Jul. 28, 2025
We have received many letters from readers asking some questions in the last couple of weeks, some of them look like 'fresher’, But some of their questions surprised us a little bit. In addition, we have also done research online to write this post, hoping to help readers or new buyers.
Goto Tongda to know more.
The electrical conduit is designed to protect wires because the wire is fragile, and there are will cause safety risks after damage. However, there are different sizes and names for different countries and markets, which makes it easy to confuse especially new buyers. In addition, the industry itself has a lot of professional vocabulary and certification standards. For new buyers, We strongly recommended you find a reliable supplier who can avoid many problems. For example, Ctube.
One more thing, we wrote a post for talked about conduit pipe & fittings type on the market last month. You can read the post here for the type of conduit & fittings and how it works.
Ok, let's get started.
Sunlight PVC pipe used for outdoor project purposes in general.
Well, there are many outdoor use scenarios, such as you need to run wires to your tool room, or install solar energy equipment. Because these wires and tubes need to be exposed to sunlight for a long time, and they are attacked by high temperatures, water, dust, and even temperature sharply drops at night, the performance of the wire and tube at low temperatures needs to be considered.
If you use an ordinary PVC electrical conduit, what will happen? The most common problems are yellowing, brittleness, and cracking of your wires tubes. This kind of line tube is usually white in color. Because they are NOT designed to be used as electrical conduits (usually for plumbing water pipes), they cannot protect your electrical wires under long-term exposure conditions.
From the perspective of product manufacturing, general electrical PVC wiring pipes, especially those with UV protection wiring pipes are generally in gray. And It has a different additive formula in the production process between ordinary PVC wiring pipes, so it is far superior to white PVC pipes in terms of UV protection.
In addition, there are differences in low temperature and waterproof performance. Specific data need to refer to the standards of each country. For example, you can check our Schedule 40 PVC pipe product page to get details for this.
No, you need to consider the US National Electrical Code requirement for all components of electrical installations need to be approved national test agency. So we do NOT recommend white PVC for electrical wiring pipes.
In addition, electrician wiring pipes are slightly different in formula and manufacturing process compared to water pipes. The thickness and diameter of electrical line pipes have strict industry standards, not just to unify one size. Electrician conduit can prevent overload and high current in an instant, also it has a higher fire rating. We even have low-smoke halogen-free ( LSZH Electrical PVC Conduit ) PVC pipe, the flame retardant grade is highest ( V0 grade fire rating, it will self-extinguished in 5 seconds after the cut off the fire sourcing ), and it can emit less smoke when burned compared with white PVC conduit avoid to release of toxic halogens to increase the survival rate of rescue operations. These are the test standards and content that ordinary drain pipes missing.
So for your safety, we do not recommend you to do this.
Firstly, we do not think the color is the first consideration in your purchase decision.
But in fact, color does represent the difference in product application to some extent. For example, the anti-UV conduit pipe we mentioned earlier.
So we take Schedule 40 and Schedule 80 PVC pipes as an example.
These two pipes are just a standard. The most critical parameter is thickness. Schedule 80 is much thicker than Schedule 40 PVC pipe, and Sch 80 pipe is gray or dark gray in general. Sch 40 PVC pipe is white compared with the same period, and the thickness is thinner than Sch 80 PVC pipe.
So it is obvious from the comparison of the two parameters. Schedule 40 PVC pipe can be considered for home improvement or indoor decoration, while Schedule 80 PVC pipe is much stronger, so it can be considered for outdoor projects.
From the manufacturer's view, PVC was originally a very stable raw material, and its color was white. The gray color is caused by the special formula additives dying in the later period. These additives greatly enhance the high-temperature resistance of PVC and make the current conductivity weaker, so it can withstand Shocking thousands of volts of instantaneous voltages.
Of course, the color is not the standard. The most important thing is to see the body printing of the tube to identify the purpose before buying. It is the most reliable.
Of course. The National Electrical Code requires all of the conduit connections must to be tight. As to the PVC conduit pipes, it means glue.
Using glue to glue electrical pipes is the same principle as we glue other things, and the DIY is not difficult.
As a manufacturer, we do our best to control the tolerance range of each wire pipe size and strive to ensure compliance with relevant international standards, such as UL651. But the actual situation is that in the case of invisible to the naked eye, even on the same production line, there will be certain tolerances for PVC line pipes produced at different periods, which is inevitable.
Then, there will be extremely tiny gaps between the pipe to pipe or fittings, and between the pipe and the fittings. The role of glue is to fill these gaps, so the water, cement, and dust can hardly enter the inside of the pipe through such gaps,
Moreover, the glue itself has the effect of adhesion, which can increase the strength of the joint, and it is not easy to fall off. Of course, the fundamental purpose of doing this is to protect the wires inside the line pipe from being easily affected by these impurities.
Pro Tips,
(1) Professional PVC glue must be used instead of ordinary glue. Because PVC glue has high adhesion strength and resistance to high & low temperatures, water, etc, all of these features not available of ordinary glue;
(2) Glue can be evenly applied to the connecting part of the male connector of the pipe, and the female connector can be applied a little bit. After coating, insert the male head into the female head, insert it in a slightly rotating manner and reach the right position to ensure that the glue is in full contact;
(3) It is best to use a small brush to apply the glue. It does not need to be applied too thickly, just a thin layer, otherwise, the glue will overflow.
(4) PVC glue usually takes 1-2 hours to fix, reaches the ready to use after 24 hours, and reaches the best adhesion strength after 48 hours.
First of all, in addition to the PVC electrical conduit and the electrical box, you also need to prepare an adaptor with locknut and PVC glue.
As for the installation method, so easy. The first step is to glue the pipe to the adaptor, remember to use glue, and your can reference our previous Pro Tips content about glue conduit pipes. The second step is to insert the threaded part of the adaptor into the electrical box, and then lock it with the locknut. Of course, you can also add a little glue to the locknut part, which is more firm and reliable, and it is also the simplest way of waterproofing.
Of course, if your electric box is integrated with fittings, then you can directly apply glue to the wire tube and insert it into the electrical box.
In addition, if the flexible pipe needs to be connected to the electrical box, you just follow the above steps, the only difference is you need to pick up another adaptor used for flexible pipe for the locking part is needed to fix the flex pipe end.
I believe you will know how to connect through the pictures.
6.Why can't PVC be recycled?
This is an incorrect question because PVC can be recycled, but the recycling cost is too high.
PVC, like other plastics, is often accompanied by many impurities after being eliminated and used, and it needs to be sorted before it can be recycled. The early physical recycling and burning recycling methods have been eliminated. The quality of the plastic materials recycled by the former is not good because it is difficult to sort. The latter is harmful to the environment because many harmful gases are released during the burn of PVC to pollute the environment. Therefore, at present, only chemical recycles methods can be used to do this. Chemical recycles can get higher quality recovery, but the cost is high.
BTW, the recent crazy increase in crude oil prices has greatly affected the prices of plastic raw materials, so recycling is a trend in the future.
Secondly, the quality of recycled PVC is not as good as that of brand new materials. So it can only be used for some low requirement applications, such as shoe soles, agricultural drainage pipes, and so on.
From the electrical PVC pipe industry, recycling has another meaning. What we call Recycling Materials usually means that after the first injection or extrusion, there may be some quality issues that may cause the product to be scrapped. To not waste raw materials, the process of mixing these raw materials back into use is called recycling. It has a different meaning from the recycled raw materials above and can be said to be the raw materials for the second processing.
Of course, what is described above is an ideal situation. If the raw materials are only circulated in the factory, it should be better. Some factories buy this kind of recycled materials and mix them with a certain proportion of brand-new materials, so you can't distinguish it in appearance, but its physical properties are much different from those made of 100% brand-new materials. This is why Ctube insists on using brand new materials during the 10+ Year production process. It can be said that we have never been complained by customers in this regard.
No, you can't. NEC general sets a minimum separation of 2 inches between communications and electric power cables. In addition, for security purposes, this is not a best practice.
There are 2 key points here. The first one is that the ethernet cable is a signal wire, and the current is weak, and there is a possibility that the signal will be interfered with by a strong current one. Then the performance of your network signal is unstable, there will be irregular interruptions or high data transmission delays, which will affect your experience.
The second one is the wire generally has a relatively large current and the temperature will be higher. If an accident occurs, the large current may directly cause an instant short circuit of the wire, and at the same time, it will be transmitted to the ethernet cable and affect your terminal equipment (such as routers), resulting in damage to your terminal equipment.
So we suggest that you need to run these two wires separately. Common power wires are installed through one pipe, while ethernet cables are installed through another pipe. And through accessories such as bend, they can be installed from two different positions. which can increase signal stability and safety.
This is a broad question because we don’t know exactly the purpose of the reader. So we only talk about our area. Yes, that’s an electrical conduit pipe.
Firstly is the material, we think PVC should be a smart choice. As we mentioned before, PVC material, especially the current high-quality raw materials can hold the instantaneous voltage shock of several thousand volts, and it has many advantages such as anti-rust, waterproof, and UV resistance.
Secondly is checking the parameters. Generally, household wires will have cable diameter data, and run the 2-3 ways is in one electrical conduit is no big problem. So you need to pay attention to inner diameter and thickness when buying the wire pipe. Generally speaking, the inner diameter of the purchased wire pipe must be larger than the sum of your wire diameters, and extra space can be reserved for future upgrades or replacements.
Finally, choosing a reliable brand is very important. Brands such as Charlotte Pipe or Carlos are more reliable in the US because they have many years of experience and relevant certification. We suggest that you can buy directly from their official channels or distributors. There are also customers asking whether we can buy on Amazon? We think that Amazon may be more professional in the field of e-commerce, but they do not understand and doing great about quality control of products such as electrical pipe, so we do not recommend buying on an e-commerce website such as Amazon.
Does an outdoor electrical wire need to be in a conduit?
Absolutely!
As we mentioned before, the wiring runs outdoor, it will not only be exposed to sunlight direct in a long-time, but also will be affected by factors such as low temperature at the night, water, dust, even wild animals.
If the wire is damaged, it will not only waste your time to repair it. Moreover, damaged wires may cause a safety accident, which is dangerous.
Some of our customers also told us that the wires they laid out would not be exposed to sunlight, but we mentioned that there are other reasons. We need to know that the insulation layer of the wire itself is thin, so it has the limited protective ability. So we still recommend installing electrical conduits.
Whether it is directly buried underground or run wires on the ground, you should place them in the wire tube to provide better protection for safety.
This question is not difficult to answer, just use the conduit fittings, such as bend or elbow.
We have seen that many construction workers use springs or hot air guns to bend pipes in the actual construction process, which is not the best practice. Let's take an example. You can take a bottle of Coke and pinch the middle of the plastic bottle with your hands. You will find that there is less Coke in the middle because they are under pressure and flow to both sides. The same is true for spring bending. The density of PVC electrical pipe is a fixed value. Even if you bend the pipe with spring, it looks no problem to the naked eye, but its strength has changed, just like the Coke bottle, the Coke becomes less already, so the strength of the wire pipe itself is reduced.
Therefore, this problem can be easily solved by using a bend or elbow with an angle of 45° or 90°, and you do not need to worry about the strength of the conduit pipe.
You can also refer to the Fittings Post we wrote earlier, or check our Fittings product page, you will have a clearer understanding of how they work.
That's it, thanks for your reading. You can contact us and leave your message to let us know what your problem is, we will reply to you shortly.
To be read in conjunction with AS/NZS and AS/NZS .2
Preparing the Pipes
Before installation, each pipe and fitting should be inspected to see that its bore is free from foreign matter and that its outside surface has no large scores or any other damage. The limit for allowable damage to the external surface away from the sealing surfaces is:
For pressure pipes, 10% of wall thickness up to a maximum of 1mm.
For non-pressure pipes, 10% of wall thickness. For sandwich construction pipes up to a maximum of the solid skin thickness.
Pipe ends should be checked to ensure that the spigots and sockets are free from damage. The limit for allowable damage to the sealing surfaces of rubber ring jointed pressure pipes
For rubber ring jointed pressure pipes, 0.5mm
For non-pressure pipes, nil when viewed without magnification.
Pipes of the required diameter and class should be identified and matched with their respective fittings and placed ready for installation.
Preparing the Trench
PVC pipe is likely to be damaged or deformed if its support by the ground on which it is laid is not made as uniform as possible. The trench bottom should be examined for irregularities and any hard projections removed.
Trench Widths
A trench should be as narrow as practical but adequate to allow space for working area and for jointing, compaction of the side support and inspection. It should be not less than 200 mm wider than the outside diameter of the pipe irrespective of soil condition.
Wide Trenches
For deep trenches where significant soil loading may occur, the trench should not exceed the widths given in the Table below without further investigation.
Table Recommended Trench Widths
Size DN Minimum Maximum (mm) (mm) 100 320 800 125 340 825 150 360 825 200 525 900 225 560 925 250 580 950 300 745 375 825
Unstable Conditions
Where a trench, during or after excavation, tends to collapse or cave in, it is considered unstable. If the trench is located, for instance, in a street or a narrow pathway and it is therefore impractical to widen the trench, support should be provided for the trench walls in the form of timber planks or other suitable shoring.
Alternatively, the trench should be widened until stability is reached. At this point, a smaller trench may then be excavated in the bottom of the trench to accept the pipe. In either case do not exceed the maximum trench width at the top of the pipe unless allowance has been made for the increased load.
Trench Depths
The recommended minimum trench depth is determined by the loads imposed on the pipe such as the mass of backfill material, the anticipated traffic loads and any other superimposed loads. The depth of the trench should be sufficient to prevent damage to the pipe when the anticipated loads are imposed upon it.
Minimum Cover
Trenches should be excavated to allow for the specified depth of bedding, the pipe diameter and the minimum recommended cover, overlay plus backfill, above the pipes. The Table below provides recommendations for minimum cover.
Minimum Cover
Loading Condition Cover, H (mm) Not subject to vehicular loading 300 Subject to vehicular loading –
(a) no carriageways;
(b) sealed carriageways;
(c) unsealed carriageways 450
600
750 Pipes in embankments or subject to construction equipment loading 750
The above cover requirements will provide adequate protection for all classes of pipe. Where it is necessary to use lower covers, several options are available.
Use a high quality granular backfill, e.g. crushed gravel or road base.
Use a higher class of pipe than required for normal pressure or other considerations.
Provide additional structural load bearing bridging over the trench. Temporary steel plates may be used in the case of construction loads.
Bedding Material
Preferred bedding materials are listed in AS/NZS .2 as follows:
Suitable sand, free from rock or other hard or sharp objects that would be retained on a 13.2 mm sieve.
Crushed rock or gravel of approved grading up to a maximum size of 14 mm.
The excavated material may provide a suitable pipe underlay if it is free from rock or hard matter and broken up so that it contains no soil lumps having any dimension greater than 75 mm which would prevent adequate compaction of the bedding.
Controlled low strength materials (CLSM).
The suitability of a material depends on its compatibility. Granular materials (gravel or sand) containing little or no fines, or specification graded materials, require less compactive effort, and are preferred. Sands containing fines, and clays are difficult to compact and should only be used where it can be demonstrated that appropriate compaction can be achieved.
Variations in the hard bed should never exceed 20% of the bedding depth. Absolute minimum underlay should be 75 mm. It may be necessary to provide a groove under each socket to ensure that even support along the pipe barrel is achieved.
Pipe Side Support and Overlay
Material selected for pipe side support should be adequately tamped in layers of not more than 150 mm. Care should be taken not to damage or distort the exposed pipe and to compact evenly on either side of the pipe to the TEPPFA or AS/NZS design level. The side support materials must be carefully placed around the haunches of the pipes to ensure that the pipes are evenly supported.
Unless otherwise specified, the pipe side support and pipe overlay material used should be identical with the pipe bedding material.
The pipe overlay material should be leveled and tamped in layers to a minimum height of 150 mm above the crown of the pipe. Care should be taken not to disturb the line or grade of the pipeline, where this is critical, by excessive tamping.
Detector tapes, or marker strips, should be laid on top of the overlay once a layer of 150mm soil has been compacted.
Trench Fill
Unless otherwise specified, excavated material from the site should constitute the trench fill.
For more Polyvinyl Chloride Insulated Cablesinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.
Gravel and sand can be compacted by vibratory methods and clays by tamping. This is best achieved when the soils are wet. If water flooding is used and extra soil has to be added to the original backfill, this should be done only when the flooded backfill is firm enough to walk on. When flooding the trench, care should be taken not to float the pipe.
PVC Pipes under Roads
PVC pipes can be installed under roads in either the longitudinal or transverse direction.
The type of rock / granular materials specified for road subgrades have a very high soil modulus and offer excellent side support for flexible pipes as well as minimising the effects of dead and live loads. This represents an ideal structural environment for PVC pipes.
Consideration should be given at the time of installation to ensure:
construction loadings are allowed for;
the pipes are buried at sufficient depth to ensure they are not disturbed during future realignments or regrading of the road; and
minimum depths of cover and compaction techniques are observed.
Pipeline Buoyancy
Pipe, under wet conditions, can become buoyant in the trench. PVC pipe, being lighter than most pipe materials, should be covered with sufficient overlay and backfill material to prevent inadvertent flotation and movement. A depth of cover over the pipe of 1.5 times the diameter is usually adequate.
Expansion and Contraction
Pipe will expand or contract if it is installed during very hot or very cold weather, so it is recommended that the final pipe connections be made when the temperature of the pipe has stabilised at a temperature close to that of the backfilled trench.
When the pipe has to be laid in hot weather, precautions should be taken to allow for the contraction of the line which will occur when it cools to its normal working temperature.
For solvent cemented systems, the lines should be free to move until a strong bond has been developed (see Solvent Cement Jointing Procedures) and installation procedure should ensure that contraction does not impose strain on newly made joints.
For rubber ring jointed pipes, if contraction accumulates over several lengths, pull-out of a joint can occur. To avoid this possibility the preferred technique is to back-fill each length, at least partially, as laying proceeds. (It may be required to leave joints exposed for test and inspection.)
It should be noted that rubber ring joint design allows for contraction to occur. Provided joints are made to the witness mark in the first instance, and contraction is taken up approximately evenly at each joint, there is no danger of loss of seal. A gap between witness mark and socket of up to 10 mm after contraction is quite acceptable.
Further contraction may be observed on pressurisation of the line (so-called Poisson contraction due to circumferential strain). Again, this is anticipated in joint design and is quite in order.
For further information and data concerning thermal expansion and contraction, see PVC Temperature Considerations.
Electrical Earthing
PVC piping is a non-conductive material and cannot be used for earthing electrical installations or for dissipating static charges. Local authorities, both water and electrical, should be consulted for their requirements.
Installing Pipes on a Curve
PVC pipes may be bent during laying to follow a curved path. The minimum bending radius is 300 times the outside diameter for pressure pipes and 150 times the outside diameter for non-pressure pipes.
When installing pipes on a curve, the pipe should be jointed straight and then laid to the curve. Bending of pipes is achieved in practice after each joint is made, by laterally loading the pipe by any convenient means, and fixing in place by compacted soil, or appropriate fixings above ground. The technique used depends on the size and class of pipe involved, as clearly the forces required to induce bending vary over a very large range. For buried lines in good soil, the compaction process can be used to induce bending as illustrated below. Bending aids, crowbars etc. must always be padded to prevent damage to pipes. Permanent point loads are not acceptable.
Significant bending moments should not be exerted on rubber ring joints, since this introduces undesirable stresses in the spigot and socket that may be detrimental to long term performance. To avoid this, reaction supports should be placed adjacent to the socket rather than on the sockets. For buried pipes this also allows the joint to be left open for inspection during testing. Because of this restriction, the length available for bending is less than the full length of the pipe. It is also not practicable to maintain a constant radius of curvature by application of point load forces. The calculations shown in the Table below are derived from beam theory and assume a 5m bending length for calculation of the deflection angle.
Solvent cement jointed pipes may be curved continuously, i.e., bending moments may be transmitted across the joints, but bending may be applied only after full curing, 24 hours for pressure and 48 hours for non-pressure joints. For solvent cement jointed pipelines, the angular deflection figures should be increased by 20%.
Maximum deflection angles, centre displacements and end offsets for 6m PVC pressure pipes
Nominal size Force applied at centre span Forces applied at quarter points DN Max. deflection angle Max. Displacement Max. end offset Max. deflection angle Max. Displacement Max. end offset deg mm mm deg mm mm Minimum radius of curvature/diameter ratio 300 Series 1 diameters 15 23 470 34 650 20 18 380 950 27 520 25 14 300 740 21 410 32 11 240 580 17 330 900 40 9.9 210 520 15 290 790 50 7.9 170 410 12 230 630 65 6.3 130 330 9.5 180 500 80 5.4 110 280 8.1 160 420 100 4.2 88 220 6.3 120 330 125 3.4 71 180 5.1 98 270 150 3 63 160 4.5 86 240 175 2.4 50 130 3.6 69 190 200 2.1 44 110 3.2 61 170 Series 2 diameters 100 3.9 82 200 5.9 110 310 150 2.7 56 140 4 78 210 200 2.1 43 110 3.1 59 160
Note: Beam theory is applicable to small deflections and figures for small bore pipes with centreline displacements greater than 5% of span should be treated as very approximate
Thrust Blocks
Underground PVC pipelines jointed with rubber ring joints require concrete thrust blocks to prevent movement of the pipeline when a pressure load is applied. In some circumstances, thrust support may also be advisable in solvent cement jointed systems. Uneven thrust will be present at most fittings. The thrust block transfers the load from the fitting, around which it is placed, to the larger bearing surface of the solid trench wall.
Construction of Thrust Blocks
Concrete should be placed around the fitting in a wedge shape with its widest part against the solid trench wall. Some forming may be necessary to achieve an adequate bearing area with a minimum of concrete. The concrete mix should be allowed to cure for seven days before pressurisation.
A thrust block should bear firmly against the side of the trench and to achieve this, it may be necessary to hand trim the trench side or hand excavate the trench wall to form a recess. The thrust acts through the centre line of the fitting and the thrust block should be constructed symmetrically about this centre line. See Thrust Support for design of thrust block size.
PVC pipes and fittings should be covered with a protective membrane of PVC, polyethylene or felt when adjacent to concrete so that they can move without being damaged. See Above Ground Installation for more information.
Pipelines on Steep Slopes
Two problems can occur when pipes are installed on steep slopes, i.e. slopes steeper than 20% (1:5).
The pipes may slide downhill so that the witness mark positioning is lost. It may be necessary to support each pipe with some cover during construction to prevent the pipe slipping.
The embedment material around the pipe may be scoured out by water movement in the trench. Clay stops, or sandbags should be placed at appropriate intervals above and below the pipe to stop erosion of the backfill.
Where bulkheads are used, one restraint per pipe length, placed adjacent to the socket, is considered sufficient for all slopes.
The main difference between CPVC and PVC is the range of temperatures each is capable of withstanding. CPVC can handle temperatures up to 200° Fahrenheit, while PVC peaks at 140° Fahrenheit. Above those temperatures, both CPVC and PVC will begin to soften, increasing the risk of joints and pipes failing, and therefore, failing of the plumbing system.
The primers, solvent cements, and bonding agents are different for PVC and CPVC due to the differences in the material's chemical composition. For example, CPVC solvent cements must meet ASTM F493 specifications, and PVC solvent cements must meet ASTM D specifications. Because of this, CPVC and PVC pipes and fittings, along with their solvents and bonding agents, should not be used interchangeably. In addition to meeting ASTM specifications, there are different solvent cements required based on the pipe’s size and intended application, so check the product containers to be sure you’re using the correct agent for the correct application.
PVC comes in nominal pipe sizes only, while CPVC is available in both nominal pipe sizes and copper tube sizes. CPVC has greater flexibility than PVC, and requires support at three foot intervals to maintain its position.
CharacteristicSchedule 40 PVCSchedule 80 PVCSchedule 40 CPVCSchedule 80 CPVC Cost $0.40 / ft. $0.52 / ft $2.50 / ft $3.02 / ft Color white, dark grey white, dark grey light grey, off-white, yellow light grey, off-white, yellow End Shape plain, bell plain, bell plain plain Working Max Pressure 450 PSI 630 PSI 450 PSI 630 PSI Tensile Strength PSI PSI PSI PSI Standard Length 10', 20' 10', 20' 10' 10' Sizing NPS NPS NPS, CTS NPS, CTS Max Temp 140° F 140° F 200° F 200° F Min Temp 33° F 33° F 33° F 33° F
Housing underground wires
Plumbing, drainage, and sewage infrastructure
Drinking and process water delivery and distribution
HVAC, fume, exhaust and ventilation duct
Agriculture, livestock and farm irrigation systems
Home irrigation and sprinkler systems
Home ventilation duct
Drinking water distribution
Residential plumbing, drainage, sewage infrastructure
Makeshift tents and shaded seated areas
Frames for greenhouses, carports, and raised garden beds
DIY projects and crafts
For more on what PVC and PVC pipe is used for, read our resource article What is PVC Used For.
PVC pipes are white or dark gray in color.
CPVC is off-white, light gray, or yellow in color.
Both pipe types have technical specifications printed on the side for easy verification.
Both pipe types are available in plain end and bell end.
Both come in Schedule 40 and Schedule 80 thickness.
Class 125 fittings.
Schedule 40 PVC also comes in
PVC is available in 10 ft and 20 ft lengths.
CPVC is available in 10 ft and 20 ft lengths.
available in 5 ft sections.
Certain diameters of PVC pipe and furniture PVC pipe are now
Both resist corrosion and degradation from chemicals classified as an acid, alkali, or inorganic material.
PVC
maximum
functional temperature is 140° Fahrenheit.
CPVC maximum functional temperature is 200° Fahrenheit.
The extra chlorine in CPVC increases chemical strength and helps prevent bacteria / biofilm formation within the pipes.
Both are impact-resistant and durable.
Both are safe for use with potable water when ANSI / NSF 61 certified.
When PVC or CPVC is heated, melted, or hot-cut, fumes that are toxic (dioxin and hydrochloride) are emitted.
When working with PVC or CPVC, work in a well-ventilated area with proper safety apparel, including gloves, goggles and a respirator if available.
primer and solvent cement (pipe glue) designed specifically to be used with PVC or CPVC. The type of solvent cement may vary based on the pipe's intended application.
For solvent welding, each material requires a(pipe glue) designed specifically to be used with PVC or CPVC. The type of solvent cement may vary based on the pipe's intended application.
PVC is less expensive than CPVC, and both materials are cheaper than copper, iron or stainless steel pipes.
PVC pipes are sized by the nominal pipe size (NPS) sizing standard (NPS references the pipe interior diameter).
CVPC pipes are sized by the nominal pipe size (NPS) and copper tube size (CTS) sizing standard (CTS references the pipe outside diameter).
Commonly used to create plumbing pipes and fittings, polyvinyl chloride is a man-made plastic with added stabilizers that prevent oxidation and degradation. As seen in the image below, PVC’s chemical composition is made of two carbon atoms linked together with a perimeter of three hydrogen atoms and one chlorine atom, all attached by single bonds. This individual molecule unit (a monomer) is then further linked together with other molecules of the exact same structure to form chains (a polymer) that are extruded as PVC to form PVC products like pipe.
Polyvinyl Chloride Molecule
Polyvinyl Chloride Resin Code
Initially introduced to the US sewage, drainage, and water market in the ’s, there are now more than two million miles of PVC pipe in service today. PVC is engineered to resist oxidation and degradation, making PVC products and pipework highly durable. When properly installed, PVC pipes are capable of a lifespan of 50 years or longer. Reasons PVC may fail include: poorly glued joints or tree roots displacing underground lines or burrowing their way into the pipe itself.
For more on what is PVC, the characteristics and properties of the plastic, read our resource article What is PVC | What is uPVC.
The color of PVC pipe is traditionally white or dark gray, with a technical description of the pipe printed on the side. PVC is available in both rigid form (also known as uPVC: commonly used in construction and piping applications) and flexible form (plasticized PVC, known simply as PVC: found in electrical cable insulation). Both forms of PVC are safe to touch and handle, and do not leach chemicals when used as the manufacturer intended.
PVC can be cut with saws and glued to other PVC pipes and fittings without the need for heat or flame, such as is necessary to weld copper or iron pipes. For some applications you may determine a need to heat the pipe to make it more pliable -- be sure to wear protective gloves, respirator, and safety glasses to prevent burns and exposure to fumes. When PVC discolors under heat, it is burning and all work should cease immediately and be modified to prevent excessive toxins from becoming airborne.
PVC has a peak temperature threshold of 140° Fahrenheit. For applications requiring temperatures above that, CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride) is recommended. CPVC offers some benefits over PVC, but at a slightly higher price point.
Approved PVC pipe uses depend on the application and local building codes. While both PVC and CPVC are suitable for water, gas, and drainage systems, many plumbers strongly recommend CPVC for hot water lines and PVC for cold water lines. Since PVC has a maximum temperature threshold of 140° Fahrenheit, its use isn’t recommended in applications where the temperature of the fluids it will carry or its ambient environment will regularly approach, remain constant at or go above that peak temperature. CPVC would be recommended in these situations since its peak temperature threshold is 200° Fahrenheit. You may be surprised to learn that household water temperatures are not supposed to go above 140° Fahrenheit:
Consumer Product Safety Commission, water heaters may be set to 140° Fahrenheit, but should deliver water at 120° Fahrenheit to prevent scalding and burns in showers.
Per the, water heaters may be set to 140° Fahrenheit, but should deliver water at 120° Fahrenheit to prevent scalding and burns in showers.
Dishwashers work best at temperatures at or below 140° degrees Fahrenheit.
Per the National Spa and Pool Institute, hot tubs are now designed to heat up to a maximum of 104° Fahrenheit.
Washing machine temperatures peak at 140° Fahrenheit.
CPVC is a thermoplastic made by further chlorination of the polyvinyl chloride resin. This means its chemical composition is two carbon atoms bonded to each other with two hydrogen atoms and two chlorine atoms bonded to this double carbon unit. This molecule links with others to form polymer chains of CPVC. CPVC delivers superior resistance to degradation and provides a long service lifespan. In fact, the first piping systems using CPVC occurred in and are still working without a problem.
For more on what is CPVC, its characteristics, properties and common uses, read our resource article What is CPVC.
CPVC pipes are sized in two ways -- nominal pipe size (NPS references the diameter of the interior hole of the pipe) and copper tube size (CTS references the outside diameter of the tube). Often, pipes using the NPS system are light gray, and pipes using CTS system are yellow. Both types of pipe will have their specifications printed on the side.
It is safe to use CPVC in applications where PVC may be used. Both PVC and CPVC have been deemed safe for potable water transport, i.e. cooking, drinking, and bathing water, but only plumbing that has received ANSI / NSF 61 certification should be used. CPVC and PVC both offer significant chemical resistance and are largely resistant to degradation from acid, alkali, and most inorganic chemicals. However, both materials require UV stabilizers or underground installation to prevent deterioration from the sun.
CPVC and PVC are both a quieter, easier to install, and less expensive alternative to copper and iron pipes, especially in plumbing applications. Because they are thermoplastics, they have an inherent insulation that reduces condensation formation on the pipes and maintains both cold and hot water temperature better than copper pipes do.
They are available in the same lengths, with the same end shape options. Because their chemical composition contains a halogen -- the element chlorine -- their structure is stable and innately fire retardant. This stability also inhibits oxidation reactions, resulting in giving both PVC and CPVC a long, useful performance life. Each material can often be identified by pipe color and, if not, by reading the manufacturer printing located on the side of the pipe.
Budget-friendly, temperatures under 140° Fahrenheit, most suitable for recreational applications, residential construction, DIY projects and cold water distribution. Looking for PVC pipe for sale or to compare prices?
Superior resistance and performance, temperatures under 200° Fahrenheit, most suitable for commercial applications, chemical handling and hot water distribution. Looking for CPVC pipe for sale or to compare prices?
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Control Cable.
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