The KOBUS Pipe Puller is a very innovative technology to replace gas and water supply pipes. It is able to extract an old steel, copper, pvc or lead service pipe up to 1-1/4″ diameter, with a new PE pipe up to about 25m in length in a single operation. This is a particularly beneficial technique when existing utilities are in close proximity, and avoids the risk of damaging strikes. Occasionally, a service pipe may have been originally installed with 90deg elbows. The Pipe Puller can handle this, still in a single pull, if there are two elbows relatively close together. Simply locate the elbows by feeding the steel cable into the pipe as far as it will go & measuring the length of inserted cable. Dig a small excavation to uncover the elbow joint & find the second joint. Cut the elbows and joining pipe away.
Here’s the clever bit.
The Kobus Pipe Puller steel cable can be fed through the two remaining sections of pipe (see image), and it will extract both sections in a single pull; the new PE pipe will follow behind and neatly bridge the original gap where the elbows were located. The ground does need to be soft and able to ‘give’ a little, but when the job is done, you’ll be thankful for the Pipe Puller’s amazing tricks!
