How to solder plastic pipes. How to properly solder plastic pipes with a soldering iron

Pipelines made of high-molecular compounds, that is, various types of plastic, are an integral part of a modern home, be it private cottage or an apartment in a multi-storey building. Polymer pipes are quickly gaining popularity: they are lightweight, inexpensive and have good technological characteristics. They are easy to assemble into a single circuit using soldering (welding); this article will tell you how to solder correctly plastic pipes.

Advantages of polymer pipes

Plastic products have become widespread not only in the sphere of housing and communal services, but also in other areas of human activity. Many brands of plastic and a wide range of standard sizes allow each craftsman to select a product for his own purposes and choose a method for soldering plastic pipes for water supply.

Advantages of plastic pipes:

• Unlike metal products, not prone to corrosion;
• chemically indifferent - do not interact with most acids, alkalis, salt solutions, gas and oil refining products;
• biologically resistant – including to the action of various microorganisms;
• have good sound insulation;
• low heat transfer coefficient, that is, excellent thermal insulation;
• light weight, facilitating transportation of pipes to their destination, their laying, subsequent repair and dismantling;
• environmental safety - products do not emit into the atmosphere harmful substances;
• ease of connection individual elements into contours of any complexity and length;
• the ability to use products for both hidden and external installation;
• long service life - subject to all operating conditions and the absence of external threats, the period, depending on the brand of plastic, is 50 years or more;
• ability to withstand high pressure: at a temperature of 0...10°C, the maximum permissible pressure inside the system is 15 bar, at elevated temperatures (up to 95°C) - 2 bar.

The products are quite environmentally friendly, as a result of which they can be used in water supply circuits - both cold and hot - and heating.

Plastic pipes can be connected, using special connecting fittings with metal liners, to similar products made of metals and alloys.

How to solder a plastic pipe and how to use a pipe soldering iron can be easily learned with the help of reference materials or video tutorials; the process is not difficult and can be done by every home craftsman.

What equipment is needed for soldering?

Most home water supply or heating systems are constructed from pipes whose outer diameters range from 16...63 mm. It is recommended to weld products into sockets or using connecting fittings (couplings).

The choice of soldering irons today is quite large, and to accept correct solution, you need to take a closer look at their main operational characteristics:

1. Power. Most important parameter. For a home craftsman using plastic pipes of standard diameters, a power of 1200 W will be quite enough. Soldering plastic pipes with units with a power of 1800 W or more is much easier and faster, but for home use The minimum specified power will be sufficient.
2. Number of nozzles. The number of attachments supplied in the kit is different in each case, and the more, the better. Nozzles are exactly what are used to solder plastic pipes. Good items must be coated with Teflon to prevent the material from burning. Each nozzle consists of a reflow sleeve outer surface products and mandrel - for the inside of pipes.
3. If you have the financial means, you should purchase a soldering iron on which you can simultaneously install several nozzles at once: this will significantly save time, since to replace the nozzle you need to cool the tool each time, and then, to resume work, heat it up again.
4. Expensive professional soldering irons are equipped with an electronic heating temperature control unit, which allows you to set its value with an accuracy of 1-5°C. A craftsman who is wondering how to solder pipes with a soldering iron does not have to purchase expensive products, but measures the temperature of the nozzle using an appropriate thermometer.

In addition to a soldering iron, you will need scissors for cutting polymer pipes. You can, however, get by with a hacksaw.

It is necessary, among other things, to purchase auxiliary materials - a marker, ruler, tape measure, fabric or rags - and directly the water pipes and connecting fittings (fittings).

Using a soldering iron

Algorithm of actions when soldering polymer pipes:

1. Place the soldering iron on a plane parallel to the floor and, using the supplied keys, fix the nozzles of the required diameters on it. The soldering nozzle on the wall is installed closest to the edge.
2. Preheat the soldering iron with the nozzles installed to the operating temperature specified above. Warm-up time is different for each instrument; in most cases it is 10-15 minutes (read also: " ").
3. Before finishing work, you cannot turn off the device from the network: this will not only slow down the process, but will also negatively affect the performance of the soldering iron.
4. The parts being connected heat up at the same time.
5. After heating, plastic contaminants must be removed from the nozzles immediately using a piece of tarpaulin, without allowing them to cool and dry to the surface.

Pipeline installation

Procedure:

1. Using scissors, cut the required piece of pipe, making sure that the plane of the ends is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe.
2. Prepare fittings of the required diameter - slightly smaller when cold than the outer diameter of the pipe.
3. Clean the surfaces of the elements to be joined from all contaminants and degrease - you can use either a soap solution or alcohol.
4. Place the elements on the soldering iron nozzles and heat them up; a pipe is inserted into the sleeve and a coupling is put on the mandrel.
5. Maintain the required heating time specified in the instructions supplied with the soldering iron.
6. Remove the elements from the nozzles and press them tightly against each other, preventing them from rotating around the axis.
7. As a result, a burr appears at the edge of the coupling - a bead of material formed during melting.
8. Allow the compound to cool naturally.

If the connection fails, cut out the damaged piece of pipe and repeat the process with a new coupling.

For a craftsman interested in how to solder PVC pipes, you should know that these products are not hot soldered, but are joined using polymer glue - “cold welding”. The strength of such a connection is not inferior to that described above.

Good day, dear reader! Assembly or repair of heating, water supply, sewerage systems from modern species polymer products carried out easily and quickly, thanks to the soldering technology used to connect the parts. You can do this work yourself if you know and prepare in advance necessary tools and devices.

The following types of pipes can be soldered.

1. polyvinyl chloride (PVC);
2. polypropylene;
3. copper pipes;
4. polybutene;
5. made of polyethylene with increased heat resistance;
6. reinforced plastic products.

Necessary tools and materials for soldering

To work at home, you will need to prepare in advance all the necessary tools and materials:

• electric soldering iron;
• nozzles and stands for a soldering iron of the appropriate size;
• a file or sharp knife for removing burrs;
• measuring ruler or tape measure;
• marker;
• pipe cutting scissors;
• shaver - a device for removing the reinforcing layer;
• special tool for chamfering;
• solder for soldering;
• fluxes and fittings;
• alcohol composition for degreasing.

Solder for soldering

Solder comes in the form of wire, foil, rod, etc. It is necessary to obtain a stronger weld on copper structures. It is made on the basis of tin, silver, zinc, lead, antimony or copper.

Depending on the melting point it is divided into:

• fusible;
• medium fusible;
• high fusible solder.

Fluxes and fittings

Fluxes are used in soldering to protect the metal surfaces being joined from oxidation. They are available in liquid, dry mix or paste form and vary in chemical composition, properties and purpose. For example, to clean the surface of rolled copper and increase the fluidity of solder, it is used boric acid, zinc chloride, hydrochloric acid.

A protective film can be created using rosin, wax, and various resins.

Fittings are small size products placed on the ends of pipes that are connected by soldering. These include couplings, tees, crosses, contours, plugs, corners, etc. They must be made of the same material as the pipes themselves. And of course, it’s no secret that you can buy fittings at any plumbing store.

Cutting scissors

This type of tool has other names - pipe cutter, pipe shears or. It is designed for fast cutting of plastic products, providing a burr-free cutting edge, which simplifies preparation for the welding process.

There are 4 types of pipe shears, differing in design and price:

• precision pipe cutter with ratchet mechanism. The device is used for cutting pipes with a diameter of no more than 75 mm;
• roller shears;
• automatic pipe cutter in the shape of a pistol;
• pipe cutter - guillotine.

Tips for choosing and using a pipe soldering iron

Its technical parameters should be taken into account:

• power. Powerful machines are needed for welding pipes large diameter, for household systems in which the diameter of the products does not exceed 50 mm, you can purchase a device with a power of 0.6 - 0.8 kW;
• quality of coating of nozzles and technology of their use. The products to be welded can be easily removed from Teflon-coated nozzles, so it is advisable to choose a soldering iron equipped with just such nozzles. In addition, you should pay attention to the possibility of heating not only one, but two or three nozzles at the same time. This will significantly speed up the work;
• type of temperature controller. The soldering iron can be equipped with an electronic, capillary or bimetallic thermostat. It is better to choose a model with an electronic temperature controller, since the other two have too large a discrepancy between the set and actual heating temperature of the products.

The essence of the process and soldering methods

Soldering is used for hermetically connecting pipeline sections to each other, installation shut-off valves, control, measuring and safety devices.

For connecting the ends of pipes and pipes pipeline fittings Three soldering technologies are used:

• diffusion method. Welding is carried out by heating and squeezing the connecting elements without melting the base material of the parts and the use of additional substances;
• soldering using electrical fittings. For connection, special fittings with a heating element are used. The soldering process occurs due to partial melting of the internal part of the electrical fitting under the influence of electric current;
• cold way. The heat pipe elements are connected using additional material- solder.

Step-by-step instructions for soldering plastic pipes

It consists of three main phases - heating, docking, fixing and cooling of elements, the implementation of which requires certain preparation, compliance with temperature conditions and safety rules.

Security measures

During the soldering process, you need to follow basic safety precautions for working with power tools:

• the soldering iron must be protected from precipitation, dirt and splashes;
• Before connecting the device to the network, you must make sure that it is in working order and that the power cord and plug are intact;
• During work, you should ventilate the room and use thermal gloves;
• don't touch open areas skin to heated surfaces.

Preparation of elements and parts

At this stage you need to do:

• cutting products into pieces of the required length;
• cleaning the cuts from burrs and thoroughly polishing them;
• degreasing the sections with an alcohol solution;
• drawing a notch by which it will be possible to control the depth of insertion of pipes into the apparatus;

Preparing the soldering iron

The device must be connected to the network in advance, the thermostat must be set to the desired position and the product must be heated to operating temperatures, depending on the type of plastic.

Typically, the heating time of the soldering iron is 30 minutes until the light goes out. The device will be ready for operation 10 minutes after reaching the set temperature.

When preparing the apparatus, it is also advisable to additionally control the temperature of the fittings and sleeves with a surface electric thermometer.

At what temperature should plastic pipes be soldered?

For soldering polyethylene products, the temperature regulator on the device is set to 220ºС, for polypropylene products - to 260ºС. If there is no regulator, you can adhere to the heating parameters of the parts from Table 1.

Table 1.

Docking rules

When assembling joints, it is necessary to ensure that the edges are aligned so that the surfaces of both products coincide and the axis of the pipeline does not shift. The gap between the edges should be uniform over the entire diameter with a size of 2 - 3 mm.

Pipe connection

The heated parts are removed from the soldering iron nozzles and connected to each other, lightly pressing with their ends. The polymer will harden in 2-3 minutes.

Cleaning and cooling connections

The connection point must remain stationary until the plastic cools to a temperature of 38 - 42 degrees. To do this, the connected parts are fixed in a clamp or clip until cooling.

Cleaning of the deposits is carried out with a sharp knife after the joint has completely cooled.

Checking the connection quality

At the end of welding, all joints are subject to visual inspection. In a quality made weld must be Smooth surface, without traces of porosity, cracks, folds and excessive shine that occur when overheated. The bead in the weld area must be continuous and uniform along the entire circumference of the joint and rise above the outer surface by no more than 2 mm - for products with a wall thickness of up to 10 mm.

The maximum bead height for pipes with larger wall thicknesses is 4 mm.

Soldering video

How to solder a pipeline on a wall can be seen in the video:

Common mistakes

Soldering plastic pipes does not require special skills, but if you do not adhere to established standards and the rules, it is still possible to ruin the connection. Typical mistakes novice masters are:

• using dirty attachments. If drops of molten polymer remain on the nozzles, then during the next welding they can wedge between the edges of the products and sharply weaken the connecting seam;
• residual water and dirt on the outer surface. They will prevent close contact of the surfaces of parts over the entire area;
• applying excessive force when combining parts. Part of the melt under excess pressure can be squeezed into the pipe and reduce its permeability;
• an attempt to clean up the sagging of molten plastic before the joint has completely cooled, which inevitably leads to deformation of the pipe;
• insufficient heating or overheating of the joint.

To ensure maximum reliability of pipeline connections, experts advise adhering to the following requirements:

• it is correct to start welding work 10 minutes from the moment the soldering iron warms up;
• perform welding or soldering operations only at above-zero ambient temperatures;
• sections of pipes connected by welding must be allowed to cool, preventing them from moving relative to each other or twisting;
• For wall thicknesses greater than 6 mm, butt welding of products is performed using a double seam. With a smaller wall thickness, the joint can be sealed with one seam;
• all structural elements fixed by soldering must be from the same manufacturer, since they may differ in the composition of the ingredients in the raw materials, which will negatively affect the quality of the weld.

Soldering in hard-to-reach places and corners

When soldering pipes located in hard to reach places, for example, close to the surface of walls or ceilings, a special technique is used, which consists of sequential heating of the direct and mating sections of the connection with a soldering apparatus. It is necessary to warm up the flange of the straight section large quantity time so that it does not have time to cool while the counter part of the workpiece is in operation.

A smooth line at corner joints of pipes can be achieved by using special corner adapters and fittings. In this case, it is important to very accurately mark in advance on the supply pipes the depth of their entry into the body of the corner piece.

Connecting plastic pipes without soldering

Plastic pipes do not have to be welded; they can be joined using a special adhesive. It is applied to the entire pre-greased surface of the pipe section that will be inserted into the socket. In the bell, the inner surface is also degreased and covered with glue, but only 2/3. For better adhesion, the surfaces of the pipes under the adhesive joint are treated with sandpaper before degreasing.

The prepared part of the pipe is inserted into the socket until it stops and rotated 90 degrees. In this position, the parts to be glued should be held for 1 - 1.5 minutes until the glue sets.

The adhesive will dry completely within a few hours.

Plastic sewer pipes leading to the Tank septic tank can be connected using a compression fitting. With this method, the process of connecting pipes consists of the following steps:

• cleaning the top layer of the pipe from contaminants;
• chamfering the end;
• loosening the union nut on the fitting and installing the end of the pipe into it;
• tightening the nut in the reverse position, at this moment the pipe is clamped (compressed) by the ferrule ring.

Fittings are fixed manually or using an open-end wrench. The applied force should not be excessive, otherwise the pipes may burst.

The socket method involves the use of a highly elastic sealing ring. The tightness of the connection is ensured by compression of the gasket between the walls of the socket and the smooth end of the pipe.

Welding large diameter plastic pipes

To connect pipes with a diameter of more than 50 mm and a wall thickness of 4 mm or more, butt soldering technology is used, which consists of simultaneously welding the ends of 2 segments along the entire plane. The most difficult thing in this welding method is to correctly align the joints and ensure the required length of the gap between the parts.

Manufacturers of materials for laying utility networks offer a wide selection modern solutions, which replaced the traditional ones. In particular, this applies to pipes for installation in a house or apartment for water supply, hot water supply, radiator and floor heating system. To lay or repair a local pipeline made of polymer pipes (polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene), you need a special tool and some skill in working with it. Soldering plastic pipes is not a complex job, but it is important to understand the technology and take into account a number of points in order to get a reliable and durable result.

Tool for soldering plastic pipes

Pipe soldering machine

In everyday life, a special device is used, designed to connect a polymer pipe to the corresponding fitting or coupling. The maximum permissible diameter of pipes that can handle House master, 63 mm. Larger diameter pipes are mostly butt welded using professional equipment.

A soldering tool for home use is a unit equipped with a stand, the working part of which is heated to a predetermined temperature. The heating element (sole) is equipped with holes for installing nozzles of various diameters (from 16 to 32 mm).

Apparatus for soldering plastic pipes

The devices differ in design:

• xiphoid;
• cylindrical.

There is no fundamental difference which one to use for soldering plastic pipes with your own hands. In any case, strictly following the instructions will help you get the desired result.

Secrets of high-quality soldering

Soldering of pipes should be carried out in a room with a positive temperature, and the colder the air, the more time it will take to warm up plastic or metal-plastic parts for a tight and durable connection.

Secrets of high-quality soldering

To avoid common mistakes when installing heating or water supply pipes, pay attention to the following recommendations:

• The power of a household tool should be 1200 W.
• The device for home use is designed to work with pipes with a diameter of up to 32 mm; in other cases, you need to use a professional soldering iron.
• Before you start soldering, warm up the device for at least 5–10 minutes so that the working part with nozzles warms up to the specified parameters.
• Having soldered the pipeline elements together, do not twist them or move the seam so as not to damage its integrity. It is only permissible to carefully straighten the distortions, otherwise the seam will leak under load.
• Do not squeeze the parts together too much. Since the melted plastic will be pressed inward and reduce the bore diameter of the fitting, which will worsen the operating parameters of the system.
• Do not leave gaps between the edge of the pipe and internal part fitting. Such a connection will leak under pressure.
• Be sure to allow the soldered area to cool completely before applying stress.
• After each soldering operation, clean the nozzles from traces of melted plastic. This will prevent the appearance of carbon deposits, as well as damage to elements that need to be soldered.
• Clean the attachments using a wooden flat stick. This will protect the Teflon coating from damage. Metal objects cannot be used, as scratches will render the nozzle unusable, and the plastic will stick to it and burn.

Attention! Before you begin installing the pipeline, watch the detailed video instructions and practice on unnecessary scraps of plastic pipes.

Security measures

It is important not only to know how to solder plastic pipes, but also to follow safety precautions when working with power tools so as not to get burned or injured.

It is important to use protective gloves

1. When working, be sure to wear protective gloves.
2. Pay attention to the cleanliness of the floor and dustiness of the room. Dirt trapped in the molten plastic impairs the quality of the weld and makes the joint unsightly.
3. The soldering unit must be placed on a horizontal, flat surface.
4. During the entire working process, the unit is not de-energized.
5. You can start welding elements only after the soldering iron has completely warmed up. In modern models, the indicator switched off indicates that the operating mode has been reached. Using an old device, wait about 20 minutes from the moment you turn it on.

Work progress

Let's take a closer look at how to properly solder plastic pipes at home. At the preliminary stage, you need to prepare all the necessary tools:

• tape measure and marker;
• needle file or file;
• fine grain sandpaper;
• pipe cutter;
• sharp mounting knife;
• soldering iron for welding plastic.

You will also need a rag and alcohol (or other degreasing agent) to treat the surfaces to be soldered.

Preparing elements

The pipes are cut to the required length using a special pipe cutter or a sharp mounting knife. Make sure that the cut is strictly perpendicular, otherwise you will not be able to make a tight connection.

Using a Shaver

Next you need to process the edge of the pipe. It is advisable to use a special tool - a shaver, but in its absence it is enough to use a mounting knife (used to remove burrs), after which the edge of an ordinary pipe made of propylene or fiberglass reinforced needs to be processed until smooth using a needle file and fine-grained sandpaper.

Important! For an aluminum-reinforced PVC pipe, it is recommended to remove the top layer of polymer and the foil layer at the edge to improve the quality of the connection.

After making sure that the smoothness of the treated edge is almost as good as the inside of a fitting purchased in a store, you can begin to solder the elements, having previously degreased the surfaces to be joined with alcohol.

Soldering technology

Let's look at how to use a soldering iron and which one temperature regime need to choose for plastic pipes different types. Do-it-yourself installation of a polymer pipeline is carried out in several stages:

1. The soldering unit is securely fixed to the platform and installed on working part nozzles of suitable diameter.
2. The electric soldering iron is turned on after setting the required temperature. To solder polypropylene parts to each other, the working part must be heated to 260°C; when welding PVC products, heating to 220°C is required.
3. After warming up the device, the fitting and the prepared edge of the pipe are put on the nozzles and the parts are heated for several seconds ( exact time heating is indicated in the table below, it depends on the diameter of the elements).
4. After waiting the required time, the parts are carefully joined together and left to cool completely. All other elements of the pipeline are fastened in the same way.

The depth of welding of the pipe corresponds to the parameters of the inside of the fitting - nozzles on the soldering iron ensure heating of the elements to the same depth to ensure maximum contact of surfaces for better adhesion.

Soldering process technology

The method of connecting polymer pipes using temperature welding is quite simple if you master the skill of accurately connecting heated elements and know how to solder the parts. Once the pipe is inserted into the fitting, it is not moved or rotated so that the heated polymer can form a monolith. If the joint is moved before the material hardens, the polymer will bunch up and the joint will depressurize.

Checking the connection quality

Testing the tightness of connections begins after all the joints have been installed and have had time to cool. To do this, water is poured into the finished system and the pipeline is inspected to identify leaks. Before adding water, allow the installed system to stand for at least an hour under normal conditions. room temperature, and if the air in the room is cooler, then the pre-test pause should last at least 2-3 hours.

If leaky joints are found, it is necessary to drain the water from the system and reinstall the pipeline section by installing new fittings and taking a piece of pipe of the appropriate length. An attempt to somehow seal a leaky connection or solder it using an electric soldering iron is doomed to failure in advance. Installation of a polymer pipeline requires strict adherence to technology.

An example of a quality connection

At the end repair work Check the tightness of the system again by pouring water into it. If we are talking about a heating system, the pipeline will undergo a real check only after heating the coolant in the boiler, at elevated temperatures and pressure.

Conclusion

Instructions on how to solder plastic pipes allow you to understand the technology of the process. If there is a need for one-time work, it is not economically profitable to buy an electric soldering iron for pipes; it is easier to rent a tool from a company that provides similar services.

Planning to conduct for the first time independent work, it is advisable to buy material with a small margin. Knowing only in theory how to solder pipes, before starting work in the house, you need to practice. If the experience is unsuccessful, entrust the installation or repair of pipelines in your home to professionals.

IN Lately Traditional cast iron and steel pipelines are increasingly being replaced by more modern products chemical industry– polyvinyl chloride and polypropylene pipes. But new materials require a different technology for connecting pipes, and the most effective in this case is soldering.

Note! The soldering temperature, which affects the quality of the connection, depends on the size of the products - this can be seen in the table below.

Polypropylene pipes, marking	Characteristics and purpose
PN 10	technical characteristics are acceptable for cold water supply up to 20 degrees Celsius, floors warm system up to 45 degrees, at operating pressure - 1 MPa
PN 16	characteristics determine use for both hot (up to 60 degrees Celsius) and cold water supply, nominal operating pressure - 1.6 MPa
PN 20	The technical characteristics of this type of pipe allow use in hot water supply systems with temperatures up to 95 degrees, nominal pressure - 2 MPa
PN 25	reinforced polypropylene pipe: characteristics suitable for hot water supply, as well as for the system central heating up to 95 degrees Celsius, nominal pressure - 2.5 MPa

Step 1. The choice of one or another source material directly depends on the future purpose. The main criterion for division is the maximum permissible temperature of the working environment. In this regard, pipes are allocated for hot, cold, and mixed water supply.

To determine the exact quantity necessary pipes and fittings, the room is measured and compiled rough plan. The latter indicates the dimensions of the future highway and all its elements.

After purchasing all the components, you can proceed to the next stage.

Stage 2. Necessary equipment

The principle of soldering is to heat the ends of the connected pipes to the required temperature and then fix them. To do this you will need a special device - a welding machine.

It can be of three types:

In addition to the device itself, the work will require:

About choosing nozzles

Heating nozzles must match the cross-section of the pipes being connected. To do this, you need to pay attention to certain parameters:

• strength;
• maintaining shape during temperature changes;
• thermal conductivity.

Most welding machines are compatible with several different attachments at once, which is extremely convenient when arranging complex pipelines.

Each nozzle has two ends at once - one is intended for heating the outer surface of the products, the other for the inner. All nozzles are coated with Teflon coating, which prevents the sticking of molten coating. The sizes of the nozzles range between 2 cm and 6 cm, which completely coincides with the common pipe sections.

When the plan has been drawn up and all the components have been purchased, all that remains is to thoroughly clean the room. Particular attention should be paid to dust, because even the smallest particles, settling on the seams, can easily break the seal.

First, the nozzle is inserted into the socket, after which the device is turned on. Further actions depend on the chosen soldering method, so let’s look at them (methods) in more detail.

Method number 1. Diffusion soldering

When using this welding technology, the material of the parts being connected mutually penetrates each other, and after cooling, forms a monolithic element. One of the most common processing methods, which, however, is acceptable only for homogeneous materials.

Note! In this case, the soldering temperature reaches 265ᵒC. It is at this temperature that polypropylene melts.

Video - Diffusion soldering of PP pipes

Method number 2. Socket soldering

When welding using the socket method, they are used welders with different sections of nozzles. The procedure itself looks quite simple.

Step 1. First, pipe sections are cut required length. It is important that pruning takes place exclusively at right angles.

Step 2. The ends of the products are cleaned with a shaver (if reinforced pipes are used).

Step 3. The ends are inserted into a nozzle of the appropriate cross-section, heated to the melting temperature and connected.

Note! It is extremely important that the pipes do not change their position when cooling.

Method No. 3. Butt soldering

This method is suitable for connecting large diameter pipes. As in previous options, the pipes are cut into sections of the required length, and the ends are carefully cleaned.

Method No. 3. Sleeve soldering

With the coupling method of welding, an additional part is introduced between the elements being connected - a coupling. Warming up occurs in the same way, only it is not the sections of the highway that are heated, but only the connection elements.

Method number 4. Polyfusion soldering

A type of diffuse technology, characterized in that only one of the two elements being connected melts.

Method No. 5. Cold soldering of PP pipes

This welding method involves applying a special adhesive composition to the pipes being connected. It is characteristic that the use of “cold” welding is permissible only in those lines in which the pressure of the working fluid is insignificant.

When overheating or connecting small-diameter pipes, there is a risk of sagging on the inner surface. These sagging will prevent the free movement of the working fluid during operation.

To avoid this, it is necessary to check the connection for such defective areas. The joint needs to be blown out, and if the air flows freely, then the welding definitely turned out to be of very high quality.

Note! After this, it is necessary to check the tightness of the connection - to do this, a small amount of water is passed through the soldered elements.

Important rules for soldering polypropylene

For a high-quality and tight connection, it is necessary to adhere to certain rules.

Soldering of PP pipes in difficult areas

When asked what the main problem is when installing a plastic pipeline, any specialist will answer: soldering in hard-to-reach places. To perform this procedure, the structure is divided into several sections.

First of all, an inconvenient large area is installed. It is advisable to form it separately, and only then install it in a permanent place.

After fixing the problem area, smaller and therefore easier to install elements are installed. This event needs to be carried out by at least two people.

Video - Installation in hard-to-reach places

Typical mistakes when soldering plastic pipes

Video - Technology for soldering PP pipes

Results

Skills in soldering PP pipes will come with time. There is nothing complicated here, although at first several couplings and one or two dozen meters of pipes will be damaged. And this is not scary, because they are not that expensive; at least autonomy from plumbers costs more.

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? PVC and polyethylene pipes without reinforcement or reinforcement are suitable for cold water supply networks.

To solder polyethylene connections you will need:

• Soldering iron (heating device, special device with a sole with special attachments of various diameters attached to it).
• Pipe cutter
• Trimmer.
• Fine 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? During adhesion polyethylene pipes it is necessary to set the temperature around 220 ° C, for polypropylene 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; for a quality installation you need to know a number of installation features. How to solder plastic pipes correctly? To ensure professional assembly of 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. A pipeline made of polyethylene structures and PVC is a reliable, durable and environmentally friendly system for supplying water and heating.