Copper Piping

[Bill Edwards]

I know the blue plastic pipe that is used for water and have often thought 'that would be good for air'.
No way that any conventional air compressor will make it blow, it is remarkably tough.

And at about 50p per meter delivered off eBay for 25mm, what's not to like?

 

[Gavin_d]

I've just done the whole factory at work. Got all the stuff from tool station. Quick fittings it's really good. Highly recomend.

http://www.toolstation.com/m/part.html?p=24118

Used bigger stuff for main run then the 15mm down to work stations.

 

[outofthefire]

All the wagons I work on at work have plastic air pipes and there running at higher pressure than your compressor will produce, and the air lines around the workshop are steel. Its your shop but I can't see the point in wasting money on copper especially based on an internet myth.

 

[brightspark]

the pressure doesnt enter in to it. it depends on your wallet . using 22mm copper gives good flow and conducts the heat for better cooling before it reaches the end of the line. thats not a myth its a fact

 

[MattF]

The myth about plastic piping shattering originates in the US where some of their water services are run is a fragile rigid pipe and a few twits used it for air.

Actually, that's not the case. There is very good reason the plastic 'myth' exists, and their is even something like an OSHA sheet out there somewhere with specific details of which types to avoid like the plague. If I can dig out the info, I'll post it, but the whole plastic debacle is far more based on fact than myth.

 

[awemawson]

I can only report on what I find, based on decades of personal experience.

 

[dan.taylor.1]

The blue alkathene pipe is rated high enough, but the fittings quite often aren't and pop off!

 

[awemawson]

I've never had a correctly fitted fitting pop off, either on air or water, and believe me I've fitted hundreds. Examine a bit of MDPE that's had a fitting fitted, and you'll see how deeply the saw tooth clamps indent to grip.

 

[SmartWerks]

I can only report on what I find, based on decades of personal experience.

I'm not keen on platic for my application, I'm trying to achieve sufficient cooling/water condensing without getting a dryer unit as i think that might be overkill (?) For my use. I've also got no space for a dryer unit, you'll see what I mean when i post pics when I'm done

 

[MattF]

I can only report on what I find, based on decades of personal experience.

Wasn't meaning to sound contrary with the other post, btw. Plastic is one of those things where certain types are designed specifically for the application, and where most others would likely work fine too, in general. It's merely one of those products which if it does happen to fail, it doesn't tend to happen in a graceful manner.

I suppose it's like a vehicle scenario. They're all perfectly safe unless you have a crash, and then some fare better than others.

 

[Shox Dr]

The blue alkathene pipe is rated high enough, but the fittings quite often aren't and pop off!

If the joint is made off correctly you'll stretch the pipe before you'll pull the pipe out of the fitting

 

[MattF]

I've seen americans advocate black iron pipe for buried electrical cables...madness as it rusts like the devil...

Some stuff "they" post is sensible....much though is a collection of urban myths, heresay and downright luddite nonsense...

There's some crap posted on all sides of the ponds. The older malleable/ductile/cast iron pipes shouldn't actually be too bad for rusting. Cast iron especially is quite rust resistant. That's not to say it doesn't rust to some degree, it does, but it's not like mild steel, for example, where it just rusts away to oblivion in no short order.

It's the same with most info you'll see online. Unless it's direct from the horses mouth, it tends to be like gossip in that it'll become watered down, changed gradually as it passes along etc., so that you end up with information which has some shred of truth in it but which varies quite a bit from straight factual info.

Don't even get me started on screwits/wire nuts (that sadly have reappeared in the UK)

Which are those?

 

[awemawson]

We had wire nuts in the UK back in the 1950's. White ceramic with a ribbed outer grip, tapered, and coarse threaded inside to make a tight joint. Mainly used on lighting circuits but I've seen them on 7/029 TRS cables (remember that!) on 15 amp radial circuits.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Neighbour had gas pipe leak where the 40+ year old metal pipe goes into the wall. It meant digging up his whole drive (block paving - they did a perfect job of reinstating) and changing it to the current spec yellow plastic. I was amazed at how the metal pipe buried for such a long time was like new. Answer - wrapped in Denso tape it's whole length.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Copper piping is directly linked to the price of copper on the commodities market. We roofed a large extension in traditional copper sheeting, Copper was at a low at the time (2009) because of the recession, a year later it had bounced back up to 3 times the previous price!
If you do decide to use copper it looks to be at a medium price again.
http://www.infomine.com/ChartsAndData/GraphEngine.ashx?z=f&gf=110563.USD.lb&dr=max

 

[Benthosboy]

OP - do half the job in copper and half in plastic, then everybody will be happy .

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Couple of pictures of the copper roof's I did when when we built our extensions.

This was the top of the lean to roof, clay tiles on the lower part of the roof with a 5 degree pitch on the top copper part to keep the roof under the existing dormer windows.

And this was the 7m long top of the apex roof, we had to keep the height of the extension under 4m to keep within Permitted Development so copper fitted the bill on the top, at least a 100 year lifespan and light compared to lead which has a shorter lifespan.

 

[Bsmith]

I know the blue plastic pipe that is used for water and have often thought 'that would be good for air'.
No way that any conventional air compressor will make it blow, it is remarkably tough.

And at about 50p per meter delivered off eBay for 25mm, what's not to like?

I did my garage with 25mm blue plastic, all fine but found the brass connections a bit pricey. Probably still cheaper than doing copper tho.

 

[MattF]

Ah, those things. They're up there with those multi-plug adaptors for wall sockets on the safety front, aren't they. It amazes me how those things haven't been made illegal as yet.

 

[SmartWerks]

Are these connectors safe to use with air lines?

http://www.screwfix.com/p/conex-cuprofit-elbow-22mm/61686#product_additional_details_container