Raucina
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The Final Word On Torches From The Pipe Maker
Dear friendly and open minded plumbers and pump installers, Since we had so much controversy about how to heat a PE pipe, It seemed a comment from Endot Corp was in order. I wrote that my tradesman friends [AAAK!] and I were having some debate about the use or not of a torch. I told them I was the hot water advocate. Here is their reply:
Richard:
The use of a torch is very risky. When HDPE is extruded into pipe it is at temperatures of approx. 450 degrees F with a known time of exposure to these temps. The time is the concern and we want to limit exposure to heat to prevent overheating of the HDPE material. A torch is usually putting out a temperature of + 1500 degrees F. At temperatures this high the molecular structure of the pipe is destroyed and the HDPE becomes brittle.
We have even seen failures in the making of fusion joints at lower temperatures when the heat is applied for too long a period of time.
One war story we encountered several years ago was when HDPE was used to install swimming pool skimmer lines. We received a call from the installer that every joint was leaking. Upon inspection we found the joints had been overheated and the pipe had expanded making it impossible to tighten the clamps enough to seal on the insert fitting. The installer admitted to using a torch to heat the pipe making it easier to push in the insert.
A visible symptom of overheating is the expansion of the pipe both ID and OD and the flaring of the ends. This was what we observed with the swimming pool installation. We also saw that the pipe in the pool system was brittle and when some joints were flexed the pipe cracked.
This is why we state that a torch should not be used to warm the pipe. They may laugh at you, but your pipe will not fail due to overheating.
Dick Kraft
If anyone needs more documentation on this ENDOT author, let me know.
So all you self appointed masters out there with your fingers in the pipe, better keep your insurance paid up. Or start drinking more beer on the job and use your private water heater.
Dear friendly and open minded plumbers and pump installers, Since we had so much controversy about how to heat a PE pipe, It seemed a comment from Endot Corp was in order. I wrote that my tradesman friends [AAAK!] and I were having some debate about the use or not of a torch. I told them I was the hot water advocate. Here is their reply:
Richard:
The use of a torch is very risky. When HDPE is extruded into pipe it is at temperatures of approx. 450 degrees F with a known time of exposure to these temps. The time is the concern and we want to limit exposure to heat to prevent overheating of the HDPE material. A torch is usually putting out a temperature of + 1500 degrees F. At temperatures this high the molecular structure of the pipe is destroyed and the HDPE becomes brittle.
We have even seen failures in the making of fusion joints at lower temperatures when the heat is applied for too long a period of time.
One war story we encountered several years ago was when HDPE was used to install swimming pool skimmer lines. We received a call from the installer that every joint was leaking. Upon inspection we found the joints had been overheated and the pipe had expanded making it impossible to tighten the clamps enough to seal on the insert fitting. The installer admitted to using a torch to heat the pipe making it easier to push in the insert.
A visible symptom of overheating is the expansion of the pipe both ID and OD and the flaring of the ends. This was what we observed with the swimming pool installation. We also saw that the pipe in the pool system was brittle and when some joints were flexed the pipe cracked.
This is why we state that a torch should not be used to warm the pipe. They may laugh at you, but your pipe will not fail due to overheating.
Dick Kraft
If anyone needs more documentation on this ENDOT author, let me know.
So all you self appointed masters out there with your fingers in the pipe, better keep your insurance paid up. Or start drinking more beer on the job and use your private water heater.
