Often, when operating household plumbing systems made of polypropylene, there is a need to repair or expand them, which is impossible without special soldering equipment. As a tool suitable for these purposes, purchased devices of a special design are usually used, the high cost of which forces users to think about making them themselves.
This approach is good not only because it allows you to save significant money and not waste time learning how to work with unfamiliar equipment. Thanks to independent production, it is possible to study all the intricacies of handling such devices, which ultimately affects the quality of soldering of polypropylene and other plastic pipes.
How the structure is assembled
The further work process is carried out as follows:
- Regardless of how welding is carried out - without a soldering iron or with it, markings must be made.
- Following the instructions for the device, it is necessary to warm up the parts to be connected, and after starting the connection, do not allow the pipe to rest against the wall of the fitting. Proper marking can help with this.
- Leave the mounted area until it cools completely and ensure that it does not move.
- After this, you need to make sure that there are no defects (sagging, deviations from the common axis, leaks). If any of the described defects are identified, the failed section must be disassembled and reinstalled, using new components and taking into account the mistakes made.
Video description
A brief overview of the Wester DWM1000 A soldering iron is presented in this video:
RESANTA ASPT1000
The cheapest sword-shaped welding machine, but it copes with its direct responsibilities quite well. Despite the fact that the heater has 3 seats for attaching nozzles, it will not be possible to install several pairs together: the holes are very close to each other.
The soldering device RESANTA ASPT1000 is the cheapest, but if you need to do one-time work around the house, it is quite suitable Source onlinetrade.ru
A power of 1 kW is not enough for quick heating, but this is quite obvious given the cost of the unit. In general, the equipment performed well.
Advantages:
- high-quality soldering;
- affordable price.
Disadvantages : You cannot put several pairs of attachments together.
How to choose a tool
Having decided to purchase a machine for soldering polypropylene pipes, you immediately find yourself faced with two questions: “Which one is better to buy?” and “How to decide on the selection criteria?”
Below are the most important technical characteristics that you should rely on when purchasing a device.
- Power. Based on this factor, soldering irons can be divided into two types. The first type is those devices whose power is up to 1000 W. They usually have one heating element and, accordingly, are inferior to the second type of device, whose power reaches 2000 W. Such instruments contain two heating elements. If a soldering iron is required for professional activities, then, of course, it is advisable not to save money and choose a model with high power. If the tool is purchased for home purposes, then a device with only one heating element will do just fine.
- Solder diameter. This is a fairly important parameter, since based on it, it will be clear which pipe diameter is suitable for connection with a soldering iron, and which is not suitable. Generally, the soldering diameter depends on the pipe nozzles. It’s good when many matrices are included, thereby increasing the scope of application.
- Heating temperature. The maximum temperature ranges from 260 to 300°C. When purchasing a soldering tool, you need to pay attention not only to this characteristic, but also to such an important point as the presence of temperature control. After all, sometimes it is necessary to adapt to the pipe material.
- Control elements. Additional functionality in the form of various controls will not be superfluous. For example, a light indication is useful, with which you can control the heating. The built-in thermostat will also play a good role, thanks to which it is possible to maintain heating during operation without any problems, and, based on the temperature of the working part, turn the heating element on or off.
Wavin ekoplastik
The soldering iron was from the Czech company Wavin ekoplastik, model RSP 2a Pm. To be fair, it must be said that the soldering iron has been working intensively for more than one year. And according to the owner, it is very convenient for installation work. But sooner or later everything breaks down and requires repair.
So, what's there outside and inside? Soldering iron temperature adjustment is implemented on a microcontroller control. The combination works - temperature sensor, microcontroller, thyristor switch. At the same time, a timer function has been implemented that helps accurately count the heating time of polypropylene parts depending on their diameters. The control panel looks like this.
Wavin ekoplastik soldering iron control panel
And inside it looks like this: I won’t describe the disassembly process, I think it’s unnecessary in this case, let’s get straight to the point.
Soldering iron control board
If the soldering iron does not heat up, then first you need to find out what is wrong, in the control board or further, in the heating element? To do this, taking precautions, turn on the soldering iron and measure the voltage at the output of the control circuit.
We check the presence of voltage, remembering the safety precautions.
Of course, there is no need to wait for complete heating and shutdown with the soldering iron disassembled. This is only important in the case of a more complete check of the functionality of the electronics.
For now, let’s just find out the reason, board or heating element? Why doesn't it heat up? In my case there was tension. And the reason for insufficient heating was not an electronic error.
Let me remind you that in my case the soldering iron was heating up, but did not want to reach the desired temperature. The heating indicator was constantly lit, but it should be like this: Heating period - The red indicator is lit. The temperature has been reached - The red indicator flashes and then goes out completely until the next heating.
It is clear that the reason lies in the heating element’s circuits, and it quickly became clear what exactly it was. To do this, I had to disassemble it a little more, I needed to get under the protective grille of the heater. Now it looks like this. What's interesting there?
Thermal fuse unscrewed from the heating element
Features of the stripping pipe connection
Before connecting the stripping pipe, you need to remove the foil layer from it with a special shavings (shaver) to the size of the soldering depth. In the absence of a shaver, the reinforcing layer is carefully cut off with a stationery knife evenly over the entire area where the pipe is immersed in the fitting. This method looks unprofessional, but when carefully removed it does not reduce the outer diameter of the polypropylene.
What is needed for soldering
To join pipes and transition elements, you will need the following tools:
- set for soldering pipes (soldering iron, 20 mm nozzle, stand);
- scissors for plastic pipes;
- a simple pencil;
- pipe lever wrenches;
- roulette.
Video description
For a brief overview of the Denzel DWP-2000 soldering station, watch this video:
ELITECH SPT1500
A simple welding machine with a universal stand similar to the one that comes with Candan. Working with a soldering iron in weight is not very convenient, since it is quite heavy and has a rigid handle. Best suited for working on the floor or table. A power of 1.5 kW is enough for quick heating and soldering of pipes with a cross-section of up to 63 millimeters.
The manufacturer of the soldering iron ELITECH SPT1500, among other things, equipped its tool with a bubble level Source svarochnye-apparaty.kz
The case is not very successful - the thin metal deforms quite quickly. The supplied pipe cutter also needs to be replaced.
Advantages:
- can be mounted on a workbench;
- quality nozzles.
Flaws:
- inconvenient to use when suspended;
- poor quality case.
With heating regulator
To control the heating temperature of a homemade soldering iron for polypropylene pipes, install a thermocouple. To assemble a device equipped with a heating regulator for the working sole, additional parts and spare parts will be required, namely:
- thermostat, thermocouple and two tips;
- dial indicator with a special scale (with “zero” and two sectors);
- insulated conductors with a length of at least one meter each;
- asbestos wool.
Types and features of polypropylene for water supply
In order to carry out high-quality soldering of plastic pipes during the repair or construction of a plumbing/heating system, you need to know their types. They differ in the scope of use and operating rules. In total, there are 4 types of plastic polypropylene pipes with the following markings:
- PN-10: thin-walled polyvinyl chloride, used at temperatures up to 45 degrees. Small diameter pipes are used for cold water supply systems and creating heated floors;
- PN-16: pipes can be operated at high operating pressure with cold water or at low pressure but with hot water;
- PN-20: pipes of this category are used in mains with water up to 80 degrees;
- PN-25: metal-plastic pipes reinforced with aluminum are used when installing a hot water supply system with temperatures up to 95 degrees.
To reduce the cost of repair work, mainly plastic PVC pipes are used.
Machine for welding plastic pipes STEM RWM 2000C.
Video description
What the BISON AST-2000 is is shown in this video:
Sturm TW-7218
This cylindrical welding machine is used for pipes with a small cross-section - 16-32 millimeters, all attachments for these diameters are in the case. Moreover, despite its small size, the power of this unit is quite high - 1.8 kilowatts, so it heats up to the required temperature quickly.
The Sturm TW-7218 welding unit is an excellent choice for home use Source your-home-and-garden.rf
Choosing a machine for welding propylene and PVC - what criteria are important when purchasing a tool
To choose a good device for welding plastic pipes, you do not need to consider the most expensive models from European manufacturers. You can buy an inexpensive soldering iron from a domestic manufacturer, which will be no worse in functionality than foreign-made devices. In order for a tool to cope with the assigned tasks, it is necessary to decide on its purpose at the selection stage. When choosing the cheapest Chinese tool, it is important to understand that it is characterized by low reliability, and most importantly, it cannot be used for a long time. A particular danger for household tools is overheating over a long period of time, as a result of which the components begin to fail.
Materials
The main element is the boiler, but in addition to it you will need several additional parts:
- Aluminum plate and small wire.
- Indication lamp (can be taken from the iron).
- Thermostat.
- Strong thermal tape and thermal paste.
- Textolite and electric plug.
- Ceramic insulation.
- Welding nozzle (25 millimeters).
- A few bolts and nuts to secure it.
- Insulating tape.
A small paradox. To work, you will need a soldering iron, but only to connect the wires, otherwise the design simply will not work. It’s better to ask once and make your own than to constantly be without a tool.
Important! Making a tool correctly requires some effort, and therefore inexperienced designers may make several mistakes. When collecting materials, set aside spare parts so you don't have to run to the store again.
Making a soldering iron for PVC pipes with your own hands
Pipes made from artificial polymers such as PVC have become extremely popular due to their low price and ease of installation. For this reason, over time they began to replace classic metal pipes, this is especially noticeable when designing or repairing plumbing systems in apartments and houses. Old rusty pipes are simply replaced with new plastic ones, and this is done in a couple of hours.
But the merit of the quick installation of such pipes does not lie in the skill of the welder. After all, a special soldering iron is used for welding PVC pipes. A soldering iron for PVC pipes can be purchased in a store, and there are quite budget models that won’t break your pocket. But what if you are not ready to purchase a new device and want to save money, or just like to make electrical appliances with your own hands? In this case, you can make a soldering iron yourself, and we will explain in detail how to do this in this article.
Thermal fuse
And one of the interesting things there is a thermal fuse! This could be the reason for the underheating. It is located under the protective grille, bolted to the heater.
Its function is Additional protection. Although all control - heating, monitoring, turning off and turning on - is taken over by the electronics, the manufacturers have installed additional protection. In case, for example, the thyristor breaks down and the heating element stops being controlled by the controller.
How it works and why it broke
In the event of a breakdown of the electronics, when a certain temperature is reached, the bimetallic contacts of the fuse will open and turn off the heating element, preventing it from overheating. The principle of operation is like an iron, if anyone is familiar with it, they understand what I mean.
A more detailed check showed that this was so, my instinct did not let me down. The reason for this malfunction is as follows. A fairly decent current flows through the closed contacts of this fuse. Under current load, over time, the contacts begin to heat up, then slowly burn - stronger and stronger, and eventually their ability to conduct current becomes worse.
As a result, the amount of energy sufficient for normal heating is not transferred to the heating element. Part of it is lost on these burnt contacts, which makes them heat up even more.
Do you remember what happens when the thermal fuse heats up? As it heats up, its contacts tend to open. All this only further worsens the contact in this circuit or breaks it altogether.
Thermal fuse
Types of soldering irons for polypropylene pipes
There are only two types of welding machines for polypropylene pipes. They are not fundamentally different except for the shape of the tip of the heating element. On this basis they are divided into:
- — soldering irons with a cylindrical heating element;
Cylindrical heater with a set of nozzles - — soldering irons with heating elements in the form of an iron sole.
The shape of the heater is in the form of an iron with nozzles of various diameters
Each type of soldering iron has its own set of attachments, differing in the method of attachment. If the attachments are screwed onto the irons using a screw fastening, then on cylindrical heating elements they have the form of a cap clamp, which is tightened with a screw.
Functionally, there are no differences between these two types of soldering irons. When choosing, they are guided only by technical data and ease of use.
Device
One of the most significant advantages, thanks to which plastic pipes have so famously advanced metal ones in the construction industry, is the ease of installing them yourself. Of course, they also have a lot of other advantages, but now I won’t focus on this, since I want to talk specifically about the installation process itself, more precisely about soldering, and, to be very precise, about the device that carries it out.
The principle of operation of a pipe soldering iron is very similar to that of a conventional iron.
, people often even call him that for this reason. The main differences are a different shape and the presence of two heating elements instead of one. But let me present its structure to you for your consideration:
- The body part
is responsible for the shape of the soldering iron, ease of use and resistance to mechanical stress. That is, the handle should fit comfortably in the hand, the removable stand should stand steadily on a flat surface, and the material should be strong enough to withstand any force majeure situations that sometimes arise during construction work; - The metal “tip
,” which can be either flat or cylindrical, contains heating elements that transfer heat to replaceable nozzles;
- The thermostat
allows you to set and control the temperature that is most optimal for melting plastic, which is +260 degrees Celsius; - Special nozzles
, as a rule, are used in pairs: a sleeve for melting the edge of a pipe section and a mandrel for melting the coupling connecting to it.
Among the additional accessories, we can note the presence of indicators that provide information about the device being turned on and its heating sufficient for operation.
Alternative to welding
In some cases, for example, in hard-to-reach places in the bathroom or other rooms, it is not possible to carry out welding work. The soldering process can be replaced by gluing the pipe to the fitting using an organic solvent. It has a very strong softening effect, but is also highly volatile.
After lubricating the end of the pipe and the internal cavity of the coupling, the plastic softens for a short period of time, and the connection can be made. Reverse polymerization begins after a few seconds.
However, this method is more suitable for PVC pipes that are less prone to thermoplasticity.
If for some reason this option is not suitable, for pipes NOT UNDER PRESSURE it is permissible to use a supercharged lighter instead of a soldering iron. This connection method is shown in the video tutorial below. It is important to understand: uniform soldering cannot be achieved precisely because of the alternating heating of parts, therefore the technology cannot be used for critical connections.
Video description
What professional builders think about the ELITECH SPT1500 soldering iron, watch the video:
BISON AST-2000
This welding machine is made in a rather original way - a regular piece of profiled pipe is used for mounting on the stand, and the body is a rectangular box. But the unit turned out to be cheap and reliable.
The BISON AST-2000 soldering machine has a fairly simple design, but this does not affect the quality of work in any way Source ytimg.com
It is equipped with 6 nozzles, can be used for pipes with a cross-section of 20-63 millimeters. High-quality Teflon coating, heated pipes can be easily removed. The heater is two-section, quickly reaches the required temperature. Due to its design, the equipment is relatively heavy; when used by weight, your hands get tired quickly.
Advantages:
- reliable soldering;
- fast warm-up;
- high-quality nozzles;
- convenient stand.
Disadvantages: Appearance resembles a homemade design.
