How to connect plastic pipes

Not so long ago, in our country, only metal pipes were used for the installation of cold and hot water supply. Then there were products made of polymeric materials, which, in comparison with expensive metal and cast iron products, are lightweight, affordable, easy to install and have a lot of other advantages. The key advantage is that the connection of communications from plastic pipes is very simple, which does not require the use of complex tools.

Materials for the production of plastic pipes

To understand how to connect lines from plastic water pipes, you first need to figure out what material they are made of, since each requires an individual approach. At the moment, the most popular products are made of: polyvinyl chloride (PVC), metal-plastic, polypropylene and cross-linked polyethylene.

Plumbing fittings made of plastic are characterized by low weight and are sold mainly in bays, which greatly facilitates their transportation. Various aggressive substances have practically no effect on the material, which, moreover, successfully resists corrosion processes. Based on this, the warranty period for products is an average of 25 years.

Interesting! Due to the peculiarities of production and the properties of the material itself, plastic pipelines are able to transport large volumes of liquid, while requiring a minimum amount of electricity. Condensation and high humidity will not form at the points where communications pass. In addition, plastic fittings do not require specialized maintenance.

Methods for connecting PVC pipes

Do-it-yourself PVC products are connected by two methods: socket and using an adhesive composition.

At one end of the PVC pipe, a socket with a rubber seal is installed. Before proceeding with the connection itself, the products must be cut into pieces of the desired size, for which a special pipe cutter or a hacksaw is used. After that, the end to be joined and the inner surface of the socket are carefully cleaned. The smooth part of the PVC product, previously lubricated with a silicone compound, is inserted into the socket until it stops. The armature is removed by 7 — 10 mm, for which it needs to be pulled slightly. It is recommended to follow the degree of extraction, which will allow pre-applied marks.

If an adhesive is used for the connection, then the process is as follows:

• The outer part of the pipe and the inner side of the socket are treated with sandpaper;
• Surfaces to be bonded must be degreased;
• The part of the reinforcement that will be inserted into the socket must be covered with glue;
• Next, the prepared pipe is inserted into the socket and rotated 90 degrees, which will ensure a tight coupling with the material;
• The parts to be glued are pressed against each other, after which it is necessary to wait a minute.

Degreasing, applying glue and the connection itself should not take more than 3 minutes, which is required for high-quality fastening.

Advice! It is recommended to degrease the surface with methylene chloride.

The glue will dry completely within a few hours.

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Installation of pipes made of metal-plastic

You can connect a metal-plastic line using 2 methods: compression or press fittings. The second method can be divided into two subtypes: using compression sleeves or sliding press fittings.

Before proceeding with the work itself, it is necessary to draw up a diagram that displays the location of fittings, plumbing and heating appliances. Next, the tool and the material itself are prepared — pipes pre-cut into the desired segments.

The side of the pipe with deformation is carefully leveled by the calibrator, its end is cleaned from burrs and roughness — this is easily done with a file or a sharpened drill.

Using compression fittings

Fittings are made of brass. The package includes a fitting, a split ring and a union nut. The task of the element is to ensure a reliable connection of sewer and water plastic pipes, and a simple wrench is enough to perform the work.

When the union nut of the fitting on the pipe is turned on, the press sleeve is compressed, which ensures a reliable connection between the product and the fitting.

This type of connection has a key advantage — you do not have to use special tools or equipment to carry out the work. In addition, there is always the possibility of dismantling if necessary.

In theory, the assembled line can be assembled and disassembled, but, as practice shows, the fitting used once remains the most reliable.

Note! If the fitting used has already been in operation, it is recommended to replace the gaskets when reconnecting.

When fixing pipes made of metal-plastic, you will need a few clamps and clamps, which is due to the good preservation of the shape of the product. For the installation of the highway, both a collector and a tee scheme are used. In the second case, the fittings are connected in series or cut in after the pipeline has been laid.

Many are interested in the question — «how can plastic pipes be connected without soldering.» In a situation with compression fittings, the procedure looks like this:

• First of all, the prepared pipe must be leveled;
• Next comes the preparation, by the method described above. In addition, a lead-in chamfer is created at the ends of the pipe;
• A union nut and a split ring are put on the product;
• The fitting is moistened;
• The fitting must be seated in such a way that the end face rests against the edge of the fitting with its entire plane;
• The union nut on the fitting is screwed up to the stop. It is important that the nut goes easily, otherwise there is a possibility that it does not sit well on the thread, and this will subsequently negatively affect the quality of the connection;
• The union nut is tightened with a wrench until 1 — 2 threads remain in sight. Excessive efforts during the work are not needed so as not to spoil the thread.

To insulate and level the formation of condensate, corrugated hoses are put on the pipes. To do this, the hose is cut with one cut, put on the pipeline and, if necessary, secured with adhesive tape.

We use sliding fittings

Here the technology works like this:

• The pipe is prepared, a coupling is put on it;
• The cleaned edge of the pipe is treated with an expander and expanded;
• A fitting fitting is put on the pipeline. The sleeve is clamped manually or with a hydraulic press.

The sliding fitting works like this: if you move the coupling to the fitting, the pipe is pressed more tightly, which ensures high-quality fastening.

Connection of polypropylene pipes

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There are such options: butt welding, socket method and using fittings. Let’s consider each.

Butt welding

This method is relevant if you need to connect pipes with a diameter of more than 50 mm. This will require the use of a professional welding machine. If the pipeline has a diameter of less than 50 mm, then a special soldering iron, called an “iron”, is used for work. The technology is as follows:

• Products are being prepared: pipes are cut and cleaned, marks are set;
• The soldering iron is heated to a temperature of +270 degrees Celsius;
• In a perpendicular position, pipes are put on the nozzles of the tool;
• The product is aged until it starts to melt;
• After the processed elements are removed from the nozzles and connected to each other by squeezing, without scrolling. The more you squeeze, the bigger the seam will be. If it is necessary to install sewer pipes of small diameter, you should be careful when soldering so that the resulting seam does not impair the throughput;
• cooling of materials.

Bell method

This type of soldering is relevant when working with fittings with a diameter of not more than 40 mm. To ensure a reliable connection, a welding machine is used that has special nozzles and a centering device.

The work is carried out in several stages:

• The pipe is cut with special scissors;
• The ends are cleaned;
• The apparatus is heated to the required temperature;
• The welding process itself (to prevent deformation, the work should be done quickly);
• The elements are tightly fixed.

The method can be implemented without welding, which requires glue. Before starting work, you need to “try on” the product to see how well it fits into the fitting. If the pipe goes too easily, it will not create the proper level of tightness, and if it goes tight, it will cause the adhesive to shift.

Metal and plastic fittings: how to connect

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The connection of plastic pipes for a pipeline with metal is realized using fittings. This method is relevant if subsequently it is required to connect heating devices, water-folding equipment or switch to a different diameter.

There are several types of plumbing fittings: compression fittings, press fittings and push fittings. If the reinforcement has a diameter of more than 40 mm, the thread is placed on a metal pipe.

At the moment, there are a wide variety of adapters that provide a reliable connection of plastic products with metal. Compression fittings are often used.

After work, the pipeline is checked for tightness. Water is supplied to the system and each connection is checked — whether there is a leak or not. If necessary, the joints are sealed, and the thread is tightened.

Conclusion

Pipelines made of plastic have confidently entered the daily life of a person. They are successfully used for cold, hot water supply and sewerage. It happens that in the house there are pipes made of different materials that need to be connected to each other. This is done through many technologies, and most of them do not require sophisticated equipment.