Flag holder caps.

[General Thunder]

The rules don't seem to mention just what these are like, only that they are 'regulation'. Are there different variations of PVC caps?

If so, does it matter which ones we use?

Can anybody tell me where can I get the sort that we need to use?

Thanks in advance.

[Vince lau]

from the rules it looks like you just need to cap it with commercial PVC pipe cap.

home depot will have these items

[General Thunder]

Originally Posted by Vince lau

from the rules it looks like you just need to cap it with commercial PVC pipe cap.

home depot will have these items

Thanks for your help, it should be a solid object, right? Because I was there about half an hour ago and all they had was things with holes in them... A dizzying array of adapters, but no 'ends'.

If somebody had a picture of what it should look like, that would also be greatly appreciated.

[T3_1565]

it is very hard to find these "caps". We have tried and tried with no luck ourselves, even at waterloo, the actual spare parts place could'nt find any ethier. We ended up just blocking the end off with a plug, and there were fine with it because the cap was so hard to find. Sorry if your regional is more strict.

[Tristan Lall]

Strictly speaking, you'll need a schedule 40 PVC cap to go with the schedule 40 PVC pipe. But as T3_1565 alluded, the week before the Waterloo event, it was realized that it was very difficult to find the proper flag holder parts in the Waterloo area. Few stores even carried the proper pipe, though the yellow, non-schedule-40 CPVC pipe was abundant. Schedule 40 plastic caps were similarly difficult to find in the uncommon 1/2" size.

Since it was just a courtesy for the regional to try to have some extras on hand, the matter was left alone until the Thursday of the event, when it became apparent that a majority of the teams did not have legal flag holders. Most were plugged, crimped or made out of the improper pipe (the narrow CPVC, sometimes capped, but often with copper).

Inquiries were made to several plumbing and hardware stores, and of them, only one had any 1/2" plastic caps at all. They were the yellow CPVC (not legal), and they had three. Those were acquired anyway, and it was decided that teams would have to use a functionally identical flag holder out of some sort of 1/2" plastic pipe. (Details such as type of plastic, cap style, etc. were ignored.) This was the only practical way to ensure that teams passed their inspections.

For the Greater Toronto Regional, spare pipe and caps have been ordered, to avoid a repeat of that incident.

Incidentally, to get an idea of what is available, search McMaster-Carr for "PVC schedule 40 cap". Part number 4880K51 is a legal cap.

[General Thunder]

Thank you all for your answers.

Originally Posted by Tristan Lall

Strictly speaking, you'll need a schedule 40 PVC
For the Greater Toronto Regional, spare pipe and caps have been ordered, to avoid a repeat of that incident.

Did you mean by this that FIRST has ordered them, or that your team has ordered them, since as you can see, I'm gonna be there.

[Tristan Lall]

Originally Posted by General Thunder

Thank you all for your answers.



Did you mean by this that FIRST has ordered them, or that your team has ordered them, since as you can see, I'm gonna be there.

The regional committee has ordered them, for the teams to use if they don't have the correct item.

[Vince lau]

i'll check home depot and another plumbing store near my work tomorrow and if they have the caps i'll grab a few

[General Thunder]

Excellent. Thanks again, everybody.

See you there!

[T3_1565]

yeah no problem! See you there!!

[Vince lau]

i well have 7 sets of flag holders and caps at GTR this week, both are schedule 40 PVC. 1/2" ID PVC pipe and 1/2" cap

you can find me in either 1281 or 849's pit ask for Vince