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To me, CPVC sure seems easier. Just a simple glue process. Copper however, needs to be soldered. If I'm running water for a bathroom, why SHOULDN'T I use CPVC? Am I not allowed to put it enclosed in a wall? I have no experience with copper pipes, but having experience soldering electrical components, I thought it wouldn't be overly difficult to pickup. Thanks. I'm open to either since I haven't started.
This is a no brainer! PVC and CPVC will outlast copper, is cheaper and easier to install. Yes, you may use it it the house behind walls. My advice? Convert to plastic. Good luck, Tom
What do you recommend as for the union between the copper and cpvc? Thanks!
I would go to an Ace Hardware and ask for a Shark's Tooth tee. Slick, slick, slick, but expensive. When you have all the PVC/CPVC run and are ready for the water, cut the copper where you want to tie in. You may need to cut out about 1/2''-1''. Don't leave the ends ragged. Just slip the 2 copper ends plus the new CPCV into the tee. Done, that is all there is to it. 3/4'' PVC won't fit a 3/4'' Shark Tooth fitting. Go to Lowe's and pick up a CPVC/PVC adapter and use a short length of CPVC between the PVC and copper.
They make CPVC compression unions, but I couldn't find them in a tee. Again you buy 2 of them plus a CPVC tee, you will have much of the price of a Shark's Tooth.
If they aren't out where they show, make any shutoffs you use, ball valves. They are much less likely to leak around the stem or through the closed valve.
Is Ace the only place that's got it? I'm rather glad that I don't need to learn how to solder/sweat copper together. Is a hacksaw the best way to cut copper and cpvc? I also have a chop saw, can I use that with a fine tooth blade for most of my cuts? Obviously, I need something handheld for previously installed stuff. As for adhesives, should I used a 2 part, primer plus adhesive, or all in one? All in one is easier, but if 2 part is better, I'll go for it. Thanks again.
[QUOTE=labman]I would go to an Ace Hardware and ask for a Shark's Tooth tee. Slick, slick, slick, but expensive. When you have all the PVC/CPVC run and are ready for the water, cut the copper where you want to tie in. You may need to cut out about 1/2''-1''. Don't leave the ends ragged. Just slip the 2 copper ends plus the new CPCV into the tee. Done, that is all there is to it. 3/4'' PVC won't fit a 3/4'' Shark Tooth fitting. Go to Lowe's and pick up a CPVC/PVC adapter and use a short length of CPVC between the PVC and copper.
Will home depot typically have this Shark's Tooth tee? Is it OK to use CPVC for going into and out of the hot water heater for the entire house... and then reconnect to the existing copper. Reason for this is that I want to move my hot water heater, and want to stick with as much CPVC as possible, and hopefully never have to do anything to the copper besides cut it and join w/ CPVC.
I found Home Depot had a poor selection and high prices on pipe fittings. Lowe's was much better. The Shark's Tooth is fairly new. The one I bought came from a plumbing and heating supply. Look around. Home Depot at least has people to talk to however limited their knowledge.
You ask about converting copper to plastic. I haven't had any experience with sharks tooth fittings but a less expensive way to convert would be to solder a male or female threaded adapter on the copper and convert with a PVC slip to threaded coupling. Good luck, Tom
You should be able to pick up the shark tooth fittings at your local plumbing store. There not cheap though.
I would use primer plus cpvc glue,(orange) but be sure not to put pressure to the lines for a couple of hours. If you jump the gun you may have a blow out!!
I personnally prefer PEX pipe, the PEX tools are expensive but some hardware stores will let you rent them.
Oh I forgot to mention it is OK to connect CPVC to the hot water tank. Just to be safe, I used a short length of CPVC between the cold water inlet and the PVC supply.
Most plumbing codes require a minimum of 18 inches of copper tubing from the outlet of the H/W tank supply to the transition to CPVC (plastic) or PEX tubing.Quote:
Originally Posted by labman
This is required mostly to accommodate for the future addition of expansion tanks, check valves and circulating pumps.
No kidding, I had a job turned down by the inspector for piping the entire system with PEX.
When asked if an 18 inch copper supply tube would suffice, I was told no, that the 18 inch requirement specifically called for hard drawn copper tube.
It doesn't make a lick of sense, but who am I to argue with the inspector?
labman-
What are you referring to about the "short length of CPVC between cold water inlet and PVC supply? I have copper running from the main inlet of the house to the water heater. Then I have copper coming out of the water heater. What is this "short legnth of CPVC between the cold water inlet and the PVC supply?"
iamgrowler-
For the 18" of tubing, I guess I can leave the copper that's there from the top of the water heater to the ceiling. That section along should be about 30" at least.
speedball1-
If I sweat a threaded coupling to the copper, and connect the CPVC, will that connection we a compression style? Or maybe I'm supposed to glue a threaded coupling to the CPVC side as well?
There are CPVC male and female adapters available with a pressed in brass insert made specifically for transitioning from plastic to copper.
PVC won't take hot water, and the cold water inlet line gets hot, in fact as the tank reheats, it pushes hot water back the cold line. I ran PVC most of the way to the hot water tank and then adapted to CPVC and ran the last foot and the threaded adapter into the cold water inlet as CPVC. Since it was a fairly small job, I just bought a can of all purpose cement and used it for all the CPVC and PVC joints.
For all my plastic to copper joints, I used CPVC compression unions. They are only about $2. It would be possible for the pipes to blow out of them. It is a good practice to anchor the pipes or tie them together so they can't pull out of the joint. I have never had any problems with them. They are cheap and easy to use other than having to anchor the pipes. Since 3/4'' PVC is bigger than other 3/4'' pipe, again I used PVC/CPVC adapters and CPVC to connect to the copper.
Fortunately I don't have any building inspectors to worry about.
speedball1-
If I sweat a threaded coupling to the copper, and connect the CPVC, will that connection we a compression style? Or maybe I'm supposed to glue a threaded coupling to the CPVC side as well?
Solder a male or female threaded adapter on the copper and convert with a PVC slip to threaded coupling.
A slip to threaded coupling is not a compression fitting. You glue the plastic into the coupling after you screw it into the copper adapter. Regards, Tom
I answered the question you asked me. If code really requires copper, then in the long run, 18'' of hard drawn copper will make life simpler. Interesting that the directions for the water heater I installed last summer suggest an installation kit with flex connectors.
The directions said nothing about using anything but copper and copper with the flex.
Here is a fairly good Q&A regarding CPVC installation.Quote:
Originally Posted by mtnbkr
And here are some photo's of approved CPVC transition fittings.
Yes, the flex connectors go between the nipples of the H/W tank and the 18" of hard drawn copper.Quote:
Originally Posted by labman
As stated earlier, the 18" of copper tube are meant to accommodate the addition of pumps, check valves and expansion tanks, all of which weigh far more than the CPVC pipe is rated for.
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