Cooper pipe bending limits

So I'm installing 1/2 and 3/4 copper water pipe, city water, ~60psi. Question - how much can you safely bend the pipe without risk of future failure?

Reply to
Zootal
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Zootal wrote in news:Xns9D1AE937BE973nospamspamzootalnosp@216.196.97.131:

247 degrees.
Reply to
Stepfann King

Is it hard or soft copper pipe?

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

On 2/10/2010 12:24 AM Stepfann King spake thus:

Nah, you're all mixed up; that's the maximum *temperature* of water you can run through the pipes.

Reply to
David Nebenzahl

More important is the type of bender you use. Depending on the radius, it can go 180 degrees. A slight kink though, can cause damage to the wall and failure.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Copper pipe comes in hardness grades. K, L, and M. K copper (it's been years since I needed to know this) is soft, and comes on rolls. L, and M are rigid and should not be bent if possible.

Of course, the goal is to bend it as little as possible.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

David Nebenzahl wrote in news:4b726eaa$0$4621$ snipped-for-privacy@news.adtechcomputers.com:

Better keep it pressurized. Under "normal" conditions water at 247F (or C, or even R) would be steam.

Ever had a good steam burn?

Reply to
Han

Oh man, does that mean I need to unwind my coils? Mike :-)

Reply to
amdx

Question for you: why do you think you *need* to bend it?

Reply to
Doug Miller

snipped-for-privacy@milmac.com (Doug Miller) wrote in news:hku90j$5as$ snipped-for-privacy@news.eternal-september.org:

Maybe it was a rhetorical question?

Reply to
Han

I have a tendency to use refrigeration grade soft copper for everything because I can bend it and form my own fittings with the tools I have. I rarely purchase couplings or elbows since I can make my own.

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

Silly that's the maximum velocity of the water..

Reply to
George

*Several years ago I worked on a job with an old timer plumber who mostly bent his copper pipe instead of using elbows. He told me that there is one grade of pipe that is used for bending, but not all plumbing supply's carried it. He also had the proper benders for copper pipe. I don't remember what the pipe was called.
Reply to
John Grabowski

Kids today, pfft. When I was a boy, we didn't have hot water, so we had to bathe with the end of a steam nozzle me old man diverted from the boiler. Sure it'd turn you red and remove some skin, but you sure did get clean!

Jon

Reply to
Jon Danniken

On Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:53:56 -0500, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote Re Re: Cooper pipe bending limits:

One correct answer out of 10. Excellent for this NG.

Reply to
Caesar Romano

As little as possible. Use ELs to change direction.

Reply to
Jeff The Drunk

I've done that. Someone ran 3/8 soft copper under my trailer, for the water line. The copper rubbed through at some point, and started spraying. Find out that 1/2 OD refrigeration works well. Silver braze works, too.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Most likely "K copper".

K with you?

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

K, L and M are wall thickness grades (like sch. 80, 40, 20) and have nothing to do with hardness. Both soft copper and hard copper are available in the different grades.

Refrigeration grade tubing is yet another thing, and mostly refers to the fact that the tubing has been cleaned and capped to keep out contamination that could damage refrigeration equipment with small orifices, etc. Plumbing grade tubing isn't cleaned and capped since water pipes can be readily flushed of impurities. Refrigeration grade tubing is also specified by it's outside diameter vs. plumbing which is specified by nominal ID.

Reply to
Pete C.

If bending is that much of a concern, why not just use PEX? You'll get the job done in less time, too.

Joe

Reply to
Joe

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