The 340MJ tapping sleeve can be used on a variety of pipe, including cast iron, ductile iron, C900 and C909 PVC, CI-160 and CI-200, SDR-26, and 21, asbestos, cement and HDPE.
Click here to enlarge imageFirst introduced in 1998, the 3490MJ tapping sleeve has been installed approximately 2,500 times throughout the United States. It can be used on a variety of pipe, including cast iron, ductile iron, C900 and C909 PVC, Cl-160 and Cl-200, SDR-26 and 21, asbestos cement and HDPE.
The shell is constructed of heavy gauge type 304 18-8 stainless steel, which provides tensile strength at less weight than a comparable cast iron sleeve and lessens the possibility of corrosion. This results in lower installation costs and less stress on the pipe. In addition, all 3490MJ tapping sleeves have an over-sized inside branch diameter, which ensures maximum flow and allows for use of full-size shell cutters.
Product features include drop in bolts and full circle mat gaskets, which maintain 360 degree contact and full support of the pipe, thereby acting as a repair clamp should the pipe break during or after the tapping operation. The branch gasket is the primary seal and is achieved both mechanically and hydrostatically. The mat and branch gaskets maintain their position within the pressure vessel by means of five welded stainless steel retaining rings that prevent extrusion or cold flow.
"We like the way the retaining rings help secure the tapping sleeve gaskets. The mechanical joint outlet gasket is also thicker and works really well to ensure a tight seal. This is what makes the mechanical joint tapping sleeve a better alternative than having to use a flanged tapping valve," said Danny Griffin, Water & Sewer Crew Leader for Jacksonville Electric Authority in Jacksonville, FL.