Copper Pipe
#1
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Copper Pipe
I know there are two different styles of pipe, one used for water and another used for heating.Could you please tell me the two types and there identification.
Thanks
Doug
Thanks
Doug
#2
There is soft and hard copper. Hard copper goes from M (thin wall) to L(thicker wall) to K(very thick wall). The outer dimension are always the same so that they can use the same fittings. There is also copper for refridgeration which is a different animal altogether.
For heating purposes M is fine. Heating is lower pressure and it also should be low velocity if it is designed properly. The thinner wall allow the water to more easily flow within the pipe since the internal dimension is larger. You shouldn't need thick walled copper tubing for heating. In fact the tubing in copper fin-tube convectors / hot water baseboards is about half as thick as M. Soft copper has the advantage that it can be easily bent to shape, but the thinnest you can buy is L.
For heating purposes M is fine. Heating is lower pressure and it also should be low velocity if it is designed properly. The thinner wall allow the water to more easily flow within the pipe since the internal dimension is larger. You shouldn't need thick walled copper tubing for heating. In fact the tubing in copper fin-tube convectors / hot water baseboards is about half as thick as M. Soft copper has the advantage that it can be easily bent to shape, but the thinnest you can buy is L.