Use and Care Guide

34
Cast Iron Installation
INSTALLATION PROCEDURES
FOR CAST IRON
• Using a Mallet: If you prefer to use a mallet, place
a wooden block over the fitting’s hub. After installing
and lubricating the gasket, align the spigot and
carefully strike the wooden block with the mallet
until the spigot is properly seated.
• Joining by Jolting: Pre-assembly of fittings and
short lengths of pipe can be done by jolting on a piece
of wood or other sturdy surface. After installing and
lubricating the gasket, align the spigot in the gasket,
then push or pull the spigot into the gasket as far as
you can. Next, jolt the assembly on a piece of wood
or other sturdy surface until the spigot “bottoms”
in the hub.
• Using a Pry-bar: A pry-bar can speed installations,
particularly on long runs of straight pipe being installed
below ground. After installing and lubricating the
gasket, align the spigot in the gasket, then apply the
pry-bar to force the pipe through seal. It is correctly
seated when it “bottoms” in the hub.
• Making Adjustments: You can reposition a fitting’s
alignment after forming a compression-gasket joint.
• Cold Weather Installations: All elastomers tend to
stiffen as the ambient temperature drops. Charlotte
®
compression gaskets will perform best if kept above
50 degrees F. To make joining easy in cold conditions,
keep gaskets in warm water until ready for use.
Cold gaskets that have become stiff can quickly be
made pliable by bringing them into a heated space
or immersing them in warm water.
Important Reminders and Helpful Hints
about Compression Gasket Joints
• Use only Charlotte
®
Service or Extra Heavy pipe
and fittings with Charlotte compression gaskets.
• ServicepipeandttingsmustbejoinedwithService
gaskets. Extra Heavy pipe and fittings must be joined
with Extra Heavy gaskets.
• Beforeinsertingthegasket,makesurethatthehub
is clear of all dirt and other foreign materials that
would interfere with assembly.
• Lubricatetheinsideofthegasketandtheoutsideof
the spigot.
• Wheninstallinglarge-diameterpipe(5”-15”),we
recommend using adhesive-type lubricant.
• Make certain that the pipe or tting is in good
alignment (not cocked) before pulling the plain-end
spigot into the gasket.
• The spigot must pass through both seals until it
“bottoms” firmly in the base of the hub.
• Ifpipeiscutintheeldandyouarehavingdifculty
making it bottom out, you may be snagging the
gasket with the pipe’s cut end. To solve this problem,
smooth the sharp spigot by filing.
• Tomakejoiningeasyincoldconditions,keepgaskets
in warm water until ready for use.
• NOTICE: If adhesive lubricant has been used and
allowed to set, repositioning the pipe or fitting will
damage the adhesive bond.
Turning the fitting does not damage Charlotte
compression gaskets when non-adhesive lubricant has
been correctly used. However, if adhesive lubricant has
been used and allowed to set, repositioning the fitting will
damage the adhesive bond.