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Smith-Blair Tapping Sleeves: 622 vs 663 vs 665
Smith-Blair Tapping Sleeves:
622 vs 663 vs 665
Three workhorse tapping sleeves for new branch connections on live mains. Different materials, different price points, different best-fit applications. Here's how to spec the right one — and why two of them ship same day from Houston.
A tapping sleeve is the device that wraps around an existing water main and gives you a flanged or MJ outlet to bolt a tapping valve onto, so you can drill a live tap without taking the line out of service. Pick the wrong sleeve and you'll fight either corrosion, a leaking gasket, or a contractor on jobsite over why the OD doesn't fit.
Smith-Blair manufactures one of the most-specified tapping sleeve lines in North America. Their three highest-volume sellers — Style 622, Style 663, and Style 665 — cover the full quality spectrum from economical carbon steel to premium all-stainless heavy-duty. This guide walks through each in depth and shows you exactly when to choose which.
Same-Day
Ship
Ship
Style 663 & Style 665 — Same-Day Shipping
Orders placed before 12:00 PM Central Time ship the same business day from our Houston warehouse. Both 663 and 665 are stocked across common sizes. Style 622 ships on standard lead time (typically 1–3 business days).
The Three Styles, Side by Side
All three are AWWA-compliant fabricated steel tapping sleeves with concave wedge gasket seals and recessed flanges for MSS SP-60 tapping valves. They differ in body material, lug construction, and where they fit on the cost-vs-corrosion curve.
Style 622
Carbon Steel Tapping Sleeve
The economical workhorse — standard for non-aggressive soils
Smith-Blair's Style 622 is a fabricated full-body carbon steel tapping sleeve and the lowest-cost option in the line. Two heavy-welded steel halves bolt around the main and compress a concave wedge gasket against the pipe to form the seal around the tap opening. The outlet half has a recessed flat-faced flange that mates directly with standard tapping valves per MSS SP-60. It's the default specification for most municipal direct-bury work in stable, non-aggressive soil where carbon steel corrosion isn't an immediate liability.
Body Material
Heavy-welded fabricated carbon steel, fully epoxy coated
Flange
Carbon steel, ANSI 150# drilling, recessed for MSS SP-60 tapping valve
Bolts & Nuts
Alloy steel standard / 304 stainless steel optional
Gasket
NSF-61 nitrile (Buna-N), concave wedge profile
Standard Size Range
4 in × 4 in through 30 in × 12 in (larger on request)
Outlet Options
Flanged (standard) or Mechanical Joint (MJ)
Max Temperature
180 °F (gasket-limited)
Pipe Compatibility
Steel, cast iron, ductile iron, PVC, asbestos cement
Best Application
Standard direct-bury water main taps on stable, non-corrosive soil. Cost-driven projects where the soil and water chemistry won't aggressively attack epoxy-coated carbon steel. Most commonly specified in the 4 in–12 in main size range for residential subdivision and light-commercial taps.
Ships Same Day · Order by Noon CT
Style 663
All-Stainless Tapping Sleeve · Finger-Lug
Premium corrosion resistance for small-to-medium mains
Style 663 is the all-stainless version of Smith-Blair's finger-lug tapping sleeve family. Body, flange, bolts, and nuts are all 304 stainless steel — fully chemically passivated for maximum corrosion resistance. The finger-lug bolt configuration gives even sealing pressure across the body halves and is the workhorse construction for mains up to roughly 16 in OD. Where Style 622's carbon-steel construction is a liability — corrosive soils, brackish groundwater, treatment-plant interior piping, coastal Gulf Coast installations — Style 663 is the spec that eliminates the corrosion failure mode entirely.
Body Material
Heavy-gauge 304 stainless steel, fully chemically passivated
Flange
18-8 Type 304 stainless steel, AWWA C228 Class SD, ANSI 150# drilling, recessed for MSS SP-60
Lug Style
Finger-lug — even bolt-load distribution for small-to-medium diameters
Bolts & Nuts
18-8 Type 304 stainless steel heavy hex, coated to prevent galling
Gasket
NSF-61 nitrile (Buna-N) with molded-in sealing ring for positive seal on rough or pitted pipe
Standard Size Range
4 in × 4 in through 16 in × 12 in (larger on request)
Outlet Options
Flanged (standard) or Mechanical Joint (MJ)
Pipe Compatibility
Steel, cast iron, ductile iron, PVC, asbestos cement
Best Application
Corrosion-susceptible environments — aggressive soils, high-chloride or coastal locations, treatment plant interior piping, exposed/above-grade installations. Specified anywhere the engineer of record requires all-stainless construction on the branch connection. Most municipal water utilities now default-spec all-stainless for new branch connections regardless of soil type.
Ships Same Day · Order by Noon CT
Style 665
All-Stainless Tapping Sleeve · V-Lug
Heavy-duty all-stainless for larger mains and transmission work
Style 665 is the heavy-duty sibling to Style 663. Same all-stainless 304 construction, same NSF-61 gasket, same recessed flange for tapping valve mating — but built with the V-lug bolt configuration instead of finger-lug. The V-shaped lugs spread bolt clamping load more evenly across the larger circumferences encountered on 12 in mains and above, which makes Style 665 the right specification for transmission mains, large-diameter distribution, and any application where the engineer wants a heavier-duty sleeve than the standard finger-lug 663 can deliver. Where 663 is the right tool for 4 in–16 in branch connections, 665 takes over from there.
Body Material
Heavy-gauge 304 stainless steel, fully chemically passivated
Flange
18-8 Type 304 stainless steel, AWWA C228 Class SD, ANSI 150# drilling, recessed for MSS SP-60
Lug Style
V-lug — even bolt-load distribution for large-diameter mains and heavier-duty service
Bolts & Nuts
18-8 Type 304 stainless steel heavy hex, coated to prevent galling
Gasket
NSF-61 nitrile (Buna-N) with molded-in sealing ring
Standard Size Range
6 in through 36 in main size, 4 in–12 in outlet (larger on request)
Outlet Options
Flanged (standard) or Mechanical Joint (MJ) with removable bolts and nuts
Pipe Compatibility
Steel, cast iron, ductile iron, PVC, asbestos cement
Best Application
Large-diameter transmission main taps. Heavy-duty municipal and industrial branch connections where the engineer specifies all-stainless construction on mains 12 in and above. Also the right pick for any large-diameter installation in corrosive soil, treatment plant interior piping, or coastal environments where 622 carbon steel would fail prematurely and 663 would be undersized.
Quick-Reference Comparison
At-a-glance breakdown of the construction differences and where each style earns its place on the spec sheet.
| Specification | Style 622 | Style 663 | Style 665 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body Material | Epoxy-coated carbon steel | All 304 stainless steel | All 304 stainless steel |
| Flange Material | Carbon steel, ANSI 150# | 304 stainless, ANSI 150# | 304 stainless, ANSI 150# |
| Lug Construction | Welded fabricated | Finger-lug | V-lug (heavier duty) |
| Bolts & Nuts | Alloy standard, 304 SS optional | 304 stainless (standard) | 304 stainless (standard) |
| Gasket | NSF-61 Buna-N concave wedge | NSF-61 Buna-N w/ molded ring | NSF-61 Buna-N w/ molded ring |
| Typical Main Size | 4 in – 30 in | 4 in – 16 in | 6 in – 36 in |
| Outlet Options | Flanged or MJ | Flanged or MJ | Flanged or MJ (removable) |
| Max Temperature | 180 °F | 180 °F | 180 °F |
| Standards | AWWA C223, MSS SP-60 | AWWA C223, AWWA C228 SD, MSS SP-60 | AWWA C223, AWWA C228 SD, MSS SP-60 |
| Corrosion Resistance | Standard (epoxy-dependent) | Premium (passivated SS) | Premium (passivated SS) |
| Relative Cost | $ — economical | $$ — premium | $$$ — heavy-duty premium |
| Same-Day Shipping | Standard lead time | Yes — order by noon CT | Yes — order by noon CT |
Which One Should You Specify?
Choose Style 622 whenCarbon steel is the right tool
- Soil chemistry is stable and non-aggressive
- Project budget is the controlling constraint
- Main size is 4 in–12 in residential or light-commercial
- Engineer of record permits epoxy-coated carbon steel
- Standard direct-bury, no exposed or above-grade run
Choose Style 663 whenAll-stainless is required, mains are smaller
- Mains are 4 in–16 in OD
- Spec calls for all-stainless construction
- Aggressive soil, high chlorides, coastal Gulf Coast location
- Treatment plant interior or exposed/above-grade piping
- You need it on the truck today — stocked, ships same day
Choose Style 665 whenLarge diameter, all-stainless, heavy-duty
- Mains are 12 in and above (transmission and large distribution)
- Spec calls for all-stainless on large-diameter taps
- V-lug construction required for even clamp load
- Removable bolt/nut MJ outlet needed for service access
- You need it on the truck today — stocked, ships same day
Need Help Sizing or Selecting?
Call the sales desk with your main OD, outlet size, pipe material, and working pressure. We'll respond with the right Smith-Blair style and SKU, confirm stock, and quote freight. Orders placed before 12:00 PM Central Time on Style 663 and 665 ship same business day from Houston.
Working pressure decreases as pipe diameter increases regardless of manufacturer. Final pressure rating depends on pipe material, pipe condition, soil conditions, and installation workmanship — consult Smith-Blair engineering on critical applications. Smith-Blair, SB stylized, and Flexi-Coat are registered trademarks of Xylem, Inc. or its subsidiaries.
- Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.