OATEY 270261 Cherne® 6 in. End of Pipe Gripper® Plug

It is an end of pipe plug. The rubber O-ring seats at the pipe end and compresses between two plates when you tighten the wing nut, so it grips at the mouth of the pipe rather than being pushed down inside the run. That makes it the one to reach for on a stub-out, a cleanout, or a cut pipe end you can get square access to. If you need to seal a line partway in, or block a branch from an access point downstream, you want an internal mechanical or inflatable plug instead.

No. The Gripper plug uses an extra large zinc wing nut, so it tightens and releases by hand. That matters when you are setting plugs at the bottom of a trench or overhead where swinging a wrench is awkward. The carriage bolt under it is zinc-plated to resist rust and corrosion through repeated wet use.

It is built as a reusable mechanical plug. The plates are ABS glass-reinforced for strength, the O-ring is natural rubber chosen for expansion and memory so it returns to shape after each set, and the bolt and wing nut are zinc-plated against corrosion. Wipe the O-ring clean between uses and back the wing nut fully off before pulling the plug.

The rating to work to is 17 psi back pressure either way, and 40 ft of head is the equivalent water column. Nothing in the Cherne 6 in. Gripper spec separates air service from water service, so treat 17 psi as the ceiling for both and never exceed it. Pressure testing with air at a plugged pipe end carries a real ejection risk, so restrain the plug and keep people clear of the pipe axis.

Each one comes in at 1.6 lb with a shipping volume of 0.064, so a service van can carry a full range of sizes without much thought. The yellow finish keeps it visible in a trench or against dark pipe, which cuts down on plugs left in the line after a test.