How to solder plastic pipes for heating. How to solder polypropylene: expert advice. Normal temperature for soldering

Real House master always tries to do without the help of professionals in any repairs. And if necessary, you can also do it yourself to replace PVC heating pipes or water supply in the apartment.

The use of polymer pipes for water distribution provides the advantage that there is no need to work with welding or threading, and therefore the work is greatly facilitated.

Before installing polypropylene pipes, you need to have an idea of ​​how to work with a soldering iron for PVC pipes and purchase the necessary tools and materials.

How to solder correctly

How to make connections correctly so that they are airtight?

For the three most common soldering methods, below is a detailed description of all operations:

Bell-shaped

1. For soldering pipes of small diameter (up to 50 mm), a simple manual apparatus. If you need to connect large diameter pipes, then use a device with centering devices.
2. Two heating nozzles are a sleeve onto which a PVC pipe is placed. This design also has a mandrel (a device for moving the workpiece in the hole of the sleeve), into which the coupling is inserted.
3. The apparatus for soldering polypropylene pipes must be installed on a flat horizontal surface and left to warm up to the required temperature. The heating process lasts 10-15 minutes - it depends on the power of the device.
4. When soldering pipes that belong to the categories PN 10 and PN 20 (difference in operating pressure), the joints must be cleaned of dirt and burrs. If you need to solder reinforced PVC pipes, you need to remove the top part of the pipe with a shaver so that it can easily fit onto the fitting. Shearing is done to the depth of the pipe entering the coupling.
5. The fitting and pipe are put on the soldering iron nozzles and kept for heating right time, which is determined by the power of the soldering iron and the room temperature. Instructions for time exposure are in the documentation for the device.
6. Heated parts must be quickly removed from the device and connected to each other in a forward motion. Circular movements are not allowed.
7. The connected parts must be kept in a stationary position for some time so that the pipes do not deform. After the area has completely cooled, the connection is ready for use.

Installation of a pipeline with a diameter greater than 50 mm is done in a different way - using butt joints of fragments. This soldering method is effective and justified only for pipes with a wall thickness of more than 4 mm.

1. Before soldering, the ends of the pipes must be aligned so that they are parallel to each other.
2. It is necessary to use centering devices, since it is necessary to maintain strict coincidence of the axes.
3. To heat surfaces, a disk heating element is used, whose heating surface is ideally flat.
4. Rest technological operations- the same as for socket soldering.

Soldering saddles

This is a type of butt soldering. With this soldering method, you need to solder a special saddle to the surface of the pipe, which has a socket with an angle of 90˚. When assembling a pipeline from polymer pipes, use a special soldering iron for polypropylene pipes.

After this fragment has cooled, you need to drill a hole in the PVC pipe through the saddle. Then you need to solder another pipe to the saddle. You should end up with a pipe structure that is shaped like the letter “T”.

Your movements should be clear and fast. If you have no soldering experience, try making a few test seams.

Soldering polypropylene pipes yourself is not difficult, but this work requires care and attention. The main thing is to observe the heating time of the elements and the cooling time of the parts - the quality of the seam of the joints depends on this.

At what temperature should polypropylene pipes be soldered?

Polypropylene begins to melt at 140°C, and the operating temperature of the soldering iron is usually 260°C to ensure complete diffusion of materials.

How to properly solder polypropylene pipes: 3 modern methods
Electric and gas soldering irons are used to connect polypropylene pipes. You can solder pipes at home yourself - to do this you need to study the soldering technique and buy a set of necessary tools.

Soldering of polypropylene pipes

In the material about polypropylene pipes, I briefly explained what these pipes are.

Now let's talk a little about soldering these pipes.

It is correct, of course, to say: “welding” or even “pipe diffusion welding”, but we usually use more simple words:
Dictionary diffusion welding, called soldering
Welding machine, we call it a soldering iron or even an iron
We call polypropylene “polycom” or “PPR”

We call the colors like this:
White - Turk. (Although Valtek also makes white and the quality of the pipes is high)
Gray - Czech
Green - German

Tool

A “soldering iron” is the very tool without which the installation of polypropylene pipes is impossible in principle. As for scissors, the pipe can be cut with a hacksaw or even a grinder. Only the edges will need to be cleaned of excess “fringe”.

Regarding the stripping tool, if you don’t have one, you can choose a pipe with glass fiber reinforcement.

In order to assemble a system of such pipes, there are many different fittings and connectors.

You can assemble absolutely any system:

Solder ball valve:

The average temperature of the welding machine should be set to 260 degrees.

Of course, for each diameter there are more subtle temperature settings and on expensive machines, the required temperature is inserted automatically if you specify the diameter of the pipe being welded.

We set the temperature to 260 degrees, put on the desired nozzle, and now all we have to do is remember the time during which we need to heat the pipe.

16th heat for 5 seconds. after which it must be fixed for 6-7 seconds so that the soldering is of high quality.

We heat the 20th for 5 seconds.

We take the pipe with the coupling in our hands and try to connect them without heating. If this is possible, then there will not be a high-quality connection, replace the components and, if possible, use connectors from the same manufacturer in the same system.

After we have found out that you hold in your hands what you need and can be soldered, we first put the fitting on the nozzle of the welding machine (it is thicker) and then the pipe.

But this is a book example and it is very difficult to attach a fitting and a pipe separately to a soldering iron. Push in at the same time, but you can take out the pipe first, and then the connector.

This is what the heated fittings look like:

Now they need to be connected.

When heating, it is important to insert the pipe completely into the nozzle. To be sure, before soldering, you can make a mark on the pipe how long the pipe should go into the nozzle.

When heated, elements should not be twisted on a soldering iron.. Although the manufacturer prohibits turns, I still do it, but the turns are very small, I would even say they are some kind of movements to make it easier to put on the pipe with the fitting. It happens that the corner fits very tightly onto the nozzle. This often happens with large diameters, for example 40 mm. In this case, the soldering iron can be moved back and forth a couple of degrees relative to the parts.

If you twist the parts or the soldering iron more than about 5 degrees, then parts of the plastic will remain on the nozzle which will then smoke, and the soldering may be of poor quality. So, if possible, it is better not to turn, and even more so don't twist And don't crank.

After installing the elements completely, we begin the countdown at 5 seconds in the case of a 20 mm pipe. or 8 seconds in the case of the 32nd pipe.

After this time, we first remove the pipe, and then the fitting.

Quickly, but without fuss, we connect these two elements. After connection, you still have a couple of seconds to correct the alignment. After 2-3 seconds. Alignment adjustment must be stopped. Otherwise, the joint will leak.

After the joint, allow the product to cool for about 20 seconds, fixing the joint firmly.

If you are soldering the first joints, then strictly observe the heating and fixation time. In subsequent joints, take into account drafts and ambient temperature.
If you are working in a draft and the temperature, for example, is below +10, then the heating time should be slightly increased by 1-3 seconds. depending on diameter. Otherwise, you risk not having time to dock the heated elements, or there is not a second left to correct the alignment.

If you underheat the pipes, you will either not be able to connect them, or the joint will subsequently leak.

If it overheats, you risk melting the passage hole.

If the soldering is done correctly, but the through hole is not narrowed.

You can cut a pipe not only with scissors:

And sometimes, with the help of scissors, it is not possible to make an even cut, for example, if you need to cut off just a centimeter.

In this case, you can resort to the help of an angle grinder.

This is what a glass fiber reinforced pipe looks like in cross section. There is no need to strip and trim such a pipe, which cannot be said about the aluminum layer.

Now let's cut it soldered elements Let's see if these connections can be disconnected.

At the top, the gray pipe is soldered to a white coupling, and in the picture below it is gray to gray.

In both cases, you can see the welded elements fused into a single whole. Even white and gray. The only differences are visual - color. This immediately answers the question whether it is possible to solder white and gray. Can.

Now let's look at the cross-section of the adapter coupling:

In this case, the pipe was without reinforcement. It can be seen that the differences are only in color, although the manufacturer is the same. The connection itself cannot be disconnected and proper soldering will never cause a leak. For this reason, such connections can be safely hidden in walls and floors.

That's all it seems key points associated with soldering of polypropylene pipes.
Please leave any questions regarding the material in the comments.

Well, in conclusion, a few photos of welded pipes:

To fix pipes horizontally, I use clips

For a vertical pipe, where the pipe must be fixed rigidly, a special pipe clamp is used

Soldering of polypropylene pipes
Soldering polypropylene pipes In the material about polypropylene pipes, I briefly described what kind of pipes they are. Now let's talk a little about soldering these pipes. It’s correct, of course, to say: “welding”

A very common job when renovating a house is replacing old pipes that have served for more than half a century. Gone are the days when you had to call a plumber to install metal pipes. Today, cast iron and steel pipes have confidently replaced polypropylene pipes on the market, which have many advantages over older pipe types.

If steel pipes were mainly connected by welding, today polypropylene pipes are connected using couplings. If the job is unsuccessful, the coupling can be disassembled and the defect eliminated.

So what are the advantages of polypropylene pipes? First of all, it is highly resistant to aggressive environments. Polypropylene pipes can withstand high temperature loads and pressure. The service life of polypropylene is half a century. Even a beginner can install pipes.

Installation of polypropylene pipes in the wall (example)

Now let's talk about the tool that is used in the work when connecting polypropylene pipes.

1. Directly polypropylene pipes.
2. Several couplings.
3. Angles at 90 and 45 degrees.
4. Adapters from metal pipes to plastic ones.
5. Pipe fastenings.
6. Scissors for cutting polypropylene pipes.
7. Soldering device.
8. Merylon insulation.
9. Tape measure, square and pencil.

Before you start work, you need to choose the right polypropylene pipes. Experts recommend buying the same pipe diameter as before. Then there will be no problems when switching from a metal piece of pipe to a plastic pipe.

How to properly solder polypropylene pipes for heating

Today, polypropylene pipes are connected using diffusion welding. Various angles, adapters and couplings are used. If the pipes are used for cold water supply, then you can safely expect that the pipes will be installed for fifty years. However, in the case of installation of polypropylene pipes for a heating system, the situation is somewhat different. Here, an important factor determining the service life of pipes is temperature and pressure. Despite the fact that polypropylene pipes themselves are very durable, they can lose up to seven years of their life due to high coolant temperature and pressure.

It must be said that high pressure and temperature are unlikely to be present in home systems. Even if these figures increase sharply, polypropylene pipes will be ready for this.

Available on the market a large number of colors of polypropylene pipes. This is another advantage of the product over steel pipes, which must be painted after installation. Polypropylene pipes will already have a finished color.

It is worth noting that the assembled polypropylene heating system cannot be further disassembled. Using polypropylene pipes, the system is routed from the boiler and the coolant is supplied to the radiators. The service life of the pipes allows for hidden and exposed systems. This means that the pipes can be hidden in the wall if necessary.

To solder pipes yourself, you need to become familiar with basic work skills. Initially, it seems that the work is quite simple and will take a minimum of time. To some extent this is true. But here you need to be precise and careful. Before you start working with a soldering iron, you need to carefully read the instructions.

The instructions contain step-by-step instructions for correctly performing the work. In addition, in the instructions you can find information about working with a certain type of polypropylene pipes. So there shouldn't be any questions.

Before you start assembling a heating system, you need to prepare a work plan, which includes a diagram. It indicates the places where wiring, taps, plumbing fixtures. Once each part of the system is at hand, you can begin to assemble it.

Heating system wiring diagram option

Execution of work

The diffusion soldering iron must be placed on a special stand. As a rule, they are included with the device. When soldering, you need to hold the device and the parts to be connected horizontally.

It is much more difficult to solder pipes in a vertical position. It will be difficult even for a master to complete the work independently without an assistant. One person should hold the soldering iron, and the other should hold the pipes, which will need to be joined after heating. If the pipe diameter is more than 65 millimeters, then the work is even more complicated by the fact that it is necessary to use a socket.

Working with a machine for welding polypropylene pipes

Fusiotherm - the most common welding machine for polypropylene pipes. How to work with him?

Fusiotherm (fusiotherm) appearance of the device

Even before turning it on, you need to put attachments on the cold parts of the device, which are presented in the form of a mandrel and a coupling. Polypropylene melts at a temperature of 260 degrees. This is the temperature that needs to be set on the device. As soon as it heats up, the indicator will light up.

Pipes with a diameter of up to 40 millimeters are soldered using the socket soldering method. We use a centering device and attachments for the device. While the device is warming up, you can cut the pipes to the required length with special scissors. If there is reinforcement in the pipe, then using special tools it must be removed at the soldering site. Otherwise, the connection will not be of good quality.

It is very important to work with gloves to avoid thermal burns from hot polypropylene or a welding machine. As soon as the ends of the pipes heat up, you need to immediately join them before the deformation occurs. Until the welding elements are dry, they cannot be loaded.

Some nuances

After the pipes are connected, they must be secured in certain areas. When the heating system heats up, the pipes will begin to expand. If there are no fastenings, the pipes will begin to sag. For heating systems, it is best to use reinforced pipes. They consist of two layers of polypropylene, between which an aluminum layer is placed. It allows you to limit the linear expansion of pipes when heated.

After all the work has been completed, you need to visually inspect the joints and transitions for flaws. If any are found, you need to redo the work.

Today it is not a problem to find everything in the market or specialized store. necessary details for high-quality implementation of a heating system made of polypropylene pipes with your own hands. It is worth noting that polypropylene is much cheaper and more practical than steel or cast iron pipes.

The key to success and quality work lies in the correctness and accuracy of all work. Beginners are advised to try welding using two separate pieces of pipe as an example. It may not work out the first time, as a certain “grip” is required.

If you are not confident that you will be able to complete the work yourself, then it is better to entrust it to specialists who have experience and the right tool. Remember that a heating system requires quality that will last for many years. After all, a lot of money is spent on its implementation. It is unacceptable to lose material and money due to improper execution of work.

How to solder polypropylene pipes with your own hands using a diffusion soldering iron or fusiotherm
Proper soldering of heating system pipes is the key to its long operation. We will consider in detail how to properly solder polypropylene pipes with your own hands in the article.

Soldering polypropylene pipes is remarkably simple to perform and forgives many mistakes without compromising the reliability of the pipeline. Our recommendations will help you do the work yourself.

Metal-polymer pipes in last decades are widely used for the manufacture of pipelines. They do not rust, do not become overgrown with internal deposits, have little resistance to fluid flow, and are easy to install.

Polypropylene pipes quickly gained popularity after their introduction. Their characteristics are comparable to any other metal-polymer pipes, but they have a huge advantage over them: polypropylene fittings any manufacturers are fully compatible with each other.

Which pipes to choose

An ordinary polypropylene pipe has significant drawback, limiting the scope of its application: it greatly expands when heated. To compensate for this thermal expansion, special compensators in the form of a loop are installed on the pipelines.

Reinforced polypropylene has a multilayer wall: the outer and inner layers are polypropylene, and between them is a layer of aluminum or fiberglass. For such products, the thermal elongation is approximately 10 times less. They can be walled into walls and therefore it is worth choosing them for plumbing, although they are more expensive.

The marking of polypropylene indicates maximum pressure COLD water for which they are designed. For household plumbing, you should buy materials designated PN20 and PN25, which means a pressure of 20 and 25 atmospheres, respectively. Diameter plastic pipeline, as a rule, is chosen to be 20 mm (outer diameter), which is equivalent to ½ inch steel pipe (inner diameter). Don’t be confused by the fact that the flow area of ​​plastic pipes is sometimes chosen to be slightly smaller than that of steel pipelines: the exceptionally smooth inner surface offers almost no resistance to the flow of water and the performance of the pipe does not suffer.

Soldering tools

The main tool for soldering polypropylene pipes with your own hands – welding machine with nozzles of the required diameter. For a one-time job, you can buy the cheapest soldering iron. The price and design of the soldering iron determine only the ease of use, but not the quality of the connections obtained with its help.

You will definitely need a special cutter in the form of scissors, since there is a lot of cutting to be done.

Of course, you will need standard plumbing tools: adjustable and gas wrenches, flax, sealing paste. Polypropylene parts are connected to traditional steel parts using threaded combination couplings.

How to solder polypropylene

The principle of making welded polypropylene joints is simple: two parts are heated with a soldering iron until the material melts, then they are inserted into one another, after cooling, we obtain a solid monolithic part.

By combining pipe sections of different lengths and connecting elements of various configurations, you can assemble a pipeline of any complexity and branching.

Unacceptable mistakes when soldering pipes

The reliability of the resulting connection when soldering polypropylene pipes with your own hands depends on the temperature to which the parts are heated. The plastic must be softened so that the welded elements are connected with some effort and fit into each other to the required depth.

• If the parts are not heated enough, the plastic will begin to harden before you fully connect them. Such a connection may not leak immediately, but risks breaking before installation is completed.
• Overheated plastic is too soft and when connecting, the hot surfaces of the parts will not press against each other with sufficient force: “under-soldered” places will appear and almost certainly such a connection will immediately begin to leak. Another problem may arise. If you overheat the parts and then move them too hard, the molten mass of plastic will be squeezed into the pipe and completely block its lumen.

Sometimes there are recommendations to heat the elements to be welded for a few seconds. This is not always effective, since the heating time depends on many factors: the temperature of the soldering iron nozzle and the ambient temperature, the massiveness of the part and the diameter of the pipe, the refractoriness of a particular batch of polypropylene. If you don't have any welding experience, it's wise to take some time to practice.

There are several dozen places for soldering plastic pipes when installing a water supply system of medium complexity. And this is not surprising: each pipeline bend requires soldering twice, the branch consists of three welded joints.

And this is precisely where the main difficulty of the whole work lies. In most cases, welding has to be done “on site”. The configuration of the pipeline and the sequence of connecting its parts must be thought out taking into account the fact that the connections are made with a very bulky soldering iron, which is also heated to a temperature of 300 degrees.

Safety precautions

If you become familiar with the question of how to properly solder polypropylene pipes with your own hands, then you need to familiarize yourself with safety precautions, here are the basic rules:

• Use caution when handling a hot soldering iron to avoid burns.
• Hot polypropylene evaporates rapidly. It is necessary to provide sufficient ventilation to inhale as little of its vapors as possible.
• Remember about fire safety: Do not leave a working soldering iron unattended and always place it on a special stand.
• Fill the finished pipeline with water under pressure and check the connections for leaks.

Use our tips and tricks for soldering plastic pipes. They will help you install plumbing in your apartment or country house yourself and save on the services of professional plumbers. In the next article we will take a closer look at the process of soldering water pipes from polypropylene pipes.

How to properly solder polypropylene pipes with your own hands
How to properly solder polypropylene pipes with your own hands - step-by-step instructions, tools, photos, mistakes when soldering.

Polypropylene pipes- pipes assembled by diffusion welding using fittings: couplings, angles, tees, etc. The estimated service life of polypropylene pipes is more than 50 years.

It should also be noted that the service life of polypropylene pipes declared by the manufacturer is 50 years, which implies that the pipeline will be operated at normal pressure and normal temperature. That is, pipes can withstand long-term significant pressures, but the temperature of the transported liquid must be low, or, conversely, the temperature of the liquid can be very high, but the pressure must be low. At high pressure and high temperature, the service life of the pipe is sharply reduced and can reach 1-5 years. To determine the service life of pipes operating in extreme conditions, there is a special table. We will not present it in this book, since at the domestic level such long-term loads do not occur in home pipelines, and the pipe will withstand short-term emergency situations associated with a sharp rise in pressure or a sharp jump in the temperature of the transported liquid.

Polypropylene pipes come in gray, white, black and green. Color other than black does not mean any restrictions on the use of pipes. The black color of the pipe indicates that it is most protected from ultraviolet radiation.

IN polypropylene water pipes Permanent connections are used, pipes are assembled on welded fittings once and for all.

Polypropylene pipes can be used for:

Water supply to houses: installation of risers, installation of pipes, connection of pipes to water supply networks from metal pipes

Heating a house: installing heating risers. Installation of heating pipes, connections to the boiler installation, connection to metal radiators.

The long service life of polypropylene pipes allows them to be used for laying all types of pipelines:

open gasket;

wall gaskets;

in a closed gasket;

Polypropylene pipes are divided into 4 categories

- PN 10- thin-walled version, for cold water supply (up to +20°C), nominal operating pressure 1 MPa (10.2 kg/cm/2) ;

- PN 16- wiring cold water high pressure and pipelines central heating low blood pressure;

- PN 20- a universal pipe is used for cold and hot water supply (temperature up to +80°C), nominal pressure 2 MPa (20.4 kg/cm2);

- PN 25- reinforced with aluminum foil, for hot water supply and central heating (up to +95°C), nominal pressure 2.5 MPa (25.49 kg/cm-).

Unlike metal-plastic pipes, the aluminum layer in these pipes is closer to outside and, most often, there is perforation on it, which makes it possible not to use glue to fasten the layers of the pipe. The connection of the outer and inner layers of polypropylene to each other or to the aluminum layer occurs through perforated holes, which, in turn, can be through-hole or superficial from different manufacturers. The direct connection of polypropylene with aluminum significantly increases the stability and strength of the pipes.

Thanks to this connection, PN 25 pipes have thinner walls than conventional polypropylene coarse pipes and allow for greater fluid flow.

Intended for special use- mainly in heating pipelines, as well as in hot water supply pipelines, but can also be used for cold water supply systems.

They also allow you to connect polypropylene pipeline to metal. The pipes are environmentally friendly and are successfully used in cold and hot water supply and heating pipelines. Thanks to fittings with chrome and brass inserts, pipes can be easily combined with existing steel fittings and plumbing fixtures.

Fittings used for connecting polypropylene pipes

Connection fittings

Used to connect 2 or more polypropylene pipes.
Main sizes: 20 x 1/2, 20 x 3/4, 25 x 1, 32 x 1, etc.

Fig.1. Coupling for connecting polypropylene pipes of the same diameter;

Fig.2. Coupling for connecting polypropylene pipes of 2 diameters;

Fig.3. Angle 45°;

Fig.4. Square 90°

Fig.5. 45° elbow for connecting pipes of different diameters;

Fig.6. 90° elbow for connecting pipes of different diameters;

Fig.7. Triple square;

Fig.8. Tee with identical fittings (connection of pipes of the same diameter);

Fig.9. Transition tee (connection of pipes of the same diameter);

Fig. 10. Crosspiece;

Fig. 11. Plug for polypropylene pipes;

Fig. 12. Thermal expansion compensator;

Threaded fittings for polypropylene pipes

Rice. 1. Transition (coupling) with internal thread;

Fig.2. Transition (coupling) with external thread;

Fig.3. Transition (coupling) with transfer nut;

Fig.4. Transition (coupling) with a transfer nut and a metal insert;

Fig.5. Transition with external plastic thread type “DG”

Fig.6. 90° elbow with internal thread;

Fig.7. 90° elbow with external thread;

Fig.8. 90° elbow with changeover nut;

Rice. 9. Tee with internal thread;

Fig. 10. Tee with external thread;

Fig. 11. Tee with switch nut;

Fig. 12. Water socket angle for fastening the mixer and other appliances: 20 x 1/2, 25 x1/2;

Fig. 13. Set of water sockets for mixer: 20 x 1/2, 25 x1/2;

Fig. 14. Fitting with transfer nut;

Fig. 15. Welded seat with internal thread;

Fig. 16. Welded seat with external thread;

Fig. 17. Collapsible connection;

Fig. 18. Dismountable connection with internal thread;

Fig. 19. Dismountable connection with external thread;

Welding (soldering) of polypropylene pipes

For welding pipes with a diameter of up to 63 mm, the preferred type of connection is socket or socket welding. In this case, the connection of two pipes occurs using a third part - a coupling, and the creation of threaded and other connecting units occurs using fittings with a socket.

For welding pipes with a diameter above 63 mm it is recommended butt welding, as not requiring additional parts and the most reliable. If there are fittings of the appropriate diameter, sleeve welding is allowed. The recommended type of collapsible connection for diameters greater than 63 is a flange joint. This is a more complex option for connecting polypropylene pipes, requiring professional equipment and skill, so this option is omitted from this article.

Socket welding

When welding pipes with diameters up to 40 mm, you can use a manual welding machine; when welding pipes with diameters over 40 mm, it is recommended to use machines with centering devices. When using centering devices, follow the instructions for their use.

To connect polypropylene pipeline parts, welding machines with special nozzles are used.

Fig.1. Welding machine for welding polypropylene pipes.

The heating elements (nozzles) are a sleeve for melting the outer surface of the pipe end and a mandrel for melting the inner surface of the socket of the connecting part.
Standard nozzles are coated with non-stick material - Teflon, and have diameters from 16 to 40 mm. During operation, it is necessary to monitor the cleanliness and integrity of the Teflon coating. After each welding episode, while they are still hot, the nozzles are cleaned with a canvas rag or wooden scrapers. In a cold state, cleaning the nozzles from the adhering layer of plastic is unacceptable.

Fig.2. Nozzles for welding polypropylene pipes with a diameter of 20, 40, 32, 40, 50, 63.

The welding machine is installed on flat surface and replaceable heaters are attached to it using special keys required size. It is advisable to install the entire required set of nozzles (see Fig. 3) on the device’s seats before heating the device.

Fig.3. Welding machine before heating with installed nozzles for welding polypropylene pipes.

From the point of view of heating uniformity, the location of the nozzle on the heater does not matter. Therefore, the nozzles are placed in a way that is convenient for installation. Closer to the end, place the nozzles necessary for working on the wall, that is, on the pipeline branch being mounted.

The quality of connections directly depends on the ease of performing technological methods, therefore, it is better to assemble all pipeline fragments that can be mounted on a permanently installed device (on a stand) separately.

It is advisable to carry out welding “on the wall”, especially in inconvenient places, with an assistant.

The welding temperature for polypropylene pipes is set on the machine - 260 ° C and 220 ° C for polyethylene and PERT pipelines).

Depending on the ambient temperature, heating lasts 10-15 minutes.

The operating temperature on the surface of the heating plates is achieved automatically.

Welding of polypropylene pipes and fittings is prohibited at temperatures below 0°C. The air temperature during welding is very important. So the welding time must be increased at low air temperatures and reduced in hot conditions.

General rule for socket welding

The inner diameter of the unheated fitting should be slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the pipe.

Socket welding of plastic parts to each other is carried out as follows.

1. Use scissors or a pipe cutter to cut the pipe at a right angle.

2. If necessary, clean the end of the pipe and the socket of the fitting from dust and dirt, degrease with alcohol or soapy water and then dry.

When welding PN 10 and PN 20 pipes, nothing else needs to be done at this stage.

When welding reinforced pipes PN 25, with a special shaver tool, remove the top two layers of polypropylene and aluminum from the pipe. The size of the fitting socket is made in such a way that only a pipe with the top layers removed can fit into it. The depth of stripping is carried out according to the stop of the tool, which determines the depth of welding.

Fig.5. Shaver

Fig.6. Processing the pipe with a shaver.

3. Apply a mark to the pipe at a distance equal to the depth of the socket plus 2 mm. If you use rough parts, fittings and tools from the same manufacturer, then, most often, you don’t need to do any calculations. The shaver (Fig. 2) removes the top layers of the pipe exactly to the welding depth, and the dimensions of the heating nozzles are such that it is impossible to insert a pipe into them to a depth greater than required.

4. Place the parts to be joined on the appropriate nozzles: insert the pipe into the sleeve to the mark indicating the welding depth, and put the fitting socket on the mandrel.

5. Maintain the heating time (see Table 1), then remove the parts from the device and connect them to each other without turning the parts along the axis. Welding fittings must be connected to the pipe with a quick, confident movement, maintaining the alignment of the pipe and coupling. The connection between the pipe and the fitting must occur to the depth determined by the boundary inside the fitting socket.

6. After welding, it is necessary to maintain a cooling time, especially for thin-walled pipes. Rotation and bending (deformation) during cooling are not permitted. Connection with poor alignment or angle relative position fittings are subject to only one method of correction - the incorrectly connected fitting is cut out. You must be especially careful when welding elements for which position is important - angles, tees, ball valves. The latter must be welded so that the handle can move freely to all positions.

If you are soldering (welding) polypropylene pipes for the first time, you can cut the first connection to check, it should look like this:

Table 1. Technical specifications welding (soldering) of polypropylene pipes.

The welding machine must be constantly switched on during the entire welding process. Heating begins simultaneously for two parts.

If underheating occurs, there is a possibility that the parts will not reach the temperature of viscous plasticity. In this case, the connection will be unreliable and diffusion of the material may not occur.

When overheated, there is a possibility of loss of shape stability, the adhesion (stickiness) of the material will be excessive. It will be impossible to insert the pipe into the fitting, and as the force increases, the edges of the pipe will bend inward or become wrinkled. The connection will be narrowed.

The outer surface of the connecting part welded to the pipe should not have cracks, folds or other defects caused by overheating;

At the edge of the socket of the connecting part welded to the pipe, a continuous bead of melted material should be visible around the entire circumference, protruding beyond the end surface of the connecting part.

Instructions for welding welded seats

Welded saddles are used for installation of subsequent branches from the pipeline during the repair of existing systems.

First you need to drill the wall of the plastic pipe with a Fusiotherm drill.

When using Stabi composite pipes, the remaining aluminum on the drill hole must be removed using the Fusiotherm chamfering tool.

Fig.1. Drilling a hole in the pipe wall.

The welding device/saddle welding tool must reach the required operating temperature of 260°C.
The surfaces to be welded must be clean and dry.

Fig.2. Installation of a welding machine;

The heating connection of the saddle welding tool is inserted into the hole in the wall of the plastic pipe until the tool reaches the entire outer wall of the pipe. The welded seat fitting is then inserted into the heating sleeve until the surface of the seat reaches the crown of the tool. The heating time of the elements is 30 seconds.

Fig.3. Heating of the pipe and seat.

After removing the welding tool, the welded seat fitting is quickly inserted into the heated hole. Then the seat should be pressed accurately and tightly, without rotating, onto the heated outer surface of the plastic pipe.

Fig.4. Installation of a welded seat;

The welded seat is fixed motionless on the pipe for 15 seconds. After 10 minutes of cooling, the connection can be subjected to full load. The corresponding branch pipe is welded into the coupling in the usual way.

Fig.5. Finished welded seat.

Examples of finished polypropylene pipelines welded by socket welding

The simplest example of polypropylene pipes in a bathroom:

The simplest example of polypropylene pipes from a toilet to a bathroom) Please note that the polypropylene pipeline is removable).

Piping made of polypropylene (a more complex option), all pipes are wrapped in thermal insulation to prevent the formation of condensation for cold water and reduce heat loss for hot water).

In conclusion, I would also like to indicate the thermal expansion coefficients of metal-plastic pipes and polypropylene pipes:

For metal-plastic pipes (PEX-AL-PEX) = 2.6 *10 -5

For metal-plastic pipes with a reinforcing layer of ethylene vinyl alcohol (PEX-EVOH-PEX) = 2.1 * 10 -5

For polypropylene pipes, without reinforcement (PP) = 15 * 10 -5

For polypropylene pipes with an aluminum reinforcing layer = (PP ALL-PP) = 3*10 -5

Well, a little clarity in these numbers:

When the ambient air temperature, or the temperature of the liquid inside the pipe, changes by 10 degrees Celsius, each meter of pipe will lengthen or shorten, respectively:

PEX-AL-PEX = by 0.26 mm

PEX-EVON-PEX = 0.21 mm

PP-ALL-PP = n 0.3 mm

Polypropylene pipes are intended mainly for organizing water supply and heating in non-fire hazardous areas. Such a pipeline is easy and quick to install and lasts about 50 years, but it has a significant drawback: when heated, polypropylene softens and is easily deformed. This parameter is important for heating and hot water supply systems, since they undergo dynamic temperature changes, as a result of which plastic pipes change their design position.

Similar phenomena do not occur when using a cold water pipeline. Based on the above, reinforced polypropylene pipes are used for hot water supply. Strengthening of plastic occurs through the use of aluminum foil, fiberglass or increasing the thickness of the walls of the product. Aluminum integrated into polypropylene, which can be placed inside the thickness of the plastic (non-stripping pipe) or outside (stripping pipe), significantly reduces the linear expansion of the pipeline.

Fiberglass gives a similar effect, which allows this type of pipeline to be used for heating. A pipe with thicker walls is used for hot water.

Basic rules for soldering polypropylene pipes

To obtain quality indicators such as the tightness of the welded assembly, maintaining the internal diameter at the junction of parts, aesthetic appearance, etc., the following rules must be taken into account.

The connection area must be dry and free of dirt

Often, in practice, a situation arises when you need to solder a fitting into an existing plastic wiring. Although the pipeline is equipped with a common tap, due to wear and tear, it cannot fully fulfill its purpose. In such situations, water flow instead of connection is inevitable. To eliminate the leak while soldering the elements, you can take the following steps:

Step 1. Shut off the general water supply valve, drain the remaining water into the sewer through the mixer, cut off the pipeline at the junction taking into account the immersion depth, drain the water, drain the area and weld the components. In this case, it is advisable to replace the faulty shut-off valve.

Step 2. You can temporarily stop the flow of liquid by displacing or draining the water column from the pipeline, if the water supply stops for some time (30 seconds is enough). If the leak cannot be stopped, then the internal cavity of the water pipe is sealed with bread pulp, and after welding it is removed through the nearest mixer, but before that, the filter is unscrewed from its drain tube. It is not recommended to use it as a stopper toilet paper, it doesn't come out of the pipeline well.

Do not overheat the connections

Due to excessive overheating, the cross-section of the pipeline decreases, and accordingly the intensity of the water or coolant supply decreases. Overheating can occur as a result of non-compliance with the welding temperature and the holding time of the parts in the nozzle. Table 1 presents data on obtaining a high-quality seam for some pipe sizes.

The soldering iron nozzle must be securely fixed

A loose cue ball while working with parts damages the heating surface of the soldering iron and contributes to the formation of misaligned joints.

After connecting the elements, do not rotate or move them more than 5 degrees

To obtain uniform diffusion, it is advisable after joining not to rotate or align the welded elements during the hardening time of the seam.

The movement of the workpiece in the cue ball must be straight

Other movements may reduce the strength of the seam. The junction point, of course, will withstand the water pressure in the central line, which is usually in the range of 2 - 3 bar, but at nominal pressure(10, 20, 25 bar) will probably leak liquid.

Features of the stripping pipe connection

Before connecting the stripping pipe, you need to remove the foil layer from it with a special shavings (shaver) to the size of the soldering depth. In the absence of a shaver, the reinforcing layer is carefully cut off stationery knife exactly, over the entire area of ​​immersion of the pipe into the fitting. This method looks unprofessional, but when carefully removed it does not reduce the outer diameter of the polypropylene.

What is needed for soldering

To join pipes and transition elements, you will need the following tools:

• set for soldering pipes (soldering iron, 20 mm nozzle, stand);
• scissors for plastic pipes;
• a simple pencil;
• pipe lever wrenches;
• roulette.

Do-it-yourself soldering of polypropylene pipes using an example

Let's look at the soldering technique and the sequence of installing additional shut-off valves and a pressure gauge into the existing plumbing system.

These elements participate in the apartment’s backup water supply circuit (water storage tank with pump).

The water tap is installed to switch the water supply position from the central line to the reserve position. The pressure gauge signals the appearance of water in the riser. The unit is quite difficult to integrate into the existing wiring due to limited space when connecting pipes by soldering.

To create such a unit, which is made of polypropylene pipes and transitions with a cross-section of 20 mm, the following material is needed:

1. Angle at 45 degrees. in the amount of 2 pcs.
2. Angle at 90 degrees. -1 PC.
3. Tee - 2 pcs.
4. Connecting coupling - 1 pc.
5. Pipe for cold water - 1 meter.
6. Coupling, internal thread (MRV) 1/2 inch.
7. Bronze transition with external thread 1/2" and internal thread - 3/8".
8. Pressure gauge 10 bar.
9. Walk-through tap.
10. Tow and FUM tape.

Tool for soldering polypropylene pipes.

Work order

Using tow and FUM tape, ensure hermetic connection between the pressure gauge, bronze adapter and MRE.

On a soldering iron with a nozzle, set the temperature to 250-260 degrees and turn it on to heat.

After the cue ball heats up, immediately lean the tee against the convex part, and the pipe against the other, with the recess, and begin to feed the parts linearly until it stops.

Mentally count down 7 seconds. During this time, the surface of the parts should melt evenly. At the seventh second, pull the parts out of the nozzle and accurately insert each other into each other until it stops. Hold in this position for four seconds, this is the time when the soldering area remains plastic. Therefore, it is possible to rotate the parts being welded no more than five degrees only in this range.

From the soldered tee, mark a distance of 13 mm on the pipe.

This size corresponds to the depth of immersion of the pipe into the fitting.

Use scissors to cut the pipe according to the mark.

Solder the corner and the pass-through valve so that on the water supply it is placed to a horizontal plane at an angle of about 45 degrees.

Connect the other end of the pass-through valve to a tee, as shown in photo 9.

To the tee, which is located closer to the meter, weld a tube with a 90-degree angle for the pressure sensor.

At the wiring, in the approximate places where parts are soldered, cut the pipes and drain the residual water.

Lean the assembled unit against the installation site and calculate the joining of pipes.

Use scissors to remove excess elements.

At one end of the removed element, which will be connected back to the pipeline, consisting of a pipe and two corners at 90 degrees, we solder coupling. We weld the other part at a certain angle into the tee.

We are calculating how the pipeline will be connected to another section. Based on these data, we assemble a unit from two angles at 45 degrees and pipes. We weld it into the other side of the workpiece tee.

We first connect the resulting product to a pipe located near the sewer.

Then with a flow meter.

Lastly with the mixer pipe and tank supply line.

This sequence is due to the ability to use a soldering iron in places that can be moved after joining adjacent nodes.

We determine the length of the pipe for the pressure gauge, solder it into the MVR and put on the fastener. We apply the resulting product to the corner and mark the location of the fastening on the wall. We remove the pressure gauge and mount it to the wall.

We solder the corner and pressure sensor. We check the tightness of the entire system.

Sometimes soldering polypropylene pipes with your own hands cannot be done by one worker due to inconvenient placement of parts. In this case, it is advisable to solder such nodes together.

More and more often, metal pipes are being replaced with plastic ones, in particular polypropylene. They have a long service life (up to 50 years), do not rust or rot, weigh little, and you can assemble everything yourself, without involving specialists. Welding polypropylene pipes requires some skill, but it comes quickly. You can first practice on small scraps and inexpensive fittings, and then start creating more serious things.

Types and purpose

Polypropylene pipes can be of four colors - green, gray, white and black. Only black ones differ in their characteristics - they have increased resistance to ultraviolet radiation and are used when laying on the ground. All others have similar characteristics and are laid indoors or buried in the ground.

According to their intended purpose, polypropylene pipes are of the following types:

There are pipes with different characteristics for both cold and hot water. This is displayed in the markings:

• PN10 are used exclusively in cold water supply systems (up to +45°C) with low pressure (up to 1 MPa). They have a small wall thickness. Not suitable for high-rise buildings.
• PN16. They are often labeled as universal, but are more often used for cold water - they can withstand heating of the environment up to +65°C and pressure up to 1.6 MPa.
• PN20. Thick-walled pipes, which can transport media with temperatures up to +80°C, can withstand pressures of up to 2 MPa. Used for distributing hot water and heating systems.
• PN25. These are reinforced polypropylene pipes (with foil or fiberglass). Due to the presence of a reinforcing layer, they often have a smaller wall thickness than PN20. The heating temperature of the medium is up to +95°C, pressure is up to 2.5 MPa. Used for hot water supply and heating.

All of them are produced in different diameters - up to 600 mm, but in apartments and private houses they are used mainly in sizes from 16 mm to 110 mm. Please note that the internal diameter is indicated, as wall thickness may vary.

What is welding of polypropylene pipes

Polypropylene is characterized by increased rigidity, and to create systems of the required configuration, fittings from the same material are used. These are various angles, tees, bypasses, adapters, couplings, etc. They are connected to pipes by soldering. This process is also called welding, but its essence does not change: two elements are heated to the melting point and, when hot, are connected to each other. When done correctly, the connection turns out to be monolithic and serves no less than the pipes themselves.

To connect polypropylene with metals, there are combined fittings, in which one part is made of metal and is connected using threaded connection, and the second - polypropylene - is welded.

What to solder with

Welding of polypropylene pipes occurs using a special device called a soldering iron or welding machine. This is a small metal platform, inside of which there is an electric coil that heats the surface. Because of this design, this unit is also called an iron.

To connect two elements, the spliced ​​surfaces are heated to the melting temperature (+260°). To heat the element to the desired depth, two different Teflon-coated metal nozzles are installed on the welding platform:

The two elements to be connected are simultaneously put on the corresponding attachments, held for a certain period of time (several seconds), then connected. This is how polypropylene pipes are welded.

How to weld

The designs of soldering irons for polypropylene pipes are slightly different, but the principles of working with them are common. There are two main models - with a flat platform or a cylindrical heater. With normal quality, both work, there is practically no difference. Whoever is more comfortable chooses it.

This is what a well-made connection looks like in cross-section - as a single whole

Preparatory work

Before starting work, you need to warm up the soldering iron, but it’s not that simple. The procedure for its preparation is as follows:

• First, nozzles of suitable diameter are installed on the platform.
  • A pin is threaded into the hole in the platform, a mandrel and sleeve are put on it on both sides, and tightened with nuts on both sides.
  • If the heating element is in the form of a tube, the nozzles for it are sold attached to the plate. The plate is placed on the heating element and the fastening bolt is tightened.
• The required heating temperature is set on the regulator. For polypropylene pipes, the welding temperature is +260°C. This is what we set on the regulator and plug it into the network.
• We wait for the signal to set the set temperature. Some models have an audible signal, but mainly the LED lights up or goes out (in different models differently).

The soldering iron is ready for use. But we still need to prepare the pipes and fittings. The first condition for high-quality welding is an even cut. The cut must be strictly vertical, without burrs or tears. This cut can be obtained using special scissors. They have two wide jaws on the bottom that hold the pipe in place, and the cutting part is on top.

The second condition for good soldering of PP pipes is clean, dry, grease-free parts. If you want your plumbing or heating to last a long time and not leak, you should not skip this procedure. Clean the pipe section and fitting using alcohol or water and dishwashing detergent. Then they wait until everything is dry, and only after that they begin the soldering process.

How long to heat

When welding, polypropylene must be heated strictly to the required temperature. Overheating and underheating significantly reduce the quality of the seam. An overheated and softened pipe simply will not be inserted into the fitting, and an insufficiently heated material will not fuse.

The heating time depends on the diameter of the pipes, air temperature and is indicated in the table.

Diameter of polypropylene pipe	Welding depth	Heating time	Welding time	Cooling time
16	12-14 mm	5 s	6 s	2 minutes
20	14-17 mm	6 s	6 s	2 minutes
25	15-19 mm	7 s	10 s	2 minutes
32	16-22 mm	8 s	10 s	4 min
40	18-24 mm	12 s	20 s	4 min
50	20-27 mm	18 s	20 s	4 min
63	24-30 mm	24 s	30 s	6 min
75	26-32 mm	30 s	30 s	6 min

In general, you can solder at +5°C, but the data is given for +20°C. In hotter weather, the holding time of the elements on the soldering iron is reduced by 30-60 seconds, in colder weather it is increased.

Pay attention to the welding depth column in the table. This mark is placed on the pipe. Before that, you will need to press it into the fitting. This creates a small bead of molten plastic in front of the edge of the fitting. This will mean that the seam is made correctly.

One more column requires explanation - “welding time”. This is the time for which it is necessary to compress and fix the elements to be welded.

In general, if you try to insert cold pipe it should fit into the fitting with great difficulty - the outer diameter of the pipe is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the fitting. This is done intentionally to provide some excess material from which the bead on the seam is formed. To ensure reliable welding of polypropylene pipes, it is better to take all components from the same company. This ensures that the sizes match. Otherwise, you need to try it on so that the fitting does not “slip”, but is difficult to tighten.

Technology

As already mentioned, when welding polypropylene pipes, they and the fittings must be cleaned, degreased and dried. And only after that you can start soldering.

This preparation is suitable for all types of pipes, except those reinforced with foil. In this case, after the required piece has been cut, the cut is cleaned down to the foil with a special device - a shaver. A pipe is inserted into it and turned several times. At the same time it is removed upper layer plastic, after which you can degrease and solder.

After the surface has dried, a mark is drawn on the pipe, noting the distance to which it must be pressed into the fitting (the easiest way is with a thin marker or a sharpened simple pencil).

Soldering polypropylene step by step

One note: immediately after finishing welding, inspect the nozzles on the soldering iron. If there are material residues, they are removed with a soft, lint-free, non-fading (white) cloth. You cannot leave plastic on the soldering iron - the next fragment will stick and it will be difficult to remove. Do not clean the attachments using abrasives - they have a Teflon coating and are easily scratched. And even microscopic scratches will cause the fragment on the soldering iron (iron) to stick.

By the way, it is better to work with cotton gloves - there will be fewer burns.

Before putting the system into operation, it must be checked. This is done using crimping. Read what it is and how to do it here.

Layout of polypropylene pipes

Polypropylene pipes are used for installation of cold or hot water combs and heating. The choice of diameter in each case is individual - it depends on the volume of liquid that needs to be pumped per unit of time, the required speed of its movement (formula in the photo).

Calculating the diameters of pipes for heating systems is a separate topic (the diameter must be determined after each branch), for water supply systems everything is simpler. In apartments and houses, pipes with a diameter of 16 mm to 30 mm are used for these purposes, with the most common ones being 20 mm and 25 mm.

Counting fittings

After determining the diameter, the total length of the pipeline is calculated, and fittings are purchased depending on its structure. With the length of pipes, everything is relatively simple - measure the length, add about 20% for errors and possible defects in the work. A piping diagram is required to determine which fittings are needed. Draw it, indicating all the outlets and devices to which you need to connect.

To connect to many devices, a transition to metal is required. There are also such polypropylene fittings. They have a brass thread on one side and a regular solder fitting on the other. You should immediately look at the diameter of the pipe of the device being connected and the type of thread that should be on the fitting (internal or external). To avoid mistakes, it is better to write everything down on the diagram - above the outlet where this fitting will be installed.

Next, according to the diagram, the number of “T” and “G” shaped connections is calculated. Tees and angles are purchased for them. There are also crosses, but they are rarely used. By the way, there are corners not only at 90°. There are 45°, 120°. Don't forget about couplings - these are fittings for joining two pieces of pipe. Do not forget that polypropylene pipes are not at all elastic and do not bend, so each turn is made using fittings.

When purchasing materials, agree with the seller about the possibility of replacing or returning some of the fittings. Problems usually do not arise, since even professionals cannot always immediately determine exactly the required assortment. In addition, during the installation process, sometimes it is necessary to change the structure of the pipeline, which means the set of fittings changes.

Polypropylene has a fairly significant coefficient of thermal expansion. If a polypropylene hot water supply or heating system is being installed, it is necessary to make a compensator, with the help of which the lengthening or shortening of the pipeline will be leveled. This can be a factory loop-compensator, or a compensator assembled according to the scheme from fins and pieces of pipes (pictured above).

Laying methods

There are two ways to install polypropylene pipes - open (along the wall) and closed - in grooves in the wall or in a screed. Along the wall or in the groove, polypropylene pipes are attached to clip holders. There are single ones - for laying one pipe, there are double ones - when two branches run parallel. They are attached at a distance of 50-70 cm. The pipe is simply inserted into the clip and held in place thanks to the elastic force.

When laying in a screed, if it is a warm floor, the pipes are attached to the reinforcing mesh; no other additional fastening is required. If the lines to the radiators will be sealed in, the pipes do not need to be fastened. They are rigid and do not change their position even when filled with coolant.

Option for hidden and external wiring in one pipeline (the wiring behind the bathroom was made open - less work)

Soldering nuances

The process of welding polypropylene pipes itself, as you have seen, does not leave much work, but there are a lot of subtleties. For example, it is not clear how to adjust sections when joining pipes so that the pipes are exactly the length required.

Another aspect of welding polypropylene pipes is soldering in hard to reach places. It is not always possible to fit a pipe and fitting onto a soldering iron on both sides. For example, we solder in the corner. The soldering iron has to be shoved into a corner, on one side the nozzle rests directly on the wall, you can’t pull the fitting onto it. In this case, install a second set of nozzles of the same diameter and heat the fitting on it.

How to solder polypropylene pipes in hard-to-reach places

How to switch from iron pipe for polypropylene.

Polymer products are used in many fields. A plastic cup, laundry basket, heating radiators - everything is made on the basis of polymers.

Polypropylene is considered universal. Pipes made from this material are used for installing pipelines, underfloor heating systems, and ventilation in the house. Installation technology does not require special skills. You can figure out how to solder polypropylene pipes yourself in half an hour.

Peculiarities

Polypropylene is a synthetic polymer with high physical and mechanical properties. It is at the same time durable, flexible and resistant to negative influences. He is not afraid of shocks, temperature changes, or chemicals. With such characteristics, it is difficult to believe that polypropylene’s closest relative is polyethylene.

The material is obtained by polymerization of propylene. In order for it to have strength characteristics, catalysts are added to the raw material. Product chemical reaction substances – White powder or colored granules.

Granulated or powdered polypropylene enters production, which takes place in six stages:

• Extrusion. First of all, the raw material enters the extruder. Inside this device, the granules soften and become a plastic mass. To turn solid raw materials into a viscous mass, it is heated to 250°C. For white pipes, raw materials are used in pure form. If colored products are needed, dyes are added to the extruder the desired shade. The addition of pigment does not affect the quality of the product.
• Molding. At the next stage, the mass is profiled. The extruder “extrudes” pipe blanks. According to the standard, the pipe diameter is 16, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 62, 75, 90, 110 mm for work in the house. For underground work (laying communications), large diameter products are used - up to 120 cm.

• Hardening. Hot workpieces are cooled cold water. To do this, the product is immersed in a cooling bath.
• Applying a protective layer. The hardened pipes are passed through equipment that “wraps” the product in thin layer protective film. This film is foil. It helps keep materials usable after long periods of storage. Before installation, the film must be removed.
• Marking. Basic information is applied to the foil. Using it, you can immediately determine for what work this or that type of pipe is intended.
• Slicing. This is the last production step. The cut products are sent to the warehouse for packaging and storage.

Small and shaped parts from the same raw materials (for example, pipe fittings) are produced in a similar way. After the extruder, the liquid mass is fed into a mold, where parts of complex shapes are cast. They don't need cutting. Small fragments are produced individually at once.

The production of reinforced pipes is somewhat more complicated. It implies intermediate or outer layer from more durable materials. This layer is necessary in order to reduce stretching as temperatures rise.

Since polypropylene is close to polyethylene - a stretchy and plastic substance - it also has the property of increasing and decreasing in size with changes in temperature. At low temperatures the material compresses, at high temperatures it stretches.

The stretch coefficient of polypropylene materials is significant. Thus, a pipe 10 m long at a temperature of 95-100 ° C can stretch by 150 mm. This is of great importance for engineering communications, in which parts made of propylene are used.

Stretching is dangerous because the pipe is no longer as strong as before the temperature change. Therefore, it must be prevented in all systems where the maximum heating temperature of the product exceeds 90°C.

The scope of application of polypropylene pipes is determined by their thickness: the thicker they are, the stronger they are. The stronger they are, the greater the mechanical and physical loads they will withstand. The more durable the pipes are in operation, the wider the range of use.

Manufacturers produce two types of products: thin-walled and thick-walled.

Thin-walled pipes are considered to be pipes marked PN10 and PN16. PN10 can withstand temperature changes up to 45°C and pressure no more than 10 atm. Wall thickness – 0.9-1 mm. Their scope of application is greatly limited by technical characteristics, which is why they are the cheapest. They should be used away from high temperatures.

PN16 can withstand heating up to 60°C and pressure up to 16 atm. The walls are much thicker - 15 mm. At the same time, of this type pipes have a distinctive feature that makes it difficult to use the material in many areas. This is greater elongation at temperatures above 60°C. In almost all heating systems where pipes are often used, the temperature is above this value.

All brands starting from PN20 are classified as thick-walled. This is already serious equipment with thick, durable walls up to 21 mm. It is universal for any type of work.

Thick-walled pipes can be reinforced or unreinforced.

The reinforcing layer is located inside the pipe, between layers of propylene or outside the product, like a shell. He protects polymer products from stretching at high temperatures.

Made from different materials:

• fiberglass;
• foil;
• polyethylene;
• aluminum.

Pipes without reinforcement and with a fiberglass reinforcing layer are the easiest to install. They melt well and connect to fittings without obstacles. The connection is reliable.

Pipes with aluminum and foil are more difficult to work with. If aluminum is outside the polypropylene layer, it must be stripped across the entire width of the joint. Without stripping, soldering is impossible. Due to the aluminum protection, it will not be possible to melt the propylene, which means there will be no high-quality connection.

You need to clean the pipe with a special tool for pipes with aluminum reinforcement. This process is long and labor-intensive, especially with a large diameter of the product.

If the aluminum layer is inside a propylene pipe, it is even more difficult to clean it. But it is necessary. During installation, the inner and outer layers of propylene must fuse together and “solder” the aluminum so that water does not get on it.

Aluminum does not rust, but if water gets between the layers, the pipe may burst.

Combined products and pipes with an aluminum plate inside the product are the most difficult to install, but not the most effective.

Advantages and disadvantages

The material has quite a lot of advantages:

• Relatively light weight. Polypropylene pipes weigh 9 times less than metal ones. They are easier to transport and install.
• The price for one 4 m pipe is in the range of 30-110 rubles.
• Installation does not require professional skills. It's worth practicing on spare parts, but it won't take much time.
• Reliable and tight connection of pipeline parts and any other structure. It is provided by soldering. The joints are protected from water and leaks and are as strong as the pipe itself.
• The material can be processed. You can make straight and oblique cuts, cut them into fragments from 1 cm wide to any desired length. This is convenient when pipes have to be installed in hard-to-reach places.

• The material meets the requirements of GOST. In production, materials are used that can come into contact with drinking water.
• The technical characteristics meet the requirements of SNiP for installation of pipes in different operating conditions. We accept installation indoors and outdoors (underground).
• Polypropylene does not rust. The composition does not contain materials that are susceptible to corrosive processes.
• The products do not need to be painted. They already have white or another color and a semi-matte surface. The dye is added to the raw materials at the first stage of production, so the pigment is securely fixed. After 10 years of service, the product will have the same color.

• For each problem there is its own solution. If you need to run cold water, there is PN10, for boiling water – PN25.
• Water flows through the pipes silently. Silence is ensured by the thickness and density of the material.
• There are no deposits inside the pipe from direct current water.
• Service life – up to 50 years.
• Waste-free use. From the remains of pipes you can make useful and beautiful things for your home and everyday life.

But there are still disadvantages:

• Pipes are subject to stretching at high temperatures. Even reinforced ones.
• Products cannot be bent. To change the direction of a pipe (turn around a corner, down, and beyond), you need to use fittings.
• Soldering requires special tools.
• Scratches from mechanical damage may remain on the surface of the pipes. This does not harm the integrity, but the appearance will suffer.
• Reinforced pipes require preparation before soldering. Only products with fiberglass can be soldered immediately, while aluminum and foil need to be stripped.

Where to apply?

Polypropylene pipes are a multifunctional item in the household.

Here's what you can do with them:

• Plumbing system. For cold water supply, an unreinforced thin-walled or thick-walled pipe is suitable. It is cheap, easy to install, and copes well with transporting water at temperatures up to 45 degrees.
• Hot water supply system. Pipes marked NP20 or NP25 can safely supply water at boiling point. Propylene begins to melt only at 170 degrees.

• system central heating in a cottage, house or country house. To do this, you need to choose large diameter pipes with fiberglass. They are reliable and do not require complex cleaning. Soldering of such pipes goes off without a hitch. The thermal conductive elongation of pipes with fiberglass is 10 times less than without it - only 1.5 cm. Due to this, the pipes do not sag or deform.
• Water heated floor. If heat from pipelines with hot water not enough, install a heated floor system. The disadvantage of this floor is that it is impossible to roll the pipe with a small pitch. The advantage is the cost-effectiveness of system maintenance and its service life. The service life of a water heated floor is about 50 years. In this case, the system can be installed directly into the floor screed.

• Auxiliary systems: ventilation and sewerage.
• Fence at the dacha. It won’t protect you from uninvited guests, but it can delimit the territory from neighbors. On protected summer cottages This is one of the simple and budget options.
• Greenhouse or greenhouse. The pipes are durable and can withstand snow loads well in winter. They are easy to assemble simple greenhouse 1.5-2 m tall.
• Multi-tiered flower bed for garden plants.
• Gazebo and garden furniture. Chairs, firewood racks, awnings, portable tables, sun loungers.

• Houseware. From pipe scraps you can make useful things for the hallway, balcony, garage, workshop, or children's room. Using tees, couplings and pipe fragments, any geometrically shaped object is assembled - a shoe rack, a flower stand, a clothes hanger, a drying rack or a trash can. All you need is imagination and leftover material. It is convenient to assemble playgrounds, swings, and houses for small children. If you add a net, you get an excellent goal for children's football.
• Decor elements. Using corners and adapters, you can assemble bookshelf in loft style. Short cuttings of different diameters will be used to create a frame for a photo or mirror, lamps, flower pots and vases.

What will you need?

When working with polypropylene pipes, you will need several groups of tools.

The first group is necessary for measurements. This includes a tape measure, rulers, markers, and building levels. IN difficult cases will have to resort to mathematical calculations. For example, when using propylene pipes to supply water from a source on the street to the house.

In addition to drawing and measuring instruments, you will need alcohol and scraps of cotton fabric. They are needed to degrease the surface of pipes. Markings will fit better on a degreased surface and are more convenient for soldering.

The second group of devices is necessary for slicing. The average length of one pipe is 4 meters. You need to cut short fragments from it, adjusting them to the size of the area where the pipes will be installed.

It is not recommended to cut the pipe with improvised materials. It is long, inconvenient, and the cut is of poor quality. Its edge is “fringed”, resulting in burrs. It must be cleaned with sandpaper or cut with a thin knife.

Tools for a single cut (can be used to cut 1-2 fragments when there are no others at hand):

• hacksaw for metal;
• jigsaw;
• grinder saw;
• self-sharpening knife.

Propylene is soft, so these tools will do the job. If you have to use them in the absence of others, it is important to consider that the cut will be uneven and chips will get inside the pipe. These shavings must be removed so that they do not “walk” through the water supply or underfloor heating system.

Electrical devices(jigsaw, saw) require careful work. It is necessary to control the force with which pressure is applied to the pipe and rotate the pipe several times when cutting. This helps make the cut straight rather than at an angle.

The listed tools must be used correctly - do not saw, but try to fix the product in place and apply pressure from above with the tool. In this case, the cut will be as close to ideal as possible and there will be fewer chips. But this method is only suitable for thin-walled and small-diameter pipes. You will have to tinker with reinforced products.

Tools for high-quality pipe cutting:

• special scissors for plastic pipes, including propylene;
• roller pipe cutter;
• electric pipe cutter;
• guillotine type pipe cutter.

Pipe cutters are completely different from regular ones. Their sharp blade is fixed on only one side. In place of the second is a wide metal base. There is a groove inside the base. When cutting plastic products, the sharp edge of the blade fits into this groove. The edge of the pipe is smooth and suitable for installation.

To work with such scissors, you only need muscle strength. To cut the pipe, you need to close the handles of the scissors so that the blade passes through the plastic.

The advantage of these scissors is that they are light, cheap, and can be easily moved from place to place. The downside is that the distance between the blade and the base cannot be increased. Only thin pipes (up to 45mm) pass through it.

Products of large diameter (for sewerage, heating) cannot be cut manually.

Also, some craftsmen consider it a disadvantage that the effectiveness of the tool is directly related to physical effort.

A roller pipe cutter, on the contrary, is more focused on working with large diameters. Outwardly it looks like a clamp. The cutting blade is located on the end side of the clamp.

It’s even easier to imagine this tool if you remember a manual can-rolling machine. The device is installed on the pipe and tightened with a bolt. It is important not to overtighten so that the product does not crack. After this, you need to grab the handle of the blade and turn it clockwise. You will get a circular cut with a smooth edge.

The advantage of the tool is its convenient use and high-quality results. It is larger in size and weight than scissors. According to the principle of action, it is also associated with physical effort.

An electric (or cordless) pipe cutter is powered by an electric motor. It is as quickly as possible and without extra effort copes with the task. However, the diameter of the product is also limited, like that of hand scissors.

The guillotine type pipe cutter is a hand tools. Its design is fundamentally different from scissors and pipe cutters, and its capabilities are somewhat greater. They can cut pipes with a diameter of 5-35 cm. There is no need to clamp the pipe with clamps. The cut is smooth without the risk of cracking the plastic.

The third group of tools is useful for stripping pipes.

This includes only two tools, but they are very important:

• chamfer;
• calibrator

The purpose of the bevel remover is to remove the edge and top layer of plastic around the pipe cut. This improves the quality of soldering.

Chamfer removers vary in diameter. They are also available mechanical and automatic. The tool is not universal, so it is important not to make mistakes with the characteristics.

The calibrator is needed for processing reinforced pipes. It is used to remove the aluminum layer or foil. It is also able to eliminate burrs and irregularities in the cut. Some calibrators can act as chamfer removers.

A useful function of the calibrator is to return the cut perfectly round shape, if the pipe is slightly dented during the cutting process.

The main disadvantage of these tools is that each diameter requires its own calibrator and chamfer.

The fourth group of devices is needed for soldering itself. Welding or soldering of pipes is carried out with a soldering iron with replaceable nozzles. Working with this device requires caution and safety precautions.

Since the soldering iron heats up to a high temperature, there is a risk of getting burns when working with it. High on your soldering shopping list should be good, thick gloves, preferably with a heat-resistant coating.

The soldering iron kit should include replaceable nozzles for pipes of different diameters. You can change the nozzle using a hex wrench.

There is a toggle switch on the side or top of the case to adjust the temperature. Any soldering iron comes with instructions with a detailed description of the tool and all the manipulations that can be performed with it.

Instructions

In general terms, for a professional, pipe welding looks simple: heat it up, connect it, fix it. The key word here is professional. For novice specialists and simply homely owners, the procedure consists of more stages. And they are more difficult to implement.

There are two methods of welding - butt and socket.

When two parts of a pipe are joined end-to-end, no additional parts are used. A pipe of smaller diameter is inserted into a product of larger diameter. It's simple, but not the most effective method. This makes it difficult to connect pipes unless they only run in a straight line.

The bell method is much more reliable. It involves connecting parts using fittings of various configurations. Using fittings, you can easily change the direction of the pipeline, make branches and complex water supply systems.

In both cases, welding or soldering is the joining of two heated parts. Due to the fact that the parts at both ends are soft and pliable for deformation, diffusion occurs (mutual penetration of materials). A strong connection is formed. The characteristics of the pipeline at the connection point do not differ from the characteristics of a factory-made propylene product.

There are many models of soldering irons for PP pipes, but their structure is the same:

• Frame. Has a stable bottom, stand and handle.
• A heating element. The maximum heating temperature is 260 degrees. There is a protective cover on top.
• Temperature regulator. May be mechanical or electronic. There are light indicators.

• A set of nozzles of different diameters. Some of the nozzles are intended for pipes, some for fittings. The nozzles are Teflon coated. It ensures uniform heating of polypropylene parts and easy cleaning.

Types of soldering irons differ in the shape of the heating element or tip. Two types are popular: “iron” and “rod”.

The rod soldering iron appeared earlier. Its sting is a cylinder with a diameter of several centimeters. The nozzle is fixed on the cylinder. On the one hand, it is adapted for heating the pipe, on the other – for the fitting.

The fitting heats up from the inside. It is put on top of the nozzle. The pipe, in turn, heats up from the outside. It is inserted into the hole of the nozzle.

During operation, the fastening of the attachments on the rod may become loose due to temperature effects. They have to be tightened, so a rod soldering iron is less convenient than an iron-shaped one.

The sting iron is a vertical plate with three holes for installing attachments. The thickness of the plate varies within a few centimeters. Its “nose” is pointed, and in general the plate resembles the sole of an iron, located vertically. Hence the name of this type of sting.

Nozzles for pipes are fixed on one side, and fittings on the other. During the soldering process they do not become loose, which is much more convenient than the rod type.

Also, the width from the edge of the left nozzle to the edge of the right nozzle is smaller than on a rod soldering iron, so it is more convenient for working in hard-to-reach places.

The number of nozzles with different diameters and the quality of their coverage. The larger the range, the more types of pipes can be used in plumbing work.

Standard sets include 3 or 4 nozzles. This is enough for household use of a soldering iron. But for professional use for plumbing work, you need to purchase several more varieties.

When choosing a soldering iron, you need to take into account the power of the tool. Choosing it according to the principle “the more powerful, the more effective” is wrong. Such a tool will only waste energy and not improve the result of the work.

There is a simple rule for choosing a soldering iron for specific needs. The diameter of the pipes (in millimeters) must be multiplied by 10 W. The resulting number is required power. When working with products of different diameters and polypropylene, you need to focus on the largest one.

The technology for melting PP pipes is not complicated. But there is a catch in working with them: you won’t be able to immediately determine the quality of soldering. All oversights and leaky connections can only be identified during pipeline operation. Therefore, it is important to study the nuances of the work in advance and correctly solder the pipeline system.

Detailed instructions for beginners:

• Wipe the soldering iron nozzles with a clean, dry cloth.
• Place the soldering iron on a special stand.
• Install two attachments on the tip required diameter. The nozzles are not placed in a row, but one against the other. The pipe weighs more than the fitting, so the nozzle for it is installed from the side working hand. For right-handers - on the right side, for left-handers - on the left.
• Connect the soldering iron to a 220 volt network. When connecting, it is important to ensure that heating elements the soldering iron cord did not touch.
• Set the welding machine to the maximum temperature - 260 degrees.

• Wear gloves with heat-resistant coating. All manufacturers of soldering machines for PP pipes indicate that, for safety reasons, touching the hot parts of the soldering iron with unprotected parts of the body is prohibited. Also, children and animals should not have access to the soldering iron.
• To warm plastic parts. During the process, it is important to ensure that the joint angle is maintained.
• Remove the hot propylene parts one by one and connect them to each other.
• Cool the soldering machine naturally. Do not cool it with water or cold air. Such manipulations will cause the product to fail before the warranty period.

Manufacturers do not indicate universal heating times for different types of pipes. For thin-walled products of small diameter and thick-walled wide pipes, the temperature and time may differ.

Professional installers determine the degree of heating based on experience and intuition. Beginners are helped by the table that each manufacturer includes in the instructions. It takes into account the time of working with a pipe depending on its diameter and the length of the connecting seam.

Tables different manufacturers may vary.

The exact time is determined by the power of the soldering iron and its model.

Installation

Soldering or welding of PP pipes is an integral part of the installation process. You cannot first solder the entire water supply system into one whole, and then easily install it in a designated place. Some areas will still have to be soldered by weight. Therefore, soldering and installation proceed in parallel.

The work is being carried out in stages.

The first stage is organizational

Organization consists of two important activities: choosing materials and creating a drawing.

Polypropylene pipes must correspond in their technical characteristics to the system in which they will function. If this is a cold water supply system, you can choose PN16 pipes. For hot you need a minimum of PN20. In addition to the pipes themselves, you will need connecting fittings and holders (loops).

A drawing is a pipeline layout diagram. It must reflect all elements, from the source of water supply to the objects of water consumption. On the diagram, it is important to indicate all sections of the system that will be laid in the ground and indoors, at what depth they will be located and to what height the water will be raised. Fastening elements must be provided for every 40-50 cm. The location of adapters, branches, couplings, taps, and radiators is also noted.

The water pipeline is installed in two ways: open and closed. The open one is easier for DIY installation. Even a beginner can handle it. Closed is more labor-intensive and complex. It is better to entrust it to specialists.

In addition to the fact that the drawing gives a visual representation of the location of the pipes, it helps to calculate the amount of materials.

Polypropylene is virtually a waste-free material. But no one is immune from mistakes when working with it for the first time, so you need to purchase material with a small reserve. 5-10% will be enough.

From the remaining pipes and fittings you can always make useful little things for the home, so it's not a waste of money.

The second stage is preparatory

To make installation quick and easy, you need to prepare the outdoor and indoor areas through which the pipeline will be laid.

If some of the pipes need to be installed in the ground, then a trench is dug under them. To prevent them from freezing in winter, you need to make a depression below the freezing level. It is recommended to use insulation as additional protection. They wrap PP pipes before immersing them in the ground.

The best option for insulation is considered mineral wool or foil-based materials.

Inside the house you need to install fasteners along the pipeline. Their location relative to the horizontal line and each other is determined using building level. Best suited for this laser device. You also need to use a hammer drill to punch holes in the walls through which the pipeline will pass.

During the preparation process, it is easy to identify hard-to-reach areas for installation. It is important to think in advance about how best to install pipes in these areas - use ready-made parts welded on a table, or do it by weight.

The temperature of the soldering iron is high enough to cause damage to any object in the immediate vicinity. Before installation work, you need to clear the path along which you will move during installation, so as not to bump into obstacles.

The third stage is analysis of pipeline sections according to complexity

At this stage, you need to work on the diagram in order to go around the entire installation path and note which pipeline elements can be mounted on a workbench, and which ones can only be welded by weight.

The resulting sections should be marked on the diagram. Some of them may be too short, so they can be combined. Some, on the contrary, may be too long. They need to be equipped with an additional wall mount or divided into several parts so that the pipe does not sag or stretch.

Stage four - pipe cutting

Thin-walled products can be cut well with scissors for PP materials and pipe cutters. In rare cases, a jigsaw will do.

For thick-walled pipes with aluminum and foil reinforcement, cleaning is required before cutting. A multifunctional trimmer or shaver can handle it.

If there were no special tools and the cut turned out uneven, it needs to be sanded. It is more effective to use two types of sandpaper - first with a coarser grain, then with a fine grain.

When cutting pipes, it is important to consider that 15-30 mm of length will be spent on the connecting seam. They need to be added to the length of the pipe, which is shown on the pipeline diagram. If connecting parts are located at both ends of the pipe, then you need to add 15-30 mm twice.

You can always cut off the excess, but you won’t be able to increase the missing few centimeters. To avoid mistakes, do not cut all pipeline elements at once, including complex sections.

The sections of pipes that will be heated by a soldering iron should be marked with a marker.

The end of the pipe should enter the nozzle up to the mark.

Fifth stage - welding (soldering) of parts on the work table

As mentioned above, in practice, pipe soldering involves more steps than heating and joining.

In order for the seam to be reliable and the system to function correctly, you need to solder step by step:

• Degrease the nozzles of the soldering apparatus, the inner surface of the fittings and the ends of the PP pipes. Alcohol may erase markings made with a marker. If necessary, it can be updated by clarifying the measurements on the ruler.
• Place the soldering iron on the stand. It must be heat resistant and working surface smooth and stable.
• Wear gloves with heat-resistant coating.
• Attach nozzles of the appropriate size.
• Connect the instrument to the mains, set the temperature to 260 degrees.

• The fitting is put on the nozzle, and the pipe is inserted into it. This way it heats up inner side connecting element and the outer part of the pipe. It is important to follow the heating time recommendations (in seconds) given by the manufacturer. The larger the diameter of the pipe and the thicker the wall, the longer the time. Usually after 6-8 seconds you can already solder (connect parts together).
• Connect the heated parts. Insert the pipe into the fitting, hold for a few seconds to allow the diffusion process to begin, and then set aside until it cools completely.
• Check connection. This can be done no earlier than 2 hours after welding. You can check the strength of a part mechanically, by moving the parts with your hands, or by passing water through them. If the pipe does not flow and water flows well, the connection was successful.
• Solder all the parts that can be connected on the table.

Stage six - laying the pipeline

Essentially, this is the installation of all elements in their assigned places. To connect some of them, the process will have to weld parts in weight. This is done in the same step-by-step manner as on the work surface.

Seventh stage - system check

A few hours after welding, the parts set and cool. The performance and reliability of the system is checked by running water through the pipes.

Common mistakes

Beginners in plumbing and do-it-yourselfers who want to save money on the services of professional installers often make the same mistakes. At first glance, these are small things, but they lead to the system quickly breaking down.

What you should not do when installing PP pipes yourself:

• Rush too much. Welding PP pipes requires some efficiency. But this only applies to the speed of connecting parts while they are still hot. Otherwise, haste has negative consequences. Most often, novice craftsmen simply do not allow the soldering iron to heat up to the desired temperature. As a result, the “adhesion” of the parts is poor.

  Slow installers have another problem - they heat the parts to the required temperature, and then spend a long time making adjustments before inserting the pipe into the fitting. During these few seconds, the temperature of the products drops, and with it the quality of diffusion drops.

• Rely on the temperature readings of the thermometer built into the soldering iron. If the equipment is old or from an unscrupulous manufacturer, the required 260-270 degrees on the display may appear due to a malfunction. The actual temperature of the nozzles is often lower than this parameter. It needs to be checked for insurance purposes. contact thermometer. Such a device is inexpensive, and it is useful on the farm not only for working with a soldering iron.
• Overheat propylene products. Beginners may think that the longer they heat, the better the connection will be. In reality this is not the case. If you melt the plastic too much, a sagging will form in the pipe. It will interfere with the free flow of liquid through the pipeline or completely clog a section of the pipe.

• Weld pipes outside in cold weather. At low temperatures the parts cool too quickly, as does the connecting seam. They don't have time to grab securely.
• Do not clean pipes and nozzles from dust and grease. This also negatively affects the quality of the connection.
• Do not trim pipes with aluminum reinforcement. The melting temperature and time of aluminum and propylene are different. Although aluminum is an anti-corrosion material, it can cause pipes to leak.

• Install all pipeline elements at once on the floor (table, ground). Such a constructor can then no longer be installed according to the diagram.
• Use thin-walled pipes for hot pipelines. They will not withstand high temperatures, will stretch and burst over time.
• Cut pipes with a hacksaw or jigsaw without subsequently cleaning the cut with emery cloth.
• Try to speed up the cooling process of the pipe with cold water or air.

It’s not enough not to make mistakes; you also need to take into account the welding tricks that professional installers have developed over the years. Conventionally, they can be divided into “life hacks” based on the choice of materials and tools, and useful tips for work.

How to choose pipes:

• Make it a rule that thin-walled pipes can only be used for cold water and decorative items. To work with hot water, you should choose only reinforced thick-walled ones. For ventilation, pipes marked PHP are required.
• Products with fiberglass as a reinforcing layer are universal. They are suitable for beginners who are just learning to use a soldering iron, and last up to 50 years. You shouldn’t be fooled by consultants’ stories about best quality pipes with aluminum.

• Appearance pipes can also say a lot. If the product has a uniform color, an even round cut and smooth walls inside and out, it is of high quality. If the coloring is spotty, the cut is not round, and the walls are rough, the product will fail during use.
• You need to smell the pipe. Only pipes made from low-grade raw materials have a characteristic pungent odor of plastic. A product made of high-quality propylene has almost no odor.
• The pipe must fit tightly into the fitting and only when hot. If there is a gap between the walls of at least a millimeter, this is a defect.
• All components must be purchased from one manufacturer.

There are many more tricks of welding and installation. They come with experience, and each master has his own techniques. But there are some universal tips.

So, every master knows that soldering machine nozzles are treated with a special solution in production. It protects the instrument from negative impacts environment before use. The protective layer evaporates when the soldering iron with nozzles is turned on for the first time. When evaporating, a characteristic odor and light soot appear. Therefore, you need to start the device outdoors for the first time and let it warm up until it evaporates completely. Only then start soldering.

The second secret concerns the treatment of pipes and soldering iron with a degreaser. It is better to choose pure alcohol. It evaporates quickly and leaves no odor inside the pipes, unlike acetone and solvent.

If the ambient temperature is close to zero, you need to slow down the cooling of the connecting seam. To do this, use napkins made of warm fabric.

You need to wipe the parts with a lint-free cloth. It will smolder inside the soldering iron nozzle.

For a double circuit of pipes (hot water and cold), it is preferable to place the hot circuit above the cold one. This will prevent condensation from forming on the pipes. You can connect parts at the transition points from horizontal to vertical only at an angle of 90 degrees.