Do-it-yourself technology for welding polypropylene pipes: an overview of methods and nuances. Do-it-yourself soldering iron for soldering plastic pipes Do-it-yourself nozzles for soldering polypropylene pipes

The ability to assemble pipelines on your own is a definite plus of polypropylene products. Using convenient and lightweight material, you can build a sewer with your own hands, repair and modernize the water supply.

The main thing is to understand the specifics of connecting prefabricated elements to each other. Agree, this is an important part of the work, responsible for the tightness of the line and its trouble-free operation.

We offer you detailed information on how to solder poly propylene pipes, what equipment is used in the work, and also list the most common mistakes of novice welders.

The information we offer will help to build trouble-free communications. For visual perception, the article is supplemented with graphic applications and a video guide.

The soldering process is carried out due to the pronounced thermoplastic properties of the material. Polypropylene softens when heated - it acquires a state similar to plasticine.

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This is what a soldering iron ("iron") for polypropylene pipes looks like. A simple electrical device, semi-automatic, thanks to which plastic is soldered

For butt welding, the designs of soldering irons are characterized by increased complexity. Usually, such equipment includes not only a heating element, but also a system for centering the parts to be welded.

As a rule, direct welding equipment, like the technology itself, is rarely used in household sphere. The priority of use is industry.

A more complex device, which is used to accurately center the parts to be welded with a further heating and soldering process. Used with direct welding technology

In addition to soldering irons, the master will also need:

• scissors - ;
• roulette construction;
• locksmith's square;
• shaver for pipes with reinforcement;
• marker or pencil;
• surface degreaser.

Since the work is carried out on high-temperature equipment, be sure to wear thick work gloves.

Polypropylene Welding Procedure

Important warning! Welding of polymeric materials should be carried out in conditions of good ventilation of the room. During heating and melting of polymers, toxic substances are released, which in a certain concentration have a serious impact on human health.

The procedure for welding polypropylene is simple, but requires accuracy and accuracy in work. Common mistakes should also be avoided, such as insufficient or excessive heating.

First of all, you need to prepare for work:

1. Install blanks of the required diameter on the heater plateau.
2. Set the regulator to 260ºС.
3. Prepare mating parts - mark, chamfer, degrease.
4. Turn on the soldering station.
5. Wait for the operating temperature to set - the green indicator turns on.

Mating parts (pipe - coupling) should be simultaneously put on blanks soldering station. In this case, the polypropylene pipe is mounted in the inner region of one blank, and the coupling (or socket of the fitting) on ​​the outer surface of the other blank.

Usually, the ends of the pipe are inserted along the border of the previously marked line, and the coupling is pushed all the way. When keeping polypropylene parts on heated blanks, you should remember about important nuance technology - exposure time.

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Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Professionals always have something to learn. How to work with polypropylene can be seen in the following video:

Mounting pipelines made of polymers by soldering them “hot” is a convenient and popular technique. It is successfully used in the conditions of installation of communications, including at the household level.

People without experience can use this welding method. The main thing is to correctly understand the technology and ensure its exact execution. BUT technological equipment can be bought or rented.

Do you have experience in soldering polypropylene pipes? Please share information with our readers. You can leave comments and ask questions on the topic in the form below.

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 by welding. 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

Conclusion

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 big choice 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 designed in such a way that it can be used with different diameters 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 polypropylene soldering iron- 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.

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Homemade soldering iron for soldering polypropylene pipes

If the device is not affordable for you or not excess funds to purchase 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.

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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. because old iron always in the garage of any owner.

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.

Similar phenomena are absent during the operation of the water supply system for cold water. Based on the above, reinforced polypropylene pipes are used for hot water supply. Hardening of plastic occurs through the use of aluminum foil, fiberglass or an increase in the thickness of the walls 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 toilet paper as a cork, 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 installation of additional shut-off valves and a pressure gauge in 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:

1. Angle at 45 degrees. in the amount of 2 pcs.
2. Angle at 90 degrees. -1 PC.
3. Tee - 2 pcs.
4. Coupling - 1 pc.
5. Pipe for cold water - 1 meter.
6. Coupling, female thread (MPV) 1/2 inch.
7. Bronze transition with 1/2" male thread and 3/8" female thread.
8. Pressure gauge 10 bar.
9. Passage crane.
10. Tow and FUM tape.

The tool for the soldering of polypropylene pipes.

Work procedure

Using tow and FUM tape, ensure a tight connection between the 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 the 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.

Nowadays, when creating various pipelines, polymer channels are increasingly used. They have a lot of advantages over metal counterparts. Polymer pipes deserve special attention. The price per 1 meter of these structures is significantly lower than that of metal counterparts. Them distinctive feature is convenient installation. Such pipe structures are soldered by means of

In this article, we will analyze the device of the mentioned device, list the most popular manufacturers of equipment and talk about fixing the most typical breakdown with our own hands. You will also have the opportunity to view photos and videos on the topic of this material.

Device device

Most soldering irons have approximately the same design. The differences are only in the form and methods of installing special nozzles.

Any soldering iron for polypropylene pipes consists of:

• housings and handles;
• thermostat;
• heating element placed in a metal casing;
• interchangeable tips coated with teflon.

By the way of functioning, the devices in question are in many ways reminiscent of an ordinary iron.

Some experts call these devices so. The operation of the device is quite simple. The heating element increases the temperature of the stove it is inside. From it, heat is transferred to the nozzles. It is these heating elements that help soften the polymer to the desired consistency.

The thermostat allows you to control the heating process. This part is responsible for maintaining the required temperature regime, preventing overheating of the installed nozzles. If the thermostat is faulty, it will not be easy to operate the device. heating elements can get very hot. This will negatively affect the duration of their operation. The metal part of the stove will begin to melt over time. As a result, the device will become unusable.

It is important to choose a soldering iron equipped with a high-quality thermostat. For cheap models given element works unstable. This leads to the fact that the heating of polypropylene structures is carried out unevenly. The temperature level can be excessively high or, conversely, low.

Note that for experienced specialists such a defect is not critical. At the same time, beginners will be able to effectively complete the task only with the use of an absolutely serviceable soldering iron. This is due to the fact that professionals intuitively work with the device, and thanks to their skills they will be able to minimize the consequences of using an unstable device.

Based on the above, a simple conclusion is drawn - it is better to use high-quality and reliable equipment than to mess around with a poorly functioning soldering iron. In this case, it is desirable to use equipment with a thermostat that allows for smooth adjustment of the temperature regime.

Typical failure: the soldering iron does not heat up

Let's analyze a real case of repair of the RSP-2a-Pm device from the Czech company Wavin ekoplastik. The problem was as follows: the device warmed up, but did not gain the required temperature indicator. At the same time, during operation, the sound of sparking contacts arose inside the device. The device was intensively used during the year.

Repair of the device began with its disassembly. The next step was to determine the cause of the problem. The control board was checked first. Next, the soldering iron was turned on and the voltage indicator at the output of the mentioned circuit was determined.

When performing a check, you do not need to wait for the sting to fully warm up. A similar procedure would be appropriate in the case of testing electronics. In our example, it was only necessary to determine the cause of the breakdown. After checking the board, it would be necessary to proceed to the diagnosis of the heating element.

The considered instance of the soldering iron was turned on. The heat indicator lights were on. It was suggested that the problem lies in the heating element circuits. To accurately identify the breakdown, it was necessary to disassemble the protective grille of the heating element.

It was decided to check the thermostat screwed to the heater. The main task of this component is additional protection. The operation of the device was completely controlled by electronics. The thermostat was mounted in order to avoid uncontrollability of the heating element in case of damage to the thyristor.

If the maximum allowable temperature is reached, the bimetal contacts of the safety device will open and the main heating component will stop working. In a particular case, the mentioned elements were burned. As a result, the opening of the contacts began to occur at a temperature below the limit. This was the main reason for the constant underheating of the device.

To eliminate this problem, it was possible to repair the thermostat. But this is a very difficult and time-consuming task. Replacement of the element in question was not feasible due to the lack of spare parts.

As a result, the repairman decided to remove the thermostat from the circuit and connect it directly. For this, the element was disconnected from the heating element contact. Then a new, store-bought, terminal was crimped onto another wire, of blue color. To solve this problem, it is allowed to use terminals in isolation.

Try to use only heat-resistant cambric. They must withstand high temperatures.

The crimping of the terminal is carried out with special tongs. At worst, you can use pliers. The main thing is that the procedure is performed efficiently and reliably. After its implementation, the cable in the terminal must be motionless.

After completing the procedure for turning off the thermostat, it was necessary to assemble the device. In the process of its implementation, damage to the wire retainer was found. To eliminate this breakdown, a conventional plastic clamp was used. After fixing the cables, the extra parts of the plastic were cut off.

Next, the assembly of the device was completed. After that, the device was tested for serviceability. The soldering iron worked like clockwork again. You can use the information from this article when repairing various models soldering irons.

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