Tapping saddles
- For tapping water, sewage and gas pipelines
- For ductile iron, PE- and PVC pipes
- Reliable and robust design
- Suitable for wet tapping
Tapping saddles (32)
A tapping saddle, also called a tap saddle or a service saddle, is a plumbing device that is used to create an outlet in the body of an installed pipeline in urban areas. It is utilized to install a house connection from a main pipe. A tapping saddle typically comprises a compact metallic body and a metallic sleeve or strap. Saddle bodies are available in different builds and designs with varying features that are useful for different applications. The inside surface of the strap and sleeve is lined with an elastomeric material to achieve a firm sealing grip on the pipe body and to reduce compression onto pipe surface. There are various sizes of saddle taps, but the tapping saddle dimensions suitable for your application depend on the diameter of the pipe to be tapped (drilled) and the required hole size.
Hot tapping and wet tapping
Wet tapping and hot tapping is the process of drilling a pipeline while it's still under pressure, i.e., with media still flowing through the pipe. This process is carried out using specialized hot tapping saddles. The tapping operation consists of the following steps:
- The strap/sleeve is wrapped around the pipe and held tightly in place using bolts and nuts. Firm attachment is critical in tapping saddle installation.
- A drilling machine or a hand ratchet (especially for plastic pipes) is mounted on the saddle, through the saddle's dedicated mounting outlet, and used to drill into the pipe body.
- After drilling, the drilling fixture is removed and the main outflow piping assembly (such as a service valve) installed.
Types of tapping saddles
Hawle offers a lineup of various types of high-quality tapping saddles, including the ones, suitable for hot tapping. Hawle tapping saddles are manufactured of high-quality GJS 400-15 ductile iron, which offers an ideal mix between hardness, strength and elasticity, and coated with epoxy for advanced corrosion protection, using the epoxy whirl sintering (EWS) technique. These saddles have different features by which they are categorized.
Hawle Universal tapping saddle
This pipe tapping saddle is made up of a saddle body and an elastomer-lined steel strap. It is specifically designed for steel, ductile iron, and asbestos cement pipes of up to DN 600. Although the relatively small surface area of the strap puts concentrated stress on a cross-section of the pipe, the materials for which the saddle is made are capable of withstanding the stress. This makes the Hawle universal tapping saddle the right choice when you need a ductile iron pipe tapping saddle for your service connection. Hawle universal tapping saddles can also be used to hot tap into the water main with the saddle adapter 3720.
HAKU tapping saddle
Hawle also offers a variety of tapping saddles for PVC pipes. Instead of the strap featured in the tapping saddle for steel pipe tapping, the HAKU saddle features a sleeve. These saddles are designed for tapping PE and PVC pipes. Due to its wide sleeve, the HAKU tapping saddle distributes pressure on the pipe much more evenly than traditional ferrule. Additionally, it has a rubber layer that is intended to provide a more distributed contact surface. This feature reduces surface pressure, preserving the service life of the pipe and making it the best Hawle PVC pipe tapping saddle, also suitable for PE-pipe tapping. Because PVC and PE pipes are usually used in water plumbing systems, the HAKU saddle is commonly referred to as a water tapping saddle. Threaded HAKU saddles feature an additional corrosion protection ring that protects the threaded outlet from contact with water. Flanged HAKU saddles are also available.
Gas saddles
Tapping saddles may be used in gas, water, or sewage pipelines, among others. They can be categorized according to the type of flow media in the pipeline in which they are used. Hawle offers a variety of gas pipeline tapping saddles that are manufactured according to industry standards that make them suitable for gas applications.
ZAK, threaded, and flanged tapping saddles
Tapping saddles vary by installation orientation and mounting outlet design. Hawle offers tapping saddles for side or vertical drilling with various outlet options for service connections. These include threaded, Hawle ZAK, and flanged. Other saddles suitable for hot tapping include Hawlinger pipe drilling saddles. These saddles have a specific construction with an integrated saddle blade that allows the pipe to be tapped under pressure.
Hawle has a wide range of pipe tapping saddles for different applications. These saddles have varying features by which they are categorized. Note that tapping saddles typically have a combination of the features discussed above. An example is the HAKU shut-off tapping saddle with a ZAK outlet. Similarly, threaded universal tapping saddles for gas pipelines are available.