To join sections of polypropylene pipes, various types of fittings are used. When laying communications in an apartment, it is almost always necessary to make bends in pipes, carry out bends and branchings. In addition, fittings help to connect the metal and polypropylene sections of the plumbing or heating. Polypropylene pipes are a fairly flexible and plastic construction. Therefore, many craftsmen prefer to make bends by heating the pipe and bending it by hand. Manufacturers do not recommend this. Any careless movement or excessive heating can lead to mechanical damage to the pipe. The best solution when performing such work would be the use of fittings, since there are all types and sizes of these elements on the plumbing market.
Varieties
The types of connections differ not only in shape and purpose, these elements have different sizes. There are usually no problems with the selection of the diameter, it is enough to at least visually estimate the size of the pipe and select a suitable connecting element for it. By the way, when installing plumbing or heating in apartments, polypropylene pipes with a diameter of 50 millimeters are used. But the types of fittings can drive a non-professional into a dead end. These elements fall into several categories:
- clutch;
- adapter;
- corner or tee;
- bypass;
- "American".
To know exactly what types of connecting elements you will need, you need to draw a preliminary communications wiring diagram. This will help to figure out where the corners or branches will be, and to acquire the required number of connecting elements.
The difficulty lies in the fact that beginners do not know which fitting is intended for what. Therefore, we decided to make a brief overview of these products.
Couplings
The easiest way to connect polypropylene structures. This product is made in the form of a small barrel, which connects the parts of the water pipe. This type of fitting is selected in strict accordance with the diameter of the pipe. Otherwise, the integrity of the connection may be compromised or the throughput of the system may be reduced.
Adapters
This type of connecting elements is designed for joining polypropylene pipes of various diameters. Like the previous element, the adapter is made in the form of a barrel, only with a different section size at the ends. It is worth noting that adapters are available for sale, supplemented with external or internal threads. They are mainly used for the installation of heating risers.
corners
This view is intended for corner joints. The use of corners allows you to mount the system without exposing the polypropylene pipe to heat and mechanical bends. This type of fitting can have a different bending angle (45 or 90 degrees). In addition, the corners can be supplemented with threads, which makes it possible to install a mixer or connect plumbing.
Tees
Used to connect several elements to the main system. For example, when connecting a kitchen and bathroom riser to the water supply. Tees can also be supplemented with threads, including for different-diameter connections. It should be noted that such fittings can be used when connecting polypropylene and metal pipes.
Contours
They simulate a bend in a pipe and can be used to bypass all sorts of obstacles. The contours usually have a minimum bend angle to make the angle sharper, many craftsmen “break” the product by hand. It is not recommended to do this, polypropylene may burst, respectively, the product will have to be thrown away.
"American"
This type of connection is the most popular among beginners and professional plumbers.The design is a threaded connection with a union nut. Such a scheme provides a fairly reliable, but at the same time simple joint. The advantage of the "American" is that during installation there is no need to rotate the joined elements. The tightening and dismantling of the fitting is carried out by means of a union nut. This type is optimally suited for connecting pipes of various materials, and for connecting heating radiators.
Additional Information
Instead of a conclusion, I would like to clarify a few nuances that may be important when connecting polypropylene pipes with fittings.
When choosing a fitting, select the product in strict accordance with the diameter of the water pipe. Usually this information is contained in the marking of pipes.
- All fittings for polypropylene are not divided according to their intended purpose. In other words, they can equally be used for the installation of plumbing and heating systems.
- When using threaded connections between the fitting and the pipe, the tightness of the structure suffers. To eliminate the possibility of leaks, it is recommended to seal the connection with FUM tape or linen thread.
- The compression fitting must be used with extreme care. Inside the product there is a special ring, which, with excessive force, is able to cut through the polypropylene pipe through. As a result, the integrity of the connection will be broken.
- Many plumbers reinforce the joints with rubber gaskets. This is done to ensure greater tightness. You need to know that rubber quickly becomes unusable under the influence of moisture or high temperature. Therefore, the best option would not be to install a fitting and a rubber gasket, but simply weld sections of a polypropylene pipe together. This will make the connection monolithic, and therefore more reliable.
