Polypropylene pipes have firmly occupied the niche of materials for home plumbing and heating. Their installation is simple and easy when compared with the assembly of steel wiring. To weld plastic joints, you need a special soldering iron for polypropylene pipes.
But how to choose it correctly and what you should look at before buying - such nuances are not known to every average person. It is these issues that we will consider in detail in the article, paying attention to the device, operating principle and existing equipment designs.
We also present a number of important criteria that are important when choosing a soldering iron. After all, before purchasing it, you need to familiarize yourself not only with the types, but also with the key characteristics, which will allow you to purchase a device that matches the planned work.
Existing soldering iron designs
In appearance, the equipment for socket welding of plastic pipes is of the same type and differs only in the shape of the heater.
It can be of two types:
- flat;
- cylindrical.
A flat heater (installers also call it an iron for polypropylene pipes) has the appearance of a thick conical metal plate. The greater the mass of the heater, the better its ability to maintain a stable temperature when melting plastic. We talked in more detail about using an iron for welding polypropylene in this article.
Nozzles for melting the parts to be joined are fixed to the heater using bolts threaded through holes in the plate.
Soldering irons with a flat heater are bulky and can tip over, so it is necessary to place heat-resistant material on the floor in the workspace in advance
Soldering irons with a cylindrical heater are more compact and easy to use in hard-to-reach places. The attachments are fixed to them using a detachable clamp secured with clamping screws.
Soldering irons with a cylindrical heater are compact, but working with them alone is inconvenient. They need a stable stand
Due to the simplicity of the heater design and the absence of expensive elements in it, the cost of soldering irons ranges from 100-200 dollars, depending on their manufacturer, power and configuration.
Soldering equipment design
The designs of soldering irons for polypropylene pipes may differ in detail, but their main elements are the same.
The equipment includes:
- frame;
- heater;
- thermostat;
- nozzles;
- stand.
The body of the device is usually made of metal, because plastic parts can become brittle due to constant exposure to high temperatures, although models with rubberized handles are also available.
Heating and readiness indicators in different models of soldering irons may have different colors, so you should read the instructions about their purpose
An electric heater (TEH) has the form of a cone-shaped metal plate or a thick cylindrical rod. The dimensions of the heating element depend on the power consumption and the number of attachments placed on it at the same time.
The plate-shaped electric heater has one or more holes for attaching nozzles. With an increase in their number, the power of the soldering iron and its cost increase. The standard heater temperature for pipe welding is 260 °C, but it can be adjusted.
The thermostat has the shape of a round knob, with which you adjust the required operating temperature. To monitor the readiness of the soldering iron for operation, indicators are used (usually red and green lights). When heating, the red indicator lights up, and when the heater reaches operating temperature, the green indicator also lights up.
The nozzles for a flat heating element are cylindrical in shape and are called mandrel and sleeve. The mandrel serves to heat the inner polypropylene surface of the socket, and the sleeve is used to soften the outer layer of the pipe being connected.
Nozzles for the welding machine must have a perfectly flat and smooth base - the rate of their heating and the stability of the temperature of the melted polypropylene depend on this
The nozzles have a non-stick coating on top so that the softened polypropylene does not stick to them. There are nozzles for each pipe diameter. Usually they come complete with a soldering iron in the amount of 3-5 pairs.
For cylindrical heaters, clamp-type attachments are used. Their maximum number on the soldering iron rod depends on the length of the heater.
Stands for welding machines are universal and individual.
In form they can be:
- crusades;
- U-shaped;
- rectangular.
Universal stands can be purchased separately and are suitable for most soldering irons, while individual stands have a special mount designed for a specific model or a whole series of equipment. All stands are relatively compact, but differ in weight.
The design and appearance of the stands can be different, the main thing is that they have the quality necessary for work - stability
The best stand has a rectangular metal sheet at the base. This design is the most stable, but weighs a lot and is rarely used in portable devices
Occasionally you come across soldering irons with heaters and stands of unusual shapes, but they have not become widespread.
Pipeline material and types of connections
There are two methods of connecting utility networks: detachable and permanent. Removable include threaded
flanged
and socket connections.
One-piece – electric welded
and soldered. Soldering was indeed used when installing the copper internal cold and hot water systems. In some special-purpose buildings, this installation method is still used today.
Until recently, all this applied to metal water pipes: steel, non-ferrous metals, cast iron. Steel is susceptible to corrosion. This is a serious disadvantage for water supply networks. Stainless steel is expensive and is used only in industry. It is no coincidence that recently polypropylene and polyethylene water pipes have gained deserved popularity.
Their use significantly reduces the cost of installation work and increases the service life of water supply systems. Refusal of electric welding improves the environmental component of installation and the quality of drinking water. Installation of light, cheap, strong, durable and harmless plumbing systems is carried out by connecting into a socket, using special welding machines, popularly nicknamed “soldering iron”.
Operating principle of an electrical appliance
The operation of a soldering iron for polypropylene pipes is based on thermal softening of the surfaces of the parts being soldered and their subsequent connection.
The product with a socket is put on the mandrel, and the cut pipe is inserted into the hole of the heated sleeve. The parts are heated within the standard time specified in the instructions for each soldering iron separately. Then the parts are removed from the nozzles and connected.
If you have never done such work, we advise you to familiarize yourself with the technology of self-welding polypropylene pipes.
In the process of welding pipes, it is important to maintain uniform heating of both parts being joined, which can only be achieved with high-quality nozzles
Rating of the best welding machines for polypropylene pipes
| Nomination | place | Name of product | price |
| The best machines for sleeve welding of polypropylene pipes | 1 | Rothenberger Roweld P63T | 26 640 ₽ |
| 2 | Dytron SP-4a 650W TraceWeld Mini blue | 17 330 | |
| 3 | FORA PROFESSIONAL 1600 | 4 160 ₽ | |
| 4 | CANDAN SM-04 | 4 200 ₽ | |
| 5 | ELITECH SPT 1500 | 3 300 ₽ | |
| The best machines for electrofusion welding of polypropylene pipes | 1 | Rothenberger Roweld Rofuse Basic 48 | 182 770 ₽ |
| 2 | Nowatech ZERN-4000 PLUS | 57 300 ₽ | |
| The best machines for butt welding of polypropylene pipes | 1 | Rothenberger ROWELD HE 200 55316 | 56 400 ₽ |
| 2 | OMISA 6160/N | 220 000 ₽ | |
| 3 | Rijing Makina HDT 160 | 50 000 ₽ |
Criteria for selecting socket models
Choosing a soldering iron for polypropylene pipes should begin with studying the configuration and characteristics of the equipment.
The main factors that ensure the durability and functionality of this device are:
- heating element power;
- set of nozzles;
- equipment manufacturer;
- soldering iron cost.
The welding machine almost always comes complete with auxiliary tools: gloves, screwdriver, tape measure and others. Therefore, when choosing a device, especially via the Internet, it is necessary to take this nuance into account.
Criterion #1 - equipment power consumption
Most advice on choosing the power of a soldering iron on the Internet is based on the statement that it should be at least ten times the size of the pipe in millimeters. The maximum diameter of pressure pipes in home systems rarely exceeds 63 mm, so the recommended soldering iron power should theoretically be 500-600 W. However, this approach does not take into account the actual characteristics of the equipment.
To manufacture higher power heaters, no additional costs are required, so most soldering irons consume over 1 kW
The minimum power of most bell-type soldering irons on the market is 800 W, the maximum is 2 kW, so any of these devices will be sufficient for installing home heating or water supply systems.
More powerful soldering irons increase temperature faster after heating the next pair of plastic products, but taking into account the time for their subsequent connection, this advantage is not particularly significant.
The cost of the equipment practically does not depend on the power of the heater, so you can focus on this characteristic only taking into account electrical safety. Apartment wiring is designed for a maximum load of 3.5-4 kW, therefore, when operating two-kilowatt soldering irons, the use of other equipment with similar power will be limited.
If you don’t want to buy a soldering iron with minimal power, it’s best to buy a device with an electricity consumption of 1.2-1.4 kW.
Criterion #2 - types of heating nozzles
Pipe attachments are always included with the soldering iron. They are made of two types, depending on the shape of the heating element. For flat heaters, the nozzles are made in the form of a cylinder closed on one side. They are fixed to each other with a bolt on both sides of the metal plate of the soldering iron.
Mandrels and sleeves for cylindrical heating rods have a semicircular base. A pair of such attachments covers the heating element in the form of a clamp and is secured with two bolts.
This design of the soldering iron is considered more effective because the large contact area between the surface of the heater and the nozzles speeds up their heating and stabilizes the temperature when melting polypropylene.
The number of nozzles on the heating rod affects the time required to soften polypropylene when simultaneously heating pipes with different diameters
The mandrels and sleeves are made of metal and covered with a non-stick coating made of regular or metallized Teflon. It prevents molten polypropylene from sticking to the surface.
Despite their simple design, nozzles are equipment that can quickly fail. A thin layer of Teflon tends to wear off quickly, after which the attachments become unusable.
Therefore, it is better to buy products from trusted manufacturers, the quality of which can be vouched for by store sellers. It is impossible to check the thickness and quality of Teflon visually.
The basic configuration of a soldering iron usually includes nozzles with a diameter of 20.25 and 32 mm. Some equipment models are supplied with a mandrel and sleeve with diameters of 40, 50 and 63 mm.
Nozzles are not cheap, so their cost affects the overall price of the equipment set. If you are not planning to weld large-diameter pipes, then it is better to buy a soldering iron with a minimum set of nozzles, and then buy more if necessary. And if you have enough money, you can immediately purchase a welding machine model with the maximum configuration.
Criterion #3 - manufacturing companies
It is almost impossible to assess the quality of a soldering iron in a store by its appearance. The only exception is the low-grade Chinese models, which have a tin body, a thin electrical cord and minimal equipment.
The quality of welding machines largely depends on the country of manufacture. Only large factories can enter export markets on a large scale, so there are few well-known companies in this area.
Domestic stores sell soldering irons manufactured in the following countries:
- Germany: Rothenberger, Kern.
- Czech Republic: Dytron
- Türkiye: Candan, Valtec, Cobra.
- Ukraine: Temp, Dnipro.
- Russia: Uralmash, Splav.
- China: Fora, Sturm, Anchor.
There are dozens of other manufacturers, but the above brands are the most tested in practice, and their quality can be judged by real reviews. We reviewed the best and most popular models among users in the following article.
In the delivery set of high-quality European soldering irons you can rarely find many related tools that other manufacturers use to lure buyers
German and Czech equipment is considered the most reliable, which will last for several years without breakdowns. Its cost can be 10-12 times higher than Russian and Ukrainian analogues with the same configuration.
Such a large difference in price is due not only to the excellent quality of products from European manufacturers, but also to the difference in cost.
The main advantage of reliable models is the accuracy of temperature conditions throughout the entire service life. Rothenberger, Dytron and Kern are the best manufacturers of welding equipment on the European market.
Turkish companies are trying to copy welding equipment for polypropylene pipes from their German competitors, but using cheaper components. The quality of their soldering irons is not much inferior to their European counterparts, but they are much cheaper.
Ukrainian and Russian manufacturers of welding equipment under their own brands usually sell models assembled to order in China. Because of this, the quality of domestic and Chinese devices is not much different. When purchasing soldering irons from these countries, you can only focus on the cost, which is directly proportional to the quality and equipment of the devices.
Criterion #4 - soldering iron configuration
The box with the bell soldering machine may contain various auxiliary tools, the cost of which can greatly influence the final price of the kit.
The soldering iron may additionally come with:
- Bevel remover.
- Pipe cutter
- Gloves.
- Roulette.
- Key for fixing attachments.
- Screwdriver.
- Level.
The most expensive device in the kit, after the pin itself and attachments, is the pipe cutter. Without it, a high-quality pipe soldering process is simply impossible. The presence of this tool is highly desirable when purchasing welding equipment.
The welding machine is sold in a suitcase, which has separate cells for each part. The build quality of this case is often similar to the quality of the equipment itself
It should be noted that pipe cutters in cheap kits become dull quite quickly, and you have to buy a higher quality tool.
We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the rules for using scissors for cutting pipes.
The best machines for electrofusion welding of polypropylene pipes
The second method of joining polypropylene is electrofusion welding. For docking, special couplings are used, which have sockets for connecting wires. The barcode on the part contains parameters of temperature and exposure time, which are set automatically on the device after reading by the scanner. Such models cost much more than soldering irons for welding, but the operator’s work is much easier. After installation and switching on, everything happens automatically.
Rothenberger Roweld Rofuse Basic 48
Rating: 4.9
The first place among models for electrofusion welding of polypropylene is again occupied by products from the German brand Rothenberger. The device is powered by a 220 V network and is suitable for soldering pipes with a diameter of up to 315 mm, which makes it possible to lay not only polypropylene wiring throughout an apartment, but entire risers in a multi-storey building. Users respond positively both to the operation of the device in general and to pleasant little details in the form of touch buttons that protect against electric shock, or a pocket for placing a barcode reader on the cable.
Our experts considered the device to be the best for use on large construction sites where there may be voltage surges, since the device stably welds polypropylene with an incoming current of 180-230 V. If a short circuit occurs, the device will automatically turn off. The all-metal housing withstands harsh construction environments.
Advantages
- convenient handle for transportation;
- instant reading of barcodes with an ultra compact scanner;
- large digital display;
- touch buttons are protected from moisture.
Flaws
- weighs 16 kg, so it’s too heavy for frequent rearrangement;
- the cost is very high.
Nowatech ZERN-4000 PLUS
Rating: 4.8
The Polish manufacturer Nowatech offers a machine for electrofusion welding of polypropylene in places where the butt method of connecting pipes is impossible. The device is equipped with an electronic temperature regulator and operates from a 220 V network. It has a long power cord with angle electrodes and a scanner for reading welding parameters. From the reviews it is clear that professionals like the device due to its IP55 degree of protection, which allows it to be used on a construction site even in the rain.
Experts considered the welding device to be the best due to its ability to solder polypropylene pipes with a diameter of up to 120 cm. For this, the model has a power of 4000 W. With the help of such welding, you can connect not only heating and water pipes, but also install polypropylene manifolds for distributing coolant to houses. The performance of the equipment does not drop, even if it is powered by a generator, which is beneficial in construction site conditions.
Advantages
- comes in a durable iron case;
- small dimensions 43x28x18 cm;
- There are angular tips included;
- Protection of the case from dust and moisture IP55.
Flaws
- the scanner is very large and is housed in a plastic case;
- weighs 25 kg;
- high price.
