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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:03 pm
by M@tt
I've just had my patio and drive groundwork done today. However ive git home to find that they appear to have unearthed some massive length of metal. It's pretty flexible so I'm assuming it's lead. Any ideas what it is?
Some sort of lightening earth? Although the house doesn't have any sort of conductor
Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:23 pm
by haggistini
Shouldn't have left that for you to touch could be anything !!!
Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:15 pm
by Pablo
Water perhaps? plenty of old houses served with lead pipes. It's unlikely to be electrical.
Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2011 4:41 pm
by lutonlagerlout
looks like an old lead water main from here
LLL
scrap £1.20 a KG weigh it in!!
Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2011 4:46 pm
by M@tt
cheers chaps
its not likely to start gushing water if i take a set of bolt croppers to it then?
Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2011 5:22 pm
by Dave_L
Very doubtful, even if it does just bend the end over and fold it flat, job done!
Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2011 7:10 pm
by GB_Groundworks
It's lead water main I wouldn't have left it hehe
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 6:59 am
by seanandruby
If you can't see the end of something then it's best left well alone. Maybe chase it along to see if it's connected up. If it's not connected then weigh it in.
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 7:49 am
by haggistini
You should have been told or left a note if they exposed any services I've seen power cables in lead before now it's more than likely water tho. Could make a few leads for fishing !
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:06 am
by GB_Groundworks
Your not meant to use lead anymore for fishing hehe
Looking at his other post with pics they just hacked it out and left quick
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:23 am
by Dave_L
Swing a wooden handled axe through it first, you'll soon know if it is a power cable 
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 9:32 am
by seanandruby
....what kind of advice is that to a diyer ???
thought this was paving expert? Treat all services as if they are live until you know for certain they are'nt, no matter how trivial it may seem. :p
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 10:51 am
by Dave_L
LOL - Bad advice!!!
Yes, Sean is quite right. I guess we are sort of used to seeing things in the ground and get to know what's good and whats bad :-/
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 11:10 am
by GB_Groundworks
Haha better than saying lick it with your Tongue,
But in all seriousness, if you are worried or unsure consult your electric company or any decent ground worker has a CAT scanner that would have located and told them if it live.
Im 99 percent certain that's an old lead water main but without being there I can't be 100%
Also top left is that a vitrous clay or salt glass pipe they've knocked the collar off?
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 2:25 pm
by DNgroundworks
we do still use lead in fishing Giles, its now powder coated for the big weights the small stuff is tungsten.
I once cut into a salt glaze pipe thinking it was a drain, but it was a 3 phase electric cable inside supplying a workshop! good job i didnt cut the cable!
