ASSESSING RISK OF FAILURE IN POLYETHYLENE WATER MAINS

Polyethylene potable water mains with an assumed minimum design life of 50 years have been in widespread use in the water industry for more than 30 years.

In the 1980s and 1990s Severn Trent Water in the UK buried two polyethylene pipe test beds in the Midlands. These two test beds near the pumping stations at Great Gates and Coopers Green, had all the pipe material analysed chemically and mechanically before installation. This was documented in several studies as well as the subsequent exhumations in the following years.

IRRIGATION FITTINGS

PLASSON’s range of poly pipe fittings can help you complete any irrigation project. PLASSON fittings are high quality, UV stablised and corrosion-free to deliver leak-free watering systems that last. Our metric compression fittings up to 63mm also feature captive O-rings which seal the instant the fitting goes on the pipe – which can save both time and water during install.

PLASSON’s unique captive O-rings and longer body design help you achieve long lasting, leak-free poly pipe joins, even in tough install conditions and in both hot and cold climates.

The metric compression fitting range offers reliable options for joining blue stripe poly pipe as well as lilac pipe for recycled water.

PLASSON’s Rural range has been specially engineered to join ag green stripe pipe. The innovative red barbed ends allow PLASSON Rural poly pipe joiners to connect both metric and imperial dimension pipe.

IRRIGATION FITTINGS THAT ARE SIMPLE YET SMART

PLASSON’s Quick Coupling Valve delivers easy control of pressurized water with a simple valve and key system.

This system can be installed almost anywhere with no power needed and no software required to make it work.  Just plug in the key, the valve is activated and water flows. Unplug the key, the valve closes and flow is switched off.

PLASSON also offers a lilac cap QVC for grey water and recycled water systems.

Increasingly, recycled water is now supplied to homes and businesses through purple pipes. These pipes supply water for flushing toilets, washing clothes and outdoor uses such as watering gardens in homes and businesses. The lilac cap QCV is designed to connect to recycled water supply to provide safe and secure connections for garden watering equipment, like sprinklers and hoses, as well as other irrigation tools.

PLASSON has always been a leading innovator – it was our technology that helped give the world the dual flush toilet cistern!

We are committed to providing a world-leading range of poly pipe joiners that deliver reliable. long-lasting PE pipelines.

PLASSON has always been a leading innovator – it was our technology that gave the world the dual flush toilet cistern!

We are committed to providing a world-leading range of poly pipe joiners that deliver reliable. long-lasting PE pipelines.

PLASSON products can be found in municipal water distribution systems, gas conveyance systems, industrial fluids transfer and wastewater systems and mines in over 80 countries around the world.

HOW TO JOIN POLY PIPE

When it comes to water, wastewater and gas pipelines, poly pipe (or polyethyene/PE as it is also known) is hard to beat. The flexible nature of polyethylene pipe allows it to be used in colder climates – where it will not crack – and in situations where rigid pipe would require multiple elbows to make complex turns.

Unlike other plastic piping, poly pipe connections do not use glue to solvent weld pieces together. Instead, specially designed fittings seal poly connections using compression – this is why they are sometimes known as compression fittings.

PLASSON has engineered a range of simple yet smart compression fittings to make joining poly pipe easy and reliable. All PLASSON poly pipe joiners feature a unique O-ring design that means the fitting will seal the moment it goes on the pipe – tightening the nuts on PLASSON compression fittings is only neccesary to hold the pipe in place and prevent blow outs.

This innovative design feature means PLASSON compression fittings are easy to install with a minimum of tools.

All PLASSON poly pipe joiners are corrosion-resistant and made of UV stablilised material for a long service life.

INSTALL GUIDE FOR PLASSON PLUMBING FITTINGS

HOW TO JOIN POLY PIPE OF DIFFERENT SIZES

PLASSON REDUCING FITTINGS CONNECT PIPE OF DIFFERENT DIAMETERS

metric compression reduing fittings for 20 mm 63mm 110mm

Metric compression reducing tees Plasson Australia 63mm
HOW TO CONNECT POLY, COPPER, STEEL AND PVC PIPE

PLASSON’s unique design delivers maximum flexibility including offering reliable, leak-free way to connect a number of pipe materials.

Any standard PLASSON fitting can easily adapt to connect several different pipe materials, pipe sizes and also be used as a threaded connection with the help of our handy range of conversion kits.

ENGINEERING AN  “O” SO RELIABLE FITTING


How PLASSON compression fittings work is a bit of a yarn that starts way back in 1896. Unless you are a trivia junkie, it will probably come as news that one of the most critical precision mechanical components ever developed was patented on May 12, 1896. That was when a Swedish patent for the O-ring was awarded to J.O. Lundberg.  Niels A. Christensen was granted a US patent for his O-ring design in 1937.


Like all good ideas, it came to the attention of some pretty big players.  The O-ring quickly became the standard seal for hydraulics in the military.  The top brass set out the standard sizes and basic design guidelines that remain in use today.


The humble O-ring delivers a reliable seal through compression and that is why PE pipe joiners that seal via O-rings are described as compression fittings.

PLASSON seals due to a simple solution


PLASSON took the original O-ring from 1896 and did something simple but clever with it.  By placing the O-ring into a special groove machined into the inside of each fitting, the PLASSON O-ring is always in the optimum position for sealing.


This innovative design means the fitting seals water-tight as soon as the pipe passes through the O-ring.  With PLASSON compression fittings, you only tighten the nut to prevent the pipe and fitting from moving apart, or blowing out, under pressure. The design also means the O-Ring can’t fall out and be damaged, contaminated or lost during installation.


The O-ring is a donut-shaped ring (technically, a toroid) with a circular cross section made from different elastomers.

PLASSON compression fittings can have Nitrile NBR O-rings or EPDM O-rings, which has a better chemical resistance than NBR, or Vitron seals, which offer better chemical resistance than EPDM.


The name Viton is a trademark and refers to fluorocarbon O-rings, or FKM/FPM for short. This material has an excellent tolerance for high temperatures, resistance to oils, fuels and hydraulic fluids as well as aromatics and solvents.


O-rings seal by mechanical deformation (caused by compression) which creates a barrier to a fluid’s potential leak path between two closely mated surfaces.


Applying fluid pressure pushes the O-ring against the groove wall on the low-pressure side, increasing the sealing force. At higher pressures, the O-ring deforms to a “D” shape, increasing the contact area further.

PLASSON METRIC COMPRESSION TEES FOR POLY PIPE


The range of PLASSON compression fittings includes small 16mm and popular residential plumbing fittings at 20mm, 25mm and 32mm right up to large 63mm couplers for civil water and waste water pipelines.


PLASSON compression fittings are easy to install – just take a look at our install video:

WHAT IS AN HDPE PIPE FITTING?


HDPE pipe fittings help connect HDPE pipe together. PLASSON fittings can join HDPE pipe in different ways: electrofusion fittings join pipe permanently through fusion; metric compression fittings seal through an internal O-ring being compressed to form a seal between the fitting and the pipe; and BSP threaded fittings join pipe through threaded connections.

There is a surprisingly vast range of poly pipe compression fittings. Even the most familiar options, like couplers, tees and elbows, have a range of reducing and connection options that can take some time to understand.


While pipe fittings or connectors attach one pipe to another in order to lengthen the run or change the flow direction in a plumbing system, there are also lots of clever fittings that do so much more to make plumbing life easier. They can combine, divert or reduce the flow of the water supply. They can monitor flow or stop it, reduce pressure and provide outlets for sampling. 


PLASSON compression fittings have a number of unique features that help deliver leak-free connections and reliable, long-life PE pipelines.

Compression fittings come in a range of standard sizes. PLASSON compression fittings start small for domestic plumbing at 16mm, 20mm, 25mm and 32mm and continue up to civil and industrial sizes like 40mm, 50mm, 63mm and right up there to above 1000mm.


All PLASSON compression fittings seal the instant they go on the pipe due to an innovative O-ring design.  The O-ring is held captive in the body of the fitting in a specially designed groove. This simple piece of engineering means the O-Ring can’t fall out, get contaminated or become easily damaged like other compression fittings.


While most have openings of the same size on each end, some fittings are designed with different-sized openings and serve as the transition from one size pipe to another. The following briefly explains some of the different PLASSON fittings, where and how they are used.


To see the full range of PLASSON metric compression poly pipe fittings click here…

PLASSON METRIC COMPRESSION TEES FOR POLY PIPE

Tee Fittings & Wye Fittings
Tees and wyes are used to connect three pieces of pipe. Tees can have one inlet and two outlets at 90-degree angles in the shape of a “T” and are used to split a supply line, or they can combine two lines into one outlet. You often see tee fittings connected to potable water supply lines. A wye is shaped like a “Y” with the two inlets coming together at roughly 45-degrees into a single outlet in drain applications.


Elbow Fittings
Elbows change the direction of flow between two pipes. Common elbows have 90-, 60-, 45- and 22 ½-degree bends and are used to make a turn. They can be joined together to move around obstructions in a pipe run.

Coupling & Adapter Fittings
Pipe couplers slip over the outside of two pipes to connect them. A coupling can be a reducer, or reducing coupling, meaning they reduce flow by joining a larger pipe to a smaller size. Adapters are used when connecting two pipes of different types. For example, an adapter could be fitted on the end of a plain pipe to allow a threaded connection at the other side of the adapter, or to connect poly pipe with another pipe material, like copper.

PLASSON OFFERS A RANGE OF METRIC COUPLING FITTINGS FOR PLUMBING

Bushing Fittings
Bushings, sometimes called reducer bushings, are used for connecting two pipes of different sizes. The larger diameter of the bushing fits inside of the larger pipe. The smaller pipe is then inserted into the smaller end of the bushing.

Flange Fittings
A flange is a flat, round fitting that creates a tight seal with bolts or clamps. They are used when pipes pass through walls, ceilings and floors. They are also used in electrofusion installations to connect valves to main lines.

Plasson Australia BSP threaded fittings range


Cap Fittings
A cap fits over the end of a pipe to stop the flow of water or gas. These fittings can be used for the permanent termination point of a pipe or used temporarily to cut off supply during a plumbing or pipeline project. 

Plug Fittings
Plugs used at the end of a pipe to seal the opening, similar to a cap. The difference is that a plug fits into the threaded pipe opening to make the seal while caps fit over the opening. They are commonly found at cleanout locations for sewer systems.

PLASSON METRIC COMPRESSION ADAPTORS FOR CONNECTING PE PIPE


Nipple Fittings
Nipples are short sections of pipe that are male-threaded at each end and used for connecting two female-threaded pipe ends or fittings.


Ag Pipe Fittings
Agricultural pipe is widely used for stock watering, water mains, irrigation systems and bore water reticulation. PLASSON rural couplings and clamp saddles are specially designed to connect imperial-size polyethylene pipes from ¾” to 2″. The range is compatible with PELD, PEHD, PE40, PE80 and PE100 pipes complying with AS/NZS 4130. PLASSON’s special red barbed inserts fit a range of pipe dimensions so that ag pipe can be easily connected without the need for any tools.

Rural Ag pipe couplings from Plasson Australia

The PLASSON range includes solutions for most plumbing situations. You can take a look at the catalogue for the full range here….

LEAK-FREE POLY PIPE JOINS

Poly pipe joiners are easy to use, they are long lasting and corrosion-resistant.  As with all pipe lines, joins mean there is a potential for leaks. But, by paying attention to key steps in the installation process, it is possible to achieve leak-free joins.

Incorrect installation
When pushing the plumbing fittings onto the pipe, ensure the pipe is fully inserted. If the fitting is only partially inserted onto the pipe it will not create a watertight seal.

When the pipe is traveling through the fitting you will feel some resistance. This can mean you think the pipe has been pushed all the way into the fitting.   

Making a witness mark will help show how far the pipe needs to be inserted in order to reach half way into the fitting.

Pipe issues

In order to seal tightly inside the fitting, pipe ends need a clean, straight cut. If the end is jagged or uneven, it will not create a watertight seal

If the tubing is cut on an angle, it is unlikely to seal and could also nick the O-ring

One way to avoid these issues is to cut pipe with a pipe cutter rather than a blade or saw

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