A fitting such as a split tee or nozzle is welded to the live line, a valve is bolted to it, and a tapping machine drives a cutter through the open valve to remove a coupon from the pipe wall. The cutter retracts, the valve is shut, and the machine comes off. Hot taps need wall thickness checks, flow to carry away welding heat, and a written procedure.
Heard on the job
Hot tap on the 12 inch water main is Thursday, we need the coupon back or it's a full shutdown to find it.
Also heard as
- hot tapping
- pressure tapping
- line tap