Stripping and reinforcement of polypropylene pipes - not the most challenging tasks, but they have many nuances. This will be discussed in the article.
One of the advantages of polypropylene pipes is their long service life. They can be used many times longer than metal products. But the service life largely depends on the quality of the installation work. It can be increased as much as possible if the reinforced polypropylene pipes were cleaned correctly.
It plays such a high role due to the fact that the presence of various bumps and burrs will prevent a reliable connection. Even during the planning of the installation of a polypropylene pipeline, it is worth delving into why this procedure is required. It is also worth figuring out what tools exist for stripping polypropylene pipes (read: ""). Special attention should be paid to products with a reinforcing layer.
Features of the reinforcement of polypropylene pipes
High operational properties polypropylene pipes are achieved due to their coating protective layer. If we are talking about products intended for domestic use, then usually its thickness is not more than 0.1 mm.
Advantages reinforced pipes:
- Reducing the impact of high temperatures on the product. An ordinary polypropylene pipe is designed for operation in conditions where the temperature does not exceed 95 degrees. This is usually sufficient for the installation of heating systems or domestic plumbing. However, in certain situations, such as emergency situations, the temperature of the transported liquid may exceed the maximum allowable value. This mode of operation leads to the fact that sections of the pipeline are deformed or completely fail. Reinforcement reduces the impact of high temperatures on the product, preventing system breaks.
- Increased resistance to temperature changes. One of the main disadvantages of conventional polypropylene pipes is their susceptibility to temperature changes. The result is their sharp expansion and contraction. The product does not tolerate such deformations, gradually losing its original properties. Over time, the pipes will simply fail. To avoid this situation, they are additionally reinforced.
However, reinforcement has one significant drawback. It somewhat complicates the welding of polypropylene joints. For this reason, pipe cleaning is required beforehand. The procedure is extremely simple: removing the top thin layer of aluminum from the product. If this is not done, the quality of welding will decrease, which will lead to a decrease in the service life of the entire pipeline.
It is important to work carefully, understanding general principle. For a better understanding, check out technological process and also prepare necessary tools. Detailed information on these issues will be presented later in the article.
Stripping polypropylene pipes
There are several stripping methods, each of them is designed for a specific reinforcing layer.
outer layer. If reinforcement is applied as the top layer of a polypropylene pipe, then it will become an obstacle when connecting the structure to the fitting. Then the pipe section included in it melts during installation. If you miss the stripping, then the molten aluminum will not be able to bond with the molten polymer. In this case, nothing will ensure the tightness of the connection. It will break immediately after the system is started.
Inner layer. Despite the fact that aluminum located between the polypropylene layers is not used for welding, it still needs high-quality cleaning. It is necessary in order to prevent the interaction of aluminum and water. If a potential jump occurs in the pipeline, then there is a risk of electrochemical processes. They can completely destroy the aluminum layer.
Prompt! It is possible to apply a reinforcing layer of aluminum in one piece or with holes. If there is a choice, then the second option is much more preferable. The perforated aluminum layer has good adhesion and does not require glue. In addition, stripping a pipe with perforated aluminum is much faster.
fiberglass reinforcement. In this embodiment, do-it-yourself stripping for polypropylene pipes is not required. Between the layers of polypropylene is placed a thin wall of fiberglass. It does not come into contact with the fitting, nor is it exposed to liquid. One of the advantages of this method is that reliable fastening of pipes is achieved without additional work. But one drawback follows from this - sudden temperature changes have a greater effect on such products than on options with aluminum reinforcement.
Stripping tools
There are manual and mechanical stripping tools for polypropylene pipes. Hand tools great for doing work at home. If there is a more voluminous task, then mechanical tools will already be required.
Types of cleaning tools:
- Stripping for the outer layer. To remove the outer layer of aluminum, special couplings are used, in the middle of which blades are placed. In such devices there are handles (removable and non-removable), which greatly simplify the workflow.
- Trimmers. In such a tool, the blades are located on the inner end of the coupling, and not on the outside. The trimmer is threaded into the pipe, then it is necessary to do several full turns. This allows you to get the perfect cut. Then you can proceed to welding products. Such pipe stripping tools are also used for other types, not only polypropylene ones. Even those without a reinforcing layer are suitable.
- Shaver. This is a special drill attachment used to clean both the inner and outer layers of the pipe. There are shavers designed for different types reinforcement. They vary in diameter.
Important nuance! It is worth understanding the difference between cleaning pipes before welding with cleaning metal products. It's two different types work. Each of them uses different equipment. In addition, they have different technological processes, which should also be taken into account.
Also, for stripping polymer pipes, you will need: a tape measure, the necessary stripping tool, a construction pencil for marking, a soldering iron, as well as scissors, a pipe cutter or a hacksaw. These are popular tools, they can be found in almost every home.
To obtain a perfect pipe cut, high alloy steel tools should be used. Bilateral solutions are preferred. Such a tool is effective when working with products of different diameters.
Stripping for polypropylene pipes is not particularly difficult. One person can cope with the task, special knowledge is not needed for this. It also does not require expensive tools. Simple machines will do just fine. Even with their help, cleaning can be done quite efficiently and accurately. It is enough just to prepare everything in advance, having carefully studied the technological process of this task.
Quite often, ridiculous situations happen to people. For example, when starting to repair the pipeline in the house, the owner calls the installers. Of course, specialists take a certain amount of money for their work. The final price is formed from the amount of materials spent, as well as the actions that they performed. Starting to understand, the customer does not always understand what kind of actions and why they were committed by specialists, as a result starting a dispute.
Undoubtedly, in this situation, the customer looks ridiculous, because, without understanding, he disputes the final cost. In order to avoid such a situation, especially regarding the replacement of old pipes with new ones, polypropylene, you should independently figure out what a trimmer for polypropylene pipes is and why it is needed.
Undoubtedly, they are the most popular today, as they are endowed with a number of advantages. However, in addition to a large number of advantages, polypropylene also has a number of features that should be considered when choosing this material. Do not forget two very important factors when choosing these pipes:
- the maximum temperature of the liquid should not exceed 95 degrees. Based on the current standards, such pipes can be used for laying hot water supply, since the water temperature, according to them, is limited to this particular mark. However, unforeseen circumstances also happen, but rarely;
- thermal expansion has a high coefficient. The flexibility of the material is able to compensate for this factor, however, in certain cases, the deformation of the pipe can adversely affect. An example is hidden pipes under plaster.
Reinforcement solves both problems to some extent. Of course, the reinforcement copes well with thermal expansion, in addition, it also prevents the plastic from softening and deforming during high temperature heating. However, the correct installation of the pipeline from requires some knowledge, including how to use the trimmer.
To date, there are two options for reinforcing a polypropylene pipe:
- using aluminum foil. In this case, the aluminum layer varies between 0.1 mm and 0.5 mm. This layer can be located both outside the product and inside it. Connected aluminum with plastic by means of glue;
- with fiberglass mesh. The design of such pipes consists of three layers - polypropylene, a mixture of fiberglass and polypropylene, polypropylene.
Not many people know, especially when taking on an independent change and installation of a pipeline, that it is imperative to strip the reinforcement before installation. But this is very important!
What is it for?
The need for stripping
It is a simple process consisting of several stages. Each stage involves the use of a special tool, without which stripping cannot be done. One such tool is a polypropylene pipe trimmer. It should be noted that with fiberglass reinforcement, stripping is not required, since the mesh is securely hidden between polypropylene layers, which saves it from contact with water.
In the case of external or internal aluminum reinforcement, stripping is required in without fail. So, in the first version, the foil covers the upper surface of the pipe. Installation of the pipeline involves the connection of its individual elements by means of a fitting or gluing. In this case, a slight melting of both surfaces of the pipe is required. Of course, the polypropylene alloy will in some way weld with aluminum, which will negatively affect the reliability of the structure, and it will crumble over time. This can be easily avoided by stripping the foil.
The second option, when the foil is conveniently located inside the pipe, involves trimming polypropylene pipes, since aluminum will be in direct contact with water. If we omit the facing procedure, then the slightest potential difference will lead to the destruction of the structure as a result of electrochemical processes.
Instruments
The easiest way to remove the foil is for external reinforcement. Help in this matter simple tools– couplings with steel blades inside. They are easy to use, you just need to insert the pipe into the coupling cavity and turn, the blades will do their job quickly and clearly. It is very convenient to use double-sided couplings, with which it is easy to produce having a different diameter from each other.
Internal cleaning is carried out by means of a trimmer. Externally, the design of the trimmer is practically no different from the design of the couplings. So, this tool is a clutch, the blades of which are located on the side of the inner end of the device. As in the first option, it is necessary to insert the pipe into the cavity of the device and make several turns.
A universal tool with which you can remove reinforcement, both internal and external, is a drill with special nozzles. Outwardly, they differ from the same facer in the presence of a steel rod, which is necessary for installation in a drill socket.
Trimmer - what is it?
Above, a few words were mentioned about the trimmer and why pipes need to be trimmed. It is worth taking a closer look at this tool and understanding its device. Quite often you can hear another name for the trimmer - a stripping tool for stripping the middle layer. This name is fully justified by the specialization of the tool, with which it is easy to clean internal reinforcement pipes.
The trimmer device for polypropylene pipes allows in no time to clean the pipe from the foil to the depth required to connect it to the fitting. Inside the tool are steel knives, which, when the tool is turned, carefully cut the foil to the required level.
It should be noted that modern trimmers are equipped with a system of adjustable knives. Thanks to this, it became possible to purchase a one-time tool that is suitable for working with pipes. different manufacturers. With the help of the regulator, you can quickly adjust the knives to any level of foil placement. In addition, there are trimmers on sale, on both sides of which there are cavities designed for pipes of various diameters. This approach also allows you to avoid spending money on buying an additional tool.
When carrying out permanent cleaning work, it is recommended to purchase a nozzle for a drill in the form of a trimmer. In this case, a person does not need to clean the pipe manually. The drill allows you to process a large number of pipes in a short period of time without the use of physical force.
It is worth saying that automatic cleaning is advisable only for large and regular volumes of work. One-time trimming should be done manually. It is important to remember that polypropylene is a soft material, and the slightest deviation will damage the pipe. Manual trimming is incapable of harming the product.
Dimensions and cost
Today, a large number of varieties of tools can be found on sale, and the trimmer is no exception. The cost of this tool varies from 300 rubles to 1000. Of course, you can find a product at a higher price. When choosing a tool, you must carefully examine its condition. There should be no damage or burrs. Any flaw may damage the pipe when it is placed in the trimmer, or the pipe may not enter it at all. No less attention should be paid to the condition of the blades. It is important that they are made of steel, the softer material may be damaged by contact with aluminum or fail to cut through it.
You can also find replacement blades for the tool on sale. Of course, over time and with frequent use, they can become unusable. Replacing blades is much easier than buying a new tool. The most popular today are facers designed for pipes of the following sizes:
- 20/25 mm;
- 32/40 mm;
- 50/63 mm.
The cost of a product depends on its size. So, a trimmer for small pipes will cost much less than an analogue designed for pipes with dimensions of 50/63 mm.
Polypropylene pipes due to operational parameters, aesthetic appearance and ease of assembly, are often used in the installation of engineering communications. Thanks to the reinforcement technology, the reliability and durability of pipes increase while maintaining all the technological characteristics of polypropylene, pipes are not only comparable in their qualities to metal pipes, but also surpass them.
However, for long-term and reliable operation of the piping system, proper processing is necessary, cleaning the ends when connecting.
The reinforced pipe is a product with three layers: two polypropylene and one reinforcing. Structural reinforcing shell ensures strength retention in case of sudden temperature changes.
Such an indicator as the coefficient of thermal elongation is 6% higher for pipes with aluminum reinforcement, which increases the durability and reliability of the pipeline in which reinforced pipes are used.
The presence of an aluminum layer in the polymer pipe allows you to maintain high temperatures and prevents breakage of communications in the system. Tempera tour jumps are compensated due to the flexibility of the reinforcing base. Reinforcement is performed in two ways:
- With fiberglass.
- With aluminum foil.
Reinforced products are produced both with a solid sheet of aluminum foil and in the form of a mesh with perforations. The viscous polymer flows through the aluminum holes and creates a strong bond with the protective layer, increasing the reliability of tubular products even at elevated high temperature loads.
Why is cleaning required?
If fiberglass reinforcement does not require additional cleaning of the ends of the pipes, then when installing with aluminum, it must be removed and cleaned.
During installation, molten aluminum does not provide a hermetic connection with propylene, and it is required to exclude metal contact with water at the junctions of pipes and fittings, and to avoid corrosive processes.
Attention! During the cleaning process, the oxidized layer is removed and different kind contamination from the surface of polypropylene pipes. Thus, the edge of the pipeline is prepared for a reliable welding joint.
Cleaning methods and technology
Starting the installation of reinforced pipes, you must first select a stripping tool. It can be both manual and mechanical devices.
Metal in household communications is gradually being replaced various materials from polymers. The properties of polypropylene are especially attractive to the consumer, allowing it to be used for all household communications.
Polypropylene is resistant to corrosion and deposits, does not change properties under the influence of aggressive chemicals. Water transported through systems made of this material does not lose its properties. Important throughput due to the perfectly smooth inner surface.
Types of reinforcement
Non-reinforced polypropylene is characterized by low thermal conductivity and high temperature resistance. Over time, it changes shape. This property is called fluidity, which requires the installation of fasteners every 50 cm of the pipeline.
Fluidity is especially pronounced at elevated temperatures of the internal environment. The main purpose of reinforcement is to reduce this quality. After reinforcement, the polypropylene material becomes more rigid, sags less when laid in a horizontal position, which makes the system more stable.
The aluminum tape reduces the coefficient of linear expansion to a level that is comparable to that of metal products. In addition, aluminum contributes to a decrease in oxygen conductivity. Yet better quality when reinforced with fiberglass. This material makes installation easier than aluminum tape as there is no need for stripping prior to soldering. It is also important that products with fiberglass are cheaper than products with aluminum tape.
For reinforcement, solid or perforated aluminum foil can be used. It can be located near the outer shell or in the middle of the wall. The solid foil is bonded to the polypropylene with hot melt adhesive. The use of low-quality raw materials in the production entails delamination during operation.
A similar phenomenon is impossible if perforated aluminum is used for reinforcement. Holes in the foil make it possible to create a monolithic connection between plastic and aluminum without using glue.
When choosing polypropylene products, it should be borne in mind that some manufacturers, in order to reduce costs, use low-quality raw materials and make pipes have too thin walls. This entails delamination and instability to internal pressure. By outward signs It's hard to tell a good product from a bad one. You need to purchase material with the thickest walls (that is, one with a heavier running meter).
Recently, polypropylene pipes reinforced with fiberglass have appeared on the market. Sometimes they are called fiberglass. If a product reinforced with aluminum, in fact, consists of five layers, then the use of fiberglass makes it possible to obtain a material with a monolithic structure, since the middle layer is the same polypropylene, but mixed with fiberglass. All three layers are not glued, but welded, which completely eliminates delamination.
However, fiberglass-reinforced products still have one drawback - their linear expansion is 6% greater than when using aluminum. Why do we need stripping for polypropylene pipes before soldering. Some reinforced products must be stripped before soldering to remove the outer layer of polypropylene and aluminum foil, which prevents a strong connection with the fitting.
Stripping of reinforced polypropylene pipes is always required when aluminum is used for reinforcement, and regardless of where the foil is located. The only difference is the tool used. If aluminum is located in the middle of the wall, a trimmer is used. Fiberglass reinforced material does not require stripping, since it is all made of polypropylene.
Stripping tool
The cleaning tool for polypropylene pipes makes it possible to work with products with a diameter of 16 to 110 mm. For diameters up to 63 mm, double-sided couplings are produced, which allows you to clean the ends with two various diameters if the aluminum layer is located at the outer surface. The knives of this tool are made of non-blunt steel.
If the foil is located in the middle of the wall, a polypropylene pipe trimmer is required, equipped with adjustable knives, which makes it possible to adjust the tool to any diameter. Just like the coupling, the trimmer has a double-sided design (for two different diameters).
Facing polypropylene pipes is cutting the foil from the end to the welding depth. If this procedure is not carried out correctly, aluminum will interfere with the creation reliable connection between the elements of the system, that is, the welding seam will not be of sufficient quality. During the operation of the system, water will interact with aluminum, which can lead to leakage and rust formation in heating appliances.
Another way to solve the problem of "how to strip a polypropylene pipe" is a nozzle on a drill (shaver). This method is used for a large amount of work to strip the outer layer of polypropylene and remove the reinforcing aluminum layer, if it is located at the outer surface. The body of the shaver is made of aluminum, the knives are made of tool steel.
Thanks to the shaver, stripping for polypropylene pipes is automated, facilitating and speeding up installation with a large amount of work.
