Plumbing device made of polyethylene pipes. Types of fittings and methods of connecting products. Line assembly technology.
Installation of a water supply system from polyethylene pipes is the process of creating a highway for uninterrupted water supply to a house or a site. The assembly of a structure from this material is simple and even a beginner can do. The device of a water supply system made of polyethylene pipes and its installation will be discussed in this article.
Features of the design of a water supply system from polyethylene pipes
Plumbing made of polyethylene pipes is a system consisting of a central line with branches through which water flows to plumbing fixtures or taps. Separate parts of the structure are welded or connected with special parts - fittings.
In the water supply system, various modifications of polyethylene pipes are used, differing in characteristics and purpose:
| Pipe type | Application |
| PE63 | For cold water with low pressure |
| PE80, PE100 | For cold water under pressure |
| PE-RT | For cold water and short-term hot |
| PEX | For dispensing cold and hot water |
| PEX / AL / PEX | For the organization of cold and hot water supply in critical places |
The following types of connectors are used in the design:
- Electrofusion fittings … Used for electrofusion welding of workpieces. The products are equipped with wire heating elements. When it heats up, the plastic melts and fixes the elements.
- Compression fittings … With their help, pipes are fastened manually. The principle of their installation is the same as for the installation of metal-plastic blanks. The difference is in the material of the connector - they are made of thick polyethylene with tapered threads.
- Molded spingot fittings … In such parts, there is no electric spiral for heating products. The plastic is melted with a soldering iron. They are made in the form of tees, crosses, bushings for branching and turning.
- Reducing fittings … Unlike other connectors, they can be threaded. Often used for attaching lines to radiators, meters and other equipment.
Polyethylene pipes are connected in two ways - collapsible and non-collapsible. The first option includes the assembly of products using special couplings, the second - butt welding.
To create a detachable connection
it is necessary to first fix the couplings to the pipes, and then screw them to each other. Such a joint can withstand 10 atm.
In the photo, polyethylene fittings for pipes
Welding of polyethylene pipes
- this is a connection that is formed during mutual penetration in the molten state, followed by cooling of the edges of the blanks, as a result of which a monolithic structure is formed. It is performed using special equipment for polyethylene products.
There are several types of welding of polyethylene pipes for water supply:
- Electrofusion welding … Indispensable when installing pipes in trenches, narrow wells and other places where it is impossible to weld products with traditional soldering. The method is considered quite expensive due to the special fittings. Electrofusion welding connects pipes with a diameter of 1, 1-5 cm, with a small amount of work and when inserting branches into the line.
- Butt welding … The most common way of joining polyethylene pipes. The edges of the blanks are melted with a special soldering iron, then they are connected under pressure. For welding pipes with a diameter of more than 50 mm, special equipment is used to ensure a high-quality joint.
- Welding with spigot fittings … It is used to connect structures with a diameter of more than 6, 3 cm. During installation, the ends are heated until they soften, and then joined under pressure.
How to make a plumbing from polyethylene pipes?
You can collect the water supply in various ways, but always in a specific sequence. First, a project is developed and all structural components are purchased. Then you can start construction work.
Preparatory work before installing polyethylene pipes
Plumbing diagram of polyethylene pipes
At the first stage of installation, it is necessary to develop a water supply scheme from polyethylene pipes. In the sketch, show the route from the source to the connection points, indicating the main trunk and branches. In the diagram, provide for the location of the linear expansion joints of the structure.
Due to the expansion of the plastic, fasten the pipes with clips of a special design, which allow the lines to move when heated.
The track can be pulled open in special trays or closed in grooves. Determine the dimensions of the polyethylene pipes for the water supply, the number of fittings and decide how to connect the cuts.
The construction market is saturated with polyethylene pipes for plumbing, but quality products can only be purchased in large hardware stores. Check the goods carefully:
- There should be no mechanical damage on the workpieces: chips, cracks, nicks.
- Do not buy a cheap product, which may indicate poor quality plastic.
- All the main characteristics of polyethylene pipes for water supply are applied to the surface (diameter, allowable pressure, temperature, purpose).
If you have doubts about the quality of the product, ask the seller to provide a certificate of its conformity.
Installation of polyethylene pipes using spigot fittings
In the photo, the connection of polyethylene pipes for water supply with fittings
To connect pieces of polyethylene pipes, you will need the following tools:
- Soldering iron for welding cuts … It is usually sold complete with attachments of different diameters.
- Shears for cutting blanks … With their help, the cut is smooth, no additional processing of the ends is required.
The sequence of installation of polyethylene pipes for water supply using fittings:
- Cut the required number of blanks according to the plumbing diagram.
- At the ends of the products, chamfer at an angle of 45 degrees.
- Place a soldering iron next to the mains. Install nozzles on it, the diameter of which corresponds to the diameter of the pipe and fitting.
- Slide the workpieces onto the nozzles.
- Switch on the device. The optimum temperature for heating polyethylene is 270 degrees. If there is a regulator, it can be set manually. In simpler devices, the setting is already made at the factory.
- After the indicator alarm, quickly remove the pipe and fitting from the soldering iron and connect them. Do not touch the joint for several minutes until the plastic hardens. It is not necessary to force-cool the joints, so as not to reduce the quality of the joint.
- All elements of the route are fastened in a similar way.
- Connect the line to the water supply and check each joint for leaks.
Electrofusion welding of polyethylene pipes for water supply
In the photo, tools for electrofusion welding of polyethylene pipes
To install polyethylene pipes for water supply with your own hands using electrofusion couplings, you will need the following equipment and materials:
- Welding machine … Its function is to energize the clutch for a specified period of time. The product is assembled on semiconductors, which provide high efficiency and productivity. The device is equipped with a digital display to control the entered parameters. Some models have a slot for a scanner that allows fitting parameters to be entered into the device via a barcode on the connector.
- Positioner … Its purpose is to compensate for the ovality of the pipe, which appears during improper storage and transportation of the product.
- Pipe cutter … With its help, the edges of the pipe after cutting are flat and without chipping. It is not recommended to use a knife or hacksaw for electrofusion welding.
- Pipe cleaning fluid … Removes grease and other layers from the welded surface. Often supplied with fittings. It is forbidden to clean the parts with products not intended for polyethylene.
- Oxide adhesive remover … Designed to remove the top layer of plastic with a thickness of 0.1 mm to create a rough surface. The puller can be replaced with an ordinary scraper.
In the photo, the process of electrofusion welding of polyethylene pipes for water supply
Installation of polyethylene pipes for water supply by electrofusion welding is carried out in the following sequence:
- Cut the workpieces with a pipe cutter according to the dimensions indicated on the water supply diagram.
- Measure the length of the sleeve.
- On each workpiece, mark with a marker at a distance of half the sleeve plus 2 cm from the edge of the pipe.
- Remove the top layer where the plastic has reacted with oxygen.
- Beveled at the end to facilitate joining the pipe and connector.
- Make sure that the product is not oval, otherwise the sleeve cannot be put on, or a monolithic solder will not work.
- Place a positioner on each pipe and clamp it until it is perfectly round.
- Clean the surfaces of the elements from dust and degrease with a special compound.
- Insert pipe halfway into the electrofusion fitting. Usually there is a limiter inside that does not allow you to go further. Mating surfaces should touch or be located at a minimum distance from each other.
- Connect the second pipe in the same way.
- Connect the welding terminals to the special connectors.
- Use a scanner to read the barcode on the fitting.
- Connect the voltage to the spiral. Within a short period of time, the polyethylene will soften to a viscous sour cream. Diffusion will occur and the two parts will become one. After cooling, the material becomes solid again.
During solidification, it is forbidden to change the configuration of the line.
Compared to other methods, electrofusion welding of polyethylene pipes has the following advantages:
- Reduces the likelihood of making docks with errors.
- The procedure is absolutely safe for others.
- Connects fixed elements.
- The inner diameter of the line is not reduced.
- Possibility of joining workpieces with different diameters and wall thicknesses.
- Electricity consumption is minimal.
Butt welding of polyethylene pipes for water supply
In the photo, a centralizer and a butt-welding tool for butt welding of polyethylene pipes
It is used when installing polyethylene pipes with a diameter of more than 50 mm.
Prepare the following equipment:
- Centralizer … Consists of two halves, one of which is movable. They allow the pipes to be centered. The bed can be driven manually or hydraulically to create pressure. The hand feed is used for assembling pipes with a diameter of up to 160 mm. The hydraulic block is equipped with a pressure gauge to monitor the pressure generated by the device.
- Trimmer … Small electric cutting tool with two heads for high quality pipe end cutting.
- Heater … A kind of soldering iron for melting the edges of workpieces. The simplest device is the "welding mirror". It is used when welding products without a centralizer and a facing tool for mounting non-pressure lines.
In the photo, the process of welding polyethylene pipes for a water supply system butt
The butt welding process of polyethylene pipes for water supply is as follows:
- Make sure there is no ovality at the end of the pipe.
- Measure the thickness of the product at the joint, which should be the same. The fulfillment of the condition will ensure the maximum strength of the joint after welding.
- Install a centralizer next to the track. Place the pipes in it in a position where you can install a heater between them. Make sure they are aligned.
- Secure the workpieces with clamps, 2 for each pipe. Tighten the rear clamp first. Bring the front one until it touches and screw it up with a little effort so that ovality does not appear.
- Set the device to the brazing pressure. To do this, bleed air from the device system and retighten the valve until the centralizer starts to move.
- Adjust the pressure required for brazing. Typically, the value is indicated in the table supplied with the instrument.
- Clean the pipe connections from dirt, sand and other debris.
- Install the trimmer next to the edge of the product. Turn it on and move the workpiece to the device, which will chamfer 2x45 from the end. Repeat the operation on the other pipe.
- Bleed the air and spread the centering parts apart.
- Move the device until it touches the elements and make sure they are not out of alignment.
- Clean the surfaces with alcohol or a special solvent.
- Heat the soldering iron to 270 degrees.
- Before connecting the polyethylene pipes for the water supply, set the time of the planned soldering on the device, determined from the table.
- Place the tip of the heater between the workpieces.
- Move the pipes to the soldering iron and leave until a 1mm thick bead forms.
- Time to weld. After it expires, dismantle the soldering iron.
- Move the products very quickly with the centralizer towards each other until they make contact and leave them under pressure for 5 seconds.
- Relieve pressure and time to cool down. The plastic must harden naturally, without acceleration, otherwise the strength of the joint will deteriorate.
When installing a water supply system from polyethylene pipes, follow our recommendations:
- Throughout the entire process, observe the temperature of the soldering iron, control the heating of the parts to be joined, the height of the burr, and the pressure on the joint.
- Work on a flat surface.
- Perform the docking if the alignment of the connected elements is observed. Deviation of the axes - no more than 10% of the thickness of the product.
- During the procedure, cover the opposite ends of the pipes so that drafts do not cool the molten mass.
- Place the products in the centralizer so that the markings on their surface are aligned.
- Before the procedure, perform a trial operation, during which microparticles are removed from the heater. Wipe the surface of the trimmer with a clean cloth before use.
Installation of XLPE pipes for water supply
In the photo, the process of connecting pipes made of cross-linked polyethylene
Sections of XLPE are connected with threaded fittings. For work, you will need the simplest devices - scissors, wrenches for screwing nuts, a tape measure.
The process of laying pipes for a water supply system made of cross-linked polyethylene is as follows:
- Align the end of the pipe with scissors.
- Chamfer the ends at a 45 degree angle.
- Remove the nut and O-ring from the fitting.
- Slide the nut onto the pipe and then the ring.
- Flare the section that slides over the connector.
- Dampen the surface with soapy water.
- Slide the o-ring towards the fitting.
- Slide the connector onto the pipe until it stops.
- Hold the fitting with one wrench and tighten the nut with the second. She will press the ends of the products together.
- After assembling the entire line, check that there is no leakage at the joint by supplying water under operating pressure.
The price of installing a water supply system from polyethylene pipes
When determining the cost of work, it is necessary to take into account many nuances. The following factors affect the price of installing a water supply system from polyethylene pipes:
- Line length, area of the room;
- Diameter of polyethylene pipes for water supply;
- The number of connected plumbing fixtures;
- Complexity of the water supply project, special wishes of the customer;
- Lack of convenience when performing installation work;
- Route options - hidden or open;
- The location of the object from the place of residence of the master;
- The quality of the material used - you have to spend more time and effort on second-rate products;
- Wiring type;
- A method of attaching pieces of polyethylene pipes to each other;
- Availability of electricity at the work site.
The cost of construction work can be reduced by renting expensive equipment. The rental rates for equipment in building stores are not high, but you can use high-quality fixtures.
The price of installing a water supply system from polyethylene pipes in Ukraine:
| Operation | Price |
| Butt welding of pipes with a diameter of 63-110 mm | 105-250 UAH for the joint |
| Electrofusion welding with a diameter of 25-110 mm | 110-300 UAH for the joint |
| Installation of a line with a diameter of 20-32 mm | 15-40 UAH / r.m. |
| Fastening pipes | From 12 UAH point |
| Installation of a ball valve | From UAH 30 point |
| Slitting to hide pipes in the wall | 70-150 UAH / r.m. |
The price of installing a water supply system from polyethylene pipes in Russia:
| Operation | Price |
| Butt welding of pipes with a diameter of 63-110 mm | RUB 300-600 for the joint |
| Electrofusion welding with a diameter of 25-110 mm | RUB 300-800 for the joint |
| Installation of a line with a diameter of 20-32 mm | 250-300 rubles / r.m. |
| Fastening pipes | From 80 rubles. point |
| Installation of a ball valve | From 150 rubles. point |
| Slitting to hide pipes in the wall | 350-800 rubles / r.m. |
How to make a water supply system from polyethylene pipes - watch the video:
Installation work on the construction of a trunk from polyethylene pipes can be performed independently from start to finish, saving money and time. Subject to all assembly rules, the design will provide a reliable water supply for a long time. You can drink it without fear, it will be odorless and taste good.
