Cold welding of PVC pipes: do-it-yourself adhesive bonding technology. Do-it-yourself pvc pipe welding - ways and methods of connection Cook pvc pipes

Affordable price and ease of assembly have made polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes one of the leading building materials on the market. They are distinguished by significant strength, and for a long time does not affect their shape and quality, they endure exposure to chemicals. With their help, it is possible to assemble sewer and water systems in a short time.

Advantages of PVC pipes:

• Easily tolerate low temperatures. Even their complete freezing will not cause any consequences;
• Light weight allows for easy installation, unlike metal pipes;
• Not afraid of corrosion, and also resistant to the formation of growths inside;
• They don't wear out for a long time.

Types of welding

Welding pipes is not particularly difficult, it is important to be thorough, to be scrupulous in the soldering process, as well as performing preliminary preparations for it. This will eliminate possible leaks during operation of the system.

Work methods:

• Welding pipes using soldering tools and. This is the most popular way;
• Cold welding is a more simplified method that does not require special tools. To work, you need a special glue.

These methods are suitable when high water pressure is not expected in the pipes. For systems to which water will be supplied under pressure, the following types of welding are used:

• The coupling with the pipe is additionally equipped with fittings and other elements;
• in this case, under tension, special elements of the couplings melt, which creates additional soldering strength;
• Butt is used for large pipes. In this case, the temperature of the ends of the pipes is raised to 250ºС, and then they are joined to each other.

The essence of all methods is the action of high temperature on PVC, due to which the material melts, and when it cools down, it forms a strong adhesion of parts. Welding makes it possible to work with all kinds of plastic pipes, while it is important to have a certain skill. Almost anyone can handle cold welding, but it is better to use it in communications where high pressure is not provided.

Necessary equipment

• Scissors (before carrying out work, it is important to make sure the quality of the cut and that the tool does not deform the material);
• Special (soldering iron power depends on the pipe section).

Preparatory work

Before welding, be sure to carry out the following work:

• Clean the pipe joints from contamination;
• Degrease the contact points with alcohol;
• Put marks on the part of the pipe that will go into the fitting. It is important to take into account the need for a gap of at least a millimeter; you do not need to insert it all the way.
• For a tight entry into the fitting, you must first chamfer its end.

Welding process

Having completed the preparatory work, you can proceed to the main process, which includes the following steps:

• cutting;
• Warming up the material to the required temperature (250ºС);
• Docking between pipe parts;
• Cooling.

Cut the material with special scissors. In the absence of them, a hacksaw for metal can replace them. The next stage, welding, is the most significant. After all, it is necessary to carry out work until the heated elements are at the desired temperature, while controlling the correct connection and the absence of distortions. It is important to follow the safety rules in order to protect yourself from burns, it is necessary to work in heat-resistant gloves.

Having connected the pipe sections, it is necessary to thoroughly fix the connection, without applying loads from the outside. The joint must then cool down for at least 20 minutes. An important component of successful work is the correct calculation and the absence of negligence at any stage of welding.

Possible welding errors

It is important not to make mistakes in the early stages of work, otherwise they will result in unpleasant consequences. Possible problems during welding:

• Erroneous connection of docking elements;
• Overforce when connecting tubular elements;
• Insufficient temperature of the pipe parts has been reached;
• Tool overheating;
• Wrong choice of apparatus for heating.

When the pipe is inserted into the fitting not up to the stop, a gap is formed. The pressure on it will be less, this part of the pipeline will have thinner walls and a larger internal diameter. Such an error is possible with the missing density of the introduction of the pipe into the connector of the welding nozzle of the soldering iron.

Outwardly, this defect is not visible, so this defect is difficult to detect. But excessive efforts when joining elements harm soldering. In this case, the excess of the extruded material forms rings, which reduce the permeability of the pipeline. Weak heating of the soldering elements does not make it possible to carry out high-quality pipe joining.

The best temperature of the welding nozzle is 260ºС for pipes of any diameter, it is this temperature regime that forms the necessary material stress at the soldering point. During operation, all operations must be carried out promptly in order to prevent overheating. It is important to make the right choice of equipment for welding PVC pipes. Its power should be equal to the value of its diameter multiplied by ten. The correspondence should be as follows: 50 mm 500 watts, 100 mm 1 thousand watts.

The following tips will assist you in the welding process:

• The pipes and the elements required for connection must be produced by the same manufacturer so that they have the same melting point;
• Before purchasing a soldering iron, it would be desirable to check its operating temperature.
• It should be borne in mind that not only the brand of equipment matters, but also the country of origin. It is advisable to opt for a well-known manufacturer.
• It is important to keep future joints clean. Dust and dirt adversely affect the quality of soldering.
• All work must be carried out at an ambient temperature of at least 5ºС. Even under these conditions, the heating time increases significantly, and the joints become brittle.

It is important to remember that for a good job with high quality, you need the right tools.

Almost all modern communication systems are made from polymers. One of them is polypropylene pipes, which have become especially popular when creating home plumbing. The features of the implementation of welding PVC pipes will be discussed in our article.

Pipes made of PVC have a smooth surface. Thanks to this, the water supply from such pipes will never clog.

The advantages of using PVC pipes include:

• resistance to the negative effects of the chemical environment;
• resistance to corrosion and decay;
• light weight;
• ease of installation work;
• long operational period (up to 50 years);
• acceptable cost.

From the equipment for welding PVC pipes you will need:

• soldering iron with nozzles (selected depending on the diameter of the pipes);
• pipe cutters - pipe cutters (should be sharp enough to prevent burrs or other damage when cutting pipes);
• beveler.

Pipe welding methods

There are two main technologies for soldering water pipes:

• using a soldering iron (the most common method);
• using special glue (so-called cold welding).

Both types of PVC welding are suitable for communication systems that do not require high pressure when running water.

If water will be used as a coolant for the heating system, then the work on soldering the pipeline can be carried out:

• socket welding (with welding fittings, couplings or other connecting elements);
• electrofusion welding (as a result of melting of connecting parts, a reliable soldering with pipes occurs);
• butt welding (when using too thick pipes that heat up to 220-260ºС and connect to each other).

All these three technologies boil down to the fact that obtaining reliable adhesion of pipes occurs when they are exposed to high temperatures.

Preparatory stage

Regardless of the welding technology, you should properly prepare for this process. At the initial stage:

• a detailed plan is drawn up indicating the location of the water pipes;
• the amount of material (pipes, fittings, other fasteners) is calculated.

Thanks to the diverse range of fittings, the piping system can be configured in any configuration.

Directly when buying, you should not pay attention to too cheap pipes (in most cases, these are Chinese-made products). This is explained by the fact that at the first check it is difficult to detect a defect that may appear during the soldering of the material.

Therefore, it is better to give preference to products of well-known pipe manufacturers, which include products:

• Vanninger;
• Wefatherm;
• Aquatherm;
• FV-Plast;
• Ecoplastic.

The same applies to PVC welding equipment. Before purchasing, you should make sure that it will function effectively at an optimum temperature of 250-260ºС. It is clear that because of the high cost, it does not make sense to buy a REMS MSG-63FM Set 256231 soldering iron. In terms of price category and quality, the following devices are quite suitable:

• Gerat Weld 75-110 69110;
• BRIMA TG-171 0010291.

There is a conditional calculation of the suitable power of the PVC pipe welding machine, which is compared with the diameter of the pipes used. The minimum power of the equipment should be equal to the diameter of the pipe multiplied by 10. That is, if pipes with a diameter of 50 mm are used, then the soldering iron must have a power of 500 watts.

Welding

Immediately before welding it is necessary:

• clean the pipes from dirt and dust in the places of soldering and degrease with alcohol;
• make marks on the pipes that will be connected by fittings (in places with turns and branches);
• chamfer the ends of the pipes.

The process of soldering PVC pipes consists of four main stages:

• material cutting;
• heating it to the optimum temperature;
• pipe connections;
• material cooling.

Pipe cutting is carried out with a pipe cutter. It should be noted that the soldering of pipes with fittings should not be too tight. When they are connected, a margin is created equal to twice the depth of the pipe entry into the fitting.

When connecting pipes, you do not need to use extra effort. They can cause rings between the inside of the fitting and the end of the pipe. Due to the appearance of such rings, the force of the flow of water will decrease.

When welding PVC with your own hands, special attention should be paid to heating the elements to the optimum temperature (250-260 ºС). If this is not done, then the joints will turn out with defects. During normal heating at the soldering points, the internal stress of the pipes is created, which is necessary for the quality of the process. Welding must be carried out quickly enough. After that, the connection cools down for 15-20 minutes.

PVC is welded at temperatures above -3ºС. If the temperature is too low, you will have to heat the pipes for quite a long time. And the strength of the pipe connection will not be of sufficient quality.

The area where pipes are laid must be clean. The presence of dust or dirt in the solder will result in a significant loss of weld quality.

Features of the use of cold welding

Cold welding of PVC involves the use of a special adhesive, which includes chlorinated polyvinyl chloride. The working composition must have a uniform consistency and be fluid. Under the influence of the adhesive components, 1/3 of the internal thickness of pipes and fittings dissolves.

Work is carried out on warm days. If the weather is hot, then the gluing process should be carried out in a short time. The glue must not dry until the end of the installation work. During breaks in work, the container with glue is tightly closed with a lid. Only in this way the volatile components of the composition will not evaporate.

Cold welding of PVC pipes involves the following sequential steps:

• the pipe of the required length is cut;
• a chamfer is removed from the ends of the pipe at an angle of 15º (without the appearance of burrs);
• the pipe and the socket of the fitting are cleaned of moisture, dust and dirt (the cleaner for PVC pipes is best);
• glue is applied to the surface of the fitting and pipe with a brush;
• the pipe is inserted into the socket;
• the fitting rotates 90º (for even distribution of glue);
• the connected parts are fixed and held in one position for 1-2 minutes;
• the uniformity of the application of glue around the pipe is checked;
• excess composition is removed with a soft cloth.

Video about welding PVC pipes:

One of the cheapest polymeric materials for laying water pipes are PVC pipes. They have good features, along with other polymers, however, there are a number of limitations in use that should be considered when choosing these elements.

Features of PVC pipes:

• Long service life. This characteristic should not be overlooked, as it is of great importance for further use and replacement. In cases where PVC is used for cold water supply, indoors under normal temperature conditions (without critical indicators, etc.), the service life is up to 50 years.
• Ease. Light weight, especially in comparison with metal pipes, makes it possible to carry out installation in small volumes by one person.
• Sustainability. The material does not rust, corrode, does not mold or rot, which makes it universal in use both inside apartments and residential buildings, and in industrial or other non-residential premises.
• Installation. Most PVC pipes are installed without the use of special equipment or welding. Although there are ways that remotely resemble this process and are even also called. However, such methods have nothing in common with the use of a bulky installation or additional equipment. This installation is also easy to do with your own hands. Moreover, there are visual video aids with which you can facilitate the task of self-assembly.

PVC pipe welding

In order to join PVC material, melting points that are too high must not be used. Therefore, the method of welding products is called cold welding.

Do-it-yourself cold welding can be done by approaching the issue responsibly, although without additional difficulties and a lot of information.

In addition, each PVC pipe has a special rubber ring on one side, which is produced during the manufacture of products - a socket. It greatly simplifies installation. Soldering into the socket is carried out using special polymer fittings.

Pipe soldering technology:

Conclusion

If you have already purchased PVC pipes, you should understand that they cannot be welded in the usual and understandable ways. This type of polymer generally cannot be affected by temperatures above 60 degrees. Otherwise, under the influence of high rates, the material will soften and lose all its qualities.

Replacing or installing water pipes from scratch is a responsible process, so the material must be selected very carefully. It must be durable, resistant to corrosion, easy to use. Best of all, today, polypropylene pipes are suitable for this purpose. Among the advantages of the material are a service life of more than 50 years, ease of installation, relative cheapness of the material, and many other advantages. The installation of a new heating or water supply wiring is carried out using the soldering technology, it is also the welding of PVC pipes. Do-it-yourself welding of polypropylene pipes is the simplest process that, after a little preparation, any owner can handle. Below, we will consider what the technology of welding polypropylene pipes is, its nuances.

The main material - plastic pipes, has its own characteristics and is classified according to a number of criteria. The first thing that catches your eye is the color. They can be painted green, grey, white or black. Marking in black means that the composition contains special additives that prevent the destruction of the material when exposed to ultraviolet radiation and can be laid directly on the ground. The remaining colors do not have differences associated with coloring and are used indoors or under a layer of soil.

Classification of pipes by purpose:

• for cold water supply (marked with a blue stripe, limiting water temperature 45C).
• for hot water supply (marked with a red stripe, temperature limit 85C).
• universal (marked with blue and red stripes, the temperature can reach 65 - 75 C, depending on the manufacturer).

Models for hot, cold water and universal type are marked, which indicates additional performance indicators of the material:

1. PN10 - marking of products for cold water used at a system pressure of up to 1 MPa (not for apartment pipelines);
2. PN16 - marking applicable in universal pipes and cold water. Such material can withstand temperatures up to 65C and pressures of 1.6 MPa;
3. PN20 - material with a thickened wall that can withstand pressure up to 2 MPa and a temperature of 85C (welding heating pipes);
4. PN25 - pipes reinforced with a reinforcing layer of fiberglass or foil. Withstand pressure up to 2.5 MPa and water temperature 95C.

Necessary equipment and tools

For welding polypropylene pipes, you will need a certain set of equipment, these are:

1. The welding machine itself;
2. A set of heating nozzles of various diameters;
3. Cutting device;
4. Shaver - a device that removes the reinforcing layer (required when working with the PN25 marking);
5. Beveler - a device necessary for aligning the cut ends (required if plastic products are cut with a hacksaw or a suitable tool that does not give a perfectly flat cut end).

Required tools for PP welding

Socket welding technology - step by step instructions

Socket welding involves the connection of a pipe and a fitting by inserting parts into each other. Such do-it-yourself welding of polypropylene pipes is considered the simplest, there is also a butt welding system, but the technology used there can complicate the work, especially at home. Therefore, below we have described how the phased process of welding polypropylene pipes takes place.

Pipe cutting

Cut the material with a tool designed for this. If there is none, then the cut can be made with a hacksaw or other available tool, the main thing is not to damage the geometry and keep the cut plane even. The beveler is intended for the latter, it also cleans the end, in which the reinforcing layer is closer to the inner diameter. Otherwise, this element may form loose connecting holes and cause a leak.

Polypropylene pipe is cut to size with a special ratchet knife

Preparation of pipes and fittings

Before welding, the pipes, from the outside, are degreased with alcohol, and the fittings from the inside. For reinforced products, a special device is used that removes the hardening layer - a shaver.

Please note that some manufacturers advise using a shaver for ordinary ones due to the possible ellipse of the material in the cut.

Shaver for stripping the top layer of aluminum reinforced

Preparing the Welding Machine

Despite the fact that most devices have their own support elements, the device should be firmly fixed in a vice or clamps to the table. The instrument is very light, so it can easily fall and break or cause a fire if it is loose.

We put the coupling and mandrel into the fixed apparatus for welding.

Nozzles for welding

We set the toggle switch to the desired temperature value. For polypropylene, this is 270 degrees, but there are times when a lower or higher temperature is required. We take these values ​​from the accompanying documentation for our material and using the instructions for the soldering iron, we select the optimal temperature.

Installing parts for heating

The technology for welding polypropylene pipes implies that when the device has reached the operating temperature (the green indicator lights up or an audible signal sounds), you can proceed to install the parts to be welded on the pipe welding machine.

The cut is slowly inserted into the sleeve until it stops, and a burr is formed - excess material, which, when put on, rolls into a roller. When putting on, it is very important to make sure that the burr has the correct shape, without breaks and other defects. If the part is inserted without visible effort or the grant is missing, it can be considered defective and should be replaced. The same applies to the fitting, which must also be put on the mandrel with visible force, until it stops.

Important! Installation for heating and removal should be carried out by pressing on the part strictly perpendicular to the heating element. Pressure at an angle or removal of parts with their removal at a certain angle is prohibited.

Welding

When the welded elements are installed in their places, they need to be given a certain time so that the material becomes viscous and at the same time the polypropylene welding rod does not lose its load-bearing properties. Below are approximate parameters suitable for welding polypropylene pipes of various diameters. It is worth considering that the values ​​are averaged, and more accurate, the manufacturer indicates in the accompanying documentation.

Welding temperature of polypropylene pipes, cooling time, depending on the thickness

For orientation in the terms given in the table, the following definitions should be followed:

1. The heating time is counted from the moment the part touches the stop of the heating element.
2. Connection time - a parameter that shows how long the pipes for welding polypropylene should be kept after they have been collected.
3. Cooling time - the time interval that must be maintained for complete solidification and obtaining a monolithic bond.

Assembly of parts

After removing the parts from the heating nozzle, they should be assembled. To connect pvc pipes, the fitting is set at the required angle, and the pipes are connected together with a single movement.

In this case, it is forbidden to turn the parts. We hold the parts, keeping them still, but without applying force, as when putting on.
The time that elapses between removal from the welding machine, before the actual assembly should be minimal. Otherwise, the parts will cool down and will not weld or the connection will be of poor quality.

Note! For welding polypropylene pipes of large diameter 40 - 50 mm, manual methods are not suitable and it is necessary to use a special centering tool.

Connection cooling

An important point when you should not touch the part, including trying to try it on and so on. After cooling, the welded circuit made of polypropylene pipes with your own hands is ready for use.

Welding errors

Do-it-yourself welding of plastic pipes, especially for beginners, will lead to a number of errors. We have selected the most common ones so that you can understand how to weld parts correctly, what you should pay attention to.

1. Rough preparation is the simplest and most common oversight. Improper edge formation, dirt, water and grease at the place of welding of polypropylene pipes and similar neglect of preparation leads to the fact that the junction loses its solidity.
2. Positioning errors are defects that occur during assembly. These are attempts to rotate the part after collection, attempts to remove sagging during collection. All this means cooling of the parts with a subsequent decrease in the quality of the weld.
3. Wrong material. Here we turn to the features of welding PP pipes. Polypropylene from different manufacturers may have different melting points, which means that one of the parts may be underheated or overheated. Also, this problem occurs when trying to weld two pipes of different diameters.
4. Poor assembly - this should include excessive pressure during collection, insufficient pressure, an increase in the interval between removing the product from the machine for welding and collection.

All the problems described are quite common and for the most part appear due to the usual negligence shown by the welder. The instruction for welding polypropylene pipes presented above, a trial attempt to weld standard joints and processing polypropylene pipes in hard-to-reach places will help to avoid problems.

Like many years ago, today, plastic pipes are in great demand among users. This is due to the low price of products, as well as ease of installation. Plastic pipes are reliable, resistant to corrosion, and can last for many years. However, despite a lot of advantages, leaks occur in PVC pipes, like any other. Usually this is due to the fact that welding was not carried out at a high enough level with some errors. Therefore, it is very important to know the exact technology of how to weld PVC pipes. This article will discuss exactly what PVC pipe welding is. is simple and does not require specialized equipment.

This PVC pipe connection technology is most suitable for pipelines with low system working pressure. In the case when a liquid with high pressure circulates through it, the first two methods are not suitable and then it is necessary to resort to coupling or butt welding. Let's take a closer look at each technology.

As mentioned above, this method of welding plastic pipes is quite simple. The main thing here is to purchase an aggressive adhesive for hard plastics, which consists of polyvinyl chloride dissolved in cyclohexanone, methyl ethyl ketone and tetrahydrofuran.

In order to increase adhesion efficiency and to be able to control the viscosity of the substance and setting time, such a two-component adhesive material is usually supplemented with various additives. As the adhesive cures, the solvent evaporates and the polymer chains of the PVC join together. As a result, a seam is formed, the performance of which is identical to that of solid PVC pipes.

Advice! In order not to worry about the result and get a reliable and high-quality connection, buy glue from well-established manufacturers, such as: the Dutch brand Griffon, French - Gebsoplast, German - Tangit

The technology for connecting PVC pipes by cold welding is as follows:

• Initially, you need to cut off an even piece of pipe,
• then, at an angle of 15 °, a chamfer is removed,
• then clean the pipe and socket from dirt and get rid of excess moisture,
• at the next stage, the outer part of the pipe and socket is covered with adhesive, after which the pipe is immediately inserted into the socket,
• so that the glue is evenly placed on the surfaces, the pipe should be rotated 90 °,
• within 30 seconds, the parts to be connected must be well fixed.

You must complete this entire process as quickly as possible - in 60 seconds, no more.

Before submitting a trial volume of the working environment, you need to wait a certain period of time.

(See the table)

Nominal pipe diameter, mm		125,0 -250,0	125,0 -250,0	75,0 -110,0	75,0 -110,0	16,0 -63,0	16,0 -63,0
Pressure not higher, MPa			1,0	1,60	1,0	1,60	1,0
environment t	5 to 10°C	32	16	16	8	8
	10°С and above	16	8	8	4	4

Sleeve welding

This technology is based on the use of a coupling or a tee. To carry out this process, it is necessary to acquire a manual or stationary heating apparatus. Sleeve welding for PVC pipes is very easy to perform, but has not found its active use among users due to the high price of the equipment with which it is performed.

The principle of the technology is that initially the ends of the pipe and the end of the coupling are heated to a certain temperature. When they reach the state of plasticity, the pipe must be placed in the opening of the coupling. In order to eventually form a monolithic connection, it is important to carry out the technology in accordance with the requirements and very carefully.

At the slightest angular deviation, you will need to start all over again and use a new clutch

The basic rules are:

• start and finish heating the coupling and the pipe at the same time,
• parts need to be heated for exactly the period of time indicated in the instructions,
• after you have waited the right time, quickly remove the pipe and coupling from the heater, and then fix them in such a way that the influx of PVC covers the previously applied welding depth mark.

On a note! The socket joint, which is the result of socket welding, is monolithic. You can use it immediately after cooling.

This technology is very often used when laying a pipeline in residential premises.

Electrofusion welding

This type of welding is based on the use of plastic sleeves with built-in spirals that act as a heating element. The advantage of this method is the short time for the procedure, a strong and reliable seam.

However, electrofusion welding is only suitable for joining plastic pipes with a wall thickness of not more than 4 mm.

Before starting work, the ends of the pipes are thoroughly cleaned of dust and dirt and degreased. Then the chamfers are removed and the pipes are inserted into the coupling. Then, using a special apparatus, voltage is applied to the fitting. Due to the spiral, the plastic heats up and melts. When the desired temperature is reached in the process of creating a seam, the device will automatically turn off.

Advice! It is not necessary to carry out welding work if the temperature outside is lower than + 5 ° C. It will be very difficult to obtain a high-quality seam, since the elements to be joined become brittle, it will take longer to heat up, and, on the contrary, it will cool very quickly.

Butt welding

To connect a PVC pipe in this way, you will need a manual welding machine and pipe cutting scissors.

The essence of the technology is as follows:

• traditionally, as with other methods, the ends of the pipes are cleaned and degreased,
• chamfers are removed
• then the pipes are heated to the required temperature, for PVC the temperature regime is set to 250 ° C,
• parts to be welded are joined and cooled.

Mistakes when welding PVC pipes with your own hands

When welding plastic pipes, many neglect the accuracy of following the rules and make many mistakes at the very initial stages of work. It is especially important to approach the process with all responsibility and avoid shortcomings.

Consider the most common errors:

• incorrect alignment of connecting parts, as a result, gaps may form
• insufficient heating of the connecting elements, such an error will lead to defects in the mating of the material and the connection will not be strong enough,
• tool is too hot
• The heater has been selected incorrectly. It is important that the power of the device used for welding is equal to ten times the diameter of the plastic pipe.

Thus, we examined what methods of welding PVC pipes with our own hands exist, what are their main features. You just have to choose the way to your liking and follow all the recommendations.