Types of connecting angles for different pipes - overview of the range

Couplings, tees, and pipe angles are the main elements with which pipe blanks can be easily assembled into a single pipeline. Thanks to the corners, the number of joints in communications is reduced, and the reliability of the water supply or sewerage system is high.

The only exception is gas pipelines. Here the requirements are more stringent. There should be no welds or elements at the corners that weaken the pipe walls.

Why do you need a pipe corner?

Even 20-25 years ago, when laying water pipes, corner fittings were used to a limited extent. Despite the fact that the pipes were predominantly steel, seamed, and the corners were cast iron, brass or bronze.

An angle adapter or fitting for a steel water supply is a complex-shaped part with thin walls. Therefore, it was made by casting into metal molds. Previously, the reliability of angles for metal pipes was low.

One wrong move, excessive force when assembling steel communications, and a crack appeared in the cast iron or bronze wall, which was almost impossible to eliminate. Therefore, gas welders and mechanics preferred to bend pipe blanks after heating with an acetylene flame.

This method had advantages:

1. The absence of joints and seams ensured high strength of the water supply system at turning angles.
2. A turn on a pipe blank could be done in a matter of minutes.
3. The probability of pipe damage on the turning section of the water pipeline was practically zero.

Whereas the use of a cast iron angle on a wound thread could cause water leakage in the future. The situation was approximately the same with cast iron sewers. It was impossible to assemble a system for drains without using tees and angles.

With the advent of communications based on plastic, metal-plastic, thin-walled copper or sewer pipes, welding methods for assembling water pipelines had to be abandoned. Turn polypropylene or copper pipe at an angle of 90^O difficult.

You can try to heat the polymer blank and bend it, but in 90% of cases the walls are deformed and block the cross-section. It will be a marriage. Therefore it is easier to use corners for polypropylene pipesthan experimenting with complex material. The situation is the same with thin-walled copper. You can bend the workpiece using a spring, but the turning radius will be large.

In addition to turning communications, angles for PP pipes are used for auxiliary purposes:

• as adapters for connecting a flexible line at the end of a pipe;
• for constructing compensation loops;
• for the manufacture of pipe linings.

In the latter case, corners are purchased with a reserve of several models. This is done on purpose, since it is difficult to determine in advance which options will be needed.

What remains is usually used to assemble crafts and frame structures from polypropylene blanks. Thanks to the large number of models of corners, it is possible to assemble products of complex shapes, sometimes even garden furniture and elements of country interior.

What angles for heating pipes and pipelines of other systems are available for sale?

Almost all modern pipe materials used for assembling water pipes, heating circuits or sewer systems are designed for the use of corner fittings.

Corners are used almost everywhere. The only exception is metal-plastic pipes. If the rotation is performed in the plane of the wall (in the vertical plane), then bending in an arc with a radius of curvature of at least 8 diameters of the metal-plastic pipe is allowed.

Polypropylene corner fittings

The range of PP corners is one of the largest. This is explained by the popularity of polypropylene communications, so manufacturing companies, in parallel with pipe blanks, produce many models of corner fittings.

PP corners can be divided into several groups:

• classic corner couplings with a rotation angle of 90^O;
• elbow fittings-couplings with a rotation of 30^O, 45^O, 60^O;
• transition corners for pipes of different diameters;
• models with metal threaded inserts, fittings or union nuts;
• water sockets.

The last version of PP corners was singled out as a separate type, since, in addition to the metal threaded insert or fitting, the body has special bosses - “ears”, through which it is convenient to mount the fitting on the wall.

In the classic design, the polypropylene corner looks like a coupling, the output of which is rotated 90^O.

The inlet and outlet diameters may be different. You can also find unusual models on sale, for example, an angular transition “coupling - pipe”.

PP corners with a rotation of 30^O or 45^O differ from the classic version only in the exit angle.

Fittings with metal inserts are used as adapters for pipes made of other materials, for connecting water meters, flexible hoses or connecting to heating radiators.

The corner material is PPR100 polypropylene, the metal insert is usually brass, brand CW617N, with nickel plating. Most manufacturing companies produce corner water inlets according to class PN25 with a maximum water temperature of +95^O.

Corner fittings for plastic sewerage

Corner elements can be made of PVC or stabilized polypropylene. There are not as many varieties of corners for sewerage as there are for water pipes. This is not necessary, since sewer pipes are laid in a relatively simple pattern, without complex turns or cascades.

There are five types of corners used for home sewerage:

1. Direct tap – 87.5^O. Marked 90/87 or 50/87, depending on the diameter of the pipe.
2. 67 twist fitting^O. Marking – 90/67 or 50/67.
3. Corner with a 45 turn^O. Markings – 90/45 and 50/45.
4. Rotate 30^O. Marked 90/30 or 50/30.
5. Branch to 15^O. Marking 90/15, 50/15.

They are used to turn a pipe in a corner area, connect a bathtub, distribute a bundle of communications, and connect to a sewer riser tee. All of the listed additional elements are of the same type in terms of wall thickness.

When assembling, the length of the sections must be adjusted in such a way that the outlet from the washbasin or sink siphon does not fall on the corner. If you cannot solve the problem in any other way, then you can use a tee corner.

The range with an additional 50 mm pipe includes tee angles with the same outlet angles as for simple models.

Fittings for polyethylene pipes

Corner additional elements for communications made of HDPE are produced with an outlet of 90^O and 45^O. In addition, the corners differ in the method of connection to the pipes:

1. Both pipes are joined using an outer crimp nut.
2. A combined version - on one side there is a nut, on the other there is an external thread for the coupling.
3. Angles with a crimp nut and internal thread for a fitting.

In the latter case, the outer edge is reinforced by pressing on a metal ring, which protects the pipe from being crushed by internal water pressure. The internal seal is provided by rubber cuffs. This corner is designed for use in cold water supply systems with operating pressure up to 8 bar.

For drinking water pipelines, elbow fittings are equipped with blue outer nuts, for technical liquids - green or black. For HDPE pipes, you can buy a water outlet corner with bosses on the body, making it easier to mount on the wall.

Corners for metal-plastic communications

For the assembly of water pipes based on metal-plastic, angles made of brass with a nickel coating are most often used. But if you wish, you can buy models made of polypropylene.

In heating systems, fittings with two union nuts are often installed to compress pipes. The seal is provided by an EPDM rubber ring and a fluoroplastic gasket 4.

Working pressure up to 16 bar, water temperature up to 115 ℃. What's interesting about this collet mount is that you don't need any special tools to install the corner fitting. All you need is a pipe wrench or an adjustable wrench.

Before making a choice in favor of a sleeve or collet angle, try on its position at the installation site in the corner of the room.The corners on hot water supply or heating pipes will need to be tightened once a year to compensate for the deformation of the gasket.

Often apartment owners buy metal-plastic pipes, corners and fittings from an official sales representative. You can get a guarantee for your plumbing.

In this case, water supply or heating systems are made on corners with sleeve fastening. Angles and sleeve crimp fittings are widely used on manifold circuits - it’s cheaper.

Water sockets are installed in the bathroom for faucets.

Copper pipes

It is believed that heating systems using copper pipes are the most efficient and reliable. This is indeed true, but only if the thin-walled pipe blanks are properly joined.

Copper communications can be connected by capillary soldering with a solder torch, or joined using fittings or mechanical crimping of the edges.

In the first case, copper angles with 90 bends are used^O and 45^O. One or two sockets can be made at the ends of the fitting.

When connecting, the end of the water supply pipe is inserted into the socket of the angle and heated with a gas burner.

Second type copper corners for pipes is the same thin-walled angle, at the ends of which cavities for sealing rings are flared.

In this case, during assembly, an EPDM rubber ring is placed inside the square, the end of the pipe blank is inserted and crimped with pliers.

The third option for corner fittings is crimp fittings. This is a brass elbow with external threads.

Inside each of them there is a conical-shaped support platform. Before joining, a nut and a split ring are placed on the workpiece, and the edge is flared into a socket with a special tool.

After tightening the nut, the ring tightly presses the socket to the platform, ensuring a reliable tight connection.

Collapsible elbows are used primarily in high-pressure copper pipes with a wall thickness of at least 1.5 mm and a diameter of up to 12 mm.

Cast iron

For water supply systems based on steel pipes, several types of elbows cast from ductile cast iron are produced. On sale there are classic models D20 or D25 for pipes ¾” 1“, with a rotation angle of 45^O and 90^O, both with external and internal threads.

For incoming steel communications, angles with a diameter of 50-75 mm are used. Most cast iron angles come with a phosphate or zinc coating, so newer ones are considered more resistant to corrosion than older ones. The corner guarantee is up to 10 years.

In addition to water pipes, cast iron triangles are used in old sewer systems. It is difficult to find new parts, since additional elements for sewage systems made of cast iron are practically not produced due to low demand.

You can buy triangles at the dismantling site for the demolition of old high-rise buildings, but the price for any parts made of old cast iron is higher than for adapters for polypropylene or PVC pipes.

The range of pipe corners is large, therefore, when planning communications, it is necessary to repeatedly clarify the dimensions and configuration for each corner fitting. The best source of information for choosing elbows is the catalogs of companies producing sanitary fittings and fittings for manufactured pipes.

Tell us about your experience in selecting angles. Which options turned out to be more successful, and which ones did you have to tinker with when installing them for plumbing or heating your home? Save the material in your bookmarks so that you can return to it at any time.