Copper pigtail replacement. From around 1972 to 1985 risers ( the part of the service that comes up out of the ground under the meter set and has a lock cock on it) consisted of a steel casing pipe with a 1/2” copper service line in it. These were built in the meter shop and modified for length and installed on new construction. So the length of the copper line could be anywhere from 3’ to 15’ depending on how they dug the trench. The copper was transitioned to 1/2” plastic with an amp fit or a coupling which then ran out to the main. Hence the term “ copper pigtail”. Some years ago the public service commission decided we could no longer direct bury copper and put a time mandate on each copper service and copper pigtail. So essentially I dig the riser down to where the copper turns laterally and then I dig a hole over the service either where the coupling is or where the service is already plastic. Then cut the riser off and shove a steel cable through the service line and after squeezing down the plastic service and cutting the line, bring the steel cable up out of the hole over the service line. From there I pull the cable out to my trackhoe where I hook it to a block and tackle. The riser end of the cable has a splitter and a Chinese finger. I hook a new plastic line and riser the appropriate length to the finger and then pull the cable through with my tractor, which yanks out the copper and pulls in new plastic. Air test the new service line at 100lbs for 15 minutes, hook it to the old plastic, rebuild the meter set on top of the new riser, pressure test the fuel runs, paint the piping and relight all the gas appliances.
I don’t do them every day. They usually throw a couple main to meters in ( full service replacement) so I may do 2 full services and 3 or 4 copper pigtails in a week.
When I was getting overtime ( 10 hour days) I was knocking out 10 a week.
