How to solder PVC pipes. How to properly solder polypropylene (plastic) pipes. What equipment is needed for soldering?

The range of construction products is constantly updated and growing, new modern materials. Many people try to use pipelines in their homes that have a long service life - plastic communications. Next we will figure out how to solder plastic pipes? But first, let’s say that the advantage of such technologies is the ability to independently repair or replace water supply and heating networks. So how to solder plastic pipes for water supply?

To do this, we need to understand the types of pipes, they are: metal-plastic and polyethylene.

And they are divided into subspecies: polyethylene- used for laying inside buildings and outdoor routes. Can be used at high blood pressure and low temperatures. PVC- are used to reduce the cost of repairs. Metal-plastic– with a service life of more than 50 years, often used for hot water supply.

Widespread use is due to a number of reasons:

• Easy to install.
• Long service life.
• Low corrosivity.
• Environmentally friendly material.
• Lightweight and easy to transport.
• They don't give in harmful effects microorganisms.

Polyethylene pipes are installed using the welded method or using couplings/fittings. How to solder plastic pipes for water supply? For cold water supply networks, PVC and polyethylene pipes without reinforcement or reinforcement are suitable.

To solder polyethylene connections you will need:

• Soldering iron (heating device, a special device with a soleplate with special attachments of various diameters attached to it).
• Pipe cutter
• Trimmer.
• Finely sandpaper.
• Connecting coupling (for coupling assembly)

The stages of technology for laying hydraulic communications will tell you how to learn to solder:

• We measure the required length with a tape measure.
• Cut with a pipe cutter.
• Trim the cut ends.
• We solder the ends.

Temperature conditions for soldering are most often found in the instructions for the tool. On some modern models The automatic heating mode is set; on other brands, the heating strength was selected manually. At what temperature should plastic pipes be soldered? When soldering polyethylene pipes, it is necessary to set the temperature around 220 ° C, for polypropylene pipes 260 ° C. The device has an indicator that shows the device is ready for use. The indicator lights up only in heating mode. The duration of soldering depends on the circumferential radius of the pipeline, and can range from 5 to 40 seconds.

Knowing the technology for connecting communications is not enough to quality installation you need to know a number of gasket features. How to solder plastic pipes correctly? Provide professional assembly technological buildings, it is necessary to take into account the nuances of the connection:

It is necessary to preheat the soldering iron for about 5-7 minutes.

Work should be carried out at temperatures above zero.

After soldering, do not twist or move.

The connection must be allowed to cool.

Home soldering irons are designed for soldering wires with a diameter of up to 32 cm.

Between the edge of the pipeline and internal thread there should be no gaps in the fitting.

Excessive force when compressing elements can lead to a decrease in the clearance in the cavity and impair the performance of the entire structure.

Remove any remaining material from the attachments.

When carrying out work related to heating, we follow safety rules, this will help prevent injuries and burns: you should solder with protective gloves, ensure the cleanliness of the room, place the soldering iron on a flat horizontal surface, you must start working after it has fully warmed up, do not turn off the iron from electrical network throughout the installation.

Soldering plastic pipes with your own hands is not difficult; this process does not require professional skills or experience. Pipeline made of polyethylene and PVC structures is reliable, durable and environmentally friendly clean system for water supply and heating.

Reading time: 4 minutes.

Water and sewer pipes from polymer materials with confident steps they are ousting their older iron brothers from apartments, cottages and public places. This is due to their low cost, durability, resistance to corrosion and ease of installation. Read more about how to solder plastic pipes in this article.

Types of pipes to be welded

The concept of “plastic pipes” includes several types sanitary products from different polymers. They differ in scope of application (for water supply or sewerage), technical characteristics and installation method.

The following polymer pipes are installed by welding:

1. Polypropylene (PP). A pipeline made of this material can withstand high temperatures and pressure and is wear-resistant and durable. Polypropylene is used for the installation of cold and hot water supply circuits, as well as heating systems, the installation of which is carried out using reinforced polypropylene materials.
2. Polyethylene (PE). With all the advantages of polypropylene, polyethylene pipe differs in higher flexibility and ductility, therefore, unlike polypropylene products stored and sold in rolls. The only disadvantage compared to polypropylene is lower thermal stability, so polyethylene is unsuitable for use in heating and hot water supply systems.
3. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The range of products made from this polymer is extensive - with a wide range of diameters, stiffness and operating pressure. Distinctive feature polyvinyl chloride - high bactericidal properties.

There are types of plastic pipes, the assembly of communications from which does not require welding work. These include:

• made of cross-linked polyethylene;
• metal-plastic pipes.

A pipeline made of these materials is installed using metal connecting elements - fittings, which increases the cost of installation.

Necessary equipment and tools

Welding PVC, polypropylene and polyethylene water pipe requires minimum quantity tools and equipment:

1. Welding machine - an electric heating device with a set of paired Teflon-coated nozzles standard diameters. The nozzles correspond to the internal and external diameters of the pipes used. If you plan to use the device one time, it makes sense not to buy it, but to rent it for a short term.
2. Pipe cutter - for quick, precise and even cutting of pipes the right size. If you don’t have a pipe cutter, you can use a hacksaw, but in this case the cut will not be as neat.
3. Roulette, building level and a marker - for measuring the length of pipeline sections and markings during installation.
4. Rags, solvent - for degreasing the welded areas.

In case of tie-in plastic pipeline metal communications may require a pair of gas wrenches (or wrenches) required diameter), plumbing flax (or fum tape), sealant for sealing threaded connections.

If the installation is carried out with reinforced pipes, a scraper will be needed - a device for stripping away foil.

To attach the pipeline to the wall you will need a hammer drill.

Preparing for work

Welding PVC pipes, like other polymer materials, requires preparatory measures.

Before installing the water supply system, you should draw a diagram of future communications on paper, minimizing the number of branches if possible. Then mark the laying of the pipeline “on the ground” - on the walls or on the floor, marking the connecting elements (tees, angles and couplings), valves, meters, filters and all points of water consumption (faucets, toilet, washing machine etc.).

After marking the water supply system, it is necessary to calculate the footage of the pipes and the number of fittings. The next step is going to the store. You should buy materials with a 10% reserve. Valves, filters, meters and adapters with threaded connection purchased in accordance with the drawn diagram.

A feature of polymer materials is their linear expansion under thermal influence. To avoid sagging and deformation of communications over long sections (5 m or more), it is recommended to use compensators - loop-shaped connecting elements that compensate for the physical impact high temperatures to the pipeline.

Soldering process

The necessary materials have been purchased, the equipment has been prepared - it’s time to move on to installing the water supply system.

Let's take a closer look at how to properly solder plastic pipes with your own hands.

The technology for welding plastic pipes is extremely simple: heating the elements to be joined to the required temperature and joining them to each other, resulting in a high-strength, homogeneous polymer compound.

The sequence of welding work is as follows:

1. The pipes are cut into pieces of the required sizes according to the installation diagram.
2. Using reinforced pipes They are cleared of reinforcing foil at the welding points.
3. Nozzles corresponding to the diameters of the parts being welded are attached to the welding machine. The device is connected to the mains. Welding is carried out at a temperature of +260⁰С.
4. Markers mark risks on the elements being connected to ensure alignment of the parts.
5. We insert the parts to be connected into the nozzles. One of the connected elements is heated from the outside, the other from the inside. Warm-up time depends on the diameter of the material.
6. The heated elements are quickly connected to each other according to previously identified risks. The connection is fixed, displacement is not allowed.
7. Cooling time is given for 2-8 minutes depending on the diameter.

Table of correspondence between pipeline diameter and welding time

If all requirements are met, the result of welding is a monolithic connection that guarantees the tightness and reliability of the pipeline.

Repairs are quite expensive, so many people prefer to do it themselves to save money. But if wallpapering and laying linoleum are considered simple types repair, then laying or replacing communications requires certain skills and special equipment.

For example, many people are afraid of the need to connect plastic pipes when repairing a water supply system. In fact, there is nothing complicated about this, all you have to do is get welding device for plastic pipes and study some of the features of the process.

To carry out welding work with plastic pipes, you will need the following tools:

• construction tape and pencil (marker) for taking measurements,
• pipe cutter or construction knife for cutting pipes,
• shaver (if welding of pipes reinforced with aluminum foil is carried out),
• file and fine-grained sandpaper for smoothing out burrs on cut pipes,
• pipe welding machine.

You will also need alcohol to degrease the structural elements in the welding areas and rags.

What is a welding machine for plastic pipes?

The action of a welding machine for plastic pipes is to heat the ends of the pipe and fitting that will be connected to each other to a temperature close to melting. Due to the softening of the material after cooling, they form a single monolithic structure.

The device itself consists of a support platform and a housing equipped with:

• temperature controller,
• light indicators of the operating status of the device,
• heating element (mirror, sole),
• handles for adjusting the position of the mirror.

In the base of the device there are two holes onto which nozzles are attached, corresponding to the diameters of the plastic pipes. The most common nozzles allow you to weld pipes from 16 to 32 mm, the maximum possible diameter is 63 mm.

Healthy! During operation, the sole and the nozzles attached to it heat up to the same temperature, which allows you to reliably connect the pipeline elements without worrying that one of them is not warm enough.

There are 2 types of welding machines for plastic: sword-shaped and cylindrical. The xiphoid apparatus is sufficient for use in domestic conditions, but this instrument has one drawback - rather poor stability.

If you have made a decision on our own make plumbing for your home, then know that the best material There will be plastic pipes for this. In order to unified system, you need to understand how plastic is welded. However, don’t let this scare you, since the process of soldering plastic pipes itself is not particularly difficult and does not require any large number special tools.

To carry out welding work you will need:

• roulette;
• marker;
• building level;
• scissors for cutting plastic pipes;
• welding device for plastic pipes.

Almost every craftsman has all the tools, except the last one. You may need the latter only once in your life, so it is much more advisable not to buy it, but to borrow or rent it.

Briefly about the welding machine

Before you start soldering, you should briefly become familiar with the device you are about to use.

An important element is the sole, equipped heating elements. Convenience of work is ensured by the fact that there are holes on the base that allow you to attach special soldering attachments. The temperature is adjusted using a thermostat located on the body.

Pipe soldering process

When starting soldering, the device must be installed in in the right position and attach suitable size attachments to it. Using the thermostat, set the required temperature:

• 260°C for polypropylene pipes;
• 220°C for polyethylene pipes.

Allow the device to warm up for 10-20 minutes until the indicator goes out.

When performing soldering, you must proceed from the following data:

The soldering process boils down to the following operations:

• Using special scissors, cut the pipe to the required length, using an alcohol solution, clean the joints from dirt and grease;
• Place the pipe and counter socket in the nozzle and heat for the time indicated in the table;
• Connect the heated elements together by inserting the pipe into the socket. This operation must be performed during the time called a technological pause in the table;
• After completing the operation, check the quality of the resulting welded joint, which will be noticeable in the form of plastic rings.

We have just outlined the essence of the soldering process. However, to ensure reliable operation of the pipeline, attention should be paid to the following details:

• The first welding operation should be performed five minutes after the soldering iron has warmed up.
• If it is necessary to weld reinforced pipes, you should use a special tool called a shaver to remove the aluminum and polypropylene, which form the two top layers, from the pipe. After this, the pipes are joined according to the method already described.
• Welding work should only be carried out when the temperature environment above zero.
• After welding, allow the connected pipes to cool, avoiding their rotation or mutual movement. In the case where the connecting seam turns out to be of poor quality, the assembly must be cut and the welding process must be repeated.

When working with, it is necessary to observe certain precautions, failure to comply with which may affect the quality welded joints. In particular, it must be remembered that the nozzles are coated with Teflon, which prevents the formation of carbon deposits. At the end of each operation, melted residues must be removed from them using a wooden spatula. It is strictly forbidden to remove any remaining material after the attachments have cooled, as this could damage the coating and cause a malfunction of the entire device.

Many people decide to do their own plumbing at home.

Practice shows that PVC-based structures are best suited for this purpose. And to do everything , soldering skills required.

There is no need to worry if you have minimal or no experience using a soldering iron. Soldering PVC pipes- the process is not too difficult, and cooking for it special tools V large quantities not required.

Materials for work

To carry out competent welding work, you need to prepare such set of tools:

• marker;
• construction level;
• roulette;
• welding device for plastic pipes;
• scissors for cutting PVC materials.

Almost everything listed can be found at home or purchased in a store at a modest price, with the exception of a welding machine. If you don’t have one, and the need for it is only one-time, then you can rent it or ask your friends to borrow it for a while.

Soldering iron device

Before you figure out how to properly solder plastic pipes, you need to thoroughly study how the soldering iron for cutting them works and on what principle it works. This welding machine designed to connect water supply structures made of plastic, and is equipped with a special sole on which there are heating elements.

To make it more convenient to work, such a sole most often includes holes with different diameters, where special nozzles for soldering pipes are attached. Thanks to the thermostat, the temperature indicators of the device are adjusted. Such a thermostat is located on the body of the soldering iron, and the power supply is turned on or off using additional switches equipped with light indication. The non is also equipped with an easy-to-use handle, as well as a stand so that the device can be placed on flat surface for stationary use.

Rules and methods for soldering PVC pipes

Soldering plastic or polypropylene water pipes must be carried out strictly in a certain sequence. It looks like this:

Soldering pipes should take into account many indicators, we present them below:

So, the soldering technique looks like this:

• take special plastic scissors and use them to cut the pipe to the required size;
• using an alcohol composition, clean the pipe joints from grease and dirt;
• We place the response socket and pipeline in the nozzle and heat it for the time that corresponds to the parameters of the material;
• after heating, the parts are connected to each other, the pipeline is inserted into the socket;
• Upon completion of work, check that the welded joint is High Quality. Plastic rings should appear at the joints.

So, above we have already found out how to correctly solder plastic water pipes. But remember to installed water supply could work long time and without problems, it is recommended to follow some recommendations.

First of all, during operation, be sure to take into account that the nozzles on the device have a Teflon coating, which prevents the appearance of carbon deposits. After each use of the device(after welding) be sure to remove any melt residue with a wooden spatula. Removing them after the nozzles have cooled is prohibited, as this can deform the coating and also cause damage to the device.

Primary welding can be carried out only five minutes after the welding soldering iron has warmed up, and if we're talking about about connecting reinforced pipes, you need to remove them using a shaver two outer layers of the structure:

• aluminum;
• polypropylene.

And only then can the elements be connected according to the methodology.

All types of welding work must be carried out exclusively at positive ambient temperatures.

And lastly, all work must be performed confidently, all elements must be placed on the same axis. If the connection is made poorly, you will need to cut off the assembly and weld it again.

Particular attention should be paid to the installation of such fixed elements as:

• bends;
• fitting;
• valves;
• tees;
• adapters.

Quality of welded joints can be bad if you do not follow basic safety rules when working with welding equipment. Take into account all the rules and recommendations listed above so that your plumbing is installed efficiently and quickly, and then can last for many years.