually got a couple like Boksida shows by taking the photo to our local pipe chap.

He had PVC, iron and brass. We got brass ones as the PVC ones looked rather flimsy and I suspect the iron ones (even though galvanised) would be rusted tight when our pump fails (sods law states that it will also be dark and raining).

Of course when I showed them to the plumber he knew exactly what they were and where they fitted, once again my poor Thai, his poor English and my wife's (non-existent) knowledge of plumbing had conspired to muddy the waters but everyone is happy in the end

[T_Dog]

Well, sounds like you have a good union with your wife to get through those muddy waters! I was looking for those too until I noticed our pump has two bolts that hold on the threaded fitting. I did have have to use some unions for PP-R pipe to hook up the water heater though.

[longball53098]

I have bought both the galvanized steel unions and 304 stainless unions at Global House in Rayong, a pump/plumbing shop in Rayong and in Ban Chang. Definitely the galvanized are poor quality as they were showing signs of rust after one year in place. The stainless ones are holding up well

Edited July 7, 2012 by longball53098

[snarky66]

Second the stainless steel ones although mind they are not NPT but rather BSP & thus hard to get a seal to threaded pipe. I get them at my neighborhood plumbing shop at Bak Soi Sukhumvit 101/1. Be sure to buy extra seals too. Teflon are the best.