Quite often, absurd situations happen to people. For example, starting a pipeline repair in a 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 they performed. Starting to understand, the customer does not always understand what kind of actions and why they were performed by specialists, as a result starting a dispute.
Undoubtedly, in this situation, the customer looks ridiculous, since, without understanding, he disputes the final cost. In order to avoid such a situation, especially regarding the replacement of old pipes with new, polypropylene ones, you should independently figure out what is a facer for polypropylene pipes and why is it needed.
Undoubtedly, they are the most in demand 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 of this material... Do not forget two very important factors when choosing these pipes:
Reinforcement makes it possible to solve 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 at high heating temperatures. but correct installation piping out requires some knowledge, including how to use a facing tool.
Today, there are two options for reinforcing a polypropylene pipe:
Not many people know, especially when undertaking an independent change and installation of the pipeline, that it is imperative to clean out the reinforcement before installation. But this is very important!
What is it for?
It is a simple process consisting of several stages. Each stage involves the use of a special tool, without which cleaning cannot be performed. One of these tools is a polypropylene pipe trimmer. It is worth noting that with fiberglass reinforcement, cleaning is not required, since the mesh is securely hidden between the polypropylene layers, which saves it from contact with water.
In the case of external or internal aluminum reinforcement, stripping is mandatory. So, in the first version, the foil covers the upper surface of the pipe. Installation of a pipeline involves the connection of its individual elements by means of 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. It is easy to avoid this by stripping the foil.
The second option, when the foil is conveniently located inside the pipe, involves facing polypropylene pipes, since aluminum will be in direct contact with water. If we omit the facing procedure, then the slightest difference in potential will lead to the destruction of the structure as a result of electrochemical processes.
The easiest way to remove the foil is for external reinforcement. Simple tools will help in this matter - couplings with steel blades inside. It is easy to use them, you just need to insert a pipe into the cavity of the coupling and turn it, the blades will do their job quickly and accurately. It is very convenient to use double-sided couplings, with the help of which it is easy to produce, having different diameters from each other.
Internal stripping is carried out by means of a facer. Externally, the design of the facer is practically no different from the design of the couplings. So, this tool is a sleeve, the blades in which are located on the side of the inner end of the device. As in the first variant, 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 attachments. Outwardly, they differ from the same facing tool by the presence of a steel rod, which is necessary for installation in a drill socket.
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 structure. Quite often you can hear another name for the facer - a stripping tool for cleaning 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 device of a facer for polypropylene pipes allows in two counts to clean the pipe from foil to the depth required to connect it to the fitting. Inside the tool there are steel knives, which, when the tool is turned, carefully cut the foil to the required level.
It should be noted that modern crosscutters 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 from different manufacturers. With the help of the adjuster, 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 for pipes of different diameters. This approach also allows you to avoid wasting money on the purchase of an additional tool.
When carrying out constant stripping work, it is recommended to purchase a drill attachment in the form of a facer. In this case, a person does not need to manually clean the pipe. The drill allows you to process a large number of pipes in a short period of time without the use of physical force.
It should be said that automatic cleaning is advisable only for large and regular volumes of work. One-time facing should be done manually. It is important to remember that polypropylene is soft material, and the slightest deviation will damage the pipe. Manual trimming is incapable of damaging the product.
Today, you can find a large number of varieties of tools 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 can damage the pipe when placed in the facing tool, or the pipe may not enter at all. You should be equally attentive to the condition of the blades. It is important that they are made of steel, the softer material can be damaged by contact with aluminum or not cut through it.
Replacement tool blades are also 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 facing tools designed for pipes of the following sizes:
The cost of a product directly 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.
Processing of reinforced, polypropylene, plastic and shaped pipes before welding is mandatory. It allows you to achieve a high-quality and reliable connection that is completely resistant to physical and mechanical stress. The welded area will not crack and detach when stretched.
By cleaning and removing the oxide layer from the pipe, it is possible to create the most suitable surface that will set well when electrofusion welding in domestic and industrial conditions.
All stripping elements are divided into two categories - manual and electric. TO hand tools include:
Electric:
Each tool has its own characteristics of application, which are based on criteria such as, - size and type of pipe, material of manufacture of the product, functionality of the device, model and manufacturer.
Top brands include Reed, Virax, Ritmo, ADR Tech, Rothenberger, Ridgid and Rems. Cleaning for plastic pipes of all these companies is implemented in the online store ProfTechSnab.
Not every store has such an extensive collection of pipe cleaning equipment for different types of pipes. This catalog contains tools that perform cleaning and surface treatment of pipes before they are directly welded.
If this is a reinforced pipe and you need to remove the plastic and partially aluminum layer from it, then the Ritmo shavers presented on the site are perfect.
If pipe preparation is required with the removal of burrs and oxide layers, then products from Reed, Rems, ADR Tech, etc. will do.
All products meet high quality standards and have the necessary certification documents from the manufacturer.
The company offers only reliable tools for different pipe diameters and types of welding. They all have the following qualities:
Stripping for plastic pipes - this is an important event that should not be overlooked when welding. Otherwise, the connections will not be reliable and may deform at the very first loads of the coolant (if it is a pipeline for water supply and home heating), mechanical influences (if it is planned to carry out optical fiber, electrical wires and communication cables) and chemical influences (when hazardous gaseous substances are allowed through the pipeline, loose and liquid type).
Market building materials proposes big choice pipes made of polymer materials.
Advances in organic synthesis have led to the creation of materials that exhibit excellent performance characteristics.
Products made of polypropylene are popular - every second apartment or a private house have plumbing or heating from such pipes.
Modern technologies have made it possible to create a durable, lightweight material that does not corrode, has good strength characteristics, and does not react with aggressive media.
Low price, light weight, ease of installation determine the widespread use of polypropylene pipes (what is it).
The industry produces several types of products, some of which contain a reinforcing layer on the outside or inside the pipe.
High-quality soldering such models are possible only in the case of stripping the ends from aluminum foil.
We use two types of shavers:
The first, are used when performing one-time operations, the second, is able to clean pipes in large volumes, which is typical for large construction companies ().
Plumbing or heating system from polypropylene, in addition to its advantages, it has several significant disadvantages.
Despite the ability to transfer water with a temperature of 90-95 degrees and withstand short-term heating up to 100 degrees, the polymer has a large coefficient of thermal expansion (about the installation technology metal-plastic pipes read the article).
Flexible structure will allow the product to regain its shape when the temperature drops.
But this situation can become critical when laying the pipeline hidden in walls or under the floor.
Adding a layer of fiberglass or aluminum foil to the product will reduce thermal expansion and avoid deformation when heated.
Reinforcement helps in linear sections of the pipeline, but there is no foil in the joints. This leads to softening of the polymer at temperatures above 100 degrees.
In such places, a breakthrough of communications is possible, therefore the use of reinforced products is not recommended for industrial pipelines.
To strengthen the pipes, use:
In the process of stripping the reinforced product, it is removed metal layer in the place of the future connection with the coupling or fitting.
The need for external stripping occurs when using reinforced pipes with an outer foil layer. Without removing the reinforcement, it is impossible to solder the pipes.
To remove metal from the surface, a special tool is used (what is needed for the installation of pipes made of cross-linked polyethylene, it is written), with which the product is cleaned to the depth necessary for welding.
Drill bits are made for one pipe diameter.
To work with such a tool, it is necessary to prepare the necessary attachments in advance.
Using a drill will increase the stripping speed, the number of pipes processed and the productivity of labor.
The nozzle is capable of working with both external and internal reinforcement.
How to choose
Product is selected, according to the type of pipes, and is clamped into the chuck. IN high speed rotation is a drawback - it is necessary, constantly, to control the process. Otherwise, the pipe could be damaged.
If you want to learn how to flawlessly clean the pipe end before welding, watch the video.
Cleaning and reinforcing polypropylene pipes is not the most difficult task, but there are many nuances in them. 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 works... It can be maximized if the reinforced polypropylene pipes were cleaned correctly.
It plays such an important role due to the fact that the presence of various irregularities and burrs will interfere with a reliable connection. Even during the planning of the installation of a polypropylene pipeline, it is worthwhile to delve into why this procedure is required. It is also worth understanding what tools exist for stripping polypropylene pipes (read: ""). Special attention should be paid to products with a reinforcing layer.
High performance properties polypropylene pipes are achieved by covering them with a protective layer. When it comes to products intended for household use, then usually its thickness is no more than 0.1 mm.
Benefits of Reinforced Pipes:
However, the reinforcement has one significant drawback. It somewhat complicates the welding of polypropylene joints. For this reason, a pipe stripping is required first. The procedure is extremely simple: remove the top thin layer of aluminum from the product. If this is not done, the quality of the welding will decrease, which will lead to a decrease in the service life of the entire pipeline.
It is important to do the job carefully, understanding general principle... For a better understanding of everything, study technological process and also prepare necessary tools... Detailed information on these issues will be presented later in the article.
There are several methods of stripping, each of which is designed for a specific reinforcing layer.
Outer layer... If the 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 entering it melts during installation. If you delay 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 be violated immediately after starting the system.
The inner layer... Despite the fact that the aluminum located between the polypropylene layers is not used for welding, it still needs high-quality stripping. 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.
Clue! The reinforcing layer of aluminum can be applied whole 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 any glue. In addition, the stripping of perforated aluminum pipe is much faster.
Glass fiber reinforcement... In this option, do-it-yourself stripping for polypropylene pipes is not required. A thin fiberglass wall is placed between the polypropylene layers. It does not come into contact with the fitting, nor is it affected by the liquid. One of the advantages of this method is that a reliable fastening of the pipes is achieved without additional work. But this leads to one drawback - on such products, sharp temperature drops have a greater effect than on options with aluminum reinforcement.
There are hand and mechanical stripping tools for polypropylene pipes. Hand tools are great for doing homework. If a more voluminous task is ahead, then mechanical tools will already be required.
Types of stripping tools:
An important nuance! It is worth understanding the difference between stripping pipes before welding and cleaning metal products. It is two different kinds work. Different equipment is used for each of them. 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 tools are in demand and can be found in almost every home.
To obtain a perfect cut of the pipe, high alloy steel tools should be used. It is preferable to choose two-sided solutions. 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, no special knowledge is needed for this. Also, no expensive tools are required. Simple machines will do just fine. Even with their help, it will be possible to carry out the cleaning quite efficiently and accurately. It is enough just to prepare everything in advance, having carefully studied the technological process of this task.
Polypropylene pipes due to performance 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 increases while maintaining all the technological characteristics of polypropylene, pipes in their qualities are not only comparable to metal ones, but also surpass them.
However, for long-term and reliable operation of the pipeline system, proper processing and cleaning of the ends during connection are necessary.
Reinforced pipe is a product with three layers: two polypropylene and one reinforcing. Structural reinforcing shell ensures the retention of strength in the event 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 a break in communications in the system. Tempera leaps and bounds are compensated for by the flexibility of the reinforcing base. Reinforcement is carried out in two ways:
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 adhesion to the protective layer, increasing the reliability of pipe products even at increased high-temperature loads.
If the fiberglass reinforcement does not require additional cleaning of the ends of the pipes, then during installation with aluminum it must be removed and cleaned.
During installation, molten aluminum does not give a hermetic connection with propylene, and it is required to exclude contact of metal with water at the joints of pipes and fittings, and to avoid corrosive processes.
Attention! The cleaning process removes the oxidized layer and various kinds of contamination from the surface of polypropylene pipes. This prepares the edge of the pipeline for making a reliable weld joint.
When starting the installation of reinforced pipes, you must first select a stripping tool. It can be both manual and mechanical devices.
