How to properly solder heating and water supply from polypropylene

Polypropylene pipes are becoming more and more common in home plumbing systems because of their adaptability, toughness, and simplicity of installation. Although soldering these pipes might seem difficult, it is a manageable task if you use the proper technique. We’ll take you step-by-step through the process of soldering polypropylene heating and water supply in this guide, guaranteeing a safe and dependable connection.

PPR pipes, also referred to as polypropylene pipes, are frequently utilized in plumbing systems due to their resistance to corrosion and high temperatures, which makes them perfect for water supply and heating applications. Polypropylene pipes are joined using a unique soldering technique, as opposed to metal pipes, which need to be welded. Acquiring the necessary skills to properly solder these pipes is imperative for both amateur and professional plumbers.

It is important to gather all necessary tools and materials before beginning the soldering process. A welding machine, sandpaper, PPR fittings, a PPR pipe cutter, and safety equipment like goggles and gloves are required. You can start soldering as soon as everything is prepared. Making sure you have all the tools you need on hand will facilitate a quicker and more effective process.

A successful soldering job requires the pipes and fittings to be properly prepared. Using a PPR pipe cutter, start by cutting the polypropylene pipes to the necessary lengths. To guarantee a safe connection, precise, clean cuts are necessary. Sandpaper should be used to smooth out any burrs or uneven edges from the pipe ends after cutting. A clean, smooth surface is essential to getting a watertight seal.

Stages of installation work

The difficulty of welding PPR products more than makes up for the low cost of polypropylene systems. The only plumbing that is more challenging to install is that made of steel and copper pipes that require gas cooking. Although it is easier to wire with metal, plastic, and polyethylene materials, the cost is higher.

We advise following this order of operation to solder polypropylene heating pipelines and water supply pipelines in a dependable and elegant manner:

1. Draw a tap and heating circuit, transfer the projections of the highways to the walls of the premises.
2. Prepare the necessary tools and devices. Professional welding machine (aka a soldering iron or “iron”) with a set of nozzles is better to rent, and not buy.
3. Cut the blanks and weld the system sections in convenient conditions – on the table.
4. Fasten the finished areas in place and connect. Connect plumbing and heating devices.

Note: By creating a diagram and labeling the tracks on the walls, you can easily select the tees, taps, couplings, and pipes that need to be purchased.

We draw a mounting diagram

A heating and water supply project must be underway when installing pipelines and connecting plumbing fixtures. It is advisable that you first become acquainted with the guide to selecting a private home heating system if the wiring scheme has not yet been developed and the highway diameters have not been established.

Prior to buying and joining polypropylene components, convert the circuit to actual circumstances:

1. Mark the contours of the radiators or install all heating devices in advance.
2. Apply with a pencil or marker on the inner surfaces of the walls of the installation point of water outlets, cranes, distribution collectors and other reinforcement.
3. Using a long rail and a building level, connect the marked points with the lines, then then pave plastic pipes along them.
4. By the number of branches and turns of pipelines, find out the need for fittings – tees, couplings and bends.

An important nuance. Muds should be arranged horizontally, with the "nose" down. Select the appropriate straight sections for the water filter installation.

Once the wall projections are drawn, calculating the number of polypropylene pipes needed is simple—all that is needed is a roulette to measure the line lengths. Remember to use plastic clips to secure pipe wiring.

Several recommendations should be noted when buying pipes and fittings:

• The soldering of plastic pipes is carried out by immersing each end inside the shaped element to a depth of 14-22 mm (depending on the diameter), which means that the length of each straight section increases by 3-5 cm;
• In the heating system and DHW, polypropylene is lengthened by heating, therefore, in order to avoid bends of the highways, you need to purchase special fittings – compensation loops;
• To cross other pipelines, use bypass elements made from PPR;
• Take pipes reinforced with aluminum foil, basalt or fiberglass for hot water supply and supply of coolant.

Compensation loops are installed on risers or large-length lines recorded by immobile supports (e.g., a jumper between two adjacent apartment buildings’ metal pipes). In both situations, the pipe will cause the saber to bend due to heating if PPR is not adjusted for lengthening.

Practical guidance. When doing polypropylene welding for the first time, purchase an additional two to three meters of pipe as well as multiple spare couplings. Solder multiple connections and practice as it is easier to control the quality of the joints when using direct connectors.

Pauline for polypropylene and other tools

Small welding machines are made to dock polypropylene with an external diameter of 20–63 mm. Larger diameter pipelines are incredibly uncommon in residential communications. You should use a soldering iron designed for polypropylene pipes of any shape, one with a flat, round, or wide dord.

Citation. The simplest method to rent a heater with a set of nozzles. The daily rental fee is between 4 and 8 U. e. Depending on where you live and how much the device cost at first.

To mark and weld PPR pipes, a set of instruments and equipment will be required in addition to the soldering iron:

• stopwatch;
• scissors for cutting – mandatory, hacksaws and grinder are not suitable;
• Shaver – the device of ending pipes reinforced with aluminum;
• Measuring instruments – roulette, square, ruler;
• marker or simple pencil;
• degreasing composition-white spite, gasoline "Kalosha", nephras, alcohol (acetone is not suitable);
• rags;
• Protective gloves.

This is a list of the specific tools needed to solder PPR pipes. In order to secure the wiring to the walls and link it to the batteries, you will require a screwdriver set, a drill, a hammer, and keys.

One annoying thing about all welding machines is that the soldering iron just hangs in the nest stand and slides around the table at will. An expert’s tip: use two self-cutting screws to secure the stand to the countertop, and use a screw to secure the heater, as seen in the picture.

We solder the first joint

Polypropylene welding appears to have a straightforward technology: the fitting and pipe ends heat up simultaneously using a soldering iron, and they are then manually joined. The problem is that the connection can become unstable even with a small deviation from the technological specifications.

A crucial aspect. It is impossible to complete or repair an unsuccessful joint; the damaged section is removed, and the connection is repaired using new fittings and, if required, pipe construction. Thus, novice soldering should be preceded by training.

How to solder pipes in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions for polypropylene:

1. Cut the pipeline with scissors to the desired size. If the PPR is reinforced with aluminum, clean the end part by the shaver. The goal is to remove the upper layer of foil and fit the outer diameter under the internal section of the shaped element.
2. Set up with a distance of 14-22 mm from the end (cm. the table below) and draw a mark on the surface indicating the depth of immersion. If it is necessary to fix the position of the pipe relative to the fitting, apply the corresponding risks on both products.
3. Turn on the soldering apparatus, configure the temperature +260 ° C and wait until the heating indicators go out. Smell the rag with white spirit and degrease fused surfaces.
4. Simultaneously put the pipe and fit on the return profiles of the nozzles. Plush the pipe end to the tags, no deeper. Withstand the set time of warming up, focusing on the table.
5. Also, simultaneously pull the welded elements from the heater and quickly insert the end of the pipe into the fitting (to the mark, not until it stops!). The maximum temporary interval between removal from the apparatus and docking is 3 seconds.
6. Hold the joint with your hands for a few seconds (exactly indicated in the table). Assess the quality of the connection – the internal passage should not overlap with a melt.

Note: While planting, removing, or docking, polypropylene manufacturers vehemently advise against rotating the elements around their own axis. The pipe and fitting are disconnected from the soldering iron and joined solely by direct motion.

The diameter of the pipeline determines how to hide the table, the depth of immersion, and the length of time the parts on the device are exposed. In the event that the time limit is exceeded, the polypropylene melt will close off. The joint will be assessed in the case of underwear, but it will flow in a year or two.

It is advised to weld when the ambient air temperature is at least +5 °C. According to the manufacturer, if you must cook polypropylene in the cold or at thirty degrees, you should reduce the heating time by fifty percent for each. In actuality, it is preferable to carry out multiple trial joints and measure the shutter speed empirically.

We collect sections on the table

When the welding machine is fixed on the table, the best soldering pipes emerge in convenient conditions. This leads to the necessary conclusion: the heating/tap network needs to be divided into sections that can be created independently and then connected in the location.

How to mark and heat-treat polypropylene pipe sections:

1. Install plumbing and heating equipment – boiler, buffer capacity, collectors, mixers and so on.
2. Break the lines into separate sections so that the joints of the sites are in comfortable places. Along the intended tracks, fix the pipe clamps on the walls – latches (otherwise – clips).
3. Calculate the lengths of straight pipes between each pair of fittings. 3 sizes are taken into account: pure length, immersion in the shaped element and the distance from the pipeline to the wall.
4. Measure and cut straight pieces in size, put restrictive and approximate marks.
5. Degrease all the ends and proceed to welding.

The hardest thing to divide into sections. Here’s an illustration: The two-pipe lower heating wiring is separated into radiator eyeliners and long horizontal sections. The first is a pipe that has a coupling and a welded tee, while the second is a curly piece that has multiple taps and nozzles and ends with a threaded adapter for a crane.

It is far simpler to understand the technology of section assembly by watching a master’s video tutorial:

We weld the areas in uncomfortable conditions

The first step in installation is to secure the welded sections in the wall-mounted clips that are positioned along the track. To prevent the pipe from slipping inside the latch or from restarting the other end against the wall, the first location needs to be securely fastened. Next, weld the joint in weight by taking the soldering iron off of the stand.

Suggestions. It is preferable to work with an assistant when doing assembly; if needed, he can hold one pipe or provide you with a welding machine when connecting heated parts quickly requires two hands. To prevent the elements from moving in clips, you must establish a dependable support point in the first section if there is no one else available.

We outline various methods for joining polypropylene in difficult-to-reach areas:

1. When the first site cannot be fixed, ask the assistant to hold the pipe. At the end of heating, quickly hand over the soldering iron and connect the elements.
2. If the heater of the "iron" rests with the end against the wall, try to free the ends of the welded pipes from the latches.
3. Option Second: find a more convenient soldering place, increase the length of the pipeline using a coupling and thus transfer the connection point.
4. If the parts cannot be pushed to the width of the heater, screw 2 the same sets of nozzles to the “iron” and put on both sections on one side of Dorn, as demonstrated in the photo.
5. A single joint in a deep niche, where the device does not enter in any position, experienced performers are cooked as follows: they are removed with ticks from Dorn, a preheated nozzle and insert it between the connected details.

The latter approach is regarded as being quite dangerous because the removed nozzle cools down quickly, so you have to be able to estimate the exposure time with accuracy. Errors are not allowed since you will need to redo a portion of the system and remove the flooding’s effects when the joint flows.

After completing the assembly, perform a crimping by adding water to the pipeline network, pumping it to its maximum working pressure, and leaving it for a day. In the second video tutorial, there are installation and watch check details:

In the article "How to Properly Solder Heating and Water Supply from Polypropylene" on our website "Heating and Insulation of the House," we focus on providing clear guidance for correctly soldering polypropylene pipes for heating and water systems. Firstly, ensure you have the necessary tools: a polypropylene pipe cutter, a reamer, a welding machine, and appropriate safety gear. Cut the pipe squarely using the cutter, then use the reamer to remove any burrs. Next, ensure the pipe and fittings are clean and dry. After this, use the welding machine to heat the pipe and fittings to the correct temperature. Then, join the pipe and fitting swiftly, and hold them in place until the joint cools. Following these steps carefully will result in a secure and reliable connection, crucial for the efficient operation of your heating and water systems.

PPR connection without welding

There are circumstances in life where soldering polypropylene components using conventional methods is not appropriate. For instance, you might have to cook the final connection because the joint is in an inaccessible depression or because it abruptly turned off the light during installation. There are three disposable techniques used:

• heating with a gas burner and subsequent docking;
• the use of a GEBO type compression coupling;
• Planting elements on anaerobic glue.

The reason these choices are regarded as disposable. The joint reliability that is required for glue and heating the burner is not achievable, and these methods are limited to extreme situations when applied to cold water supply highways. Making the connection between heating pipes and DHW is highly discouraged. Gebo couplings are cost-prohibitive, but they are dependable.

Without the need for a soldering iron, the connection process is straightforward: the components are cleaned, the burner’s flame is gradually warmed, and the fitting is secured for six to ten seconds. The video below demonstrates the technique.

Anaerobic sealant packaging instructions are followed when making glue. Using a tiny brush, clean, degrease, and apply the fitting nest and the pipe’s end. The components are then secured using the compression method.

Conclusion

Soldering polypropylene pipes and fittings demonstrates the widely accepted principle that the more labor-intensive the building material, the less expensive the material. It is much simpler to mount wiring composed of PVC, metal, plastic, and PND. Consequently, we advise you to familiarize yourself with a comparative analysis of pipelines of the PPR and PEX types (stitched polyethylene) prior to making your final decision.

For any homeowner, knowing how to solder polypropylene for heating and water supply is essential. Your plumbing system’s integrity and safety are guaranteed by well-done soldering. You can prolong the life of your pipes and stop leaks by taking the right precautions.

First things first, as always, prepare the polypropylene fittings and pipes. Verify that they are dry and devoid of any moisture or debris. An effective soldering process requires careful cleaning and planning. Wipe all of the pipes and fittings with a fresh, dry cloth.

Second, using the appropriate equipment and supplies is essential. For a solid and dependable connection, you need a good soldering iron and the right soldering material. Over time, purchasing high-quality tools will save you frustration and time. As directed by the manufacturer, ensure that the soldering iron is heated to the proper temperature.

Thirdly, make sure it fits properly. Make sure the pipes and fittings are the right size and fit together securely before soldering. A plumbing system free of leaks must have fittings and pipes that are installed correctly. To prevent any errors when soldering, take your time during this step.

Then, distribute the heat equally. Apply heat uniformly all around the joint when soldering. To evenly disperse the heat, move the soldering iron around the fitting. This will make the relationship solid and trustworthy. Take your time and don’t hurry this step.

Allow the connection to cool naturally in the end. After the soldering is finished, let the joint cool on its own. To avoid any possible damage, do not interfere with the connection while it is cooling. A joint that has been adequately cooled will offer a reliable and leak-free connection.

To sum up, every homeowner should become proficient in soldering polypropylene heating and water supply components. It is possible to guarantee a safe and leak-free plumbing system by taking your time and doing the right procedures. Purchasing the appropriate equipment and supplies will simplify and expedite the process. To solder successfully, keep in mind that preparation and attention to detail are essential.