Copper heating system. Heating copper pipes

Among the various materials used for the installation of water heating systems, pipes made of copper are of particular interest. In terms of technical characteristics, only stainless steel pipes can be compared with them, and even they lose in terms of thermal conductivity. The purpose of this article is to determine all the pros and cons of copper pipelines, and also to consider all the ways by which copper pipes for heating are mounted.

Advantages and disadvantages

I must say that systems assembled from copper pipes are closest to the ideal, since they have numerous advantages with a minimum of disadvantages:

corrosion resistance and durability;
ability to withstand high temperatures. Copper will withstand ambient temperatures up to 300 ºС for a long time, although the maximum temperature in centralized heat supply systems does not exceed 115 ºС, and when it comes to heating a private house, even less - 95 ºС;
resistance to pressure drops and water hammer. In accordance with GOST R 52318-2005, a drawn copper pipe collapses at a short-term pressure of at least 220 MPa. Standard products are designed for an operating pressure of 25 MPa (250 Bar). Similar technical characteristics of copper pipes allow them to be used in any heating systems;
light weight compared to steel pipes;
high thermal conductivity. An uninsulated copper pipeline passing through the room is at the same time a heating device, this must be taken into account when selecting radiators and take the number of sections smaller;
solid and remarkable appearance;
plastic. Due to this property of the material, copper pipes and fittings can withstand several defrosting cycles.

A little about the disadvantages. You have to pay a lot of money for the high quality and reliability of copper systems, but they are worth it, since they will last as much as the house itself. This material is suitable not only for wiring radiator heating and underfloor heating, the copper piping of the boiler is also considered one of the most durable.

Installation of copper pipes

The assembly of the heating circuit or the piping of the boiler from copper pipes is made from straight sections and connecting parts - fittings. The latter are either brass or copper, depending on the connection method. And these methods are as follows:

brazing copper pipes;
crimp detachable connection;
crimp press connection.

In turn, the soldering of joints can be performed in two ways: soft and hard solder. But, regardless of the chosen method, you first need to make preparations. It consists in measuring a section of the required length, cutting off the pipe itself and cleaning the joint before aligning. It is recommended to cut the material with a special manual or mechanical pipe cutter, it allows you to maintain a clear angle of 90º and leaves a minimum burr, and this determines the high-quality installation of heating from copper pipes.

The joint is cleaned with sandpaper in order to remove a thin film of copper oxide from the surface. The best option is to use soft sponges containing abrasive instead of sandpaper. Before stripping, you need to remove the burr by removing a small chamfer from the inner surface. To do this, you can use a special device or an ordinary triangular-shaped boot knife. When it is planned to install copper pipes by soldering, then the fitting must also be cleaned of oxide.

How to solder copper pipes

For soldering in the most popular way - using soft solder - you will need a gas torch or a soldering iron, as well as a brush and flux. A layer of flux is applied to the cleaned joint from the outside with a brush, while the length of the section should correspond to the depth of immersion of the pipe into the fitting. It is recommended to measure it in advance and put a mark with a marker. Like copper pipes for a heating system, the inner surface of the fitting is coated with a flux, after which the parts are manually joined.

The next step is to warm up the interface with a gas torch or an electric soldering iron. Here it is important to get to the point so that there is no overheating or subcooling, an inexperienced installer will need preliminary training. Knowing when a sufficient temperature has been reached is fairly straightforward.

It is necessary in the process of work to apply a wire of solder to the surface of the pipe and at the moment when it begins to melt, start applying solder to the joint, moving the burner a little further. How a heating system with copper pipes is properly soldered is shown in the video:

Detachable and press mates

To make a press connection, you need a specialized tool - crimping pliers. They are both manual and electric. After stripping the pipe and fitting, they are aligned, pliers are placed on the outside of the joint and compression is performed. The connection is considered permanent and reliable enough.

Detachable mating is done following the example of metal-plastic pipes, since the principle of aligning a brass fitting with a pipe is exactly the same. Accordingly, the cost of a connector is several times higher than that of a soldering fitting. But for installation you need only 2 wrenches. Details of the work are presented in the video:

Conclusion

You definitely can't go wrong if you decide to invest in copper pipe heating. As a result, you get long-lasting pipelines with a large margin of safety. Moreover: such systems look very aesthetically pleasing and attractive in any interior.

Even before designing hot water heating, the developer must decide what material the pipes will be used from. In the post-Soviet space, preference, as a rule, is given to polymers (polypropylene, cross-linked polyethylene), a little less often they use metal-plastic, occasionally - stainless steel and ordinary steel. Copper pipes for heating are a bit apart. They are very popular abroad, but they are rarely used in our country, and no one disputes that, according to technical characteristics, copper is one of the best options.

Characteristics of copper heating systems

Advantages and disadvantages of copper pipes

Copper pipelines cannot be called innovative; they have long been used for the distribution of water systems. Many years of positive experience of use proves that copper pipes are suitable for any conditions and in most cases show the best ratio "reliability / practicality". The operational and consumer advantages of heating from copper pipes are primarily explained by the unique properties of copper as a technological non-ferrous metal:

Exterior copper heating wiring looks good against a background of wooden walls

There are still several disadvantages:

The cost of copper pipes for heating is the highest among other options.
The heating assembly technique is more complicated than, for example, soldering polypropylene.
Due to its high thermal conductivity, it is recommended to lay a copper pipe in insulating sleeves in order to deliver heat to heating devices with the least possible losses.

Note! Quite often, copper pipes are used only for piping boilers, where the supply temperature is the highest, and then through threaded fittings they switch to more affordable materials, for example, they make wiring from reinforced polypropylene.

Types of copper pipes

When it comes to copper heating, you need to understand that there are several types of pipes that differ significantly in their consumer properties and technical characteristics. The generally accepted classification is based on a number of criteria.

According to the state of the material:

Unfired (rigid) pipe. It is produced in the form of straight sections up to 6 meters long. It has high strength, but a small elongation to break (no more than 15 percent).
Annealed (soft, plastic) pipe is obtained by "tempering" the workpieces at a temperature of about 600-700 degrees. With a loss of strength of about 30%, the elongation at break increases to 60%.

The annealed pipe is produced in coils 25 and 50 meters long, with the help of special devices it can be bent, for example, for the manufacture of a warm floor

By the composition of the material:

Pure copper.
Alloys containing zinc or tin.

Note! The chemical composition of copper pipes is standardized (GOST 859, GOST 15527), there is a classification by "brands" (M1, M2p, M3, etc.).

By manufacturing method:

Drawn (cold-deformed) pipe,
Pressed.

By the presence of a seam:

Seamless pipes (no seam).
From a welded blank.

By wall thickness:

Thin-walled. They have walls with a thickness of 0.15 to 0.7 mm. They are rarely used for heating.
Thick-walled. Their walls are from 0.7 mm to 1 centimeter thick. In heating systems, products with indicators of 1-2 mm are most often used. The thicker the wall, the more pressure the pipe can withstand.

By the presence / absence of protection:

No isolation.
Pipes in a rigid plastic casing (polyethylene, PVC), which protects communications from mechanical damage. Copper pipes are also available in a polyethylene foam sheath, which prevents uncontrolled heat loss.

Varieties of copper pipes with insulating sheaths

Video: overview of copper pipes

Installation of copper pipelines

If we consider the installation technology, we can safely say that copper pipes are truly universal. In most cases, using the same pipe, you can choose from several connection methods and even use fittings from third parties. Depending on the tasks set, you can perform:

welding;
mechanical assembly (pressing, compression connection, clamping with self-locking fittings);
soldering (hard or soft solder).

Usually pipes with a diameter of 100 mm and more with a wall thickness of more than 1.5 mm are welded. Mechanical assembly has some limitations: not suitable for areas that are in monoliths, or hidden in building structures, such fittings are relatively expensive. In domestic heating systems, low-temperature soft soldering is most often used, which requires special capillary fittings (preferably the material of the same brand as the pipe).

One of the options for mechanical assembly. Press tongs are used to fix the connection.

Note! The use of solid solder involves heating the metal up to 6000 or more, therefore, the copper in the joint zone is "annealed". High-temperature capillary brazing is relevant for pipes with a diameter of 22 mm, for example, if you need to obtain super-strong fixation, or, say, if the coolant during operation warms up over 170 degrees.

Preparing for capillary brazing

A pipe of the required size is cut with a special tool.
Outside, a chamfer is removed from the end of the workpiece, which further reduces the hydraulic resistance in the connection zone.
An abrasive sponge that does not contain metal fibers is used to clean the oxide film on the outer surface of the pipe and inside the fitting.
Flux paste is applied and spread over the entire contact area with a brush (for solid solder, flux is not required).
The fitting is put on the branch pipe until it stops (preferably with a little twisting).
The flux is removed from the surface with a rag.

Low temperature brazing copper pipe

The joint zone is heated until the beginning of the melting of the flux. The burner nozzle must be moved evenly around the throat.
The filler wire (solder) is smoothly drawn along the edge of the joint. If the pipe is horizontal, then starting from the bottom.
The solder will begin to melt and "wet" the surfaces, due to the capillary effect, it will flow into the cavity between the walls of the parts to be joined.
The assembled unit must cool naturally, without the use of water.

With high-quality soldering, the solder completely fills the gap, a clean, neat joint is obtained.

As you can see, a solid capital investment in heating from copper pipes will not be in vain. Homeowners who have the ability and desire to use copper pipes receive reliable and durable wiring with the best performance. This is why there are so many fans of this technology among professionals.

Video: features of working with copper pipes

teploguru.ru

Copper pipes for heating, reviews and installation features

Copper is a very reliable material with the ability to conduct electricity and heat. In a non-acidic environment, copper does not corrode, which is an important quality for a heating system. Even with thin walls, copper pipes for heating have a long service life and are very durable. Neither pressure, nor liquid temperature, nor temperature drops affect the condition of the pipes.

Copper pipes for heating

It is important that the installation of heating from copper pipes can be performed even in severe frosts, since they do not react to temperature, which makes their use very preferable where severe frosts and cold temperatures are long enough, for example, in the northern part of the country.

But they have a minus - this is the price, it is quite high and not everyone can afford it, although if you calculate the losses in case of a pipe rupture or other incident, then the price of copper pipes will seem quite justified, since this will not happen to it. Considering all the waste in the event of a breakdown, as well as the replacement of a pipe that has become unusable from a rupture, copper pipes do not cause such problems, they are very resistant to cold and pressure drops, which is very suitable for our living conditions.

Copper pipes for heating can withstand temperatures up to 300C, which distinguishes them favorably from pipes made of other materials and makes them most suitable for regions where temperatures are very low in winter. Thanks to this unpretentiousness, it is possible to warm up the room well enough, without temperature drops in distant places.

Copper heating pipes can look aesthetically pleasing

Copper pipes perfectly withstand pressure drops, from 200 to 400 atmospheres.
Copper is not afraid of freezing.
When used in water supply, such pipes, due to their bacteriostatic properties, resist the infiltration of contaminants in city heating networks. They have the ability to inhibit the development of pathogenic microbes in water, and therefore bacteria on the surface of copper pipes do not get along.
Plumbing copper is not exposed to chlorine, which is very favorable for its use as a metal for the manufacture of plumbing.
If you use copper pipes in a polymer sheath, then this will be a reliable protection against stray currents.
Copper heating pipe is UV resistant and environmentally friendly.
Ease of installation, which allows it to be performed even by an inexperienced specialist, for example, in the private sector, in summer cottages.

Installation of copper heating pipes

A wide range of pipes, thanks to which you can choose those models that are optimal for both the heating system of the house and for the wallet of its owner.
The service life of copper pipes, subject to all operating conditions and taking into account all technical characteristics, is about 50 years, as the reviews show. Agree, this is not bad, so you should not save on buying them, in any case, it is profitable, in addition, after using copper, you can hand over and get money for it, this is also an additional plus. Why not?

Like any metal, copper has its drawbacks:

With monolithic installation in walls, the use of these products is impossible without a protective shell and thermal insulation.
External corrosion may occur, which will penetrate the metal.
There is a possibility of the development of abrasive wear, which is quite possible even before the expiration date stated on the product.
Stray currents have a detrimental effect on copper pipes.
When using sanitary ware made of copper, together with aluminum, electrochemical corrosion appears over time.
The high price that not everyone can afford.

Electrochemical corrosion at the joints of copper and aluminum pipes

Despite the disadvantages and high cost, copper is a versatile and most suitable material for transferring a coolant. If you want the heating system in the house to be highly efficient and reliable, then, without a doubt, it is necessary to choose copper pipes. They are an excellent alternative to steel and plastic heating pipes.

One of the features of copper pipes is their complex compatibility with other materials used in the heating system, such as steel, aluminum, plastic.

Therefore, during installation, especially if it is done independently, you need to calculate everything so that there are no problems in the future.

Another plus is that welding on pipes is stronger than the pipes themselves, which means that there is no need to worry about the state of the weld.

Summarize

Copper pipes are quite durable and reliable, they can be installed even by those who do it for the first time, for example, if it concerns a private building, of course. Despite the high cost and the existing minor disadvantages, there are still more advantages, and most importantly, such pipes pay for themselves with their reliability and long-term operation. It turns out that the price, which now seems to be high, is in fact quite acceptable.

otoplenie-doma.org

Copper pipes for heating

Advantages and disadvantages
Installation of copper pipes
How to solder copper pipes
Conclusion

Advantages and disadvantages

I must say that systems assembled from copper pipes are closest to the ideal, since they have numerous advantages with a minimum of disadvantages:

corrosion resistance and durability;
ability to withstand high temperatures. Copper will withstand ambient temperatures up to 300 ºС for a long time, although the maximum temperature in centralized heat supply systems does not exceed 115 ºС, and when it comes to heating a private house, even less - 95 ºС;
resistance to pressure drops and water hammer. In accordance with GOST R 52318-2005, a drawn copper pipe collapses at a short-term pressure of at least 220 MPa. Standard products are designed for an operating pressure of 25 MPa (250 Bar). Similar technical characteristics of copper pipes allow them to be used in any heating systems;
light weight compared to steel pipes;
high thermal conductivity. An uninsulated copper pipeline passing through the room is at the same time a heating device, this must be taken into account when selecting radiators and take the number of sections smaller;
solid and remarkable appearance;
plastic. Due to this property of the material, copper pipes and fittings can withstand several defrosting cycles.

Installation of copper pipes

brazing copper pipes;
crimp detachable connection;
crimp press connection.

How to solder copper pipes

Detachable and press mates

Conclusion

cotlix.com

How to choose copper pipes for heating

The rise in energy prices is forcing people to look for materials that have good heat-saving qualities. Only their use will save on heating and help create a comfortable indoor climate.

But which pipes to choose for the heating system? Today these elements are presented in a wide range.

Among them are plastic, metal, cast iron. And each material has its own advantages and disadvantages, but then why do more and more consumers choose copper pipes for heating? To answer this question, let's look at the features of the material and products made from it.

Where use is allowed

Copper is one of the most reliable and practical materials. Previously, it was not widely used in the manufacture of pipes only because it had a higher cost. However, the development of technology has gradually led to the conquest of this material's niche in the market. And today, copper plumbing pipes are used quite widely.

Due to the excellent performance characteristics of the material, they are used in:

Radiator and panel heating systems;
Water supply;
Sewerage.

In addition to household use, they have proven themselves perfectly when laying fuel lines and gas lines.

Features of copper pipes and their performance

Why today, despite the availability of modern materials, copper still remains in demand in various industries? Perhaps the answer to this question lies in its wonderful properties. The fact is that thick-walled copper pipes are practically impermeable to various aggressive media, such as:

Viruses and bacteria;
Fats and oils;
Herbicides and insecticides.

So it turns out that using them for organizing a water supply system will allow you to get clean water and guarantee the absence of any impurities in it. Another excellent quality of this material is its immunity to chlorine, which is contained in the water coming from the main line. Copper plumbing pipes will not only not collapse when interacting with this material, but also, on the contrary, will become more durable. And all due to the fact that the interaction of these two substances forms a strong protective layer on the inner walls of the water supply system.

We watch the video, the specifics of the application:

Also, the use of plumbing pipes for supplying water to the house is also explained by the lack of susceptibility of the latter to the growth of various kinds of deposits and the ability to withstand temperature extremes. For such products, the temperature range is from minus 200 to plus 250 ° C.

If we talk about installation work, then here, too, copper pipes for heating systems are significantly superior to any others. They are highly flexible and UV resistant. In addition, an insignificant roughness factor makes it possible to choose products with a smaller diameter, and therefore with a lower cost.

Advantages and disadvantages

What is the reason for the popularity of this product when organizing heating systems? The first and indisputable advantage is the resistance of copper to corrosion. If the pipeline is executed correctly, then even a very high temperature of the coolant will not damage it. Chrome-plated copper pipes have high elasticity and perfectly withstand any load.

We watch the video, all the pros and cons, steel or copper:

In addition, the products of this product group can be used in both radiator and surface heating systems. Moreover, the use of a copper pipeline as a warm floor allows you to avoid the mutual movement of elements and their friction, which means that it will be possible to avoid their premature wear.

It is allowed to use products from this material when organizing heating systems powered by solar energy. But during their installation, only brazing is allowed. This makes it possible to ensure the reliability and tightness of the joints at high working loads.

The specifics of the choice of pipes and accessories

There are no trifles in the matter of organizing a heating system in a private house. Everything is important here, from the selection and purchase of pipes and fittings, to their correct installation. When talking about the elements of the system, it is important to take into account their full compliance. For example, using copper products, you will have to organize the protection of aluminum radiators from direct contact with them. Since these two metals interacting in an aggressive environment lead to significant gas formation, which is fraught with rupture of radiators.

It is important that the installation of heating from copper pipes can be performed even in severe frosts, since they do not react to temperature, which makes their use very preferable where severe frosts and cold temperatures are long enough, for example, in the northern part of the country.

Benefits of copper pipes

Copper pipes for heating can withstand temperatures up to 300C, which distinguishes them favorably from pipes made of other materials and makes them most suitable for regions where temperatures are very low in winter. Thanks to this unpretentiousness, it is possible to warm up the room well enough, without temperature drops in distant places.

Copper pipes perfectly withstand pressure drops, from 200 to 400 atmospheres.
Copper is not afraid of freezing.
When used in water supply, such pipes, due to their bacteriostatic properties, resist the infiltration of contaminants in city heating networks. They have the ability to inhibit the development of pathogenic microbes in water, and therefore bacteria on the surface of copper pipes do not get along.
Plumbing copper is not exposed to chlorine, which is very favorable for its use as a metal for the manufacture of plumbing.
If you use copper pipes in a polymer sheath, then this will be a reliable protection against stray currents.
Copper heating pipe is UV resistant and environmentally friendly.
Ease of installation, which allows it to be performed even by an inexperienced specialist, for example, in the private sector, in summer cottages.

A wide range of pipes, thanks to which you can choose those models that are optimal for both the heating system of the house and for the wallet of its owner.
The service life of copper pipes, subject to all operating conditions and taking into account all technical characteristics, is about 50 years, as the reviews show. Agree, this is not bad, so you should not save on buying them, in any case, it is profitable, in addition, after using copper, you can hand over and get money for it, this is also an additional plus. Why not?

Disadvantages of copper pipes for the heating system

Like any metal, copper has its drawbacks:

With monolithic installation in walls, the use of these products is impossible without a protective shell and thermal insulation.
External corrosion may occur, which will penetrate the metal.
There is a possibility of the development of abrasive wear, which is quite possible even before the expiration date stated on the product.
Stray currents have a detrimental effect on copper pipes.
When using sanitary ware made of copper, together with aluminum, electrochemical corrosion appears over time.
The high price that not everyone can afford.

One of the features of copper pipes is their complex compatibility with other materials used in the heating system, such as steel, aluminum, plastic.

Therefore, during installation, especially if it is done independently, you need to calculate everything so that there are no problems in the future.

Another plus is that welding on pipes is stronger than the pipes themselves, which means that there is no need to worry about the state of the weld.

Summarize

The layout of the heating system using copper pipes is not the cheapest solution, but, with proper planning, it is durable and reliable: the shelf life of the material is 80-100 years, but how the connecting elements, soldering points and other components of the system behave is a question.

Advantages and disadvantages of copper pipes in heating systems

Pipelines made of this metal have a long history: they are already more than 5 thousand. years. Technologies have changed, but their positive qualities remain the same:

A decent enough list of pros. But there are also some serious disadvantages:

There are several more properties that, depending on the point of view or operating conditions, can be attributed to both pluses and minuses:

The first is high thermal conductivity. If copper heating pipes are laid openly, they emit a fairly large amount of heat. Therefore, less radiators may be required. This is a plus. With a closed laying in a wall or floor, careful thermal insulation is required so that the coolant does not transfer all the heat to the wall through the pipe (this is especially possible when laying in walls facing the street). This is a minus.
Softness and plasticity. On the one hand, this is good - with the help of a special device, pipes can be bent within a fairly large range, which leads to fewer connections and fittings. This is good. But the softness of the material leads to the fact that they need to be fixed after a small gap, and in some cases special boxes should be made: at a high temperature of the coolant, copper can soften and lose its shape. This is bad. Not the most pleasant moment is that, upon impact, the copper pipes are deformed, therefore, the circulation of the coolant worsens. As a result, carelessness and multiple distortions can greatly reduce the efficiency of the system. Not good either.

Most of the problems that can arise during the operation of water pipes are associated with poor product quality. And these are not advertising gimmicks, but the results of exploitation: a properly designed system, consisting of proven elements, works perfectly. If there is even a small fragment from the "left" material, problems begin. Example: the cold water and hot water supply system is assembled from copper, all materials are of high quality, branded, with the exception of one piece of pipe (not enough) in the hot water supply, purchased from the first tray on the market. The result - after a year and a half of operation, a blue film appeared on the plumbing, to which hot water was supplied (where there is only cold water, there are no changes). The owners had to change the entire DHW manifold due to the presence of an active corrosion process in the "left" section of the pipe.

To navigate the brands and buy copper pipes that are suitable for heating, you need to know the types of components produced, their types, area of operation and marking.

Labeling and cost

Copper pipes are available in two types: soft and hard. For heating, solid is more often used. The form of release is linear segments of 2-5m in length or coils, in which segments of 5-10m are twisted.

Dimensions (edit)... The outer diameter is indicated in millimeters (usually domestic production or from the CIS countries) or inches (imported), and through the fraction or "x" the wall thickness is set: 22x1 mm (22 / 1mm) - outer diameter 22mm, wall thickness 1mm, which means the inner diameter , according to which the heating systems are designed, will be 21mm (22-1 = 21). For wiring a household heating system, a wall thickness of 0.8-1 mm is sufficient for a wave.

In order not to be mistaken with the choice of the diameter when distributing individual heating, it is easier to "dance" from the boiler outlet. This is the diameter your pipes will be before the first branch. If the system is small, the entire wiring can be done with one pipe, but if it is large enough, you need to follow the rule: after each branching, a pipe with a diameter smaller by one step along the dimensional grid is used. The branch to the heating device (radiator or heated towel rail) also goes by a step smaller in diameter. For example, 24mm comes out of the boiler, two branches are separated on the first branch, which are already 22mm pipes, and 20mm leaves from it to the radiators. The "return" is assembled in the same way, but from smaller to larger sizes. If a large area of several floors will be heated, a professional heat engineering calculation is desirable.

The fittings from the boiler usually come out of either copper or brass, but in each case, clarify and remember that other materials cannot be directly connected to copper. In order to avoid a chemical reaction, you will have to use brass or bronze fittings or adapters.

There are still pipes annealed and unannealed e. Undefined pipes have a large margin of safety: they can withstand pressures up to 450 MPa, but they do not bend very well: they can only stretch by 6%. To change their characteristics, they are heated to high temperatures, then cooled. The process is called annealing, and the products that have turned out after it are annealed. The safety margin has become less - up to 22 MPa, but elasticity is increased: the material can stretch by 50-60%. Also, the material has become more resistant to temperature extremes, tolerates ultraviolet light without problems and is almost insensitive to high humidity. Therefore, annealed copper is used not only in heating, but also in engines and drives of cars.

Price copper pipes for heating is high. We can compare:

reinforced diameter 16mm - from 40 rubles / m;
diameter 16mm - from 47 rubles / m;
unannealed copper diameter 10mm - from 280 rubles / m;
annealed copper diameter 18mm - from 400 rubles / m.

Roughly the same picture will be in fittings: copper is several times more expensive than even those used in metal-plastic systems. As an example, not the most expensive PPR and MP pipes are given, there are more expensive, moreover, at times, but copper is also not the most expensive. So you can roughly imagine the difference.

Installation of copper heating pipes

When assembling a pipeline, two types of connections are used: using fittings and welding. Pipes with heating devices are joined through collapsible or press fittings. Installation is also possible for connecting / branching pipes, but welding is more often used for these purposes. By using annealed pipes in the right places, they can be bent, reducing the number of joints. A special device is used for bending - pipe bender, which allows you to obtain different angles without reducing the clearance of the pipe and without impairing the permeability of the system. It is almost impossible to bend copper pipes by hand: although the material is plastic, it is impossible to bend it manually without reducing the clearance. So it’s better not to use this method.

To bend a copper pipe, special equipment is used - this cannot be done with your hands, since the clearance of the pipe decreases and circulation worsens

For installation crimp fittings no special equipment is required: the pipe is inserted into the corresponding groove until it stops, and then with a nut it is tightened, pressing the pipe material against the fitting body. For a snug fit, you may need two keys - tighten until completely sealed. This is all the equipment required. But the specificity of crimp connections is such that constant monitoring of tightness is required: periodically they begin to "drip". Therefore, such connections cannot be walled up.

Installation press fittings takes place with the help of special press machines. They are not cheap (including rent). But the connection turns out to be airtight and reliable, but one-piece.

It is considered more versatile and reliable capillary brazing... In this way, it is possible to connect sections of pipes of the same diameter directly: one of the ends to be welded is expanded - the diameter is slightly increased so that the pipes can be inserted into one another. For this, a special device is used. The junction is cleaned with a metal brush or special sponges (commercially available). Loan surfaces to be joined are treated with flux - a special compound that improves the "adhesion" of the metal to the solder. The processed pipes are inserted into one another. In this case, the gap between them should be minimal - a fraction of a millimeter. Then the joint is heated with a welded torch. When the material is heated to the melting point of the solder, it is introduced into the flame and the existing slots are poured with the molten composition. After the seam is filled, it is cooled. You can simply leave it in the air until it cools, or you can put it in water. In principle, the process is not very complicated, but experience, skill and thoroughness of execution are required: both flaring and the filling process itself require precision and accuracy. According to this de scheme, connections with special copper fittings for soldering are soldered.

The process of soldering a copper pipe and the same fitting is well demonstrated in this video, but here it is intended to be used in a plumbing system, and therefore tin was used as a solder. For heating, other compounds are used that have a melting point of at least 115 o C. The rest of the process is the same.

How to paint copper heating pipes

When choosing a paint, the following subtleties must be taken into account: it should not change color at high temperatures, protect from external influences, and should not exfoliate. In order for the paint to lay down more evenly, it is necessary to treat it with a primer for non-ferrous metals. Lead / red lead primer 81 is suitable.

Moreover, it must be borne in mind that the paint is not absorbed, and it must be carefully spread with a brush. But to achieve a more or less even painting is possible only after applying two layers. It is a little easier to work with paint in spray cans: it lays down more evenly.

Oil paints cannot be used for copper pipes - they darken with temperature, and in heating systems it is considerable. The following paints are suitable: PF enamels - 115, 156, 167, 187, 223 and 519, alkyd, polyurethane and GF enamels - 0119. It is allowed to use varnishes: VL-51 or ethinoleic varnish, to which aluminum powder is added in a ratio of 9k1.