Step-by-step assembly and installation of metal-plastic pipes - all the subtleties of work that you have not heard about

Andrey
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Andrey July 31, 2016Specialization: facade finishing, interior finishing, construction of dachas, garages. Experience of an amateur gardener and gardener. We also have experience in repairing cars and motorcycles. Hobbies: playing the guitar and many other things that I don’t have time for :)

Often people who independently undertake the renovation of an apartment or house wonder about assembling pipelines from metal-plastic pipes. In reality, there is nothing complicated about this, however, like any other work, the installation of metal-plastic pipes contains its own nuances and subtleties. Therefore, below I will tell you in detail about all the methods for assembling a pipeline from “metal-plastic”.

Pipeline made of metal-plastic pipes

General characteristics of polypropylene pipes

Is polypropylene so good?
Today the market is overflowing with pipes made of polymer materials from different manufacturers. For example, you can find Chinese, Turkish, Czech, Russian and German pipes. Choosing any of them can be a difficult task. Before we introduce you to the advantages of polypropylene pipes from each manufacturer, we will consider the general characteristics of polypropylene pipes and their positive properties:

• Polypropylene is resistant to corrosion. Thanks to this, the pipeline maintains its original quality indicators for many years.
• The service life of polypropylene pipes exceeds the service life of metal pipes by three or even four times.
• Resistant to possible biochemical aggressive influences.
• Even under extreme weather conditions, polypropylene pipes remain extremely reliable. Fittings and pipes themselves are not subject to rupture in winter.
• No vibration or noise. The noise that exists in the pipes is not so significant as to create inconvenience to others.
• The absence of strong hydraulic resistance, as a result, the inner shell of the pipe does not affect the water pressure in any way.
• Unlike steel pipes, polypropylene pipes save 20% of the heat of hot water.
• Does not create problems during installation.
• Thanks to the large number of various fittings, it is possible to make a plumbing system of any configuration.
• Polypropylene does not affect human health in any way.

So, there is no point in doubting the quality of polypropylene pipes. Now let's start reviewing pipes from different global manufacturers.

Species diversity

In addition to functionality, when choosing fixing elements for a pipeline, the installation method and external data are considered. The option of using products once or several times is also taken into account. Let's take a closer look at what can be used to attach polypropylene, metal-plastic or metal pipes to the wall.

bracket

Functional fasteners are relevant for laying utility lines along walls, floors and ceilings. The clamp is used for working with water pipes with heated coolant. That is, installation is carried out using a floating method.

The design looks like this:

• Console. Made from metal or polymers. It has a curved shape with a base for attaching plastic and metal pipes to the wall. May consist of one or two parts. This is a supporting part that allows you to secure the pipeline at a small distance from the base.

Bracket for manifold channels Source shopify.com

• Accessories. A bolt with washers and a nut to close the ring in a given position. There may also be additional suspensions and clamps, rubber seals.

The individual components are fastened together without welding. This way you can adjust the diameter of the bracket. Installation of fasteners can be done using self-tapping screws, dowel-nails, anchor bolts or a welding machine.

Clip

For the manufacture of fasteners, polystyrene with fibrous inclusions made of polyester is most often used. Less common are plastic products with similar performance characteristics. This takes into account the preservation of quality under changes in temperature conditions. This explains the main application - fixing hot and cold water supply channels.

The shape of the clips is similar to a bowl with a widened base and narrowed edges. This is necessary for fastening polypropylene pipes by snapping. The range includes single and double products for separate and parallel fixation of water channels. The second type can be extended using special connectors or mounting protrusions (a protrusion and groove are provided in the side of the base).

Pair clip Source leroymerlin.ru

According to their design, clamps are divided into two types:

• solid cast with a dowel (easy to use, but cost a little more than analogues);
• simple or collapsible in the shape of a bowl without additional elements.

Clamps are used for pulling pipelines made of metal-plastic and polymer alloys (rigid, flexible and corrugated channels). The outer diameter of the channel is limited to 5(16) to 50 mm. This is enough for the private sector.

The main advantages of such fasteners are simple installation, reusable use and the ability to fit into the interior. The disadvantages include two points. Application limited to lightweight polymer pipelines. Fragility, ductility and low mechanical strength can lead to breakage or deformation of the “bowl” walls. This mount requires complete replacement, as it cannot be restored.

Installation includes three steps. Before fixing the pipe to the wall, markings are applied to the base. Next, the clip is fixed on the working surface using a self-tapping screw or dowel-nail. The final step is to insert the pipe by pressing the channel into the clip with slight pressure.

Clips with dowel for mineral base Source stroykaydoma.ru

Turkish quality or soap bubble?

Among the wide variety of polypropylene pipes, Turkish pipes occupy a separate place, which is rightfully deserved. Let's look at seven types of polypropylene pipes that have reliably established themselves in the domestic market.

TEBO pipes and fittings
TEBO technics. TEBO technics brand pipes are produced Ø20–Ø160 mm. They are used for water supply and heat supply in industrial enterprises. They do an excellent job of transporting various aggressive chemical mixtures. The TEBO technics product line includes the production of PN10 and PN20 pipes. This type of polypropylene pipes is intended directly for creating water supply networks. The Turkish company TEBO technics produces reinforced and fiberglass pipes. According to TEBO technics, it ranks in the middle suitability class. There should be no problems working with these pipes.

Pilsa
Pilsa. Unlike other polypropylene pipes, Pilsa is elastic, durable and wear-resistant. Due to this, these pipes are successfully used in cold/hot water supply systems and heating systems. It is customary to use Pilsa PN20 for the heating system and hot water, and PN10 for cold water supply. For several years after their installation, you will not have to worry about their maintenance. The most important requirement is compliance with installation technology.

Pilsa polypropylene pipes cannot be hidden in the wall. To use these pipes in a heating system, it is necessary to use a controlled boiler, as otherwise temperatures of more than 95°C may be given.

For objectivity, one drawback of Pilsa pipes should be noted. After stripping the pipes of aluminum, it may partially remain on the surface. This is explained by the fact that the pipes have a slight ovality.

Wesbo. The Turkish plant Novoplast produces polypropylene pipes, which are known as Wesbo. Although the price of these products is low, they are of high quality. However, as for the set of shaped elements, there is a big minus here, since the choice is very small. But this is perhaps the only negative, which is why they are also very popular in our market.

Compression fittings

Compression fittings are also called compression and collet fittings, which is due to the principle of operation of the crimp connection. You can read more about compression fittings in the review of compression fittings for metal-plastic and PEX pipes.

Advantages of compression fittings:

• Easy to install. No special skills or “golden hands” are required. Can be mounted in hard-to-reach places.
• Available tool. Installation using common open-end wrenches, no special expensive tools required.
• Demountable connection. If necessary, the connection can be easily disassembled using open-end wrenches.
• Reusable. Push-in fittings for metal-plastic pipes can be reused after disassembling the connection. You just need to replace the split collet ring that was deformed during installation.

Disadvantages of compression fittings:

• Low installation speed. The low technology of the process leads to a relatively long installation of compression fittings.
• Narrowing of the flow area . This leads to a loss of pressure in the system due to high local hydraulic resistance in the compression fittings.
• You can't monolith. Compression fittings are only suitable for open wiring because they require periodic monitoring and preventive tightening. Free access must be ensured.

Chinese pipes - cheap fake or good quality?

Although products from China do not always have a positive reputation, good quality can be found among Chinese polypropylene pipes. We present to your attention well-known brands of pipes that can be found on the Russian market:

Blue Ocean
Blue Ocean. The Chinese company Blue Ocean produces high-quality fittings and pipes made of polyethylene. As practice has shown, pipes from the Blue Ocean manufacturer are excellent at soldering. For these pipes, it is customary to use soldering iron nozzles that have small curves that are located inside the nozzle. Thanks to this innovation, aluminum is better sealed with a layer of polypropylene. One of the disadvantages of pipes is the error in diameter, which can vary within small limits. Moreover, as installers say, Blue Ocean pipes are a bit difficult to insert into the soldering iron. You have to solder by eye, since the red line is drawn in a spiral.

Design. Dizayn pipes are produced reinforced. There is no need to strip the aluminum before soldering them. Thanks to this, their installation for both cold and hot water supply is accelerated and simplified. As a result, solder joints have an aesthetic appearance. Chinese Dizayn pipes occupy a worthy place on the Russian market. Even non-specialists can work with them. In some respects, they are not inferior to leading European brands of polypropylene pipes.

So, although China is famous for producing cheap building materials, you can find high-quality polypropylene pipes.

Shredding brick walls with a hammer drill

A hammer drill is a universal construction tool that can be used to drill holes and knock out hard materials - thanks to these properties, the tool can quite effectively knock out channels for water supply or heating pipes. The work order is as follows:

1. Pobedit drill for concrete with a diameter of 8 or 10 mm. in perforation mode, it makes a series of holes of the required depth along the entire length of two lines, the step can be chosen arbitrarily, but the smaller the distance between the holes, the better the quality of the groove edges.
2. Next, insert a shovel-shaped attachment into the hammer drill, switching it to impact mode, and knock the brick between the drilled grooves, controlling the depth with a pipe section.
3. Upon completion of the work, the groove is cleaned of dust and foreign debris; for this you can use a household vacuum cleaner.

Rice. 8 Angle shifter with two discs

Are Czech pipes the standard of quality?

In the market of polypropylene pipes, Czech pipes also occupy their place. And to make sure of this, we suggest considering the features of well-known brands of Czech polypropylene pipes.

Wawin
WAWIN Ecoplastik. Czech pipes WAWIN Ecoplastik are considered a quality standard in Europe and the world. From the first batch, WAWIN Ecoplastik polypropylene pipes have proven themselves only on the positive side. Thanks to the good quality and selection of fittings and pipes, the Ecoplastik system has become popular in many countries. Czech polypropylene pipes are used:

• for hot/cold water, air, underfloor/central heating;
• PN 10 - for heated floors and cold water supply;
• PN 16 - for central heating with low pressure and cold water with high pressure;
• PN 20 - for hot water supply and central heating.

Installation of steel pipeline

A metal pipeline weighs more than its polymer counterpart, so staples, brackets and clamps with rubber seals are used here. The latter are used more often, since they are disassembled many times. This is convenient when temporary communication is being assembled, or channels need to be replaced or transferred.

Installation of steel water supply Source inex.su

During installation work, the following rules are followed:

• for vertical and inclined lines, a larger number of fasteners are used;
• to fix pipes of smaller diameter, a sparser step between fasteners is observed;
• a clamp is installed on the horizontal part of the bend to absorb vibrations from the vertical line;
• on the riser, the clamp is mounted in the center, provided that its length exceeds 3 meters;
• on the pipeline, which is routed to the heating equipment, fixation is carried out in increments of 1.5 m.

The table provides the maximum distance between fasteners on a horizontal line made of steel pipes, depending on the method of fastening.

The selection of fasteners is made taking into account the load that is placed on the load-bearing part of the products - dowel, anchor, stud. It is also important to consider the base material: wood, porous or high-density monolithic walls. So, for the former, reinforced and more powerful fasteners are used, the distance between them is reduced.

Domestic manufacturer maintains its brand

Although our market is filled with imported materials from different countries, Russia also produces polypropylene pipes. Here we can highlight several well-known manufacturers of Russian polypropylene pipes.

PRO AQVA. PRO AQVA polypropylene pipes are used in a wide variety of areas: water supply, heating, pneumatic pipelines and process pipelines. These pipes can withstand operating temperatures up to +95°C. They are resistant to corrosion. Easy to install. They are characterized by high chemical resistance. Harmless to the environment and humans. Unlike Chinese pipes, PRO AQVA is 1.6 times stronger.

Only PRO AQVA can withstand a pressure of 79.5 Atm, so their service life exceeds the service life of all its analogues.

R.B.K. Since 2007, RBK has been producing multilayer polypropylene pipes PN 25. For their production, PP-R/AI/PP-R polypropylene is used. There is aluminum reinforcement in the middle of the pipe. In reinforced pipes, a layer of aluminum is located on the outside of the walls. For objectivity, we should also note negative reviews from customers, who agree that the diameter of the pipes varies.

Heissekraft
Heisskraft. Pipe reinforcement takes place in Germany. Heisskraft pipes are of high quality. They have a characteristic gray color. This is explained by the fact that technical carbon black is added to polypropylene. This substance serves as a stabilizer for polypropylene pipes.

Polytech. Polytek pipes are little known in our market. Although, according to reviews, we can conclude that these pipes are rated above average. But, according to installers, the walls are subject to deformation during compression. When soldering Polytek pipes, they do not create any difficulties. The only downside is that fittings are not always available for sale, so they should be purchased at the same time as purchasing the pipes themselves.

Grilling technology using various construction tools

When deciding how to groove a wall in the bathroom for pipes or make channels in the floor to run hot heating pipelines through, they resort to dismantling work using the following methods and tools.

Hammer and chisel

An old-fashioned method, suitable for working on walls made of soft building materials (gas silicate blocks, foam concrete, gypsum plaster). During installation, at the beginning, special grooves are knocked out along two lines of the channel with a depth of about 10 mm, then the material is removed between the punched lines, after which the operation is repeated many times until the desired depth is obtained.

Hammer

To work with a hammer drill, a special construction attachment in the form of a spatula is used; the tool is used to break through any type of wall. The main disadvantage of the hammer drill is the not very aesthetic appearance of the punched channel and a large amount of excess debris - during operation, material is knocked out outside the outer perimeter of the groove.

Therefore, to optimize the work, before using a hammer drill, the boundaries of the grooves are cut with an angle grinder (grinder) or holes of the required depth are drilled into them in increments of about 10 mm.

Rice. 4 Chipping with a hammer and chisel

Bulgarian

When working with a grinder, special discs with diamond coating for concrete are used to cut through concrete or brick walls. The grinder is a dangerous tool, so it is imperative to use a protective cover on the body when working with it.

Using an angle grinder, smooth, deep lines are cut along the perimeter of the groove, after which the material between them is knocked out with a chisel or hammer drill.

The main disadvantage of working with an angle grinder is the high dust content in the air; for protection you should use dust goggles, thick clothing and a respirator.

An example to follow

Polypropylene pipes made in Germany are of the highest quality. To verify this, you can view the characteristics of well-known manufacturers below.

Wefatherm
WEFATHERM. German WEFATHERM pipes are used for laying heating and plumbing systems. The company produces not only polypropylene pipes, but fittings and fittings. Pipes are made both with aluminum and reinforced. These pipes have a number of clear advantages over their competitors:

• The inner surface of the pipe walls is smooth. As a result, the water pressure does not drop.
• A wide range of fittings that allows you to combine WEFATHERM pipes with each other and other systems.
• Using the diffusion welding method, a perfectly sealed connection is formed. It does not take much time for the compound to cool and process.

Aquatherm GMBH. The German company Aquatherm GMBH is a leader in the production of polymer pipe materials. The products are used for laying heated floors, heating, water supply, air conditioning and fire extinguishing. Aquatherm GMBH pipes are produced in different series and variants.

Wiring diagrams for bathrooms and bathrooms

For plumbing work carried out in bathrooms and toilets, three layouts of metal-plastic pipes can be used. For private houses, the most rational option is to use a collector.

Efficient collector system

A reliable and practical option that involves connecting each object to a central pipe through a supply pair. This allows the faucet to regulate or turn off the water supply to each specific plumbing fixture.

With parallel wiring, each plumbing fixture is equipped with its own water line and its own shut-off valve. All branches come out of one device - the collector

All control devices are located in a compact manifold, which is placed in a space specially designated for them (cabinet).

Supply pipes with a minimum of connections do not require special control, which allows for hidden installation. The disadvantage of this option is the rather high cost, since for each connection you will need to purchase a special shut-off valve. Since such a system is quite complex, work must be done carefully and carefully.

In collector water distribution, control devices and shut-off devices are installed on the pipe supplying water to the collector

An important advantage: if a separate item (washing machine, faucet) fails, there is no need to completely disconnect the bathroom from the water supply - just turn off the necessary shut-off valve.

Serial connection system

This option involves connecting each plumbing item to the main pipe using a separate tee. It is more suitable for bathrooms with a minimum number of objects (washing machine, common faucet).

Sequential wiring, shown schematically in the figure, is recommended for use in rooms with a small number of objects that are alternately connected to pipes using tees

A sequential scheme can be implemented after finishing work has been completed in the room, using an open laying system. The assembly process is quite simple: the pipe is laid from one object to another, and at the same time the supply element is removed from the tee.

This option requires minimal financial costs. It should be taken into account that if there are a large number of liquid intake points, the pressure may not be enough, and the system will function with difficulty or even fail completely.

Wiring system with pass-through sockets

The connection of plumbing fixtures is similar to the serial one, but instead of tees, sockets are used. This scheme is usually used only in individual houses, since it requires laying long pipes, as well as installing an additional pump that will help provide the required water pressure.

When performing connecting work with metal-plastic pipes, several important nuances should be taken into account:

• When developing a design, it is desirable to provide a minimum of connections.
• It is important to use pipe and couplings made from the same material.
• It is better to use thermal insulation for the pipeline to prevent condensation from settling.
• It is necessary to provide free access to metering devices, filters, and detachable connections.

Compliance with the rules will allow you to create a reliable system that can last for many years.