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HVACR316 - Piping

Copper Tubing and Fittings

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Tubing & Fittings

• No matter what piping material is used in the installation of an air conditioning or refrigeration system, there will be places where the piping arrangement will need to make bends or turns around obstructions, or be connected to other system components.

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Tubing & Fittings

• A variety of fittings (in various materials, such as copper, black steel, galvanized steel, PVC, and ABS) are available to make these turns and connections possible.

• It may be necessary to connect a threaded section of piping material to another threaded section of piping or to a section of pipe that is not threaded.

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Fittings

• The most commonly used pipe fittings include the following:− 90 and 45 degree elbows of different types − Female and male adapters − Unions, couplings, and tees− Caps and Plugs.

• See the following pages for descriptions of these types of fittings.

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Fittings

• 90 degree elbows – Used to join two sections of the same size pipe at a 90 degree angle.

• The diameter of the female ends of the fitting is larger than the pipes, to accommodate the pipe sections.

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Fittings

• 90 degree reducing elbows – Used to join two sections of different size pipe at a 90 degree angle.

• 45 degree elbows – Used to join two sections of the same size pipe at 45 degree angle.

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Fittings

• 90 degree street elbows – Used to make a 90 degree bend in a piping circuit. One end of the fitting is female to accept a section of piping material, while the other end is the same size as the piping material itself.

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Fittings

• 45 degree street elbows – Used to make a 45 degree bend in a piping circuit. One end of the fitting is female to accept a section of the piping material, while the other end is the same size as the piping material itself.

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Fittings

• Female adapters – In the HVAC industry, the most common female adapter joins a male threaded pipe section to a section of copper pipe or tubing. The female adapter screws onto the male pipe, providing a means by which a copper pipe can be connected to the circuit.

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Fittings

• Male adapters – In the HVAC industry, the most common male adapter connects a female threaded fitting to a section of copper pipe or tubing. The male adapter screws into the female thread, providing a means by which a copper pipe can be connected to the circuit.

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Fittings

• Unions – Three-piece components used to connect two sections of similar pipe that may need to be disconnected in the future. Unions are also commonly used to repair existing piping circuits.

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Fittings

• Couplings – Similar to unions, couplings are used to connect two sections of the same size pipe.

• The main difference between the unions and couplings is that couplings permanently join the two sections.

Standard Coupling

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Fittings

• Reducer couplings – Used to connect two sections of pipe that are not the same size.

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Fittings

• Tees – Used to connect three sections of piping material. The three sections may or may not be the same size. Tees come in standard and reducing types.

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Fittings

• Caps – Used to terminate a pipe in the circuit. The cap fits over the outside of the fitting.

• Plugs – Used to terminate a pipe in the circuit. The plug is typically made with a male thread and fits inside a fitting with a female thread.