Plastic plumbing has come to our life for a long time and for a long time. An invariable attribute of the repair of the Soviet housing stock, along with plastic windows, became a water pipe made of poly propylene pipes.
Advantages polypropylene water pipe before steel pipes obvious:
- Cheapness and wide choose materials;
- Ease of marking and assembling the most intricate and complex options pipe layouts;
- Environmental friendliness, material resistance to corrosion and salt deposits on the walls of polypropylene communications.
Those who are faced with the tedious and time-consuming procedure for installing a water supply system from metal pipes can appreciate simple technique joining plastic using a special soldering iron for polypropylene pipes.
If the time has come to repair the apartment, the problem of replacing the water supply with plastic communications, depending on the availability of desire, money and free time, is solved:
- By hiring a craftsman and a friend who has experience with a device for soldering propylene pipes, who can help assemble marked and cut pieces with a soldering iron plastic pipes;
- Transferring the issue of turnkey repair to a team of repairmen without any desire to deal with the intricacies of assembling and soldering plastic assemblies;
- Doing all the work with your own hands.
The simplicity of plastic soldering assembly is so captivating that it is difficult to resist the temptation and solve the plumbing problem only by choosing and buying a soldering iron for polypropylene pipes.
The amount of money spent on the purchase of a tool will be less than the cost of the services of a master, but on the condition that you really understand how to choose a soldering iron for polypropylene pipes. In fact, a soldering iron for propylene parts and connecting fittings is a heating element with a thermomechanical or electrical heating control system and indication. Two nozzles are mounted on the heater, allowing you to simultaneously heat the outer surface of the pipe with a soldering iron and inner surface fitting. Heating lasts an average of about 5 s, the parts are connected with a slight pressure by hand to set and form a strong connection within 2-3 s. In case of overheating or a crooked connection of parts, a part of the molten plastic may get inside the pipe, as a result, the flow area decreases.
Important ! Doing it yourself most soldering and assembly work, you are able to personally control the quality of soldering joints of polypropylene pipes.
For innovators and DIY enthusiasts, you can assemble a soldering iron for polypropylene pipes with your own hands. The strength and durability of soldering depends on the perfection of the soldering iron and how high-quality polypropylene pipes are.
What is good soldering iron assembled by hand
The principle of operation of the soldering iron is simple and uses the principle of adhesion of polypropylene parts heated to the softening temperature of the soldered surfaces. There is not always a need to re-wire or re-solder half of the plumbing in the house. Sometimes you need to work with a soldering iron for two or three connections. In this case, a home-made, do-it-yourself mini-soldering iron for polypropylene pipes from an improvised heater can help out.
For someone with experience with electrical wiring and locksmith skills to make a small amateur version of a soldering iron for polypropylene pipes is a matter of two hours.
Usually, water pipes laid in the channels and hidden from the eyes of strangers by screens and decor, so you should not worry about beauty and aesthetic appearance. Another thing is important - incorrect temperature control and overheating of the pipe or fitting material, even under a little effort, will lead to marriage. In soldering, the first and main issue is the quality of the connection of parts.
If, when working with a homemade soldering iron, you can slightly fall short of the world standards of appearance - it does not matter, for amateur cases this is allowed.
To assemble a homemade propylene pipe soldering iron, you will need:
- The heating element is the soleplate of an ordinary electric iron, preferably in the form of a closed aluminum block with a thermostat and an electric cord with a plug;
- nozzles for a soldering iron for polypropylene pipes and fittings of the required size for your pipes;
- nickel-plated M8 bolt-nut for fixing nozzles on the heater;
- digital multimeter with external thermometer based on thermocouple;
- a clamp or other fastener that allows you to securely fix the soldering iron on an auxiliary surface.
In addition to temperature, the speed or power of heating the surface of the parts to be joined is important. If you heat a polypropylene fitting or pipe for a long enough time, the parts will lose their shape and geometric dimensions under the influence of temperature.
Therefore, for the rapid melting of a surface with a diameter of 15–30 mm, a power of 700–900 W is required, which approximately corresponds to maximum power iron heater.
We collect homemade for propylene couplings:
- At a distance of 30-40 m from the bow of the aluminum sole we drill through hole with a diameter of 8 mm and with the help of a screw and a nut we connect the nozzles for the pipe and fitting to the base of the heater;
- We install the handle of the iron on the sole-heater so that it does not restrict access to the fixed nozzles;
- We connect the wiring to the contacts of the iron heater;
- We turn on the network and use a multimeter, a digital thermometer and a regulator on the iron to set the temperature to 265 ° C.
We use the clamp to fix a home-made soldering iron of polypropylene pipes, which will allow you to solder the parts yourself, without an assistant, the handle can also be made for yourself for the greatest convenience and minimal risk of getting burned.
Which soldering iron for polypropylene pipes is better
It has always been considered that the best tool is a professional option designed for long-term use and has high parameters for soldering propylene pipes. Professional soldering iron for polyethylene pipes suggests:
- Application for nozzles of materials resistant to prolonged heating, with high thermal conductivity, not sticking to the heated surface of the polypropylene part; as a rule, brass or copper nozzles coated with teflon or carbon are used;
- Easy and convenient change of nozzles on the heater flange, the kit includes a set for the main pipe sizes - from 16 to 160mm;
- The metallized surface of the nozzles gives a high heating rate of the polypropylene parts;
- The presence of a power supply stabilizer for the heater and auto-regulation of temperature allows you to keep the soldering iron hot for as long as you like without the risk of failure of the heating element.
Mandatory attributes of professional models of soldering irons are an easily removable stand and a case for storing and carrying the device with accessories.
For your information ! For original models of soldering irons, unlike fakes, markings and information about the model are printed in a typographical way on the case or on a metal substrate plate, tightly soldered into plastic. On fakes, the marking is pasted in the form of a metallized label and is easily separated from the body of the soldering iron.
For example, a well-known version of a soldering iron for polypropylene pipes dytron or ditron - as you like. He is highly rated for reliability and ease of use, unpretentiousness and solid construction. When soldering propylene parts, the time goes by in seconds, you have to quickly put, drop or even throw the stick on the stand, and this practically does not affect its performance. There are three models in the DYTRON line:
- With a power of 850 W, the most popular in apartment renovation, it is used for a polypropylene pipe with a diameter of up to 36 mm;
- Power 1200 W - for polypropylene pipes with a diameter of up to 160 mm;
- With a heater in the form of a rod, with a power of 650 watts.
The soldering iron comes with a wrench for changing nozzles, which can be from 3 to 12 in the kit, scissors for cutting polypropylene pipes, building level, gloves and stand. With all the advantages, it is worth noting one negative point - the obviously overpriced soldering iron.
Important ! Such devices are designed for many hours of operation, but in any case, they require careful maintenance. non-stick coating on nozzles. Teflon is very sensitive to scratches and chips, so you should not use hard or metal objects for cleaning, except for rags.
But even specialists involved in soldering water pipes do not always strive to buy a soldering iron for polypropylene pipes in an expensive professional design. Many of the budget models assembled from Chinese or Turkish components work just as well as branded models.
Let's take for example a typical workhorse of a repairman - a soldering iron for Soyuz polypropylene pipes:
- High heater power - up to 2 kW;
- The kit includes six typical nozzles with a diameter of 20 to 63 mm;
- In addition, the soldering iron is equipped with a hexagon - a key for changing the working tool, a stand for the device and a case.
The length of the power cord is only 130 cm, which is clearly not enough for work. But this size is typical for budget models, while professional soldering irons have a full 2.5-3.5m. "Soyuz" is equipped with a two-mode push-button heating control system and two color indicators - green and red, the latter lights up when the automatic heating is turned on.
The soldering iron is equipped with everything necessary for the successful soldering of polypropylene pipes, so it is difficult to say whether it is worth overpaying for additional accessories, as in the case of expensive soldering iron models.
Polypropylene pipes are intended mainly for the organization of water supply and heating in non-flammable premises. Such a pipeline is easily and quickly installed, it lasts about 50 years, but it has a significant drawback, under the influence of heating, polypropylene softens and is easily deformed. This parameter is important for heating and hot water supply systems, since they undergo a dynamic change in temperature, as a result of which plastic pipes change their design position.
Such phenomena are absent during the operation of a water supply system for cold water. Based on the above, reinforced polypropylene pipes are used for hot water supply. Strengthening of plastic occurs through the use of aluminum foil, fiberglass or increase the wall thickness of the product. Aluminum integrated into polypropylene, which can be placed in the thickness of the plastic (non-sweep pipe) or outside (sweep pipe), significantly reduces the linear expansion of the pipeline.
Fiberglass gives a similar effect, which allows this type of pipeline to be used for heating. A pipe with thickened walls is used for hot water.
Basic rules for soldering polypropylene pipes
To obtain quality indicators such as the tightness of the welded joint, the preservation of the inner diameter at the joints of the parts, the aesthetic appearance, etc., the following rules must be taken into account.
The connection point must be dry and free from dirt.
Often, in practice, a situation arises when it is necessary to solder a fitting into an existing plastic wiring. Although the pipeline is equipped with a common tap, but due to wear and tear, it cannot fully fulfill its purpose. In such situations, water ingress instead of connection is inevitable. The following steps can be taken to eliminate leakage while soldering the elements:
Step 1. Shut off the common water supply valve, drain the rest of the water into the sewer through the mixer, cut off the pipeline at the junction, taking into account the immersion depth, drain the water, dry the place and weld the nodes. In this case, it is advisable to replace the faulty stop valves.
Step 2. You can temporarily stop the outflow of liquid by displacing or draining the water column from the pipeline, if the water supply stops for some time (30 seconds is enough). If the leak cannot be stopped, then the internal cavity of the water pipe is sealed with bread pulp, and after welding it is removed through the nearest mixer, but before that, the filter is unscrewed from its drain tube. It is not recommended to use as a stopper. toilet paper, it does not come out of the pipeline well.
Do not overheat connections
Due to excessive overheating, the cross-section of the pipeline decreases, and, accordingly, the intensity of the supply of water or coolant decreases. Overheating can occur as a result of non-observance of the welding temperature and the holding time of the parts in the nozzle. Table 1 presents data on obtaining a quality weld for some pipe sizes.
The nozzle of the soldering iron must be securely fixed
A wobbling cue ball in the process of working with parts damages the heating surface of the soldering iron and contributes to the formation of misaligned joints.
After connecting the elements, do not rotate or move them more than 5 degrees
To obtain uniform diffusion, it is advisable not to rotate or align the brazed elements after joining during the curing time of the seam.
The movement of the workpiece in the cue ball must be rectilinear
Other movements may reduce the strength of the seam. The junction, of course, will withstand the pressure of water in the central line, which is usually in the range of 2 - 3 bar, but at nominal pressure (10, 20, 25 bar), it may be possible to pass liquid.
Features of the stripper connection
Before connecting the stripping pipe, it is necessary to remove the foil layer from it with a special chip (shaver) to the size of the soldering depth. In the absence of a shaver, the reinforcing layer is carefully cut with a clerical knife evenly, over the entire area where the pipe is immersed in the fitting. This method looks unprofessional, but when carefully removed, does not reduce the outer diameter of the polypropylene.
What you need for soldering
To join pipes and transition elements, you will need the following tools:
- set for soldering pipes (soldering iron, nozzle 20 mm, stand);
- scissors for plastic pipes;
- simple pencil;
- pipe lever wrenches;
- roulette.
Do-it-yourself soldering of polypropylene pipes using an example
Consider the soldering technique and the sequence of mounting an additional stop valves and pressure gauge into the existing plumbing system.
These elements are involved in the apartment's reserve water supply circuit (water storage tank with a pump).
A water tap is installed to switch the position of water analysis from the central line to the reserve position. The manometer signals the appearance of water in the riser. The node is quite difficult to integrate into the existing wiring due to the limited space when connecting pipes by soldering.
To create such a node, which is made of polypropylene pipes and transitions with a cross section of 20 mm, the following material is needed:
- Angle at 45 degrees. in the amount of 2 pcs.
- Angle at 90 degrees. -1 PC.
- Tee - 2 pcs.
- Coupling - 1 pc.
- Pipe for cold water - 1 meter.
- Coupling, female thread (MPV) 1/2 inch.
- Bronze transition with 1/2" male thread and 3/8" female thread.
- Pressure gauge 10 bar.
- Passage crane.
- Tow and FUM tape.
The tool for the soldering of polypropylene pipes.
Work procedure
With the help of tow and FUM tape, ensure hermetic connection between pressure gauge, bronze adapter and MRV.
On a soldering iron with a nozzle, set the temperature to 250-260 degrees and turn it on for heating.
After the cue ball heats up, immediately lean the tee against the convex part, and the pipe against the other, with a notch, and start feeding the parts linearly until it stops.
Mentally count 7 seconds. During this time, the surface of the parts should melt evenly. At the seventh second, pull the parts out of the nozzle and accurately insert each into the other until it stops. Hold in this position for four seconds, this is the time when the soldering point remains plastic. Therefore, it is possible to scroll the welded parts by no more than five degrees only in this range.
From the brazed tee, mark a distance of 13 mm on the pipe.
This dimension corresponds to the depth of immersion of the pipe into the fitting.
Cut the pipe along the mark with scissors.
Solder the corner and the faucet so that it is placed on the water pipe to the horizontal plane at an angle of about 45 degrees.
Connect the other end of the faucet to the tee, as shown in photo 9.
To the tee, which is located closer to the meter, weld a tube with a 90 degree angle for the pressure sensor.
On the wiring, in the approximate places where the parts are soldered, cut the pipes and drain the residual water.
Lean the assembled unit to the installation site and calculate the pipe connection.
Remove excess elements with scissors.
At one end of the remote element, which will be connected back to the pipeline, consisting of a pipe and two corners at 90 degrees, we solder coupling. We weld the other part at a certain angle into the tee.
We calculate how the pipeline will be connected to another section. Based on these data, we assemble a node from two corners at 45 degrees and a pipe. We weld it to the other side of the workpiece tee.
The resulting product is first connected to a pipe located near the sewer.
Then with a flow meter.
Lastly, with the mixer pipeline and the tank supply line.
This sequence is due to the ability to use a soldering iron in places that, after joining adjacent nodes, can be moved.
We determine the length of the pipe for the pressure gauge, solder it into the MRV and put on the mount. We apply the resulting product to the corner and mark the location of the fastener on the wall. We remove the pressure gauge and mount it to the wall.
We solder the corner and the pressure sensor. We check the tightness of the entire system.
Sometimes do-it-yourself soldering of polypropylene pipes cannot be done by one worker, due to the inconvenient placement of parts. In this case, it is desirable to solder such nodes together.
How to make homemade soldering iron for polypropylene pipes? At good master always have high-quality tools at hand. Even at home, there is always a tool, and if there is no suitable one, you can assemble it yourself. If you decide to change sewer, water, heating pipes, you will definitely need a soldering iron for polypropylene pipes.
For welding polypropylene pipes, a special soldering iron is used, which operates on the principle of an iron.
Now it is very rare to find iron or cast iron pipes, plastic material has become very popular.
What is the best soldering iron?
There is a very large selection of this product. Sales consultants will offer you many tools, but will not answer which one is best. Therefore, first of all, you need to pay attention to the country of origin. Now in the ranking of the most popular soldering irons, the Czech Republic occupies the first place, followed by Turkey, Russia is third, and China is fourth.
Such an apparatus is used to heat the ends of polypropylene pipes and further connect them to each other. The device is made so that it is possible to work with different diameters of pipes. For everything to work out correctly, you need to know the temperature regime of the equipment. The configuration of the soldering iron consists of a sole, two heating elements, nozzles of various diameters, which are attached to special holes.
The soldering iron makes it easy to connect the ends of polypropylene pipes of any size.
To understand the principle of operation of a soldering iron, it can be compared with the work of an iron. But the iron is equipped with one heating element, and a polypropylene soldering iron with two. It also has a thermostat and an additional built-in tool - a tape measure. Also included is an alcohol marker, level, cutter for plastic pipes.
To properly start working with them, you must first learn the technology of soldering. The soldering iron should be installed on special legs (you have them in the kit), and only then plugged into the network.
Choose an element according to the size of the connector, which is intended for soldering itself. Heat up to maximum temperature, connect the ends very quickly and evenly and press down to each other.
In order for everything to work out well the first time, the soldering iron must be heated to the maximum temperature - about 20 minutes, then you need to wait 5 minutes for the nozzles themselves to warm up.
The soldering process itself will take about a minute, but it is better to read the instructions for the device. If there is a pause in the soldering process itself, do not try to reheat, as the pipes are plastic and the material itself is stretched, which means that the seam may suffer.
Back to index
Homemade soldering iron for soldering polypropylene pipes
If you can’t afford the device or you don’t have extra money to buy a soldering iron for polypropylene pipes, you need to do it yourself.
This technique can be done on the basis of an old iron.
You will need:
- iron with a power of 800 W;
- heater (not with a spiral, but with a heating element, preferably in an aluminum case);
- chromel-copel thermocouple;
- two tips;
- two wires about 1 m long each;
- old tape recorder;
- asbestos wool;
- plexiglass;
- dichloroethane.
Back to index
Stages of work
A homemade soldering iron for polypropylene pipes is most conveniently made from an old iron.
The temperature regulator is removed from the iron plate.
Remove all unnecessary protrusions and wiring, one bare slab should remain.
Go to the turner and order two tips, one for the pipe, and the other for the fitting (for the fitting and nut). Take the dimensions yourself, for this, measure the diameter of your pipe.
When the turner does everything, use a drill to drill a hole with a diameter of about 6 mm, take the bolts and screw the tips.
On the opposite side of the nose of the iron, drill a hole large enough to fit the thermocouple freely.
All parts are connected and assembled in a casing.
Take a wire about 1 m long and attach it to the thermocouple.
Then take another wire of the same length and attach it to the heating element. They are brought out through the top of the handle.
The handle itself is attached to the outside of the casing.
At the next stage, it is necessary that a space forms between the casing and the tile, it must be filled with a thermal insulator, you can take a simple asbestos wool.
You should get two tips protruding outside the casing, they need to be thermally insulated.
Now the thermostat itself is placed, it must be placed separately and preferably in a plastic case. Plexiglas and dichloroethane can be used.
An old tape recorder can be useful for indication, there is an indicator, and there are arrows in it and, most importantly, a zero mark. By all rules, this label will be 270 °.
If the arrow shows in the red sector, then the temperature is above normal, and if it is in yellow, it is lower.
Another important element is a resistor, it is displayed outside the thermostat housing.
It will show if the heating element is working.
The process itself is as follows. As soon as you plug the soldering iron into the outlet, you need to set the temperature with the handle to 270 °.
The LED will light up and give a signal that the soldering iron starts to heat up to the desired temperature, and when it goes out, you can start working.
It is up to you to decide what is better - to assemble with your own hands or to buy. A new soldering iron on the construction market will cost 15-18 thousand rubles. If you want to assemble it yourself, it will cost only about 2 thousand rubles. since the old iron is always in the garage of any owner.
The connection of polypropylene pipes by the welded method is characterized by higher reliability compared to other methods of combining products with each other. This connection technology does not have any differences when working with polypropylene. The only exception is reinforced products: their installation involves some specific features.
This technique is quite simple. Welding can be done in living conditions, observing the requirements of the technological process and having the entire arsenal of necessary tools.
There are several options for connecting polypropylene pipes:
- diffusion soldering;
- soldering with electrical fittings;
- cold welding.
In this article, we will talk about each method of combining cylindrical products in more detail, consider their advantages and disadvantages, and also learn how to properly solder polypropylene pipes.
Before starting work, it is necessary to prepare the installation tool. To create a reliable joint of structures and all additional parts, you will need a special soldering iron.
It is worth noting that sometimes the connection of products made of polypropylene is called welding. However, this process has many varieties, so it is important to remember that polypropylene pipes are connected in only one way - by soldering. For the installation of such a system, threaded fittings and metal-plastic are not used.
Soldering polypropylene pipes requires the use of welding machines. Several types of devices are on sale:
- round section heater;
- flat unit.
The second type of soldering iron was popularly called an iron, which is more associated with its appearance. Such devices differ only in their design.
For the first model, Teflon nozzles are put on the heater and fixed with clamp-like parts. In the second device, the same nozzles are screwed to the heater from both sides. The rest of the design elements are no different. The main function of the device is to carry out high-quality and reliable soldering of polypropylene products.
Nozzles are necessarily included in the set of soldering devices. The most inexpensive device, which includes a minimum number of elements, is considered a Chinese soldering iron. Its power does not exceed 800 watts. On sale, it is presented together with a stand, as well as nozzles that allow soldering pipes made of PP with a cross section of 20-32 mm.
When the heating system of a private house is made of cylindrical products of this diameter, this kit will be quite enough. But if you are going to do more professional soldering work, you will need a better device.
For pipes with a cross section of 40-63 mm, a different soldering kit is required. It will have to be purchased separately. The most expensive sets, characterized by increased reliability, are made in large European countries. Their kit includes the following parts:
- soldering iron;
- stand;
- Teflon nozzles of different diameters;
- scissors that allow you to cut pipes, maintaining 90 degrees;
- hexagon;
- Phillips screwdriver;
- roulette;
- gloves.
Since it is necessary to work with hot equipment for soldering polypropylene pipes, it is necessary to perform the operation with gloves. Beginners quite often get burned by touching the heating element.
The design of any soldering iron is designed so that you can install several nozzles at once for connecting pipes of small diameter, which saves time, especially when working with products with a cross section of 20-40 mm.
Soldering iron power
To evenly and quickly heat a pipe with a diameter of 63 mm, a large system power is required. For domestic purposes, an apparatus with a value that determines the amount of energy not exceeding 0.7-1 kW will be sufficient.
If the power of the iron is more than 1 kW, it goes into the category of professional. Its cost is much higher than the price of an ordinary soldering iron.
Method one
To make a homemade soldering iron you will need:
- a failed old iron that has a heating element;
- children's metal constructor;
- rubber handle;
- toggle switch;
- asbestos cord;
- duralumin;
- insulating tape.
Manufacturing technology
- grinder from the bottom of the iron cut off all unnecessary details;
- an aluminum lining is made;
- a box is mounted from the constructor; a light bulb and a rubber handle are installed in it;
- a toggle switch and a soldering iron regulator are connected to the wire;
- all parts are combined into one whole;
- soldered cables;
- to the body, having previously laid an asbestos gasket, the heating element is bolted.
Thus, after spending a little time using the material at hand, you become the owner of a homemade soldering iron for welding PP pipes.
Method two
To make a tool, you will need a pair of nozzles worth 215 rubles. and a discarded ignited iron. It takes approximately two hours to assemble.
First, the heating device is installed vertically. The fitting is simultaneously put on the heating nozzles along with the pipe. To be able to carry out operations on the wall, the iron needs to be slightly modernized: cut off the “sting” of the sole and round it slightly. It will be useful to use thermal paste.
It is known that several pipelines were welded with such a home-made apparatus. The quality of work turned out to be quite high.
After heating the iron, holding it by the handle, the pipe is removed first. It is not necessary to immediately remove the fitting, since its thickness prevents it from melting quickly. It remains to hold the pipe with the iron by hand and remove the fitting.
To connect the products, it is necessary to apply small efforts until an even flash is formed around the entire perimeter of the fastener part.
In this position, you need to hold the connection for about 15-20 seconds until polymerization begins. Welding on the wall is simple: one hand holds a heating device, the other - a pipe.
Method three
We manufacture an iron equipped with a temperature controller, which will be a special power control device assembled on a thyristor. For soldering work, a voltage of 170V is applied. To create the fixture, aluminum or copper plates are used. The photo shows a part with a thickness of 0.8 mm, however, the value of this value may vary upwards.
Flat elements are needed so that the heater does not start to cool down when the pipe is put on. For work, a heating element (1 kW) from the obsolete “Dream” stove is used. Since the radiator almost does not heat up, it can be reduced. Gaskets are not required to install the thyristor and diode. The design of the iron itself can be of any kind, it all depends on your imagination.
Below is power controller circuit.
On each side of the spiral, you can install aluminum gaskets in the form of round pancakes. A handle with a regulator and a fixed toggle switch is attached to the body. In other words, you can do tuning.
The principle of all devices is always the same: for soldering PP pipes, a certain temperature must be observed.
How to choose nozzles
When selecting heating nozzles, it is necessary to take into account the diameter of the pipes to be connected and other important points:
- strength;
- how well the shape is maintained after a change in temperature;
- thermal conductivity.
Almost all welding machines are suitable for various nozzles. This is very convenient when you need to mount a complex highway.
Each wear item has two ends. On one, the outer side of the part is heated, on the other, its inner part. All nozzles have a Teflon coating, which protects the surface from sticking of the molten material. The dimensions of the parts are in the range of 2-6 cm, which corresponds to the common diameters of cylindrical products.
Normal temperature for soldering
For strong welding of structures, the soldering temperature of polypropylene pipes should not exceed 260 °C. Otherwise, this will lead to the loss of stability of the plastic base, as a result of which the pipe simply cannot connect to the fitting. And warmed up connecting element will begin to stick to everything around it. However, a lower temperature is also not suitable for soldering.
It is important to remember that the viscosity and plasticity of the polypropylene structure must have certain values, otherwise diffusion processes will not start, and the connection will lose its reliability. The service life of such pipelines will be minimal. You will have to forget about the 50-year guarantee. At what temperature to connect the products, it is better to look at the table.
Pipe soldering time
If you correctly follow the technology requirements for the duration of the process of connecting structures using a special tool, you can get a fairly tight joint. Polypropylene after overheating will not begin to spread. The heating time depends on certain parameters. The main ones are:
- pipe section;
- width of the seam of the welding belt;
- ambient temperature.
Below is a special table that indicates the recommended soldering time for PP products, taking into account all the values \u200b\u200bmentioned above:
Socket welding of polypropylene pipes
The main method of mounting plastic, when you need to connect small cylindrical products of different sections, is the use of a socket. When welding a PP structure, additional parts are required:
- corners;
- tees;
- taps.
All of them are made from the same material from which the pipes were made. Application additional elements to create a quality connection is not considered a minus of this method. The details under consideration, in addition to the connecting function, help to change the direction of the pipeline.
This process consists of several operations:
- the mating surfaces are melted: the outer wall of the cylindrical product with the inner part of the fitting;
- special heating parts are used;
- cooling of the assembled elements takes place.
According to professionals, the socket joint is considered much more reliable than butt welding. Due to the fact that when combined, the pipe enters the fitting with force, high strength is created. In this case, the alignment does not require the use of a special tool. Even a beginner can combine cylindrical structures in this way.
Socket welding machine
Devices designed to connect products from PP into a socket are called soldering irons, or irons. The main element of such a device was the heating head. All interchangeable parts are attached to it:
- couplings;
- mandrels.
The first elements are designed to heat the outer surface of the pipes, the second - the inside of the fittings. The shape of the heater in most soldering irons remains a triangular plate. On sale you can find devices of a different design.
The size of the nozzles depends on the dimensions of the flat part. In other words, a pipe section is selected that will be freely soldered. In addition, it is necessary to take care of the required number of heating pairs for simultaneous installation. To work with a large plate, you need a powerful unit.
Additional parts (couplings, mandrels) must be fixed so that their supporting surface tightly touches the plate.
With good contact, the desired temperature (260 ° C) will be reached. In this case, the power of the soldering iron does not matter much.
Today, devices equipped with a heating head in the form of a rod are produced. Their main advantage can be called compactness. On technical specifications head shape is not affected.
For the high-quality operation of the iron, the accuracy of the functioning of the temperature sensor, which maintains the required temperature, is important. If its fluctuations become minimal, this indicates a high quality soldering iron.
The most advanced today are electronic thermostats. These thermistors are able to display an accurate temperature value even at working surface couplings.
The use of such parts allows you to reduce the temperature inertia of the iron. As a result, the true readings of the heating head will be displayed on the scale of the device.
Bimetallic relays work more roughly, as well as capillary thermostats, whose values are inaccurate. When compared with the data of thermistors, the discrepancies will be quite large. Whatever the thermostat, when the device reaches the operating mode (judging by the indicator data), you must wait a few minutes. During this time, the temperature of the nozzles will be compared with that shown by the device.
Now you can start welding. Manufacturers also produce soldering irons with two heating elements. different power. Each part is equipped with a separate switch.
These products are able to independently achieve the desired temperature regime. The master himself chooses the required power.
The second part becomes a spare in case of failure of the first.
The device provides the possibility of simultaneously turning on both heaters in order to quickly reach the operating mode.
The equipment can be completed with auxiliary tools, including:
- beveler;
- calibrator;
- trimmer;
- scissors for cutting pipes.
In some kits, you can even find a special cleaning liquid. However, not all listed parts are included in the basic package. Often they have to be bought separately. It is important that welding machine had it all necessary tools for work with any diameters of pipes and materials.
Technological process of socket welding
The outer diameter of a cylindrical product is always slightly larger than the nominal section. In a fitting, on the contrary, the inner diameter is less than the nominal section of the pipeline.
Take, for example, a 20 mm pipe. The real size of its outer diameter will be in the range of 20.3-20.5 mm. A fitting designed to work with a 20 mm product will have an internal section of 19.5-19.7 mm.
Moreover, the middle part of the coupling surface will exactly correspond to the nominal diameter. For a conical plane, 5 degrees are taken.
It becomes clear that if the fittings are not heated, they cannot be connected to the coupling.
When the pipe is aligned with the hot sleeve, the outer part is melted. Everything superfluous is squeezed out, a kind of roller is obtained. Next, the inner layers are heated. They begin to shrink, while the pipe gets the opportunity to get into the hot coupling. A similar effect can be achieved when the fastener element is connected to a hot mandrel.
When the pipe is aligned with the fitting, it is elastically compressed, while the connecting element begins to stretch. Heated surfaces are compressed, displacing air. The result is uniform mixing of the molten material.
The general technological process of connecting pipes from PP into the socket has several sequential operations:
- cutting products;
- preparatory activities;
- installation of a welding machine;
- achievement of the operating mode;
- heating of parts;
- assembly;
- line cooling.
You can manually connect the pipe with a heated tool without much effort if small parts are welded, the cross section of which is in the range of 40-50 mm. To combine cylindrical structures with a diameter exceeding 50 mm, it is necessary to use a special centralizer designed for socket welding.
Since soldering polypropylene pipes is not difficult, the work can be done alone.
To cut cylindrical products, special scissors are used that do not allow the pipe walls to crumple.
Before proceeding with the soldering of polypropylene products, the surfaces of the parts are thoroughly cleaned and degreased. Reinforced structures are subjected to special preparation. This must be remembered by workers who install such products.
Composite pipes made of PP, which are reinforced with aluminum, are characterized by low thermal expansion. Therefore, a heating system made from such products does not require the installation of additional temperature compensators. Only in such products, reinforced with aluminum, oxygen diffusion is possible. After air enters the system, the water is actively saturated with oxygen. As a result, the process of cavitation of valves, as well as other parts of the structure from cylindrical structures, begins.
In the absence of a reinforcing layer, additional special preparation can be omitted.
Technological map of socket welding of polyethylene pipes
How to solder reinforced polypropylene pipes
In this case, the contact of aluminum with liquid is strictly prohibited. This alloy begins to break down, and it is unprofitable to buy new products. The appearance of small internal distortions at the joints is difficult to notice with the naked eye, however, it is these zones that are the weak point of the entire system. There is a possibility of water getting on the metal surface.
To prevent this, the reinforced layer is carefully cleaned. Such an operation is mandatory if the surface of the pipes is wrapped in foil.
For removing sheet metal a special device is used - the so-called shaver. It has to be purchased separately.
The end is inserted into the device, similar to sharpening a pencil, and they begin to turn.
When working, do not forget about cleaning the aluminum layer. Welding will occur without this procedure, however, the reliability of the resulting connection will be quite low.
You can get rid of such a human factor by installing pipes reinforced with fiberglass.
If the aluminum reinforcing layer is located in the center of the wall, the surface is trimmed using a special tool. It helps to remove the aluminum edges that cover the end of the pipe. If such an operation is not carried out, water can get into the center of the wall, moving along the microcracks of the reinforcing layer, which will inevitably lead to swelling. 
In the photo, you can see the soldered joints of the cuts: the wrong execution in the picture without trimming and the correct one with trimming.
For achievement best result special couplings are used. They, as it were, “brick up” the ends of the reinforcing layer, which helps to avoid contact of the metal with the liquid.
Some manufacturers give their own recommendations on how to prepare pipes before welding. Even if there is no reinforcing layer, it is imperative to calibrate the outer diameter, and then chamfer.
The calibration operation removes the ellipse of the pipe, making it perfectly round. Chamfered makes it easier to connect with the coupling. Unfortunately, when PP pipes are soldered on their own, these operations are completely ignored.
How to prepare a soldering iron for work
First, the welding machine must be well fixed. When the warm-up begins, the parts are subjected to pressure, which is transferred to the soldering iron. To make it more convenient to work, it is important to ensure the device is immobile.
A heating pair is put on the tool. Next, the desired heating temperature is set, voltage is applied. When socket-welded PP pipes are welded, the heating temperature should be in the range of 260 ± 10 ° C, which is higher than the values at which polypropylene becomes viscous and fluid.
Thus, there is a rapid melting of the upper layer of the pipe together with the fitting. As a result, the part can be easily removed without heating the entire wall thickness. At a different temperature, when the elements become soft, it will not be possible to make a connection.
We put the parts on heating
When the welding machine reaches the operating mode, the light will turn on. The pipe is inserted into the coupling, and the fitting is inserted into the mandrel. If it is quite difficult to carry out such work at the same time, a heavy connecting element is first mounted.
Welding parts necessarily have a small allowance, which begins to be squeezed out during their installation. This is how a ring-shaped roller (grab) is obtained. To move such a ring, you need to make some efforts, but this should be done smoothly and slowly so that the burr acquires correct form. A fitting that fits freely on the mandrel and does not form an annular bead is considered defective.
When mounting the part, it is imperative to monitor the installation depth. As soon as the element rests against the top of the mandrel, you need to stop the pressure, otherwise you can damage the end of the pipe and dent the fitting limiter. To control the depth of immersion of the part into the coupling, a corresponding mark is made at a certain distance from the end. However, this procedure is not necessary as the fitting is generally inserted into the mandrel until it touches the stop.
After the parts have been installed in the coupling of the apparatus and its mandrel, you need to wait a few seconds until the surfaces are well melted. It is important to correctly determine the duration of heating. This time should be enough to obtain a viscous and fluid state of polypropylene.
If the heating period is too long, the parts will become very soft. Manufacturers plastic pipes developed special tables that indicate the heating time for certain brand polypropylene. In this case, the wall thickness and pipe section are also taken into account.
When fittings are combined with cylindrical products, the angle of rotation of the parts should not exceed 5 degrees. If the joint is done correctly, the burr will have the same thickness on all sides.
Connection cooling
If you need to correct the work done, the technology allows you to do it within a few seconds. The parts should not be subjected to any pressure until the material has completely hardened, which lasts approximately 2-4 minutes.
Approximate parameters of the duration of welding operations can be found in a special table. More accurate values are provided by the manufacturers of fittings and PP products.
When soldering products from PP end-to-end, the ends of the parts are heated with a hot tool until they are melted. Then the elements are pressed with force until the seam cools. This technology is distinguished by its simplicity.
In this case, there is no need to use additional devices. If everything is done correctly, it turns out pretty reliable seam not inferior to the strength of the pipe. The technological operation is performed in a certain sequence:
For all its simplicity, butt welding only seems so accessible. In practice, this requires solving several problems, which is almost impossible to do at home.
The pipes must be exactly aligned along their axis, while a deviation from the wall thickness of only 10% is allowed. Pressure on the parts that press the cylindrical products to the plane of the heating mirror when exposed to high temperature, should appear only a certain time. This is the only way to get a quality connection. When performing trimming, it is necessary that the end face has a perfect perpendicularity.
The conditions listed above are quite difficult to follow without an additional device - a special centralizer. It is equipped with an electric drive that creates a certain compression force. In addition, this device is equipped with a trimmer.
In other words, in order to butt weld polypropylene pipes of small diameter, you will need more special equipment compared to the previous connection method. Considering the fact that when welding a socket, a better joint is obtained due to lock connection, home craftsmen prefer to use this particular method of combining pipes.
Butt welding of PP products is mainly used in production, when it is necessary to connect large-section structures during the installation of a straight section of an engineering structure from cylindrical products.
Pipes and fittings made of polypropylene today can be said to be in trend. They are used for inside house and apartment plumbing and heating wiring and networks. The popularity of this material is due primarily to the convenience of working with it. Unlike metal pipes, they do not need to be bent with a pipe bender, threaded and welded. All the laboriousness of this profession has remained in the past with the advent of such material as polypropylene.
The main tool for working with polypropylene products is an electric soldering iron or iron. In the factory kit, it is equipped with nozzles-sleeves for soldering pipes and fittings of standard diameters. They can also be purchased separately. But there are times when, for some reason, a factory soldering iron is not available and there is no way to buy it, and of all the parts, only welding nozzles are available. This is where a homemade plumbing soldering iron comes in handy.
This homemade product is from the category of "blew, spat and did the job." You can literally assemble it on your knees from an old iron and a wooden block. With such a homemade heater, you will definitely save the situation and cope with the soldering of polypropylene pipes. And how to do it, we will now show.
What you need to assemble a soldering iron
- An old iron with a working heating sole;
- Wooden block, approximate section 40x50 mm, length 40-50 cm;
- Four self-tapping press washers, 3x14-16 mm;
- Nozzles-sleeves for a sanitary soldering iron with a clamping bolt;
- Power cable with plug;
- Insulating tape, self-tapping screws 45 mm.
We assemble a homemade soldering iron for polypropylene pipes
First of all, we disassemble the household iron, disconnecting the sole from the thermostats. We won't need the rest of the iron anymore.
Next, we prepare wooden block. If necessary, it can be sawn, planed or simply cleaned on emery wheel, as the author of the homemade product did (photo).
To fix the bar, we drill several holes on the sole of the iron, in a zone free from the heating element. The diameter of the drill should be less than the width of the screw head.
We insert the bar fitted according to the section into the groove of the sole, and fasten it to several self-tapping screws using a screwdriver and a cross nozzle.
There are bolts at the end of the contact group of the heater. Under them, we drill grooved holes on both sides of the bar, and unfold the contacts with pliers to connect them.
We press the contact plates with several self-tapping screws - press washers.
Not far from the end of the sole, we drill a hole for the clamping bolt for the sleeves. Now you can attach several paired welding nozzles. We sit them on the clamping bolt, and tighten with a hex wrench.
All that remains is to connect the power cable to the contact group, and wrap the contact area on the handle with electrical tape.
The soldering iron is ready to go. Such a device can be used for soldering polypropylene pipes and fittings, making plumbing or heating wiring.
