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hargy · Dec 15, 2007, 03:21 PM

I have dry fit all of the pvc and am now ready to glue it all together. I noticed that when I bought my pvc glue it is the yellow glue for cpvc pipe. Will it work OK on the pvc pipe? The can does not say anything about it. Was hoping someone could tell me here.

Thanks,

Rob

speedball1 · Dec 15, 2007, 03:37 PM

It's pretty tough too keep up with different materials and manufacturers and the color is just a particular manufacturers preference. Not an industry standard.
I would take some of this glue and try it on some scrap pvc and fittings. It should immediately soften the surface of the pipe or fitting so that you can scrape off almost 1/16 of material after 30-40 sec. Then glue some pipe and fittings together and let them sit overnight. Then try to get them apart.

If everything seems OK, then I think your safe. This type of glue works by dissolving the pipe surfaces with solvent and mixing it with polymers already dissolved in the glue. It pretty much "welds" the two pieces together rather than sticking them together. The solvent is gone after a day or two. A long term reaction between the cpvc and the polymers in the glue is not likely. The polymers in the glue are there mostly to thicken the glue and there is not enough to affect the joint strength much.

Some manufacturers have been known to market the same stuff in different colors with different labels (and different prices) for different purposes. People might be willing to pay a lot more for super duty CPVC cement to prevent a leak inside the house than they would for PVC cement for there sprinkler system where minor leaks generally don't matter much. I don't know if that's the case with cpvc glue, but it could be.
Regards, Tom

hargy · Dec 15, 2007, 03:44 PM

Thanks Tom. I will give it a go. If I have any negetive effects, I shall let you know.

Rob

biggsie · Dec 15, 2007, 04:01 PM

I really think you should be using a primer to clean & soften pvc (light purple)

And glue looks like clear syrup -- both have a powerful glue smell

Gluing PVC Pipe | Plumbing | How-to | This Old House

labman · Dec 15, 2007, 04:23 PM

Yeah, Tom, putting the same product in different packages is a common industrial trick. Some of the best examples I have seen was at the wire and cable company I once worked for. Of the many different grades of NM wire, under ground feeder, UV resistant, etc. When they went from one to the next, all they changed was the print wheel and box. They didn't put the company name on the wire, just a UL code number. That way they could sell under several brands. If they had a 500' coil meant for the professional brand, with a bad spot in it, they would make ten 50' coils and box 9 them up for the DIY brand. They did pitch the one bad length.

There is a fuel pump factory in the county too. My friends told about the same thing going in boxes for different brands.

iamgrowler · Dec 16, 2007, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by hargy

I have dry fit all of the pvc and am now ready to glue it all together. I noticed that when I bought my pvc glue it is the yellow glue for cpvc pipe. Will it work ok on the pvc pipe? The can does not say anything about it. Was hoping someone could tell me here.

It would work, but it really isn't designed for PVC.

Glues designed specifically for PVC are considered to be a much 'hotter' glue than glues designed for CPVC -- Meaning a much better solvent weld.

If it were me, I'd return the CPVC glue you bought and exchange it for a can of blue PVC glue and a can of purple primer.

One other thing, if you're having this inspected, then you definitely do not want to use the wrong glue