Not so long ago, companies that produce plumbing equipment presented to the public a unique new product called a stainless corrugated pipe for water supply. Obviously, stainless steel plumbing is a great idea. This material has a lot of useful qualities. The most important thing is that it is durable and also durable. Not all materials have this advantage, which is why today stainless steel plumbing is in great demand.
Characteristics of corrugated pipes
For the first time, corrugated stainless pipe for water supply was used by Japanese specialists. Gradually, the products conquered the European market.
The modern market presents a large assortment of corrugated pipe products of different diameters, which makes it possible to lay various communication networks. The joining of plumbing corrugated stainless steel products is carried out using brass fittings, which have a fairly simple design (more details: “Which fittings for corrugated pipes are best to use - types and features”).
Among the characteristic features of corrugated stainless steel water pipes are:
- Ability to withstand high pressure
with small wall thickness (from 0.25 to 0.3 millimeters). This property allows the installation of tubular products in systems that operate autonomously and centrally. - Using high quality steel with a special chemical composition as raw material
. The concentration of the components included in the composition is controlled with extreme precision. - Possibility of bending the product with a minimum radius
. Depending on the design features, this indicator can range from 30 to 150 millimeters. This greatly simplifies the installation of the system. - Simple processing
. The ability to cut corrugation using ordinary scissors or a grinder is very important. However, experts recommend using a special pipe cutter (read: “How to choose a pipe cutter for steel pipes and how to use it”). - Long length of pipe products
. Metal corrugated pipes for water supply are supplied in coils into which long pieces of material are laid. This allows the system to be installed with a minimum number of connections, which increases the hermetic properties of the system. - High temperature resistance
. Corrugated stainless steel pipe can withstand fairly high temperatures. The coefficient of linear expansion of this material is much lower than that of plastic analogues.
Features of corrugated pipes
Corrugated culverts originated in Japan many years ago. Since then, they have become indispensable not only in the markets of this Asian country, but also in Western countries, including the European market.
The main features of these components of any modern water supply system lie in their unsurpassed characteristics. They can be used for a variety of purposes, because they are very reliable, strong and durable.
Another feature of corrugated pipes is a wide selection. Each buyer will be able to find products of various diameters on the market. This will allow for the installation of a wide variety of communication systems. It is difficult to find more suitable technical equipment that would cope with this task.
Information about the joining of such products deserves special attention. This is possible using special fittings made of brass. They have all the necessary characteristics to cope with this task perfectly. In addition, they have a very simple design.
Technology for making pipes for water supply
The manufacturing process of stainless steel corrugated pipe products is fully automated. The absence of the human factor ensures high accuracy in performing basic technological operations.
The most reliable products are those made in Japan. But the products of companies from Latvia meet the price-quality ratio.
The production of stainless pipes for water supply consists of several main stages:
- At the first stage, the steel strip is pre-treated. After this, the workpiece is fed to the forming line, where the belt is bent to obtain a cylindrical workpiece.
- Then the joint is welded. This process occurs automatically in a special environment of inert gases.
- Next, the smooth-walled workpiece is rolled using parts of different diameters. The result of this process is corrugated stainless steel water supply pipes.
- The final stage is cutting the products into pieces of a certain length. Most often it is cut into pieces of no more than 50 m, which are wound into a bay. This makes it more convenient to transport the material and also facilitates installation work.
The depressions and protrusions may have different parameters, since each manufacturer produces products in accordance with its Specifications and Standards. It is worth noting that this does not in any way affect the quality of pipe products.
Corrugation for toilet
The advantages of using a corrugated structure when installing this type of plumbing fixture include the following:
- Possibility of moving the toilet.
- Easy to install. Almost anyone can do this kind of work.
- If the diameter of the pipe on the toilet and the entrance to the sewer pipe do not match, a corrugated product easily solves this problem.
- The possibility of using a temporary toilet, for example, when renovations in the house are not yet completed.
Among the disadvantages of using corrugation, the following are noted:
- Low level of strength, which must be taken into account during installation or repair work.
- Large angles and sagging pipes cause blockages.
- Can only be used in open areas without wall mounting.
The main disadvantage of such products is the large number of counterfeit products. For this reason, you should buy corrugation only from a trusted place.
Advantages and disadvantages of corrugated pipes
Comparing corrugated pipes for water supply with similar products made from other materials, one can note the great superiority of corrugated pipes.
This is explained by the main advantages of the material:
- Durability. Water supply systems made from stainless corrugated pipe products can last forever. Only O-rings have a limited service life.
- Combination of plasticity and rigidity. The optimal balance of these properties makes the material resistant to water hammer.
- Flexibility. Thanks to this quality, you can make turns without using special devices. During installation, a flexible pipe for water supply will help solve complex problems in the project.
- When the working fluid freezes, corrugated stainless steel water supply pipes do not deform or burst.
- You can install a corrugated pipe under sheathing, plaster, and even under a concrete screed.
There are practically no disadvantages to corrugated stainless steel pipe products, with the exception of the high price. Currently, this material belongs to the category of expensive goods. However, many people choose corrugated pipe, as this is the best material.
Main types of breakdowns and how to avoid them
There are two types of failures that occur when using corrugated water pipes.
The first is that a leak appeared when installing the tee. You will need to close the valve to stop the flow of water. Afterwards, tighten the nuts using adjustable wrenches. If this method does not help, then you will need to completely disassemble the connection.
The cause of a leak may be an uneven cut or shallow insertion of the pipe, or due to a lack of tightness of the seals. If, after re-cutting a pair of rings and eliminating the reasons described above, the problem does not go away, then it is necessary to replace the fittings and seals.
The second type of failure is broken threads. No excessive force is required when tightening the nuts. This is especially true for plastic fittings, which will simply burst under high voltage.
Assembly of a pipeline from stainless corrugated pipe
Corrugated stainless steel pipes are used to assemble water pipes. In some cases, it is possible to install material for gas supply and as an adapter in heating systems.
Fittings for connecting corrugated water pipes must exactly correspond to the list recommended by the manufacturer of corrugated pipe products. Purchasing cheaper connection elements can cause an emergency.
Installation of a corrugated steel pipe system is carried out similarly to pipe products made of other materials. However, the flexibility of corrugated pipe makes the installation process easier and faster.
Pipeline installation is carried out in a certain sequence:
- The distance between the connection points is measured, an addition is made for bending, and the required piece of material is separated. You can use a pipe cutter or other cutting tool for cutting.
- On the fitting, the union nut is loosened with a special wrench and the tubular product is inserted into the inner part of the fastening element until it stops completely.
- Using the same wrench, the nut on the fitting is tightened, completely fixing the product inside the fitting.
- By making bends, the pipeline is given the required configuration. To fix the pipe to the wall, special fasteners are used.
- Working fluid is supplied to the system to check for leaks. If there are no leaks, you can begin operating the pipeline.
Recommendations for installation and use
For any technical product there are certain rules for installation and operation. It is necessary to carry out these actions with a corrugated pipe in accordance with the following requirements:
- Installation of corrugations for water pipes should begin only after a complete check. In this case, cracks, dents and kinks are not allowed.
- It is not recommended to use fittings that are made of corrosive material for connections.
- On supply pipes made of ferrous metal, a water filter must be installed in front of the brass fitting.
- When installing corrugated material, avoid twisting it.
- Do not allow the pipeline made of a stainless steel pipe to come into contact with ferrous metal, which may be susceptible to corrosion.
- It is best to secure the corrugation with stainless steel products. For reliable fixation, you can use plastic fasteners. Fastenings made of non-ferrous metals will give greater elasticity to the created communication.
- When using a stainless corrugated water pipe in an additional floor heating system, additional connections should not be allowed. It is very important that the segment is solid.
- Do not expose stainless steel products to electric shock.
- The product should be bent and unbent a minimum number of times. The optimal option for this parameter is indicated in the passport.
Regulatory documents
Information regarding electric-welded steel products is specified in GOST 10705-80. The same document describes the requirements that corrugated products for communication systems, including water supply and gas supply, must meet.
Product quality is determined by the test results to which selected samples of manufactured products are subjected.
The quality of the seam is checked by additional hydraulic pressure testing.
The chemical composition of steel is regulated by GOST 22536.0.
Annealed corrugated stainless steel pipe is produced in accordance with clauses of GOST 9941-81. They provide information regarding heat-deformed seamless products.
The main regulatory document in this area is the ISO 10806 standard, adopted by the International Organization for Standardization in 2003.
Main manufacturers
High quality corrugated stainless steel water pipes are produced by several companies:
- KOFULSO LTD from South Korea occupies a leading position in the production of stainless corrugated pipes and brass fittings. This company's products have been sold on the Russian market for about 5 years.
- GOFRA-FLEX is the second South Korean manufacturer whose products are certified in the countries of the European Commonwealth, the USA, Russia and Ukraine.
- The Russian brand NEPTUN IWS supplies pipe materials for both household and industrial purposes. Full compliance with the recommendations for use, which are indicated in the accompanying documents for products of this brand, allows you to use them for an unlimited time.
Corrugated stainless steel pipe allows installation work on pipelines to be carried out several times faster. Therefore, specialists in this field need to study in more detail the properties of stainless steel pipes for water supply in order to use them for various communication systems.
How to choose a suitable design
The first selection criterion that you need to pay attention to is whether the stainless corrugation has been heat treated. To do this you need to bend the pipe. If the product is annealed, then deformation will not occur. Minor changes will occur in pipes that have not been annealed.
After identifying the annealed specimens, you can proceed to selecting a model based on the following criteria:
- the kit should include a full set of fittings for connecting the pipe;
- there should be no damage to the seams (chips or cracks);
- the product must be neat, so that the corrugations show up clearly in the pitch (high-quality pipes will have the same pitch);
- when bending, the pipe should not be deformed;
- seals for fittings must be elastic and not damaged.
One of the advantages of stainless corrugated pipes is the absence of counterfeits on the market. The reason is that the manufacture of such products requires special equipment. But this fact does not eliminate the need to familiarize yourself with the packaging and the markings indicated on it.
When turning to unknown brands, you can come across cases where, in order to make money, low-quality products are placed in packaging for expensive models.
