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Water and sewer pipes made of polymeric materials are steadily replacing their older iron counterparts from apartments, cottages and public places. This is due to their low cost, durability, corrosion resistance and ease of installation. Read more about how to solder plastic pipes in this article.
Varieties of pipes to be welded
The concept of "plastic pipes" includes several types of plumbing products from different polymers. They differ in scope (for water supply or sewerage), technical characteristics and installation method.
The following polymer pipes are mounted by welding:
- Polypropylene (PP). The pipeline made of this material withstands high temperatures and pressures and is wear-resistant and durable. Polypropylene is used for the installation of cold and hot water supply circuits, as well as heating systems, the installation of which is carried out using reinforced polypropylene materials.
- Polyethylene (PE). Possessing all the advantages of polypropylene, a polyethylene pipe is more flexible and plastic, therefore, unlike polypropylene products, it is stored and sold in rolls. The only disadvantage compared to polypropylene is lower heat resistance, so polyethylene is unsuitable for use in heating and hot water systems.
- Polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The range of products made from this polymer is extensive - with a wide range of diameters, stiffness and working pressure. A distinctive feature of polyvinyl chloride is its high bactericidal properties.
There are types of plastic pipes, the assembly of communications from which does not require welding. These include:
- from cross-linked polyethylene;
- metal-plastic pipes.
A pipeline made of these materials is mounted using metal connecting elements - fittings, which increases the cost of installation.
Necessary equipment and tools
Welding of PVC, polypropylene and polyethylene water pipes requires a minimum amount of tools and equipment:
- The device for welding is an electric heater with a set of paired nozzles with a Teflon coating of standard diameters. Nozzles correspond to the internal and external diameters of the pipes used. If you plan to use the device once, it makes sense not to buy it, but to rent it for a short time.
- Pipe cutters - for fast, accurate and even cuts of pipes of the desired size. In the absence of a pipe cutter, you can use a hacksaw for metal, but in this case the cut will not turn out so neat.
- Tape measure, building level and marker - for measuring the length of pipeline sections and marking during installation.
- Rags, solvent - for degreasing the welded areas.
In the case of inserting a plastic pipeline into metal communications, you may need a pair of gas wrenches (or wrenches of the required diameter), plumbing linen (or fum-tape), sealant for sealing threaded connections.
If the installation will be carried out with reinforced pipes, a scraper will be needed - a device for stripping foil.
To fix the pipeline to the wall, you need a puncher.
Preparation for work
Welding of PVC pipes, like other polymeric materials, requires preparatory measures.
Before installing the plumbing system, you should draw a diagram of future communications on paper, minimizing the number of branches if possible. Then mark the laying of the pipeline "on the ground" - on the walls or on the floor, with a mark of the connecting elements (tees, angles and couplings), valves, meters, filters and all points of water consumption (faucets, toilet bowl, washing machine, etc.) .
After marking the water supply system, it is necessary to calculate the footage of pipes and the number of fittings. The next step is going to the store. Buy materials should be with a margin of 10%. Valves, filters, meters and adapters with a threaded connection are purchased in accordance with the drawn diagram.
A feature of polymeric materials is their linear expansion under thermal exposure. In order to avoid sagging and deformation of communications in long sections (5 m or more), it is recommended to provide for the use of compensators - loop-shaped connecting elements that compensate for the physical effect of high temperatures on the pipeline.
soldering process
The necessary materials have been purchased, the equipment has been prepared - it's time to proceed to the installation of the water supply system.
Let's take a closer look at how to properly solder plastic pipes with your own hands.
The technology for welding plastic pipes is extremely simple: heating the elements to be joined to the required temperature and joining them to each other, resulting in a high-strength homogeneous polymer joint.
The welding sequence is as follows:
- Pipes are cut into segments of the required dimensions according to the installation scheme.
- When using reinforced pipes, they are cleaned of reinforcing foil at the welding points.
- Nozzles corresponding to the diameters of the parts to be welded are attached to the welding machine. The device is connected to the mains. Welding is carried out at a temperature of +260⁰С.
- The marker on the elements to be connected marks the risks to ensure the alignment of the parts.
- We insert the connected parts into the nozzles. One of the connected elements is heated from the outside, the other from the inside. The warm-up time depends on the diameter of the material.
- Heated elements quickly connect to each other along previously identified risks. The connection is fixed, the offset is not allowed.
- Cooling time is given for 2-8 minutes depending on the diameter.
Correspondence table for pipeline diameter and welding time
| Pipe diameter, mm | Heating time, sec | Connection time, sec | Cooling time, min |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| 25 | 7 | 4 | 2 |
| 32 | 8 | 6 | 4 |
| 40 | 12 | 6 | 4 |
| 50 | 18 | 6 | 4 |
| 63 | 24 | 8 | 6 |
| 75 | 30 | 10 | 8 |
| 90 | 40 | 11 | 8 |
| 110 | 50 | 12 | 8 |
If all requirements are met, the result of welding is a monolithic connection, which guarantees the tightness and reliability of the pipeline.
Plastic water pipes made of polypropylene are becoming more and more popular, also because the installation technology is very simple and affordable for self-execution.
But for this you need to know how to properly solder polypropylene pipes, because this is the main operation that determines the durability of the entire system.
Installation of plastic pipes for internal wiring is a fairly simple, but rather laborious process, therefore, first of all, you need to understand how to properly solder polypropylene.
Properties of polypropylene
Products for water supply are made of PPR grade plastic, which has the following characteristics:
- operating temperature range from -10 to +90 degrees;
- plastic melting starts at 149 degrees;
- nominal pressure from 1.5 to 2.5 atmospheres.
One of them is the reinforcement of the walls with fiberglass or aluminum. To do this, a layer of fiberglass or aluminum foil threads is applied over the finished pipe, and then another layer of polypropylene is applied.
This design makes it possible to obtain polypropylene pipes suitable even for use in heating and hot water systems.
The cardinal method of reinforcing polypropylene products is the installation of a metal layer. For this, aluminum foil in the form of a strip is used.
It is wound along a helical line onto the workpiece along a layer of glue, a second adhesive layer is applied over the metal foil. The outer shell is made of the same polypropylene.
Such products are suitable for use in water supply systems with increased pressure up to 6 atmospheres.
Which polypropylene products to choose
For low-pressure cold water supply networks, PN16 products are the most practical. They easily withstand pressure up to 2 atmospheres at temperatures up to +40 degrees. This is quite enough to withstand the load of a water supply system in a private house or an irrigation system in a greenhouse or garden.
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Polypropylene products of the PN20 brand are more resistant to various influences, which are considered universal and can be used, among other things, for heating with a coolant temperature of up to 95 degrees.
But the most reliable in any water pipes are PN25 pipes reinforced with aluminum or fiberglass.
Equipment for mounting polypropylene
Polypropylene water pipes have their own characteristics in terms of assembly technology, determined by the properties of the source material. Before soldering polypropylene pipes, you need to purchase a special tool for this.
Its set is not very extensive, but it contains some devices that are used only for this process:
Scissors for cutting polypropylene products. They are needed in order to ensure a strictly perpendicular cut. If a gap forms at the interface during soldering, there is a possibility of a leak in the joint.
Shiver - a device for cleaning the surface of products before soldering. Without this device, it is generally impossible to solder polypropylene pipes reinforced with any materials. The fact is that the soldering of polyethylene is a diffusion process in which there is a mutual penetration of the molten material.
Naturally, aluminum or fiberglass are unsuitable for this purpose. Using this tool, you can also chamfer at an angle of 45 degrees on the ends of the parts to be joined to facilitate joining during the soldering process.
There are many design solutions for this device, so when buying a tool, a wide choice is provided.
Soldering iron. The main tool used in the soldering of polypropylene water pipes. It is based on a plate on which interchangeable bushings of various sizes are attached. These nozzles are paired - one for the fitting, the second for the pipe.
The parts to be connected are mounted on an interchangeable tool. Switching on is made on the handle of the device, the temperature regulator is also installed there. The heating time of the mating parts is 6 seconds or more.
Usually, the tool kit also includes a screwdriver for installing a replacement tool, a marker for marking, and a tape measure for taking measurements.
Preparation for the installation of a water supply system from polypropylene pipes
It is safe to say that high-quality preparation for wiring assembly largely determines its performance and durability.
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In addition, one of the main tasks of these activities is to calculate the real need for water supply elements.
Selecting a connection scheme
Currently, two main schemes for installing pipe wiring are common:
tee- with it, each water consumer is connected to a central pipe connected to a riser. For this, triplets are used.
The disadvantage of this scheme is that, that with the simultaneous opening several taps, the pressure in the supply pipe drops sharply and the flow of water in each of them is reduced. Particularly affected are the points of analysis, remote from the riser.
The second negative point is that if there is a need for current repairs, it is necessary to turn off the entire water supply scheme for this time.
Tee schemes are used in apartments or small private houses. The advantages include ease of installation and relatively low consumption of materials.
Collector wiring diagram. This method of forming a water supply network consists in the fact that a supply pipe is led from the riser to the topographic center of the water supply system and ends with the installation of a comb.
The comb is a short branch pipe with taps installed on it with a thread for a ball valve. Thus, a distribution node is formed, from which wiring is carried out to consumption points.
As a result, it is possible to block any point of water consumption separately. The rest of the system continues to function normally with the same water flow.
Temperature modes of operation
Manufacturers of products for water pipes declare a maximum coolant temperature of 95 degrees. However, the physical properties of the material are somewhat different from this indicator.
The softening of polypropylene begins to appear at a temperature of about 140 degrees, melting occurs at 175. Given these parameters, we can conclude that this material is suitable for any heating water pipes, with the exception of steam.
The operating temperature in the steam lines is exactly 175 degrees.
It would seem, what could be better? But the peculiarity of the material lies in the fact that the temperature in 135 degrees it starts to soften. The wiring begins to sag, thin out and eventually break.
Manufacturers of polypropylene pipes officially declare a much lower allowable temperature, wanting to insure their products and make them more durable.
It should be noted that in a properly equipped dwelling with sufficient thermal protection of the walls, such a working temperature is quite enough.
It should be noted that in heating systems it is advisable to use reinforced polypropylene pipes, which have a number of advantages:
- Stability of linear expansion of water supply elements under the influence of thermal and mechanical loads. They can withstand pressures up to 10 atmospheres without noticeable changes.
- The service life of a reinforced pipeline, constantly under pressure at elevated temperatures, is several times higher than that of non-reinforced products.
- The melting temperature in both products is the same, but under equal conditions, the pipe without reinforcement is destroyed, but the reinforced pipe is not.
How to solder polypropylene pipes with your own hands
The process of soldering polypropylene products is simple and therefore has become widespread in the technology of installing cold and hot water supply and heating systems.
However, there are some subtleties that you need to know and take into account in the work.
How to solder using the diffusion method - step by step instructions
The soldering process is based on melting the surface of the part to a certain depth. If in this state two parts are connected and cooled, then the material returns to its original state and takes on its original structure.
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During this time, the melt has time to mix, creating a monolithic material to the depth of penetration. In physics, this is called diffusion welding.
The implementation of the joint involves the production of the following technological operations:
- Cut the pipe to the required length with special scissors.
- Chamfer at 45 degree angles on both ends.
- Clean and degrease the surfaces to be welded on the outside of the workpiece and the inside of the fitting.
- Install nozzles of the required size on the soldering iron.
- Turn on the soldering iron and warm up the mating parts for the time specified in the instructions.
- Remove the parts from the soldering iron and dock them in the desired position. Hold until completely cooled.
Close attention must be paid to observing the heating time. To obtain a quality connection, it is necessary that a solid base remains under the layer of molten plastic. This will allow the parts to dock coaxially. If the parts are overheated and the plastic softens to its full thickness, it will be impossible to connect them, they will simply collapse.
The table below shows how much time is needed for the qualitative passage of each assembly stage. As you can see, the conditions are quite tough.
When performing do-it-yourself soldering, it is important to assemble several test joints before starting work in order to feel the duration of temporary materials.
It is also necessary to pay attention to the accuracy of installation in the axial direction when mating parts. The time for control and correction will remain a matter of seconds.
Watch the video
At what temperature to solder polypropylene pipes, it is established in the design of the welding machine, it is important to follow the recommendations on the heating time of the parts. This indicator depends on the power of the tool, which may differ in different models.
How to solder with a socket (socket) method
This connection method is used to connect products in order to lengthen straight sections. For this, a coupling fitting is used.
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It is installed at the end of the pipe by soldering, after which it is soldered, I repeat the detail. Soldering is carried out in accordance with the technology described above.
Soldering with the end method
It is often referred to as welding. The principle of operation remains the same - melting of the material, compression of two ends in a special mechanism, cooling. This method of docking is used for products with a diameter of more than 63 millimeters.
Butt docking using this technology can be successfully used in the field. How to evenly solder polypropylene pipes end-to-end?
To do this, it is necessary to perform preliminary machining of the ends, ensuring the absolute parallelism of the joined ends.
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How to solder reinforced polypropylene
Reinforcing layer, strengthening the structure of the polypropylene pipe. Creates a certain obstacle for docking individual parts. The reinforcing insert prevents the diffusion of the material, as a result of which the connection becomes unreliable.
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The only way to ensure a reliable connection is to remove the reinforced layer. Removal of the outer and reinforcing layer is carried out with a special tool - a shiver.
After stripping the top layer, you need to carefully remove the burrs and clean the surface from dirt, after which you can solder using the above technology.
To understand at what temperature to solder reinforced polypropylene, you need to take into account that its structure is no different from ordinary pipes and the soldering modes are the same.
"Cold welding" in polypropylene compounds
A two-component epoxy composition under this name has gained some popularity due to its effectiveness. Ease of use attracts - it is enough to knead a lump of the composition and apply it to the surfaces to be glued. The curing time of the mixture is about 10 minutes, full setting is about an hour.
The physical properties of the adhesive composition do not allow it to be used on hot water supply or heating pipelines. It is only suitable for plumbing installations.
Connection of polypropylene pipes with electrical fittings
This mounting method is widely used in industry. In this case, electrical fittings are used to make joints. A heating element is installed in the body of the part during its manufacture.
The system is installed without soldering, but each fitting is connected to the mains. Only at the end of the wiring is voltage applied to it.
Under the influence of current, the heating elements melt the mating parts to the required state, the shutdown is automatic. After the parts have cooled down, the entire network or its local section is ready for operation.
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The use of this installation method significantly increases labor productivity and eliminates the personal factor in the performance of work. Therefore, the quality of the connections is stable for the entire water supply network.
This technology allows high-quality assembly of pipeline elements in hard-to-reach places.
Soldering pipes in difficult areas
When assembling a plumbing or heating system of complex configuration, there may be problems with access to the soldering point. How to solder polypropylene pipes in hard-to-reach places?
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In the process of preparation, it is required to conditionally break the entire network into separate nodes that can be connected on a workbench, after which the finished branches are welded into the system at two or three points. The following areas can be considered difficult for installation:
- pipelines placed under the ceiling;
- in places where it is impossible to place a soldering iron.
The best way to avoid difficulties in this case is to prevent them from occurring. To do this, you need to think over the assembly order, making complex components on a workbench, and not by hand. If this is not possible, it is better to use electrical fittings.
In general, the occurrence of difficulties of this kind is a consequence of design errors. Manufacturability of installation is the main condition for the designer.
We mount saddles in the plumbing system
This element of the pipeline is used to create an additional outlet, and the need for its installation arises, as a rule, during the repair of existing wiring.
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A smaller fitting is soldered into a pipe of a larger diameter, which allows you to install a branch from the existing wiring at an angle of 90 degrees.
For this you need:
- In the wall of the existing pipe, the master needs to drill a hole of the desired diameter, remove burrs and chamfer.
- The mating parts are heated with a soldering iron according to traditional technology.
- The saddle (fitting) is tightly installed in the hole in the pipe.
This method of creating additional branches in the water supply system from polypropylene pipes allows you to continue the development of the network with the least amount of labor.
Knowing how to properly solder polypropylene will allow you to easily install pipelines of any length and degree of complexity.
Video how to choose a machine for welding polypropylene
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Imagine the situation: you urgently need to solder two plastic pipes. Water is running right out of it and you need to save the situation urgently! But how to solder plastic pipes? Especially if you have no experience. The article describes the detailed process of how to solder correctly.
The most effective and “painless” option: calling a master plumber to your home. The option may be the most reliable, but it seriously hits the pocket / wallet of the owner of the home, and the pride of the “man in the house” too.
So we dismiss this option and learn to solder correctly - then the wallet is full of crisp bills, and the man in the house repaired everything himself!
Preparation for the process. What tool do we need
We turn off the water and go to the plumbing store (if you don’t already have everything you need to repair the plumbing in your home workshop)!
So, our task: we need to solder two plastic pipes for plumbing.
What tools and materials will be needed? How to solder plastic pipes?
- Device for soldering plastic pipes. Explain to the seller in the store why you need a welding machine, and he will be happy to select the right option for you.
Moreover, buying a soldering device will be many times cheaper than calling a plumber home, and this, as we remember, is one of the fundamental options for choosing an independent solution to the problem of connecting pipes!
Such a soldering device will allow you to carry out the correct repair of communications in the house!
- Sharp knife or pipe cutter. You will need it for cutting pipes and cutting edges so that the surface of the ends to be joined is perfectly smooth. It is also possible to use a special device - a pipe cutter.
- Thin file, needle file, possibly fine-grained sandpaper. This will be needed to clean the ends that we will solder to a perfectly smooth surface.
- Fitting / coupling - a small tube that you will put on both ends of the pipes that we will solder (also available at a plumbing store).
- Roulette.
- Chamfer.
So, everything is ready for installation - let's get started! Let's just do everything right!
The first step, and perhaps the most important, is to prepare the necessary elements for soldering.
Preparation of soldered elements
First, carefully cut the tubes to the length you need with a sharp knife. You can also use a special pipe cutter if it is in your home arsenal or suddenly found in the workshop.
Then cut off the burrs at the ends. Burrs - thin chips made of plastic, notches at the ends of the tubes. Since the surface to be joined must be perfectly smooth, we carefully remove these notches with a knife.
After that, we clean the ends of the connected plastic tubes. To do this, we use a thin file, a needle file, maybe even a rifling (in this type of file, the working surface is specially curved, which allows you to clean the working surfaces inside the tubes, etc.).
You can also try sanding with fine grit sandpaper. Do not forget an important rule - the surface after stripping should be smooth, not rough, so do not spare your efforts and clean the ends of plastic tubes soundly, bringing them to perfection!
Now we perform the same cycle of events for the fitting, if it is homemade and is just a piece of tube that you will use for soldering.
If a fitting or coupling is purchased in a store, then their surface inside (which we need for connection) should already be smooth and of the right size.
So, the pipes are ready, the fitting is ready.
Let's start soldering
Now let's proceed directly to soldering the surfaces. This will require a device for soldering plastic pipes and, directly, the workpieces themselves. The most important thing here is to monitor the heating temperature of the soldering device so that it is optimal for your workpieces.
Temperature conditions for pipes of various diameters are presented in a special table, and it is necessary to follow them. By the way, the soldering device usually independently heats the nozzle to the required temperature.
True, on the old, early versions of devices for soldering there is no such function, so you have to adjust the temperature manually.
Be sure to process the workpiece well before the connection itself. Be sure to clean the surface of dirt, degrease with alcohol.
You also need to chamfer the blanks. To do this, you need to use a beveler and alcohol. This operation is necessary only for those pipes that were previously reinforced with aluminum or other composition.
Modern plastic pipe soldering tools come in a variety of designs, and some of them can significantly reduce your time required to complete the operation.
For example, on some soldering machines it is possible to install several nozzles - up to 4 pieces.
In other words, it is possible to heat up two pipes and two fittings at the same time, and after bringing it to the required temperature in a short time, create a rather large structure.
The connection itself must be carried out as quickly as possible in order to prevent a decrease in the tightness of the system. As soon as you see that the elements of the workpiece are heated to the required temperature, then immediately remove the workpieces from the nozzles and proceed to the connection.
The correct connection must be made very tight so that in the future there will be no leaks in the heating or water supply system.
Checking the joint joint after soldering
As a result, two plastic pipes for plumbing are tightly connected! Have we done everything right? You will be able to judge this only after a while, when you let the water through the “new” water supply.
After soldering pipes with a fitting, do not rush to open the water tap: after the entire procedure of your own repair, at least an hour should pass.
If, for some reason, you nevertheless performed the procedure in a cold room where the temperature was below room temperature, then you should wait at least two to three hours before the test run of water. The main thing here is not to rush, and do everything right so that your work does not go down the drain.
At the final stage of the installation, it is necessary to make sure that the place to be soldered is sufficiently reliable. To do this, it is best to carry out a test run of water. We open the tap. After starting the water, carefully inspect the entire repaired water supply unit fixed by you.
If, nevertheless, stains appear on the structure or on the fitting / coupling, water oozes, drips or even spurts from under the new connection, then your operation to save the home water supply was not carried out correctly!
You should either re-carry out the entire repair procedure, or still fork out and call a master plumber to your house. If everything went well, and water runs only from the tap, as it should, then congratulations on your success!
Mission accomplished, the family is happy, plastic water pipes are securely and firmly connected! As you can see now, this operation is not impossible, and if you follow the usual common truths, you can achieve the desired result!
Now you can safely challenge the new repair, because you already have enough knowledge and know how to solder plastic pipes correctly!
How to solder plastic pipes for plumbing correctly?
How to solder plastic pipes correctly - what tool is needed, preparation, soldering process, checking joints, which soldering device to choose th ...
Modern repairs with the replacement of plumbing and heating systems are unthinkable without the use of plastic pipes. Rapidly bursting into the building materials market at the end of the twentieth century, polypropylene plastic pipes revolutionized the history of water supply and firmly took their leading position.
We will talk about how to solder plastic pipes made of polypropylene and replace them with our own hands in this article.
Heating pipeline made of polypropylene pipes
In modern life, plastic pipes are used in absolutely all areas, becoming more and more indispensable in the construction and repair of any scale due to their significant advantages over other materials:
- not susceptible to corrosion
- have high chemical resistance,
- resistant to microorganisms
- have low heat and sound conductivity,
- light weight and easy to carry,
- eco-friendly,
- easy to install,
- suitable for external and concealed installation,
- durable - warranty period of use is 50 years, provided that the correct mode of use is observed.
Correct mode: polypropylene plastic pipes withstand working pressure up to 15 bar at temperatures from 0 to 10 degrees and 2 bar at high temperatures (95 degrees).
Arsenal of fittings and corners made of polypropylene
Due to its environmental friendliness, this type of pipe is successfully used in hot and cold water supply and home heating. And the variety of fittings with brass and chrome inserts makes it easy to combine with existing steel fittings and any plumbing items.
Necessary equipment
For the installation of a pipeline for supplying water or heating, pipes with an outer diameter of 16 to 63 mm are used, for the connection of which socket (sleeve) welding is used.
For a quality installation, you need a little:
- Soldering iron with nozzles of various diameters.
How to choose a soldering iron for plastic pipes so that the installation is quick and of high quality? The range of soldering irons is large and varied, as is the pricing policy.
Soldering iron with a set of Teflon nozzles
- The power of the soldering iron is of great importance. For domestic use and pipe diameters of 16-63 mm, power up to 1200 W will be sufficient.
With a power of 1800 W or more, the performance of the soldering iron allows it to be used in professional activities. But a beginner with a low speed of work does not need such a unit. - Nozzles are heating elements and consist of a sleeve that melts the outer surface of the end of the pipe and a mandrel that melts the inner surface of the socket of the connecting part.
Nozzles should have a non-stick Teflon coating. Usually, a soldering iron comes with 6 nozzles of different diameters. - It is more convenient to use a soldering iron with the ability to install not one, but three nozzles. This will save considerable time when changing nozzles from one diameter to another, because. to replace them, you need to cool the soldering iron, and then reheat.
- The professional series soldering iron is equipped with an electronic temperature control that controls the heating of the nozzle with an accuracy of 1-5 degrees. You can get by with the model without adjusting the temperature by purchasing a thermometer to measure the temperature on the nozzle.
It is important not to exceed the nozzle temperature of 260 degrees, at which polypropylene soldering occurs, and at 270 degrees the plastic loses its stability and begins to stick excessively, the pipe will not enter the fitting.
With insufficient heating, the parts may not achieve the necessary viscous plasticity and diffusion of the material will not occur. As a result, the connection is unreliable.
- The second necessary tool for installation are special scissors for plastic.
- In addition, you will need a tape measure, a pencil, canvas rags, as well as pipes and fittings of the required size.
Soldering iron operation
There are several rules on how to use a soldering iron for plastic pipes.
The soldering iron is installed on a flat surface and nozzles of all the required diameters are fixed on it with special keys. A nozzle is placed closer to the edge, which is necessary for soldering directly on the wall.
Mounting process
A step-by-step instruction on how to solder plastic pipes will help you make a high-quality and quick installation.
- Cut the pipe perpendicular to its axis with trimming scissors.
- We select the fitting of the desired size.
Note! A non-heated fitting should have an inner diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the pipe.
- We clean the socket of the fitting and the end of the pipe from dust, degrease it with soapy water or alcohol and dry it.
- We install the parts to be connected on the appropriate nozzle of the soldering iron: the pipe is inserted into the sleeve to the full depth of welding, the fitting socket is put on the mandrel.
Plastic pipes: how to solder and get a quality connection
How to solder plastic pipes and get reliable plumbing
33) How to solder plastic pipes: video instructions on how to solder correctly and choose a soldering iron.
Connecting pipes with a soldering iron is quite easy.
Anyone who plans to independently carry out the installation of sewage, plumbing or heating systems should figure out how to solder PVC, PPE pipes, as well as copper products. Creating one-piece connections allows you to achieve maximum tightness, while, having mastered the technology, you can work quickly enough.
Since at one time I had to master the technique of soldering a wide variety of products, I have accumulated enough practical information and observations in this industry. It is on them that all the advice that I will give in this article will be based.
Pros and cons of soldering as a mounting method
When designing pipelines for heating, water supply and sewerage systems, various methods of connecting parts are used, ranging from simple docking using sealing elastic rings to pipe welding.
Soldering technology is somewhere in the middle between these extremes - both in complexity and in terms of the level of reliability of the resulting connection.
Having mastered the technique, you can create quite complex systems
The advantages of soldering as a mounting method, from my point of view, are as follows:
- The technology allows you to create a one-piece connection with a high level of tightness.
- At the junction of two pipes, the strength of the walls decreases slightly, which is very important when designing and creating pressure pipelines.
- The method of soldering most materials does not require the use of complex expensive equipment: of course, you cannot do without a soldering iron / gas burner, but still it is much easier to work with them than with gas or electric welding.
- Also, an obvious plus is the savings on fittings: elbows, tees, spurs and other parts intended for soldering have an extremely simple design, and therefore are relatively inexpensive. The benefit becomes obvious if you compare the cost with the cost of press fittings for metal-plastic pipes.
Plastic fitting for permanent connection
In fairness, you need to talk about the minuses:
- Connections, as I indicated above, are one-piece. This means that in order to access the lumen of the pipe, we will have to cut it, and then restore its integrity. And since the length of the part will inevitably decrease, the instruction usually recommends completely replacing the damaged area.
- To do the job, however, special tools are required, as well as (if we are soldering copper) fluxes and solders. Rent/purchase of equipment and purchase of consumables can seriously affect the budget of the entire project.
Copper fittings are quite expensive
However, even with these shortcomings, the technique remains quite universal, especially since, unlike welding, it is quite possible to do it yourself here. Of course, the skill is needed, but it may well be replaced by a thoughtful study of the recommendations that I will give below, as well as a little practice.
Soldering plastic
Equipment for work
When we make circuits for water supply or drainage, we need to figure out how to solder propylene pipes first of all. Polypropylene is an ideal material for such a connection, since it fuses well when heated, forming an almost monolithic structure: this is why PPE pipes are often used to assemble pressure networks.
It is plastic pipes that can be soldered: metal-plastic products are not intended for such installation, so they need to be connected with expensive fittings using a special tool.
Soldering iron for pipes with a set of nozzles
To connect the parts, a special tool is used - a soldering iron. You can find dozens of different models on the market, but almost all of them have an identical design scheme:
- The basis of the soldering iron is the case, inside which the heating element is placed.
- The heating system is connected to the network via a power cable and controlled using a special regulator (not all models have it, while cheap varieties can give a difference with a real operating temperature of 10-200, which is sometimes critical).
- To connect the nozzles for pipes and fittings to the heating element. As a rule, the soldering iron is equipped with several sets of nozzles, which allows you to work with pipes of the most common diameters.
When choosing a soldering iron for connecting pipes made of polypropylene and similar materials, you should first of all pay attention to power. Professional models have a power of 1.5 - 2 kW.
But it seems to me that for domestic use such performance is useless. When choosing power, it is best to focus on the maximum diameter of the pipes with which you will work:
How to solder pipes: the secrets of working with plastic and metal from experienced craftsmen
How to solder pipes: working with propylene, metal-plastic, PVC products and others, video and photo
Polyethylene pipes, produced mainly from HDPE (low pressure polyethylene), occupy a strong place in many areas of industry, construction and everyday life due to the presence of many technologically advantageous characteristics. This necessitates the need for optimal methods of their connection, without which the process of installation and arrangement of pipeline lines is impossible.
Varieties of polyethylene (PE) pipe connections
Among the various types of connections between polyethylene pipes, detachable and one-piece connections are distinguished.
The detachable method allows disassembling the assembled structure at the end of operation. Accordingly, it is optimal in cases where there is no need for its long-term use. A similar connection of pipes is carried out by means of steel flanges.
More durable and more often used in practice is a one-piece connection. It is carried out by welding or soldering PE pipes, which, in turn, can be butt or coupling. Both methods are effective and reliable, allowing you to get monolithic strong connections.
Butt welding of polyethylene pipes
Butt welding of polyethylene pipes requires special welding equipment. This connection method is effective for soldering HDPE pipes only. Its versatility lies in the fact that it allows you to maintain the flexibility of the structure throughout its entire length. This method can be used for both trench and open pipe laying.
Butt welding of HDPE pipes is carried out in the following sequence:
- Installation of the ends of the products to be welded in the centralizer of the welding equipment.
- Alignment and tight fixation of parts.
- Cleaning the end sections from dirt, dust, grease, other blockages and layers (carried out by means of a cotton cloth soaked in alcohol).
- Processing of end fragments by means of a trimming device (trimming). The process is carried out until a uniform chip appears, not exceeding 0.5 millimeters in thickness.
- Removing workpieces and checking the ends by hand for parallelism. If a significant gap between the surfaces is detected, the trimming is repeated until the necessary compliance is obtained.
- Heating of the ends of billet pipes with a heating element, the surface of which is covered with a non-stick layer.
- Upon reaching some melting of the workpieces, the heating element is removed and the ends of the welded pipes are closed. The clamping pressure is increased until a complete and firm closure is achieved. Products should be kept for some time (usually 5-10 minutes) until the joint is completely hardened.
- Checking the quality of the welded structure. The appearance of the welded ends, their correspondence to each other and the soldering strength are evaluated.
In addition to the welding process itself, it is important to pay close attention to the preliminary work listed in the starting points. They should be carefully performed before soldering HDPE pipes, since the reliability and strength of the connection being made largely depends on this.
A prerequisite for high efficiency butt welding is its implementation by means of a single seam. Only in this case is the maximum strength of the welded joint achieved, otherwise it may be insufficient.
Socket welding of HDPE pipes
The coupling method of soldering polyethylene pipes is carried out by means of a special device called a soldering iron, and a set of special nozzles of the desired diameter. In the welding process, fitting products are used: couplings, tees or corners. The ends of the workpieces to be joined are welded to the fittings, which serve as connecting elements.
If you have the necessary soldering unit, you can solder HDPE pipes with your own hands. This work is not very difficult and within the power of any home master.
Before you solder the HDPE pipe with your own hands, you should do some preliminary work, in particular:
- Cut the blanks with special scissors to the desired size. The cuts must be strictly perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the workpieces.
- Clean the end sections of the products to be joined.
- Close the ends of those pipes that are not currently being welded with stoppers to avoid contamination and cooling.
- Clean the heated surfaces of the soldering unit from clogging and particles that may have remained from previous work.
- Heating the nozzle parts of the soldering iron to the required temperature. When the heating reaches the required values, the indicator on the body of the device gives a special signal.
- The HDPE pipe is inserted all the way into the sleeve, and the fitting is also pushed onto the mandrel all the way. This action may require some effort.
- As the pipe is inserted and the fitting is pushed onto it, excess molten material is squeezed out from the surface of the product. As a result, a kind of annular bead, called a flash, is formed in the area of the welded edge.
- The parts to be connected are removed from the nozzle, after which the pipe is inserted into the fitting so that it is in close contact with the annular bead. See also: "".
- They wait for the welded pipes to cool down without exposing them to any external influences.
Due to the fact that it is difficult to determine the exact depth of immersion of the pipe during the welding process, it should be measured in advance and an appropriate mark should be made on the surface of the product.
Electrofusion welding
A special type of socket welded joints of PE pipes is the electrofusion method, which makes it possible to obtain high-strength structures. For its implementation, it is necessary to use a special electric coupling for HDPE, equipped with embedded heating elements. The welding process is also carried out using welded HDPE fittings equipped with heating coils. Due to heating and partial melting of the fitting material, a connection with a polymer pipe and the formation of a monolithic structure are achieved.
The elements and parts used in this method are quite expensive, however, the advantages of electrofusion welding are the absence of flash formation, which reduces the permeability of pipes, and the ability to weld parts in a limited space where it is impossible to install overall welding equipment.
Electrofusion welding between PE pipes is carried out in the following sequence:
- The pipes are cut into the required lengths by means of special cutting tools.
- The parts to be welded and the electric coupling itself are cleaned of dust, dirt and grease.
- Marks are made on the pipes to control the depth of insertion into the coupling.
- Those pipe ends that are not currently being welded are plugged to prevent unwanted cooling.
- The electric coupling is connected to the welding device by means of wires.
- The welding process is started using the start button of the device.
- At the end of the welding process, the machine switches off automatically.
- Wait at least one hour for the hardening and complete readiness of the welded joint, after which it becomes serviceable.
An important condition for obtaining a high-quality welded joint is the preservation of the immobility of the parts during the soldering process and subsequent cooling. One of the indicators of the quality of the weld is the thickness of the bead, which should be from one third to half the thickness of the pipe itself. The roller should overlap the mark previously made on the pipe. The displacement of pipe sections to be welded relative to each other should not exceed 10 percent of their wall thickness.
Choosing a method for soldering HDPE pipes
Not each of the listed options may be well suited for connecting HDPE pipes in certain conditions. Different methods have their advantages and disadvantages, and along with this there are a number of factors that also determine the answer to the question of how to solder polyethylene pipes in a particular situation.
The coupling method is optimal in cases where it is necessary to solder in hard-to-reach places. Since in such a situation the axial displacement of the products relative to each other is difficult, butt welding becomes impossible, and the only acceptable method is a socket connection.
In the most inaccessible areas, with a severely limited space for work, HDPE pipes are soldered using an electrofusion method. Another significant advantage of this method is its speed, which is also sometimes important.
Finally, in those cases where there is a need for a one-time pipe connection to perform one or another short-term job, soldering is not required at all, and a temporary detachable connection can be dispensed with.
Pipelines made of high-molecular compounds, that is, various types of plastic, are an integral part of a modern home, whether it is a private cottage or an apartment in a multi-storey building. Polymer pipes are rapidly gaining popularity: they are light, inexpensive and have good technological characteristics. They are easy to assemble into a single circuit by soldering (welding); this article will tell you how to solder plastic pipes correctly.
Advantages of polymer pipes
Plastic products are widely used not only in the field of housing and communal services, but also in other areas of human activity. Many brands of plastic and a wide range of sizes allow each craftsman to choose a product for their purposes and choose a way to solder plastic pipes for plumbing.
Advantages of plastic pipes:
- unlike metal products, they are not prone to corrosion;
- chemically indifferent - do not interact with most acids, alkalis, salt solutions, gas and oil products;
- biologically stable - including the action of various microorganisms;
- have good sound insulation;
- low heat transfer coefficient, that is, excellent thermal insulation;
- light weight, which facilitates the transportation of pipes to their destination, their laying, subsequent repair and dismantling;
- environmental safety - products do not emit harmful substances into the atmosphere;
- ease of connecting individual elements into contours of any complexity and length;
- the ability to use products for both hidden and outdoor laying;
- long service life - subject to all operating conditions and the absence of external threats, the period, depending on the brand of plastic, is 50 years or more;
- ability to withstand high pressures: at a temperature of 0 ... 10 ° C, the maximum allowable pressure inside the system is 15 bar, at elevated temperatures (up to 95 ° C) - 2 bar.
Products are quite environmentally friendly, as a result of which they can be used in water supply circuits - both cold and hot - and heating.
Plastic pipes can, with the help of special connecting fittings with metal inserts, be connected to similar products made of metals and alloys.
How to solder a plastic pipe and how to use a pipe soldering iron is easy to learn with the help of reference materials or video tutorials, the process is not difficult and every home master can do it.
What equipment is needed for soldering
Most domestic water supply or heating systems are constructed from pipes whose outer diameters are in the range of 16 ... 63 mm. It is recommended to weld products in a socket or using connecting fittings (couplings).
The choice of soldering irons today is quite large, and in order to make the right decision, you need to look at their main operational characteristics:
- Power. The most important setting. For a home craftsman using plastic pipes of standard diameters, a power of 1200 W will be enough. Soldering plastic pipes with units with a power of 1800 W or more is much easier and faster, however, for home use, the minimum indicated power will be quite enough.
- Number of nozzles. The number of nozzles supplied in the kit in each case is different, and the more, the better. Nozzles are exactly what plastic pipes are soldered with. Good elements should be coated with Teflon to prevent the material from sticking. Each nozzle consists of a sleeve for melting the outer surface of the products and a mandrel for the inner part of the pipes.
- If there are financial possibilities, you should purchase a soldering iron, on which several nozzles can be installed at the same time: this will save a lot of time, since to replace the nozzle it is necessary to cool the tool each time, and then, to resume work, heat it up again.
- Expensive professional soldering irons are equipped with an electronic heating temperature control unit, which allows you to set its value with an accuracy of 1-5 ° C. The master, who wondered how to solder pipes with a soldering iron, can not purchase expensive products, but measure the temperature of the nozzle using an appropriate thermometer.
In addition to a soldering iron, scissors will be needed to cut polymer pipes. You can, however, get by with a hacksaw.
It is necessary, among other things, to purchase auxiliary materials - a marker, ruler, tape measure, cloth or rags - and directly pipes for water supply and connecting fittings (fittings).
Using a soldering iron
Algorithm of actions when soldering polymer pipes:
- Install a soldering iron on a plane parallel to the floor and, using the supplied keys, fix the nozzles of the diameters required in this case on it. The nozzle for soldering on the wall is installed closest to the edge.
- Preheat the soldering iron with nozzles installed to the operating temperature indicated above. The warm-up time for each tool is different; in most cases it is 10-15 minutes (read also: "").
- Until the end of work, you must not turn off the device from the network: this will not only slow down the process, but also adversely affect the performance of the soldering iron.
- The parts to be joined heat up at the same time.
- After heating, plastic contamination should be removed from the nozzles immediately with a piece of tarpaulin, without allowing them to cool and dry to the surface.
Pipeline installation
Procedure:
- Using scissors, cut off the required piece of pipe, making sure that the plane of the ends is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe.
- Prepare fittings of the required diameter - slightly smaller when cold than the outside diameter of the pipe.
- The surfaces of the elements to be joined must be cleaned of all contaminants and degreased - both a soap solution and alcohol can be used.
- Install the elements on the nozzles of the soldering iron and heat them up; a pipe is inserted into the sleeve, a sleeve is put on the mandrel.
- Maintain the necessary warm-up time specified in the instructions that come with the soldering iron.
- Remove the elements from the nozzles and press them tightly against each other, preventing them from rotating around the axis.
- As a result, a burr appears at the edge of the coupling - a roller formed during melting of the material.
- Allow the compound to cool naturally.
If the connection fails, cut out the damaged piece of pipe and repeat the process with a new coupling.
A master who is interested in how to solder PVC pipes should be aware that these products are not hot soldered, but are connected using polymer glue - “cold welding”. In terms of strength, such a connection is not inferior to that described above.
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