How do I punch the hole in the poly pipe for a sealer plug when the device doesn't push through?

[Coulinjo]

I inadvertently made holes in the poly pipe in the underground dripper system. Two trips to the big green shed resulted in waterproof tape failing to fix it. On the third trip, I bought sealer plugs but the holes I made aren't big enough for the plugs and neither can I seem to push the device into the space or hold the plug with pliers.  Is there a trick to it?

[J-P]

Cut where you made the hole and then join with a straight barbed joiner

[J-P · Accepted solution]

Or try pinching the pipe on the sides where the hole is and insert the plug 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Coulinjo,

You'll need to use the punch spanner to enlarge the hole to the correct size for the plug. The plugs will only fit into a specific hole from which a sprinkler was removed. The punch establishes this hole. If you are using the punch, I recommend following @J-P's advice, as inserting the plug can be tricky. If you can't get the plug to fit, cutting the pipe and inserting a Pope 19mm Barbed Joiner held in place by a couple of Pope 19mm Poly Ratchet Clamps is typically the best solution.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[Coulinjo]

I'm not cutting and joining, just sticking a sealer plug in a small hole.

[MitchellMc]

Did you try using the hole punch to resize the holes to the correct diameter for the plugs @Coulinjo?

Mitchell

[Coulinjo]

I did get one and it works perfectly. Now I meed someone with some strength to.push the plugs in! I did one and nearly broke my thumb...

[MitchellMc]

Thanks for qualifying the situation @Coulinjo. I now understand that you have the correctly sized hole, but it's still hard to press in the plugs.

Assuming you are using the correct style pipe, I'd recommend putting the spike in the hole and tilting it over on its side, then making a few revolutions to try to open up the hole slightly. You can also pour a little hot water over the area with the holes to soften the plastic. This might allow the plug to insert easier. Please be careful when using the hot water and wear gloves.

Just to confirm, are you using a thin wall poly pipe, a thicker wall poly pipe or a rigid pipe? You should be able to squeeze the thin wall pipe easily, and the thicker and rigid pipes won't squeeze easily or at all. The plugs are designed for the thin wall poly pipe. You'd have a real issue trying to get the plugs into the thicker wall and rigid pipes.

Mitchell