FAQS – Frequent questions
On any drillable material with a suitable surface. The materials most frequently used for drinking water supply networks are cast iron (ductile or grey), polyethylene (PE), PVC and fibre cement or asbestos cement, which are not used any longer due to their asbestos content.
The DN65-C and DN80-C flanged saddles can be installed on the following types of pipe:
- Cast from 100 to 200mm
- Fibre cement from 100 to 200-C
- PE and PVC-O in sizes 160 and 180
The DN65-E and DN80-E flanged saddles are compatible with the following types or pipes:
- Cast from 200 to 350mm
- Fibre cement from 200-E to 350-D
- PE and PVC-O in sizes 250, 280, 315 and 355
The DN100-D flanged saddles can be installed on the following types of pipe:
- Cast from 150 to 200mm
- Fibre cement from 150-C to 200-C
- PE and PVC-O in sizes 200 and 225
The DN100-E flanged saddles can be installed on the following types of pipe:
- Cast from 200 to 350mm
- Fibre cement from 200-E to 350-D
- PE and PVC-O in sizes 250, 280, 315 and 355
The ¾” and 1” threaded saddles can be installed on the following types of pipe:
- Cast from 60 to 300
- Fibre cement from 60 to 300-D
- PE and PVC-O from 75 to 315
The 1¼”, 1½” and 2” threaded saddles can be installed on the following types of pipe:
- Cast from 80 to 350
- Fibre cement from 80 to 350-D
- PE and PVC-O from 90 to 400
When the blade is inserted or extracted, there is an instant and imperceptible water leak.
The OPTIMQ saddles are fitted with two O-ring seals in the inside that provide for tightness with the OPTIMQ blade or the spatula of other manufacturers, which hinders water from leaking outside.
There are two main differences between the Classic and the HDT drilling device: the type of operation and the type of saddles with which they are compatible.
The Classic drilling device is a manual tool in which the ratchet wrench is fastened to the upper part of the shaft and the operator has to activate the rotation and move of the shaft manually. It is a traditional machine with a very compact design that can be used with different shaft lengths according to the needs of the installation. It is compatible with threaded, flanged and PE outlet saddles, as well as connectors and it can drill from 1″ to 4″.
In the case of the HDT drilling device, the rotation and move of the shaft are activated by means of an electric drill, preferably battery-powered. It is fitted with quick connectors that allow for an easy hydraulic test before drilling the pipe. It is a very versatile, compact and light tool, with a weight of less than 1.5 kg. It is compatible with threaded saddles from 1” to 2” and with PE outlet saddles in sizes 32 and 50.
In order to install an under-pressure connection or branch (i.e. the pipe is under pressure when carrying out the installation), you need a hot tapping saddle, which allows cutting the water exit when the pipe has been drilled.
In order to drill the pipe, you must also have a drilling device with a water tightening system and a spatula or blade to cut the water flow.
Both our HDT and our Classic drilling devices are fitted with tightening seals that allow drilling the pipe while under pressure.
Therefore, in order to make an under-pressure installation, you will need a hot tapping saddle, a blade and an under-pressure drilling device with its respective drill bit, hole cutter and/or bits.
The OPTIMQ saddles can work with a permissible working pressure (PWP) of 16 bars, except for some specific cases, which have a PWP of 10 bars.
Yes, it is. All materials of our saddles are suitable to be in contact with waste water, and they are materials that are also used in other pieces designed to be used with waste water, such as membrane diffusers in suction pipes, tank coatings, pump drives, etc.
Yes, both the HDT and the Classic drilling device, as well as their accessories (hole cutters, bits, adapters,…) are compatible with saddles and accessories of other manufacturers. Our tool range for threaded saddles goes from 1″ to 2″, while the flanged accessory range covers the sizes 2½’’, 3’’ and 4’’.
Yes, our threaded saddles are compatible with drilling devices of other manufacturers. However, in the case of the threaded hot tapping saddles it is important to check that there is free space to insert the blade when the hole cutter and the centre bit are raised to the top.
Yes, always provided that there is a system that is compatible with the flange of the saddle or connector. The flange of our saddles and connectors complies with the DIN standard. You also have to consider that the shaft of the drilling device must be long enough and allow for the insertion of the blade when the shaft is in its highest position.
Yes, although, in order to install PE outlet saddles, you need a PE adapter with a G 2″ thread to fasten it to the drilling device.
The drilling device must be prepared to make under-pressure connections and have a suitable length.
Yes, the HDT and Classic drilling devices have been especially conceived to be used in under-pressure connections and branch creation.
The hole cutters are fastened to the shaft of the HDT drilling device with a UNF threaded coupling of ½’’ or 5/8’’, so that hole cutters with this kind of thread, such as those of the brand Starrett, are compatible with the HDT drilling device.
As regards the Classic drilling device, we have two types of shafts, “A” shafts that are fastened to the hole cutters by means of an hexagonal bit and the “B” type shafts that allow for the use of Starrett or similar hole cutters.
PE (polyethylene) outlet hot tapping saddles are a world première that OPTIMQ offers to the market. Their main advantage is that they allow making 100% electroweldable branches or with mechanically fastened accessories, i.e. thread-free. The installation of PE outlet saddles on a cast pipe network, for example, allows making full PE connections.
The necessary elements are:
- The saddle. We have 32, 50, 90 and 110 outlets.
- The suitable straps according to the size of the network pipes.
- The suitable hole cutters for the saddle size and the pipe material.
- The PE adapter which has to be compatible with the hole cutter to be fastened to the drilling device.
- The drilling device, either the OPTIMQ Classic or HDT drilling device or a drilling device from any other manufacturer
- but with suitable dimensions.
- The respective blade or spatula for the saddle size.
Yes, the OPTIMQ saddles are installed with excellent results on pipes of any type of material, also on PE and PVC-O.
The water tightening seal of the saddle is fitted with a special profile that has been developed to this end. The straps have a length that avoids damages to the pipe in case of a too high torque and they are also coated with a rubber profile that insulates them and protects the pipe, thus securing the adherence of the saddle to the pipe.
To install flanged saddles and PE outlet saddles of 90 and 110 on PE or PVC pipes, you need to use wide straps to avoid any deformation of the pipe.
To install on PVC networks, we recommend making sure that they are high quality pipes (with no fracture record) or, preferably, pipes made of PVC-O, i.e. with oriented fibres.
Yes, one of the features of our under-pressure saddles which installers like most is the possibility to cut the water flow inserting the blade in the collar once the network is working and you need to make an intervention in the connection.
Our under-pressure saddles have a double inner seal that allows cutting the water flow in both directions.
The flanged hot connectors are used to transform a simple flanged saddle into a hot saddle.
They are also used to install fire hydrants, as it is not allowed to use shut-off valves for safety reasons. The use of the flanged hot connector allows making repairs in the future or replacing the hydrant without the need to cut the water supply in the network.
The PE-PE 90 and 110 hot connectors are used in under-pressure electrowelded connections or branches, replacing the connection by means of a PE ball joint, thus allowing to work in a much more reduced space. The PE-PE connectors are electrowelded to ELGEF Plus +GF+ connection saddles and can be installed on PE pipes from 100 to 630mm.
Yes, our saddles are compatible with spatulas of other brands (AVK or Hawle, for example), which have a standard blade width: 50mm for ¾’’ and 1’’ hot saddles, and 63mm for 1¼’’, 1½’’ and 2’’ hot saddles.
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