Valtec pipe – metal-plastic and polypropylene

Every day, polypropylene pipes are increasingly replacing their cast iron and steel counterparts, mainly due to their high technical parameters and wide range of uses. There are quite a lot of companies that produce them, and it is extremely difficult for an unprepared person to choose the best option because outwardly they are practically no different, but the production technology and characteristics indicated in the technical documentation at first glance cause some bewilderment.

Product quality and reasonable cost are probably the main criteria when choosing any product, and polypropylene pipes are no exception. The products of the Italian company Valtec fully comply with these requirements, which necessitates a more in-depth analysis of polyethylene pipes from this production.

2 Advantages and disadvantages of Valtec pipes
3 The company’s range of polypropylene pipes
4 Valtec’s place in the ranking of pipe manufacturers
5 Video review of Valtec pipes and fittings

General characteristics of elements

Valtec pipes are technologically new materials for the installation of water supply, sewerage and heating systems. With their help, industrial and private facilities are equipped. High technical characteristics and quality are the main criteria of modern pipelines installed from Valtec metal-plastic or polypropylene pipes.

As numerous reviews testify, today buying metal-plastic or polypropylene pipes from the Italian company Valtec means acquiring reliable functioning of the plumbing, water supply or heating system. The leader in the production of engineering plumbing Valtec on the world market is represented by an extensive range of not only polypropylene and metal-plastic pipes, but also manifolds, as well as control and measuring systems.

In the article we will look not only at the range of Valtec products, but also introduce you to the general technical characteristics, positive and negative properties of metal-plastic and polypropylene risers, as well as reviews of specific owners who have been using the products for a good ten years.

Installation features

When constructing a household supply system from Valtek metal-plastic pipes, it is necessary to first draw a plan diagram of the entire structure. Then you should calculate the amount of material required to create the structure. It should also be taken into account that the system cannot be positioned only in the horizontal or vertical direction; it can bend and rotate. Various fittings are used for this. In order to assemble the structure, you need to use special equipment - a press jaw. Tools for metal-plastic pipes can be purchased at any specialized store or rented.

Installation diagram of metal-plastic pipes.

Valtec metal-plastic pipe – pros and cons

Valtec metal-plastic pipes consist of polyethylene layers, adhesive layers, and a reinforcing aluminum layer.

Thanks to glue and polyethylene, aluminum foil does not come into contact with the aqueous environment, and the pipe itself becomes a single whole. This is the main condition for the long service life of products, since aluminum is not subject to oxidation, corrosion and deformation processes.

Briefly about the product:

To ensure that when connecting the risers to each other, the seam is strong and intact, and the pipeline is sealed, welding is carried out in an inert environment.
Thanks to the presence of an upper protective polyethylene layer, pipe systems can be successfully used both indoors and outdoors.
A special adhesive composition holds the entire structure intact and prevents delamination into individual elements.
It is the aluminum foil (middle layer) that makes the pipe rigid, durable and at the same time flexible, thanks to which it can be successfully installed in the most inaccessible places.
The presence of a smooth internal protective layer ensures not only the protection of the product, but also the complete absence of limescale or rust. This guarantees a clean water supply, which is very important for drinking water pipes.
The unique structure guarantees high-quality transportation of heavy, chemically active substances, which helps expand the scope of use of products.

Positive properties

Valtec metal-plastic risers are different:

high quality;
reliability;
increased strength - 70 N/10 mm, which is significantly higher than GOST standards (50 N/10 mm);
flexibility;
ease, which is convenient for transportation, since there is no need to use heavy equipment when purchasing a large batch of products;
long service life, which is approximately 50-60 years;
environmental friendliness;
resistance to chemically aggressive environments;
ease of installation;
resistance to high temperatures.

Plus, the wise ratio “low price - high quality” puts Valtec metal-plastic pipes in the first row among similar products.

Minuses

Among the many “advantages” you can also find several negative properties of metal-plastic pipe products:

made from flammable materials;
low resistance to ultraviolet radiation.

In addition, with frequent sharp temperature fluctuations, delamination of products is possible.

Pipe connection methods

The VALTEC underfloor heating pipe is laid on a flat surface under a shallow 25 mm screed. During installation, it is recommended to close the edge of the pipe to prevent construction debris from getting into it. The line must contain coolant under a pressure of 0.3 MPa. When testing the system, the liquid is supplied at a pressure of 6 bar.

is confident in the quality of its products and provides a 10-year guarantee on metal-plastic pipes. The highway will serve for more than 50 years. The manufacturer offers contour insulation, fastenings for the water circuit, and connecting elements for the main line for underfloor heating.

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Valtec polypropylene pipes - pros and cons

The properties and technical characteristics of Valtec pipes, as well as their purpose and scope of application, directly depend on the structure of polypropylene parts.

PP pipe parts known today can be multi- or single-layer. Pipe elements of the first type are characterized by the presence of reinforcement with fiberglass or aluminum foil. Thanks to such reinforcing layers, PP risers become stronger and more reliable. The presence of aluminum or a fiberglass reinforcing layer in Valtec reinforced polypropylene pipes only improves the main operational characteristics of pipeline structures.

Possible types of pipes

The range includes the following types of PP pipes:

non-reinforced products with diameters from 20 mm to 90 mm. Such elements are successfully used to move hot and cold water;
products reinforced with PN 20 glass fiber. Pipe parts are an excellent option for arranging heating systems and heated floors. They are used for arranging hot and cold water supply systems. The most popular are products with a diameter of 23-63 mm;
pipes PN 25. This analogue has found application in the construction of high-pressure pipeline systems. The product is a modification of PN 20 pipes, but with improved technical characteristics. The design is capable of withstanding pressure up to 25 atm (PN 20 - up to 20 atm) at a temperature of +90⁰С;
PP foil reinforced products. They are characterized by improved thermal conductivity characteristics, which ensure high-quality functioning at a thermal load of +95⁰С. Used for heating systems and hot water supply. Outer diameter from 20 mm to 90 mm inclusive.

What is the diameter of PP products

Home water pipes are most often installed from risers with diameters of 20 mm and 25 mm, less often - 32 mm.

The availability of appropriate technical characteristics of Valtec polypropylene pipes allows them to be used for industrial purposes. For this purpose, PP parts with large diameters are used: 40, 50, 63, as well as 75 and 90 mm.

Sewage systems are installed from risers with a diameter of 110 mm.

Important! When choosing a polypropylene pipe for a home pipeline, you should consider not only the required diameter, but also the presence of special attachments for the soldering iron that you have.

Today, metal pipes of very large diameters have been replaced by analogues made of polypropylene with a diameter of 300 to 600 mm and above.

What do you pay attention to when installing water and heating lines?

For pipeline structures, risers with a diameter of 16-110 mm are most often used. When arranging plumbing and heating systems, pay attention to 3 main characteristics, on which the quality of the structure’s functioning depends.

1. Operating temperature range.

Polypropylene pipes are in great demand because they can function successfully at temperatures ranging from +95⁰С and above. In this case, it is necessary to take into account not only the required diameter, but also the amount of pressure that the parts can withstand during operation.

2. Working pressure.

Products PN20 or PN25 are almost always marked. By reading the printed icons and numbers, you can find out in the system with what maximum pressure a particular riser can be used.

3. Presence or absence of reinforcement

In most cases, polypropylene products are reinforced with aluminum or fiberglass. Thanks to the additional layer, the parts become more durable and expand less when heated.

Important! When installing a plumbing or heating system in screed or plaster, use only reinforced polypropylene pipes, which will eliminate the possibility of concrete cracking.

Important! Valtec polypropylene reinforced pipes can withstand temperatures of +100⁰С and above, which is very important when laying heating structures.

Features of the use of large cross-section pipes

What are the maximum cross-sections of polypropylene pipes?

There are external water mains, mounted from risers with a diameter of 60 cm or more with walls several centimeters thick.

Such structures have some installation features, since their installation is not very easy.

To prevent the pipeline from being deformed as a result of movement or subsidence of the soil, when installing the pipeline in a busy place, the structure is placed in a reinforced concrete box.
When installing a pipeline with parts with diameters greater than 30 cm, it is necessary to use special equipment.
There are no fittings that can be used to connect sufficiently large risers. For joining, special welding machines are used, which ensure reliability and tightness of the connection.

Criterias of choice

When choosing products, pay attention to some details:

diameter;
thickness of the reinforcing layer;
external and internal material;
quality of the binding layer;
absence of delaminations at the ends;
availability of a GOST certificate of conformity.

The best metal-plastic pipes are those with two layers of cross-linked polyethylene, marked PE-X/AL/PE-X. They are characterized by high temperatures of 120 degrees or more and mechanical strength. Conventional PE layers are only suitable for cold water.

The pipe capacity is proportional to the square of the diameter.

Valtec cross-linked polyethylene - pros and cons

Unconnected long hydrocarbon molecules are the basis for ordinary polyethylene. Several decades ago, scientists developed a technology by which these individual molecular chains were combined into a single whole. This connection was provided by the atoms of carbon and hydrogen molecules. The resulting three-dimensional bonded structure became the basis for obtaining a qualitatively new material, whose name is “cross-linked polyethylene.”

International practice predicts the name of the cross-linked polyethylene pipe Valtec pex evoh.

Due to the presence of many positive properties, the products have found application in various fields.

Valtec 16 mm cross-linked polyethylene pipe is used for:

arrangement of modern water heating systems (“warm” floors, walls, ceilings);
installation of pipelines for supplying hot and cold water, including drinking water;
heating of open areas (getting rid of ice and snow).

Modern heating structures cannot do without a Valtec 16 mm cross-linked polyethylene pipe, the price of which is 1 dollar/meter.

As evidenced by reviews from practitioners, pipes made from Valtec cross-linked polyethylene are laid in hidden boxes, grooves, and corrugations (when mounted in concrete screeds).

The advantages of the products include:

reliability;
ability to operate in a wide temperature range. The quality of operation is not affected even by several cycles of freezing of the working environment or an increase in temperature to +80⁰С and above;
elasticity and elasticity, which makes it possible to bend without preheating, within permissible radii;
elasticity;
high resistance to aggressive environments;
damping vibration noise;
resistance to hydraulic shocks;
complete electroinertness;
high hygiene, which eliminates the possibility of chemical emissions entering the working environment when operating in a high temperature range;
light weight;
simplicity and manufacturability of installation.

Like any product, risers have some disadvantages. Pex Valtec cross-linked polyethylene pipes have high linear expansion. They cannot maintain a given bend for a long time. Therefore, products must be secured with clamps or special fasteners.

As you can see, the positive properties of cross-linked polyethylene parts significantly exceed some of the “cons”. And if we take into account the low price of Valtec cross-linked polyethylene pipes, the conclusion suggests itself: use modern pipe materials. At the same time, you will not only save your family budget, but also become the owner of a high-quality plumbing or heating system.

Valtec plastic pipe welding machine

They install water and heating lines using a Valtec plastic pipe welding machine.

Polyfusion welding of Valtec plastic pipes is carried out using equipment of varying power. Due to the design features of the device, all operations on the construction of the highway are carried out at a high pace.

Typically, Valtec plastic pipe soldering machines are equipped with an adjustment device and operate from a single-phase network. To prevent the device from overheating during operation, the body is covered with a heat-insulating plate. The small weight and convenient location of the handle make it possible to quite easily connect parts together in a short time. At the same time, the seams are reliable, durable, and the entire pipeline structure is sealed.

The device is used to connect products with a diameter of 16-40 mm. The devices are also equipped with attachments for mating large-diameter pipes.

The essence of joining is that the materials being joined are melted, and thanks to the phenomenon of diffusion at the molecular level, they are “tightly” welded together.

Important! It must be remembered that the device begins to function when heated to a certain temperature and is intended for welding products from the same type of materials. Otherwise, the connection will not be airtight.

Before soldering, the parts to be joined must be wiped dry, which will speed up the welding procedure and maintain the high-quality functioning of the device.

The device is equipped with:

hex wrench;
pipe cutting scissors;
stand;
replaceable Teflon heating nozzles of different diameters.

The heating temperature can be adjusted from 0 to 300⁰С.

In order for the welding device to function for a long time and flawlessly, it is necessary:

for welding, choose a well-ventilated, dry room;
Make sure that water and oil do not come into contact with the device;
After completing the work, clean the components involved in the work from plastic and other dirt and place them in a special box.

If all operating rules are followed, the device will function efficiently for a long time.

Important! It is prohibited to independently change the welding design, since any “improvements” can lead to malfunctions and violation of safety rules, which is fraught with serious consequences.

Types of installation and fastenings

Mounted polypropylene pipes

Valtec metal-polymer and plastic pipes are installed independently. The work does not require special costs or labor intensity. Experience with a hacksaw, wrench and tape measure is enough.

All parts are securely fixed to each other using calibrators, which ensure the correct location of the joined elements.

Some parameters are taken into account:

displacement of the ends of parts during welding;
difference in wall thickness.

The calibrator is designed for calibrating pipes when installed in a pipeline system and for removing internal chamfers. Using this device, a smooth transition is made between pipe parts of different diameters. The tool is necessary for a quality installation.

Shut-off valves are installed to close and open the transported liquid. It also regulates power and flow. The parts have different modifications and a wide range of actions. They differ in appearance and throughput.

PP pipes do not bend; connecting fittings are used for this. They purchase elements from the same company to reduce the duration of work.

Products are cut to size, taking into account all angles and turns of the pipeline. To fasten two sections, heat the ends with a soldering iron and connect them with a fitting.

Fiberglass-reinforced pipes are stripped at the ends to remove the metal layer. This prevents the walls from delaminating. The ends are inserted into the fittings.