Copper pipes can be connected with the most different ways. All these methods have their own characteristics. This article explains each of the join methods. copper pipes.

Connection of copper pipes by soldering

This method of connecting pipes is used when the connection point is intended for further sealing. Soldering when connecting copper pipes can be of two types:

1. High temperature soldering. It is produced using the following gases: propane - air, acetylene - air, propane - oxygen, acetylene - oxygen. At the same time, the copper pipe at the junction is heated to 600-750 degrees Celsius. Special care must be taken when soldering copper pipes with an oxy-acetylene torch. If the pipe is heated to a temperature of more than 800 degrees Celsius, then ruptures will most likely occur in it.

2. Low temperature soldering. This type of soldering is resorted to if the operating temperature of the pipeline is not more than 110 degrees Celsius. During low-temperature soldering, the joint is heated to a temperature of about 200-250 degrees Celsius. In this case, acetylene-air and propane-air gases are used to heat copper pipes. Electric heaters can also be used.

Soldering technology for connecting copper pipes

1. According to the measurements made, the copper pipe is cut off. Then it needs to be calibrated.

2. Using a special sponge designed specifically for copper, as well as a ruff, it is required to clean the outer edge of the copper pipe to be connected. Also requires cleaning inner part capillary fitting.

3. The pipe is then inserted into the socket of the capillary fitting. You need to insert it all the way.

Use a clean rag to remove excess flux.

4. The place where the pipe will be connected to the fitting must be heated with a gas burner. As soon as the flux changes its color, solder can be introduced into it.

5. Once the solder has hardened, remove any remaining flux from the fitting surface.

Connecting copper pipes with fittings

The connection of copper pipes without soldering is carried out using fittings. Depending on the type of connection, fittings can be crimp (collet) and welded. Copper pipe connection compression fittings There are two types: for semi-hard and soft copper pipes and for hard and semi-hard pipes. Collet connection of copper pipes is made as follows:

1. First you need to choose the right size collet fittings.

2. After that, the pipe is cut and the burr is removed.

3. Then you need to insert the copper pipe into the prepared fitting. The clamping nut is first tightened to the stop by hand, and then it is tightened with a wrench until the pipe is deformed quite a bit.

Many, in my opinion, erroneously, believe that copper pipes for installing plumbing or heating a house are quite expensive, and some that the age of copper for these purposes is a thing of the past. In this post, we will try to prove to you that this is not so, precisely because copper is enough comfortable material for the installation of any structures, and if we take its durability into account, then it is indispensable in many cases and it will be chosen by diligent host for your own home.

If we compare copper with other materials from which water pipes and other communication pipes are made (for example, with plastic or), then its advantages are obvious. First of all, it is an unusually long service life: copper pipes and fittings often last as long as the building itself exists.

Copper is very plastic, which increases the safety of the water supply and retains its properties in a wide temperature range (from -200 to +250 ° C), which makes the pipes resistant to freezing when filled with water.

Copper pipes are resistant to ultraviolet radiation (unlike plastic), have a low roughness coefficient, which allows them to be used in similar conditions

Copper piping is virtually unaffected various kinds viruses and bacteria, he is not afraid of oils, fats and various harmful substances. Even chlorine, which is inevitable for our water pipes, is not able to destroy a copper pipe, but, on the contrary, due to the formation of an oxide layer on its inner walls, chlorine helps to extend the life of the pipe.

Pipes

Water supply copper pipes of circular cross section are produced both in coils (25 and 50 m long) and in segments (rods of various lengths). The most commonly used pipes have diameters from 8 to 28 mm with a wall thickness of 1 mm. It is worth emphasizing that copper pipes due to thin walls are much lighter than steel pipes. They may be insulated.

Installation of copper pipes does not cause any particular difficulties, mainly due to the fact that they are well cut and bent. Copper pipes can be connected in two ways: detachable and one-piece. The second includes soldering, welding, crimping.

To connect pipes, connect to fittings, various fittings are used to existing water supply.

Fitting

Exist a large number of types of connecting and transitional fittings. Examples of some are shown in photos 1-12. So, for soldering, not only ordinary and adapter couplings are used, but also various elbows, tees, crosses, contours, rolls and plugs. There are fittings with the transition of a soldered connection to a threaded one, for example, an “American” with a cone seal (15 × 1/2 ″). Threaded press fittings often use a ferrule, which, when the union nut is tightened, compresses the pipe, thereby sealing the connection.

Soldering copper pipes

Soldering is carried out due to adhesion between molten copper-phosphorus or silver solders and heated pipes to be joined. The solder is distributed at the junction under the action of capillary forces, "wetting" the base metal. To improve the quality of soldering and increase the adhesion coefficient, special fluxes are used, and the soldering surfaces are pre-cleaned. When soldering, you need to evenly heat the parts to be joined to the required temperature.

Therefore, when soldering, the type of burner flame is important, which indicates the balance of the gas mixture. A decreasing burner flame indicates an excess amount of fuel in the mixture that exceeds the oxygen content. A supersaturated gas mixture, due to an excess of oxygen, forms a flame that oxidizes the surface of the metal. A sign of this phenomenon is a black coating on the metal. A balanced gas mixture, when burned, forms a flame that heats the metal without any other effect.

When working on soldering copper pipes, also note that:

• The application of flux promotes adhesion of the solder to the metal.
• The place of soldering is preliminarily serviced.
• For high-quality soldering, the necessary heating of the soldered parts is required.
• For soldering copper pipes, cleaning of the joint is required.

Copper soldering tools

For soldering copper, special soldering irons and gas burners are used.

When working with copper pipes, in addition to soldering and crimping, they have to be cut, bent, expanded, beaded. Pipe bending to avoid wrinkling and flattening is performed using a lever pipe bender. Moreover, for pipes with a diameter of up to 15 mm, the bending radius must be at least 3.5 diameters. For pipes of large diameters, the bending radius must be at least 4 diameters. You can also cut pipes with a hacksaw, but it is best with a pipe cutter, which allows you to do this exactly at the mark and without distortions. After each revolution, it is necessary to tighten the cutting roller by tightening the set screw. Burrs appearing during the cutting process must be removed.

To ensure the insertion of the pipe into the pipe, special expander pliers and mandrels are used.

How to bend copper pipes

In the photo above, the numbers indicate

1. The pipe is inserted and fixed in the grip of the pipe bender at the start of the bend.
2. Applying force, gradually turn the movable handle of the lever pipe bender, bending the pipe around the mandrel.
3. You can also bend the pipe using a spring with a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the pipe.

Pipe expansion

In the photo below, the numbers indicate

To connect pipes with fittings with union nuts (especially when repairing connections), it is necessary to do flaring.

1. If necessary, remove the union nut by cutting off the flared end of the pipe.
2. You can cut off the flaring with a roller pipe cutter by sliding the nut along the pipe.
3. To restore the flaring, the pipe is clamped in the matrix so that the end of the pipe protrudes above the surface of the matrix by about 1 mm.
4. By screwing the fixture screw, the end of the pipe is deformed with the formation of a conical expansion.
5. After removing the screw clamp, check the funnel flare, which must have the correct shape.
6. The end of the pipe can be flattened with light blows of a hammer, again clamping the pipe in the matrix.
7. smooth and flat surface flaring can be obtained with a velvet file.
8. It remains to put the sealing gasket, and the pipe can be connected.
9. If necessary, flaring can also be done on fittings, for example, couplings, squares.

How to expand a copper tube

To connect pipes by soldering without the use of connecting fittings, the end of one pipe can be expanded using special pliers.

Having inserted the pipe into the tongs with a head of the required diameter, apply force to the handles of the tongs, expanding the end of the pipe.

After the expansion of the pipe, a mandrel-caliber is inserted into the pipe and with light hammer blows on the mandrel, the expansion diameter is adjusted to the required expansion using special pliers.

How to cut copper pipes with a pipe cutter:

The pipe is placed between the jaws of the pipe cutter and the cutting roller is pressed with a set screw.

Having made one or two turns around the pipe with a pipe cutter, the roller is tightened with a screw and the pipe cutter is turned again.

With a folding knife, burrs are removed from the inside of the pipe.

Continue cutting the pipe until the part of the pipe to be cut can be separated by hand.

Typical types of copper pipe connections

When performing installation work, for example, a water supply system using copper pipes, it is necessary to provide connections, make bends, bypasses, and install plumbing fittings.

In the photo, types of “copper” connections

1. Flexible hose connection.
2. Connection of pipes of different diameters by soldering with a straight coupling.
3. The outlet is made using a tee and a single-pipe bypass.
4. square with wall mount and the valve provides connection of a flexible eyeliner.
5. Outline with extended sockets.
6. sidebar ball valve connected with union nuts.

Also read on the topic:

A variant of the plumbing system using copper components

In order to optimize plumbing system, equalization of pressure in the system, reduction of additional loads on the pump and the cost of the system, the diameters of copper pipes are selected depending on the water flow at each point of consumption. Usually, at a flow rate of up to 50 l / min, pipes with a diameter of 10 mm are used, at a flow rate of up to 160 l / min - pipes with a cross section of 16 mm, at a flow rate of 250 l / min - pipes with a cross section of 20 mm. The variant of the plumbing system and the diameters of the copper pipes are shown in the figure.

For pipes of different diameters, threaded fittings of the appropriate sizes are usually used. For example, turnkey fittings 15 × 22 mm can be used for solder joints with pipes with a cross section of 10-18 mm (table).

Fitting	Pipe diameter, mm
12×18	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22
15×22	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22
20×28	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22

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Communications from copper are rare today, but exclusively reliable option for water supply and heating of a private house. The prevailing opinion about the difficulties of installing copper pipelines is not absolutely confirmed in practice. Self-brazing of copper pipes is available for a non-professional, if he knows the process technology and owns the tools. Master the intricacies of connecting copper pipes, assemble your own plumbing and you will never have to deal with communications again.

Copper pipes are good because they are: not subject to corrosion, have a service life of more than half a century, soft enough not to be afraid of water freezing in them. Copper is a perfectly smooth material, which prevents the formation of plaque in pipes, and the material also has bactericidal properties.

Note! The composition of copper pipe material for domestic communications should be 99% pure copper. Alloys with "additives" form poorly soluble oxides on the surface, which prevents high-quality soldering.

There are two types of copper pipes, depending on the method of their manufacture:

• annealed;
• unannealed.

These pipes may have the same composition, but differ dramatically in physical properties.

Annealed pipes are flexible pipe material. The degree of flexibility can be judged by the fact that they are sold in coils wound like a hose. The flexibility of annealed pipes is a big plus during installation. From them, you can form different configurations without using additional parts. This gives material savings on fittings and consumables. Reduces labor costs, fewer connections are used.

And although these pipes are considered less strong than unannealed ones, their safety margin is quite enough for communications in individual houses.

Unannealed pipes are not subjected to additional processing - they remain rigid. You can buy such material by direct runs, like the usual steel ones. The wiring of unannealed communications is carried out using fittings.

The method is based on the capillary rise of a liquid (molten solder) along the thinnest gap between the pipe walls. There are two types of soldering copper pipes: low-temperature and high-temperature soldering. The difference in soldering mainly depends on the melting temperature of the solder. For high-temperature solders, refractory solders are used, for low-temperature solders, soft solders rolled into coils are used. Accordingly, for heating pipes at brazing acetylene and propane torches are used, for low-temperature ones it is sometimes enough, fire from a blowtorch. Brazing can be applied to all types of copper wiring, including headers solar heating where pipes can be heated up to 250°C, low-temperature soldering is more demanding on pipe heating temperatures, however, it is successfully used in hot water and heating systems. There are no structural differences in these types of soldering, however, high-temperature soldering is more often used for socket pipe joints, and low-temperature soldering is used for pipe joints with fittings with solder fused into them, although vice versa is also possible.

For the installation of copper pipelines, three types of pipes are used: soft (R 220), semi-solid (R 250) and hard (R 290). As a hardness (hardness) parameter, the tensile strength in MPa (N/mm²) is proposed. Soft pipes are sold rolled into bays, semi-solid and hard - straight rods. The fundamental difference in these types of pipes is the pressure of the transported medium that the pipes can withstand. Hard pipes withstand the highest pressure (290 N/mm²), soft pipes withstand the lowest pressure (220 N/mm²). The pressure that is created in apartment and even cottage pipelines will successfully withstand any of these pipes. And if you need to build a steam boiler house or a mini-production, then you can’t do without calculation and drafting a project, but that’s another topic.

Socket soldering (Fig. 36) uses soft, semi-hard or hard copper pipes with a pre-annealed end. One of the ends of the pipe with an expander is shaped into a socket, similar to a socket sewer pipes, the end of another pipe will be inserted into it. It must be remembered that when you anneal the ends of hard pipes, you release the metal and the pipe at the junction acquires the properties of a soft pipe. This circumstance must be taken into account when designing a pipeline according to pressure criteria.

To make a socket, you need to use only those heads on the expander that are designed for a given pipe diameter, then the diameter of the socket will automatically turn out to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the pipe. Usually the gap between the inner walls of the socket and outer walls of the pipe inserted into the socket is approximately 0.2 mm. Such a gap provides "drawing in" of the molten solder and its uniform distribution over the entire inner surface of the socket at any position of the pipe. In other words, pipes can be soldered in any position, even with the socket down, the capillary gap between the pipes will still "suck" the molten solder into itself, which will be evenly distributed over the place of soldering. Using the “correct” expander head is 80% of soldering success - the gap between the pipes and the depth of the socket is set by this particular tool.

Today, pipe manufacturers produce ready-made fittings and couplings, on which sockets are already made (Fig. 37). The use of such parts makes the pipeline more expensive, but completely eliminates the "human factor" present during self-manufacturing expander socket.

The pipes at the place of the solder are covered with a flux (Fig. 38), which will act as a lubricant for the solder and a “pickle” (cleansing of the metal) for copper. When high-temperature soldering with silver or bronze solders, borax is used as a flux. It is mixed with water until a viscous slurry is obtained. Flux is applied without excess only to the collar of the pipe that will mate with the fitting or socket, and not into the fitting or socket. After applying the flux, it is recommended to immediately articulate the parts to prevent foreign particles from entering the wet surface. If, for some reason, soldering will take place a little later, then it is better for the parts to wait for this moment already in the articulated form. It is recommended to rotate the pipe in the fitting or socket, or vice versa, the fitting around the axis of the pipe, in order to make sure that the flux is evenly distributed in the mounting gap and to feel that the pipe has reached the stop. Then it is necessary to remove visible flux residues from the outer surface of the pipe with a rag.

For soldering copper pipes, solder rods with a diameter of 3 mm from copper and silver or bronze alloys are used. After the socket is made, or when using a ready-made fitting with a socket, the pipes are inserted into each other. The junction is heated from all sides with a propane or acetylene torch. Heating is carried out until the solder bar brought up and pressed against the socket begins to melt. With the acquisition of experience, the heating time of the pipes is determined by the change in color of the pipe - until a "red glow" is reached. Threaded fittings for connecting to other pipelines or to plumbing fixtures are made of bronze and brass and require a longer heating time when soldering. To determine the solder consumption per joint, the following method is usually used: the solder bar is bent in the form of the letter G, making the bend slightly larger than the socket diameter. As soon as the place of soldering is warmed up to the desired temperature, the solder is pressed against the gap between the socket and the pipe inserted into it and is led around the pipe without stopping the heating of the joint. The solder melts and flows into the gap. It is necessary to melt the entire bent end of the solder into the gap, no more and no less. An increase in solder consumption leads to the fact that it can flow through the slot and melt the inner section of the pipes. A decrease in solder consumption leads to non-soldering of the joint.

When soldering pipes, you must follow basic safety measures for working with open flames. It is necessary to work in canvas gloves, it is better together with an assistant, to hold the pipe away from the place of heating. When working alone, use clamps to temporarily secure the pipes.

After cooling, the assembly is ready for operation - this is the most reliable connection of copper pipes and is not difficult at all. The experience of soldering copper pipes comes quickly, and for those who already know the technique of gas welding, it is immediately clear. True, to heat pipes, you need equipment for gas welding. Sometimes (for soldering joints of small diameters) you can use the hot air of a powerful building hair dryer using the hot air cone limiter to heat up faster. Another way of heating without a flame are electrocontact devices. Outwardly, they resemble large tongs with interchangeable copper heads to cover pipes of different diameters.

Upon completion of soldering of the assembly or the entire pipeline, it must be flushed to free the internal cavities from flux residues. As already mentioned, the flux works not only as a lubricant for solder, but also as an etchant for copper, that is, in fact, it is an aggressive oxidizing agent. And if so, then there is nothing more for him to do inside the pipes, he must be removed from there by washing with water. From the outer surface of the pipes, the leaked flux is removed with a rag.

Butt soldering of pipelines is not allowed. If it is necessary to connect the parts end-to-end, then they do not solder the pipes, but weld them. In principle, almost the same operations are done as in high-temperature soldering, except that no flux is required, and the heating of pipes and fittings is increased to the melting temperature of the metal.

For low-temperature soldering, fittings with solder fused into them are used. Outwardly, these are the same fittings for socket soldering, but a belt is squeezed out along the surface of the socket (Fig. 39), inside which manufacturers poured solder even at the stage of fittings manufacturing. Both refractory and low-melting solder can be poured into the fitting, thanks to which both types of soldering can be performed. However, most often, low-melting solder is poured into the fittings, so the joints on such fittings are classified as low-temperature soldering.

The technology for connecting copper pipes on fused solder fittings is even simpler than on conventional fittings. Pipes and fittings are processed in exactly the same way as described above. The pipes are then inserted into fittings or couplings. The fittings are heated by the fire of a blowtorch or the hot air of a building hair dryer, the solder embedded in the fittings melts and spreads along the socket, soldering the parts (Fig. 40). That's the whole technology: I stuck the cleaned and fluxed parts into each other, heated the assembly with a blowtorch and let it cool.

The connection of copper pipes on low-temperature soldering can be used for all types of brownies pipe wiring, with the exception of pipelines with high temperatures (about 150–250°C), which in ordinary house can not be.

Connecting pipes by soldering
Tight joining of copper pipes without soldering
Mandatory Connection Rules

Even taking into account the fact that polymer pipes are used more and more often, hardware are still enjoying great success. As a rule, copper, brass and steel are used as the metal. AT better side copper differs in terms of resistance to corrosion and high temperatures. Actually, the connection of copper pipes will be discussed in this article.

Even despite the fact that copper pipes are distinguished by their high cost, given all the characteristics of the material, their use is quite justified.

First of all, before connecting copper pipes, it is worth deciding how to connect them, by soldering or otherwise.

Connecting pipes by soldering

Consider the connection of copper tubes with fittings, followed by soldering, which can be low- and high-temperature. In the first method, soldering is carried out at a temperature of 300 ºC. The second method is used in the arrangement of systems with high loads for industrial purposes.

Couplings act as connectors for copper pipes; tin-lead solder and flux are additionally needed.

The pipe soldering technology will be as follows:

• First of all, a pipe of a certain size is cut.

  Copper pipe connection: types and features

  This process must be carried out carefully, taking into account the dimensions of the existing fittings.

• Pipe ends should be inspected for any defects such as chips, cracks or burrs. If they are not eliminated, then there will be problems with the tightness of the connection after all work has been completed.
• After making sure that the ends are cleaned, you can start connecting. Due to the fact that several pipes will be connected, and they can be with different sections, the fittings must be selected accordingly.
• Next, the end of the pipe and the inner walls of the couplings should be treated with a flux, which will degrease the surfaces to obtain the highest quality connection.
• Now the end of the pipe is threaded into the copper tube connector and heated. It must be selected so that the cross section is 1-1.5 cm larger than the pipe section. The pipes are heated with a gas burner. The gap between the pipe and the coupling is filled with molten solder. Nowadays, you can find any type of solder to suit your needs on the market, so choosing should not be any problem.
• After the solder is evenly distributed around the circumference, the parts to be joined must be left until it has completely hardened.

• At the final stage, you need to check the connectors for copper pipes and the entire system by running water into it. At this point, not only the system will be checked, but it will also be cleaned of flux residues, which over time can cause metal corrosion.

Tight joining of copper pipes without soldering

In addition, it is worth noting that, despite the fact that connecting pipes by soldering is considered the most reliable method in most cases, there are still situations when it is not possible to use this method. In such cases, you can resort to connecting copper tubes without soldering. You will need special fittings that will ensure a secure connection due to the clamping effect that is formed during the threaded connection.

AT this case the connection is made in the following sequence:

• First, the fittings are disconnected, which often have two components.
• One of the elements is put on the pipe. As a rule, this is a nut and a clamping ring.
• Next, a pipe is threaded into the fitting and the nut is tightened.

Typically, such fittings are completed with detailed instructions, which must be followed without fail, otherwise the work performed will be of poor quality.

It should be noted that before connecting copper tubes without soldering, it is worth realizing all the risks, since it is quite difficult to get a high-quality connection. Minimal distortions of the connected parts are not allowed at all, otherwise the technology is grossly violated. To threaded connection it turned out to be extremely tight, it is desirable to additionally seal it with special threads. At the same time, care should be taken that they do not end up with inside pipes, as subsequently the water may not pass through the system properly.

Mandatory Connection Rules

For any type of connection, the list of work performed will look like this:

• The pipes to be joined must be made of the same metal. In case you are going to connect a copper pipe with a pipe made of any other material, you must decide on the right method connections. For example, for joining pipes made of copper and polyvinyl chloride, the soldering method cannot be used.
• When connecting a copper pipe to a steel pipe, the copper pipe should be placed after the steel pipe.
• When tightening a threaded connection, you need to be extremely careful, especially if you have pipes with thin walls at your disposal.
• To correctly determine the amount of solder needed, a piece of wire must have the circumference of the pipe to be soldered.
• A special burner is best suited for heating pipes.

  You can, of course, use a simple blowtorch, but in this case you need to be prepared that the junction will overheat, and the whole workflow will become somewhat more complicated.

• It is no secret that copper pipes are quite expensive material. In this regard, even before the work, it will not be superfluous to carry out preliminary calculations of the volume required material. However, remember that all connecting parts also have their own dimensions, so they must be taken into account.

In conclusion, it would not be out of place to note that the connection of copper pipes is technologically a process of medium complexity. If you are engaged in such work for the first time, then you need to be prepared for the fact that some nuances may arise. To understand the process and get as much insight as possible about it, it will not be superfluous to get advice from professional workers, or at least to get acquainted with the available video materials.

How to connect copper pipes: basic methods

There are many methods for joining copper pipes in single system pipeline. The market provides a huge number of fittings, solders, fluxes, fasteners, allowing you to create detachable and non-detachable, serviced and unattended connections.

Work with copper pipes consists of:

• sizing - if the pipe is incorrectly measured, it is impossible to cut it correctly;
• cutting - made strictly perpendicular with a pipe cutter, given that it is better to make more turns than to apply force;
• stripping - removing burrs after cutting and oxide film (it is better to do this with a special napkin);
• connections.

Ways of connecting copper pipes:

• capillary soldering;
• high-temperature soldering;
• various fittings.

Connection by soldering

For connecting copper products by soldering flux should be applied to the cleaned surface and the parts should be immediately connected. Heat the connection unit evenly with a gas burner (blowtorch, soldering iron) until the flux begins to change color and the solder melts. The burner fire is diverted, the solder fills the gap between the elements.

In order for the amount of solder to be optimal, experts offer a simple guideline - the length of the solder rod should be equal to the diameter of the pipe. You can cut the bar of the required length before soldering. If one of the elements is a fitting that has already been soldered at the factory, then it does not need to be added.

After filling the gap with solder, it is necessary to allow time for cooling without exposing the assembly to mechanical stress. Once the solder has completely cured, remove any remaining solder and flux with a damp cloth.

Copper fittings: soldered and flared, threaded and crimped

After the entire system is mounted, it should be flushed hot water. Flux contributes to corrosion, so its presence on the inner surface is undesirable.

Types of fittings for connecting copper pipes

The connection without soldering is made using fittings, which are divided into two large groups - straight (connection of elements of the same diameter) and transitional (connection of elements of different diameters). Diameters can be from 8 to 100 millimeters.

Based on the configuration, a fitting (connector) for copper pipes is called:

• coupling - must be made of the same material as the pipes, can be used both for elements with the same diameter and for elements with different diameters, used when there is no need to change direction;
• square - designed to change the direction of the system by 30, 45 or 90 degrees;
• tee - used to connect three ends located relative to each other at an angle of 45 or 90 degrees;
• cross - joins together four pipes located perpendicular to each other on the same plane;
• adapter ("American", futorka, squeegee, nipple) - for combining pipes from different materials using various methods;
• plug - a cap, a plug for sealing the end of the tube;
• fitting - for connecting a pipe and a flexible hose.

Based on the method, the connection of copper pipes with fittings can be:

• using a soldering fitting, under the thread of which there is tin. A flux-treated pipe is inserted into it, the assembly is heated until the solder becomes liquid and fills the gap;
• using threaded (equipped with threads);
• crimp (compression), allowing you to connect the elements different diameter. The pipe is fixed with a fitting using an O-shaped seal and a detachable or one-piece ring.

  Conventional tools are suitable for installation;

• press - fitting, consisting of a body and a sleeve and mounted using press - tongs;
• self-locking fitting, which is based on internal rings, one of which is equipped with teeth. When pressed with a special key, the teeth enter another ring, forming a secure connection. Just as easy as putting on, taking off.

Features of copper products: what to consider

When installing a copper pipeline, it is important to know not only how to connect copper pipes, but also to fulfill several additional conditions:

• to extend the life of the system, only copper and its alloys should be used;
• if it is necessary to use products from other materials, then it should be taken into account that copper cannot be combined with galvanized steel, as this leads to corrosion in steel elements;
• if the use of steel products cannot be avoided in any way, then they should be mounted in front of copper elements;
• safe connection of copper and acid-resistant steel.

Fasteners

For the final installation of any pipeline, clamps for copper pipes are required.

For domestic pipelines are used:

• metal C-shaped (fastening with one bolt) and O-shaped (fastening with two bolts) clamps made of steel and equipped with a rubber coating that neutralizes mechanical and acoustic vibrations;
• plastic clamps (movable and stationary) - for internal systems, equipped with dowel and screw;
• brackets - for hanging or arranging system elements.

It is obvious that for each system it is necessary to select its own methods of installation and fastening. Only when choosing quality materials and correct installation the pipeline will be reliable and durable.

In the market of modern communication systems, the most popular products are made of plastic and stainless steel. They are widely used to create pipelines for water supply, sewerage and heating. However, copper communications, despite the high cost, also firmly occupied their niche. They are less susceptible to corrosion (unlike steel), more reliable than plastic, which allows you to create durable pipelines that will work for decades.

How to choose copper pipes for arranging a heating or plumbing system in a house, and how to install copper pipes with our own hands, we will describe in our article.

The undeniable and most important advantages of copper communications are:

• resistance to corrosion;
• high strength;
• plasticity and flexibility, which makes it easier and faster to install;
• no growths of inorganic compounds and microorganisms are formed inside the products;
• longevity of communication systems.

The most important question is how to choose copper pipes so that they long time fulfilled their purpose without additional maintenance and repair measures.

When choosing copper communications, you need to consider a number of factors:

• pipe dimensions;
• pressure in a particular heating or water supply system;
• temperature of transported substances;
• the presence of an insulating layer of polyvinyl chloride or other polymer;
• pipeline assignment.

One of the main parameters is the diameter of copper pipes, on which technical specifications depend. characteristics of the pipeline and the choice of fittings for installation. For the construction of domestic pipelines, products of the two most common sizes are used

For larger systems, larger products can be used.

The difference between copper pipes and steel counterparts is that even with such a small thickness, the working pressure of copper products is much higher.

Methods for connecting copper pipes

Copper pipe installation and connection individual elements copper pipelines can be produced using threaded couplings, using a press fitting, as well as by soldering copper parts when using a gas burner.

The first two methods are the simplest and should not cause difficulties, even with self-installation of communication. Soldering of copper products is carried out only by specialists with experience and special tools. However, this is the most reliable, strong and durable type of connection of copper products.

For arrangement copper pipeline You may need the following tools:

• grinder with a cutting disc or a special device - a pipe cutter;
• calibrator, which is needed to restore the ideal round shape after processing products;

Copper pipe calibrator

• the usual set of wrenches, including adjustable;
• a file with a fine notch for cleaning pipe sections;
• pliers and abrasive skin for removing oxide and preparing metal for soldering;
• gas burner or powerful hot soldering iron;
• solder and flux for better adhesion of copper to tin.

Features of the installation of the pipeline

Consider in detail each connection of copper pipes.

To connect products with a threaded method, the following procedure is performed in stages.

cut off the pipe required size. Calibrate and, if necessary, flare the pipe section, depending on the type of fitting used. Clean the ends of the products to be joined from burrs and dust and make a small chamfer for a better connection with the coupling.

If the fitting does not contain a polymer gasket, then a special winding tape must be wound around the cut of the product, which will improve the sealing of the connection.

Put the fixing nut on the pipe.

Fittings for copper pipes: types, characteristics, installation features

Install a cone-shaped compression ring to create a reliable connection of the entire structure. Insert the section of the product into the fitting and tighten the connection with a nut using a regular wrench

The entire installation process can be seen more clearly in the video below:

Installing copper pipes with a press fitting will not cause any difficulties. Sections of the product are prepared in the same way. The ends of the pipes to be connected are inserted into the clamp fitting, inside which there is a gasket, and with the help of the clamp the material is squeezed.

To do this, you need special pliers that wrap around the product around the entire circumference. Ordinary pliers will not work, as they only capture certain areas of the connection.

This method and the threaded connection of copper pipes are the most simple and convenient. Anyone, even a novice communications system installer, can quickly do this job. However, they are designed for pipelines with low water pressure. To perform bends, turns and bypass obstacles when laying pipes, there are special elements made from the same metal.

Connection of copper pipes by soldering

The highest quality and reliable installation - copper pipes are connected by soldering.

Products must be prepared and cleaned from foreign metal particles and dust.

If there is an insulating layer of polymer on the copper pipe, then it must be removed at a distance of 15-20 centimeters from the cut of the product.

The surface of copper is subject to oxidation on outdoors, therefore, a layer of metal oxide is formed on top, which can interfere with high-quality soldering of elements. He's cleaning up mechanically with the help of small sandpaper.

After processing the cut of the product, it is necessary to wipe the place of soldering with a clean and dry cloth to remove sawdust and dust. Then the cleaned surface should be treated with a flux, which is a solution of sulfuric acid and other substances that promote the best adhesion of metals.

It will not be superfluous to tin with solder the part of the pipe that is to be soldered. For this it must be heated and a thin layer of molten solder is applied. For the installation of copper pipes, this is extremely important.

The end of the product prepared in this way must be inserted into a fitting with a small gap, into which molten solder will enter during soldering. Next, heat the place to be soldered with a gas burner or a powerful soldering iron.

However, it should be noted that too high a temperature can damage the connection, as the solder will roll down.

Before soldering, you need to firmly fix the joint, because even a small vibration can disrupt the quality of the connection.

At the final stage of laying copper pipes, insert solder into the gap between the product and the fitting, which is similar in shape to an ordinary wire, and melt it. After cooling, the connection is ready for use.

I would like to draw attention to the fact that the process of cooling the place of soldering should occur gradually naturally. Procedure with cold water or with a damp cloth, as in electric welding, in this case is strictly prohibited. Otherwise, the solder will crumble, and the connection will have to be redone.

After the installation is completed - copper pipes are installed in the pipeline in compliance with all the rules, it is necessary to test the performance of the entire system by briefly supplying water. During the test, all pipe connections and connections to plumbing fixtures should be carefully inspected. For your peace of mind, you need to supply water with a pressure slightly higher than the working value. If the pipeline passes this test, then it can be safely connected to the operating mode.

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Copper piping

The unique performance qualities of copper provided tubular products from it, despite the high cost, quite wide application. Copper pipes are not afraid of ultraviolet rays, have a low coefficient of thermal expansion, high corrosion resistance in non-acidic environments. The ability of copper to maintain ductility at negative temperatures makes it possible to install copper pipes even in winter conditions. The durability of copper pipes does not depend on the temperature and pressure of the media transported through them.

Copper pipes make it possible to transport high-temperature liquids in them.

Scopes of copper pipes

Installation of copper pipes in heating systems due to their high resistance to high temperature liquids. This property is especially relevant for a single-pipe heating scheme, in which to ensure the coolant temperature in the last radiator is about 70ºС, it is necessary that in the first one it be equal to approximately 120ºС

The connection of pipes with compression fittings does not give an absolute guarantee of reliability and requires constant monitoring during operation.

The maximum temperature that the polymers used in heating systems can withstand does not exceed 95ºС, and media with temperatures up to 300ºС can be transported through copper pipes. An important property a pipeline made of this metal is its ability to withstand a pressure of 200-400 atm, while the do-it-yourself soldered connection of copper pipes remains airtight. At the same time, metal-plastic products can withstand, on average, a pressure of 6 atm, with a possible operating pressure in the system of 6–8 atm. Soft copper heating pipes can easily withstand 3-4 freeze-thaw cycles.

Due to its antibacterial properties, copper is able to resist the infiltration of contaminants in urban water supply networks. Sanitary copper is resistant to chlorine. Moreover, chlorine, being a strong oxidizing agent, contributes to the formation of a protective oxide film on copper, which prolongs the life of the pipeline. However, it should be remembered that do-it-yourself hidden laying of copper pipes can only be carried out if there is a polymer sheath on the pipes, which protects copper from stray currents.

When using copper pipes in heating and water supply systems, combinations in the system should be avoided. different materials, which leads to local electrochemical corrosion. If it is necessary to connect, for example, aluminum with copper, brass transition elements are used.

Copper pipes are universal: in addition to water supply and heating systems, they are used to transfer gases, refrigerants to refrigeration systems used in air conditioning systems.

Connection of pipes with compression fittings

Make sure that there are no burrs, cracks or other damage on the pipe sections before installation. This will help avoid problems in further exploitation pipes.

To connect copper pipes with your own hands, use crimp or solder fittings - fittings various shapes and appointments.

Compression fittings are made of brass, inside of them there is a compression ring, which guarantees tight fastening. The ring is tightened by hand with a wrench. However, it is advisable to use such fittings only in those places where it is impossible to work with open fire and it is possible to easily check the tightness of the connection. Compression fittings are designed for lower pressure ratings than solder fittings and must be periodically checked and tightened.

Connection of steel and plastic pipes heating and water supply with copper is often carried out precisely with the use of compression fittings. To connect such a fitting to, it is necessary to disassemble it, then put a clamping nut on the pipe, and then a compression ring. The assembly, consisting of pipe, clamp nut and ferrule, is inserted into the fitting. The nut is tightened with a wrench for a number of turns, depending on the diameter of the pipe and determined by the passport data of the fitting.

Compression fitting connections are not absolutely reliable and require constant monitoring during operation.

Capillary soldering method

Before starting the laying of the water supply, it is necessary to cut the copper pipes to the desired dimensions.

This method is based on the capillary effect, which contributes to the uniform distribution of solder over the entire section, regardless of the position of the pipe. To create a capillary effect, special fittings are used, the diameters of which must differ from the diameters of the pipe by a strictly defined value. For soldering open fire a gap of 0.1-0.15 mm is recommended.

Connections using capillary soldering are carried out using special fluxes and solders - thin wires made from metal alloys with a low melting point, usually tin with small additions of copper and silver. Solder joints are used in cases where either water supply is carried out by hand in the floor or walls, or in other cases when visual control of the integrity of the joints is not possible.

There are two soldering methods: high temperature and low temperature.

Brazing, otherwise known as brazing, is used where the operating conditions of copper pipelines are associated with the presence of high temperatures. Such soldering is carried out using special fluxes and hard solders. For do-it-yourself installation of pipelines, this type of soldering is practically not used.

Low-temperature, or soft, soldering is used for pipelines used to transport liquid and gaseous media, working temperature which does not exceed 110ºС. With low-temperature soldering with your own hands, the joints are heated to a temperature that is approximately 300ºС.

Copper pipe soldering process

The soldering time of copper pipes will help to reduce the marking on the fitting itself with recommendations for solder of the required size.

Before soldering, the outer part of the end of the pipe and inner fitting processed with sandpaper to a state pure metal. Next, a thin layer of solder paste or flux is applied to the cleaned end of the pipe. These materials, when molten, dissolve the oxide films on the elements to be joined, protecting their surfaces from further oxidation, which is caused by high temperatures.

However, given the fact that the flux destroys the surface of the metal, when soldering with your own hands, it must be applied just before the start of work and only on the area that will be included in the fitting. After hardening, the flux is a film that does not require removal.

Next, the pipe is inserted into the socket of the capillary fitting until it stops. Places are evenly heated with a flame of a gas burner or a hot air gun. For this purpose, it is desirable to use a lamp equipped with two burners or spray nozzles.

If the flux used contains tin, then when it is heated to the desired temperature, silvery drops will appear. In other cases, you can make sure that the desired temperature is reached by touching the solder to the heated surface - the solder should spread. The molten solder must be injected into the joint immediately. Moreover, it does not matter from which side it will be introduced. Due to the capillary effect, the solder fills the entire joint evenly. Flux residues are removed from the fitting with a rag.

The use of a variety of fittings that have a solder bead applied inside by the manufacturer will help reduce soldering time. right size. The fitting is put on a pipe covered with flux, heated with a torch or a hot air gun until the solder is in a liquid state. After cooling, the design of the water supply and heating pipeline is ready for operation.

Installation of copper pipes

In the process of installing plumbing systems with your own hands, it often becomes necessary to connect copper pipes with products made from other materials. In heating systems, cold and hot water supply, copper compounds with steel, plastic and brass are safe from the point of view of the occurrence of corrosion processes. But the contact of copper with galvanized steel is dangerous for galvanized pipes and leads to their destruction due to electrolytic processes. In order to avoid failure of the pipeline, it is necessary to make the connection with the help of, and ensure the direction of the water flow from steel to copper.

Before starting work, it is necessary to prepare a tool for installing copper pipes in a heating system or supplying hot or cold water. To do this, you will need: a pipe cutter or a hacksaw for metal, a file or a scraper, in the presence of sections of complex configuration - a pipe bender, gas burner or hot air gun.

Do-it-yourself laying of a copper pipeline begins with sections of a pre-calculated length. Then it is necessary to deburr the outer and inner parts of the pipe, if necessary, to level the cut. The use of a pipe bender will prevent flattening of the pipe and the formation of creases, which can cause a decrease in the performance of the pipeline in these places.

If the pipe diameters do not exceed 15 mm, then their bending radius must be at least 3.5 diameters, and if more than 15 mm, then four diameters. When bending by hand, a high-quality bend can only be obtained with a radius equal to 8 diameters.

Despite their resistance to corrosion, copper pipes, due to violations of manufacturing technology, improper soldering and severe water contamination with abrasive inclusions, can undergo very dangerous pitting corrosion. The pipe corrodes in places where the oxide film is destroyed. One way to avoid this process is to install filters on water supply and heating pipelines.

On modern construction market copper pipes, due to their unique performance, quite successfully compete with steel, plastic and metal-plastic products, despite their high cost.