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Do-it-yourself polypropylene pipeline. Do-it-yourself installation of polypropylene pipes is easier than you think

Do-it-yourself polypropylene pipeline. Do-it-yourself installation of polypropylene pipes is easier than you think

July 30, 2016
Specialization: facade finishing, interior finishing, construction of dachas, garages. The experience of an amateur gardener and horticulturist. He also has experience in repairing cars and motorcycles. Hobbies: playing the guitar and much more, for which there is not enough time :)

Plastic pipes in water supply and heating systems have gradually replaced metal counterparts, and the most popular of them are polypropylene products. They are quite durable and have good performance, the only thing is that their installation for beginners usually raises a number of questions. Therefore, further I will tell you how to install polypropylene pipes with your own hands, and you will see that there is nothing complicated in this.

Pipeline installation

Installation of polypropylene pipes, as, in fact, any other, includes several stages:

Wiring diagram

So, do-it-yourself installation of polypropylene pipes, regardless of the purpose of the pipeline, begins with drawing up a diagram. In the process of performing this operation, it is necessary to solve the following tasks:

determine the most optimal location of the pipeline;
designate the length of all sections of the water supply;
indicate the location and number of fittings;
marking the location of the pipeline on the walls.

That's why drawing up the scheme must be done very carefully, with all dimensions in millimeters. For convenience, you can use the housing plan.

materials

As mentioned above, the number of fittings depends on the wiring diagram. In addition, in addition to fittings, brackets may be needed to fix the pipeline in the wall if the installation is open. We will talk in more detail about the methods of installing the pipeline below.

Separately, it should be said about the choice of the polypropylene pipes themselves. The fact is that they exist of several brands:

PN 10 - PN 16 - can be used exclusively for cold water supply;
PN 20 - PN 25 - suitable for heating and hot water. This brand costs more - the cost of 1mp PN 25 is from 50 to 250 rubles, depending on the manufacturer.

Assembly

Do-it-yourself installation and soldering of polypropylene pipes is not difficult, thanks to which you can cope with this task even without being a specialist. The only thing is that for this you need to have a special welding machine and nozzles of a suitable diameter.

In addition, you will need some other tool:

cleaning - designed to remove the upper reinforcing layer, which is necessary for high-quality parts;
pipe cutter - allows you to cut pipes straight.

If you want to assemble the pipeline without welding, you can use metal-plastic pipes that are connected by compression fittings.

The technology for connecting parts is as follows:

first of all, you need to cut the pipes into segments of the desired length;
then you need to turn on the soldering iron (welding machine) and warm it up. Moreover, before starting welding, you need to wait until the device warms up several times to the maximum temperature and turns off. Light indicators testify to it;

while the soldering iron is warming up, it is necessary to clean the ends of the pipes. To do this, a strip is put on them and rotated. This procedure is reminiscent of stripping pencils with shavings;
after all the parts are prepared and the soldering iron is heated, insert the pipe and fitting into the nozzles. In this case, it is important to withstand the exact time to be connected parts. The latter depends on the diameter of the pipeline and is usually indicated in the table supplied with the device;

In the photo - the order of connection of parts

when the plastic warms up, the parts must be pulled out of the nozzles and connected to each other. In this position, they should be held for a while until the plastic hardens;
according to this principle, all parts of the pipeline are connected.

If you are doing this kind of work for the first time, before you start manufacturing the pipeline, you should practice connecting pipe trimmings with fittings.

Mounting methods

Installation of a polypropylene pipeline in a room can be done in two ways:

open - pipes are attached to the walls using special brackets. This method is the simplest, however, less aesthetic, since communications spoil the appearance of the interior;
hidden - in this case, the pipes are located in the strobes made in the wall, after which they are plastered. I must say that it is quite difficult to correctly perform the hidden installation of polypropylene pipes, since they are highly susceptible to thermal expansion.

Installation in an open way is carried out in the following sequence:

according to the markings made on the walls, special brackets are installed. First of all, they are mounted in places of turns, as well as on flat areas with a step of a meter and a half;
further, pipes are inserted into the brackets and connected to the fittings. For convenience, you can collect individual sections of the pipeline and then fix them in brackets, and then connect them to each other.

The do-it-yourself hidden installation process looks a little different:

first you need to perform according to the marking of the strobe. Their width should be twice the width of the pipe. This is necessary so that the thermal insulation of the pipes, as well as the plaster, can fit in them.
To perform a strobe, use a puncher with a chisel turned on in impact mode;
then large sections of the pipeline are assembled and placed in strobes. To fix the structure, use brackets or holders;
then all elements of the system are connected to each other;
if the design is successful, heat-insulating covers are put on the pipes;
then the strobes are sealed with cement mortar.

Before sealing the strobes, they must be cleaned of dust. This is necessary for high-quality adhesion of cement.

It should be noted that concealed installation requires compliance with certain rules:

compensators must be provided in the system, since polypropylene pipes expand greatly (up to 5 mm per meter);
detachable fittings must always remain unwalled;
Before sealing the strobes, the pipeline must be checked.

Here, in fact, is the entire instruction for the installation of polypropylene pipes.

Conclusion

As we found out, it is quite simple to assemble a pipeline from polypropylene pipes. The main thing is to learn how to work with a soldering iron, for which you just need to fill your hand a little. Otherwise, you just need to follow a certain sequence of actions.

For more information, see the video in this article. . If you have any difficulties during the installation of the pipeline or some points are not fully understood, ask questions in the comments, and I will be happy to answer you.

July 30, 2016

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Due to the convenience and ease of installation, polypropylene pipe products have found wide application in private construction. In order to save money, it is quite possible to carry out the installation of polypropylene pipes in an apartment or a private house with your own hands. You can learn how to properly and safely work with polypropylene pipes at and in this article.

Features of PP pipes

Polypropylene products have qualities that distinguish them from alternative products:

Light weight, thanks to which the pipes are convenient to transport and work with them.
Ease of installation. Operations for connecting pipelines to each other, as well as with fittings, do not cause difficulties even for novice craftsmen.
Non-susceptibility to corrosion, as well as lime deposits on the inner surface, significantly increase the service life of the product.
High strength allows the use of polypropylene products both in low-pressure systems and for pipelines operating under pressure in a bathroom, boiler room and other premises.
Resistance to low temperatures and freezing of water makes it possible to use products for laying external highways.
Good flow capacity and low thermal conductivity provide a high coefficient useful action PP products.

The range of use of PP pipes

Polypropylene pipes are effectively and optimally used for:

water supply both hot and cold water;
heating systems;
warm floors;
fire extinguishing systems;
distribution networks.

Polypropylene pipeline laying

If it is decided that do-it-yourself installation of polypropylene pipes will be carried out, then it is necessary to correctly and carefully complete all the steps, from the selection of material to the test run of the pipeline.

Calculation of the number of PP products

The laying of polypropylene pipes always begins with the calculation of the route for laying the highway. It is necessary to provide for the optimal connection of all sanitary appliances. The detailed scheme drawn up allows you to accurately calculate the required amount:

For apartments and private houses, pipes 20.0 - 25.0 mm in diameter would be the best option. They withstand sufficient pressure, and their throughput will be sufficient for reliable and uninterrupted transportation of the working medium.

For plumbing, you can use ordinary pipes, and for the heating system, it is desirable to use polypropylene products with fiberglass or aluminum foil.

Preparation of pipeline elements

Before you install polypropylene pipes, you must perform, which is as follows:

cutting products into blanks of the required length;
cleaning the ends of pipes;
performing trimming of reinforced products.

Cutting pipes to obtain the required length is carried out by special cutting:

precision scissors;
roller pipe cutters;
electric scissors;

The most efficient roller pipe cutters. They provide a perfectly even cut. At home, you can use a hacksaw for metal cutting, followed by cleaning the cut from chips.

Cleaning and trimming of pipe sections must be performed to obtain a reliable connection of pipeline elements. This work is done with a scraping tool that removes a small outer layer of polypropylene and an inner reinforced layer to the required depth.

Pipeline installation

The installation technology of polypropylene pipes provides for the possibility of laying them:

in strobes with subsequent embedding with plaster;
in an open way along the walls, using a special one;
in the ground;
in special channels and mines.

After preparing the products for welding, you can proceed directly to the installation of the pipeline. The following instructions will help ensure a long service life of the pipeline:

When laying a heating system from PP pipes, the wiring is installed using ready-made combs. Unused exits are closed with plugs.

It is advisable to install a ball shut-off valve for each branch (outlet) of the pipeline at the outlet of the comb. Subsequently, there will be no problems with shutting off the water supply for repairs or maintenance of devices connected to the system.

A feature of laying the heating system is the need to provide an expansion loop to compensate for a slight increase in the length of the pipe from heating.

Pipe fastening rules

PP products must be securely fastened. Special clips are used to fix products. When laying pipes in parallel, double, triple, etc. are used. mounts.

For pipes of large diameter, fastening in the form of metal clamps with rubber gaskets is provided. For tubular products that are used to work with water, having high temperature sliding fasteners must be used.

Thus, if you know general rules how to install a pipeline from polypropylene products, you can provide a reliable water supply or heating system in your home in a short time without unnecessary financial waste.

Installation of polypropylene pipes for those who have encountered this at least once does not present any particular difficulties. Due to their advantages, polypropylene pipes are actively replacing metal pipelines in cold and hot water supply, heating, sewerage and ventilation systems.

This material is easy to handle, and even a non-specialist can cope with the installation work, if you familiarize yourself with the conditions necessary to do the job well.

There are mandatory rules for the quality installation of polypropylene pipes. The subtleties that you need to know begin already at the stage of work planning, the acquisition of material and fittings, and the preparation of the tool.

How weather conditions affect

Planning the installation of polypropylene pipelines that need to be welded should be at an air temperature of at least + 10 ° C. The exception is sewer pipes, which are connected into a socket without welding.

The subtlety is that too low an air temperature accelerates the cooling of the parts to be joined, and this time is only 30 seconds (of which 4 seconds are given for a small correction of the connection guide). Low air temperature leaves no time for correction, which can cause a poor connection.

Note! Installation of polypropylene pipes at negative temperatures environment do not carry out!

Influence of weather conditions:

direct sunlight accelerates the heating of polypropylene parts, since the starting temperature is higher than the calculated one;
wind accelerates cooling, reduces correction time (it is recommended to install a shield);
rain requires mandatory protection of the work site, since welding of wet parts is prohibited.

Note! It is very important to comply with the required working conditions. Violation of the polypropylene welding technology leads to a leaky joint. You can fix the error only by replacing the node.

Choice of accessories

There are several rules that will help to avoid errors in the installation of polypropylene pipelines:

The choice of pipes and fittings is carried out depending on the purpose of communications.
It is better to buy material from one manufacturer - in this case, the pipes are ideal for fittings. Focus on the label. The color of the goods does not affect the quality and technical characteristics of the products, but rather is the "calling card" of the manufacturer. For example, gray pipes made in the Czech Republic, white - Turkish or Valtek. The exception is black products - they are resistant to ultraviolet radiation.
If you plan to hide the pipeline in the floor or walls, then it is better to choose green material - it is made in Germany and is rightfully considered the highest quality.
Material should be purchased in accordance with a detailed plan-scheme of the future pipeline.

Metal pipes, which have been massively used for many years in water supply systems, are becoming a thing of the past. They were replaced by the latest generation material - polypropylene. Do-it-yourself polypropylene plumbing is easy to install, resistant to high temperatures and chemicals.

The main advantages are:

service life of pipes hot water- more than 25 years, for cold - more than 50;
high resistance to corrosion;
the smooth inner surface of the walls prevents the formation of growths;
low hydraulic resistance;
environmental friendliness of the material;
tightness of welded seams;
high strength;
ease of installation.

So that during the operation of the water supply system there are no problems, the installation of a water supply system from polypropylene pipes with your own hands should be carried out only from high-quality materials. The determining factors in the selection of components are their operating conditions, temperature conditions and operating pressure of the entire system.

Marking of polypropylene pipes

PN10 - for supplying cold water.
PN16 - for cold and hot water.
PN20 - for hot water and installation of heating systems.
PN25 - mainly for heating systems.

Sometimes the temperature of the liquid passing through the pipes exceeds 90 ° C. In such cases, PN20 and PN25 markings are used, which have a reinforcing layer of aluminum or fiberglass foil. The arrangement of the cold water pipeline is accompanied by the use of pipes of the first two markings.

Remember: If the water passing through the pipes reaches 100 ° C, nothing will happen to the polypropylene pipes. The maximum operating temperature is taken with a margin.

Diameter of a polypropylene pipe for water supply

Pipes with a diameter of 20 mm are used for systems whose length approaches 10 meters. Pipes with a diameter of 25 mm are preferred for systems with a length of 10 to 30 m. Systems with a length of more than 30 m are supplied with pipes with a diameter of 32 mm. The diameter of the riser (if used) must be 32 mm.

Having determined which polypropylene pipes are best for plumbing in your home, carefully review all purchased products. They should not have sags and roughness. When cutting a high-quality pipe, its shape remains round, and the wall thickness remains unchanged.

Water supply system design

In order for the installation of a water supply system made of polypropylene with your own hands in a country house or in an apartment to pass correctly and without incidents, a detailed diagram of the wiring, connection and fastening of pipes is drawn up. When drawing up this scheme, it is necessary, if possible, to avoid unnecessary bends, details and try to organize the shortest length of the pipeline.

Tip: To see the whole picture, namely: the intersections of pipes, the number of bends and bevels, it is best to mark the most accurate marking scheme with a pencil right on the walls.

Do-it-yourself plumbing in an apartment made of polypropylene can be organized in two ways: closed or open. The first is considered the most common, but difficult. This will require accurate calculation and professional execution. Most of the pipeline in this case should be made without joints. Although welding at the joints does not reduce the reliability of the entire system, it is still better to leave such areas open. This is necessary for preventive maintenance and regular inspection.

Another thing is open wiring. When choosing this option, the pipes can also be made less “noticeable” if they are laid at the corners of the room in vertical planes, and along the floor level - in horizontal ones.

Important advantages of open wiring are:

ease of maintenance;
ease of installation;
the ability to replace part of the system at any time in case of leakage.

Wiring options

There are two options: serial and parallel (collector) wiring systems. Each has its pros and cons.

serial wiring

She is also called tee system. In this case, do-it-yourself installation of polypropylene pipes is carried out from the central line to the points of water consumption. From one main riser, on which there is an inlet locking device, two pipelines depart: for hot and cold water. Branches to all points of water consumption from them are organized using tees.

System Benefits: easy installation, saving materials.
Flaws: dependence of water consumption points on each other. To repair or inspect one device or consumer, the entire system is turned off. Water pressure drops occur when all points are opened at the same time.

Parallel wiring

In this system a collector is required, which has one input and a certain number of outputs corresponding to the number of points of water consumption. Each pipeline is displayed individually.

Advantages: there is no need to shut down the entire system when repairing or maintaining one area. In the event of a pressure drop, all available appliances and points of consumption receive exactly the same amount of water.
Flaws: labor-intensive process, high cost, sufficient big number wiring.

You can learn how to choose and calculate correctly from our other article.

More information about the layout of the tee and collector water supply schemes is in the article.

If you need to choose a bath faucet, then helpful tips is on this page. We analyze the features of each type.

We prepare the necessary tools and fittings

To equip a water supply system in an apartment with your own hands from polypropylene, you need not only pipes. A large number of additional connections are also needed, also made of polypropylene. Fittings may be threaded or unthreaded.

What are the types of connecting elements for polypropylene pipes:

Couplings are necessary for high-quality connection of straight pipe sections and for switching to a pipe of a different diameter.
Corners are needed to install the pipeline at a certain angle and avoid obstacles.
A bypass (arc pipe) is needed to go around one pipe to another.
Tees are used in places where pipelines are removed from the main riser.
Plugs for closing the pipeline.
Crosspieces are applied in places of cross connection of pipes.
Clips are needed to fix the pipeline to the wall. The distance between fasteners on straight lines is 1.5-2 m. Clips are also used in corner joints. To fix pipelines located one above the other, double clips are used.
with rubber gaskets are needed to fix the risers. For rigidity, the connected ends of the clamp are fixed with a bolt and nut.

Please note: All fittings have different diameters and sizes. To purchase connecting elements of the right size and in the right quantity, “walk” again according to the plumbing layout.

What tools are needed:

Scissors (in extreme cases, a hacksaw, electric jigsaw) for cutting plastic.
and accessories for it.

How to use the polypropylene welding machine

The welding machine for polypropylene has a fairly simple design, it consists of a heating plate, a thermostat and a handle. Nozzles are mounted on both sides of the heating plate, have a Teflon coating and come in different diameters, which allows you to solve, in principle, any household problems.

First, the required length of the pipe is measured and cut off strictly according to the mark with special scissors. Using a trimmer, we remove burrs; if there is an external reinforcing aluminum layer, it is also removed. The cut point is cleaned and degreased. Nozzles selected by size are also degreased.
To determine the depth of entry of the pipe into the fitting, they must be connected while still unheated and marked with a marker. Nozzles are installed on both sides welding machine, the end of the pipe is put on one of them, the fitting on the other.
The device turns on and starts heating the nozzles. As soon as the bulbs on the thermostat go out, it means that the products are heated up to 260 ° C. After that, a pipe and a fitting are installed on the apparatus and the required time is maintained, which depends on the diameter of the pipe. The pipe and fitting are connected to the mark. Your movements are quick and precise! And no spins! In a few seconds, the monolithic part is ready.

To qualitatively perform the installation of polypropylene pipes with your own hands, you will need a little skill in operating the welding device. You can learn this on unnecessary pipe cuts.

Some tips for installing polypropylene plumbing:

It is recommended to install a do-it-yourself water supply system in an apartment from polypropylene from consumption points to input - switchgear nodes.
Fastening elements are installed along the entire planned line, pipelines are fixed on them, thereby uniting into a single system.
If the laying of a water supply system from polypropylene pipes provides that hot and cold water pipelines run side by side, then the cold water line should be laid higher, which will exclude.
Pipes are located strictly horizontally or vertically and are joined only at a right angle.
In hard-to-reach places, pipes are installed in a separate stage.

Polypropylene pipes for water supply installation video

On this video you can watch how the installation of polypropylene pipes takes place and listen to the comments of the master.

Finally, I would like to add that the price of polypropylene pipes for plumbing is low. To better represent the price level, let's take a few examples.

The cost of a pipe without reinforcement 4 meters long from the Czech manufacturer Ekoplastik (PN10, diameter 32mm) is 330 rubles. A pipe from this manufacturer with the same characteristics, but with reinforcement - 880 rubles.

A Turkish pipe of the SPK PN25 brand () costs 46-68-110 rubles / linear meter with a diameter of 20-25-32 mm, respectively.

Polypropylene fittings are also inexpensive, for example, a Turkish-made coupling (SPK brand) will cost only 5-13 rubles for a diameter of 20 and 32 mm, respectively.

Products made of polypropylene are absolutely not subject to corrosion, have a low weight and a long (up to 50 years) service life. That is why they have long supplanted metal water pipes from everyday life. It is not difficult to assemble a reliable water supply system or underfloor heating from polypropylene products, but it will not work with improvised means. To do this, you will need to purchase a device for their welding. And so, let's find out how to install polypropylene pipes with your own hands.

Selection of pipes and fittings

There are several brands of polypropylene (PP) pipes:

PN10: have fairly thin walls, are intended only for summing cold water and installation of underfloor heating at maximum heating +45°С;

PN20: used in sewerage systems and cold or hot water supply; at the same time, the water temperature in them should not exceed + 80 ° C, for strengthening they are reinforced; when marking products for hot water, a vertical line is used red stripe;

Pipes for cold and hot water

PN25: intended for installation of heating networks with a working temperature of the coolant up to +95°С; reinforced to enhance strength;

PN16: less common; it is applied for hot and cold water supply, allowable temperature in pipes +60°С.

For plumbing in private houses, pipes of 20 mm are used, equipment for risers of 5-story buildings - 25 mm, 9-story buildings and higher buildings - 32 mm. The wiring in the apartments is carried out with pipes of 20 mm. When installing ventilation, a diameter of 400 mm is used. For outdoor wiring and burying them in the ground should apply corrugated products with greater resistance to soil subsidence.

Corrugated propylene pipes

Important! When supplying hot water, it is not recommended to use pipes of too large diameter, because. too high a heat load will contribute to their softening.

Resistance to temperature fluctuations and pressure are determined wall thickness and type of polymer(they can be made from block copolymer, random polypropylene copolymer or a special flame retardant composition). In order to increase strength, they can be additionally reinforced with fiberglass or foil.

Reinforced and non-reinforced pipes

Features of the installation of polypropylene pipes

The installation of polypropylene pipes is carried out in already mounted sections, that is, initially several segments are welded with fittings and turns, and only then they are attached to the wall. They should be connected in such a way that the number of turns and connections is minimal.

To mount the assembled system on the wall, the attachment points are marked, then holes are drilled according to the markings for dowels, then it is attached to clamps(clips). The distance between adjacent fasteners is no more than 1 m.

Preparing for installation

Mounting clips

Important! To heating boilers with a high heating temperature, PP pipes are connected through metal pipes at least 0.5 m long. Fastening of a metal and polypropylene pipe is carried out using a transitional fitting.

Contact welding (soldering)

Since the water supply is carried out under sufficient high pressure, pipes and fittings must be connected as securely as possible.

1. Pipes are cut into pieces the desired length with a grinder, pipe cutter or special scissors. For stripping products with aluminum reinforcement, a special device is used - shaver.

Reinforced pipe shaver

2. In order for the segments to freely enter the fittings, they must be removed from their edges chamfer at a slight angle. In this case, its recess should have a size of up to 3 mm. For these purposes, it is used beveler.

beveler

3. Pipe ends are degreased alcohol or white spirit.

4. They are applied mark, equal to the depth of the fitting minus a couple of mm (for example, for a 25 mm pipe it will be 16 mm);

Marking

5. Fitting and pipe are placed on both sides of the nozzle soldering iron so that when heated they reach the required mark. The ends of the nozzle have a small cone, so it is necessary to put the pipe and fitting on them with little effort.

Nozzle installation

Apparatus for welding (soldering iron)

6. If the soldering iron is equipped with a temperature controller, it must be set to 260 ° C.

7. Pipe heating interval depends on its thickness. Having endured the required time (it is indicated in the instructions for the soldering iron and can be from 5 to 15 seconds), the pipes and fittings are smoothly removed from the nozzle (mandrel) and docked. It is advisable to do this in one motion, without unnecessary displacements, as quickly as possible - after all, the solidification time of polypropylene is only 30 seconds.

Important! During the heating process, in order to avoid damage to the plastic, it is not recommended to rotate the pipe and fitting. It should not be forced to cool it either.

8. Products of large diameter are more difficult to join, so they are connected using a special device.

Advice. To get used to welding, it is better to practice a little: buy a few fittings and try to fix them in small segments.

9. Small streaks formed during welding are removed with an ordinary knife.

10. After assembling the water pipe, it is filled with water and check for tightness under pressure. At the same time, it is selected 1.5 times higher than the nominal value. You can increase the pressure using a car pump. If necessary, problematic joints are cut out and new segments are soldered into the system.

Important! Testing of the system is allowed only 2 hours after the end of soldering.

How to bend polypropylene pipes

Despite the fact that manufacturers do not recommend bending PP pipes, it is difficult to do without it. You can bend them with:

building hair dryer: when heated, they can be easily bent by hand; to avoid breaking, they must first be filled with sand and closed on both sides with plugs;

cold way(rubber mallet) can be used if the pipe has a small cross section; while the bending radius should be small.
With cold bending, the probability of damaging the pipe is much greater, so this method is used less frequently.

hot bending

Watch the video, do-it-yourself installation of polypropylene pipes: