Question about Onda's Copper Pipe How 2
 

Onda's article is linked on the main page for those of you who havn't seen it.

Anyway, my question is this:

For those of you with experience in using the copper fittings and connectors, I have a question reguarding the 90 degree fittings.

I looked at the 90 degree compression fittings that Onda demonstrates today at Home Depot and noticed that the way they are drilled makes them pretty restrictive to flow. Compared to the 90 degree bends that require soldering, the compression fittings seem like they might really slow the flow down.

I was wondering if anyone has an opinion on these, and if my thoughts are correct, if anyone has a solution. Basically, I need to make a 90 degree turn right out of my pump, so I need something that has threads on one end, and if possible, a compression fitting on the other that doesn't appear so restrictive as the ones Onda showed.

I looked in Home Depot for about 30min at all the avaliable fittings and didn't seem to find what I am looking for. If anyone has any ideas where I might find a more "rounded" (like the solder 90 degree turns) 90 degree fitting that would have threads on the other end and some type of compression fitting, please let me know.

Thanks,
Jason

you could use a hose barb off the pump with a short piece of tube to a 90 degree soldered elbow.

that article was NOT about low flow restriction

you are correct re the 90^ ells, absolute flow killers
figure out how to fab one using the drawn copper soldered joint 90, or better yet, if it will fit use two 45s
(professional plumbing supply houses have a much larger selection than Home Depot)

and NEVER cut copper tubing with a tubing cutter as shown in the article
LOOK at the cut end, it is swedged down (the OD and ID reduced) and even worse it has a thin edge protruding into the flow

cut the tubing with a hacksaw and chamfer the ID edge (knock off the sharp corner)

details add up - particularly with a low-head pump

Hose barb with plastic tubing to a 90 degree rounded copper joint? I guess I'd have to goop the plastic tubing to the 90 degree joint.

I may do that, but I'd really like to stay with the shiney copper because its pretty. :)

Thanks for the input,
Jason

Sorry, I think you misunderstood me. I didn't mean to imply that in any way. I really liked the article. I was just trying to say that the 90 degree elbows he was showing seemed to me like flow killers. After reading that article, I'm driven to build a rig with copper tubes.

Thanks for the info. I'll check the plumbing supply stores.

Jason

That's why those pipe cutters usually have a triangular piece that swings out. (see it on the side)

.http://www.procooling.com/articles/a...Onda-Cu1-4.jpg

When you're done cutting the pipe, you're susposed to take that triangle piece, swing it out, put it in the pipe and give it a few turns. Which in turn, opens the pipe back up.

It's much quicker, easier, and just cleaner than a hack saw.

EDIT: BTW, if the tirange doesn't fit the pipe, you need a bigger tubing cutter.

check it out
indeed that will knock the edge off
but you've a lot of work ahead to bring the ID back to what it was

go ahead, actually measure the ID, cut, chamfer, and re-measure

I have just under 80 soldered joints in my system, and all the pipe was cut with a saw for this reason
(pipe, being harder, will deform less than tubing; the tubing is really terrible)

I don't get the problem with the ID... I can sit there and ream out the end of the pipe and make it bigger.... I see no big deal about using the cutter.

If you take you time with the pipe cutting tool and don't try and do it all in a couple of turns you won't deform the tubing/reduce it's ID/OD, you'll still have to remove the internal burr of course.

anyway if your pipe is still a snug fit into the 90 degree elbows then you can't have reduced the OD by anything signifigant.

Copper tubing and copper pipe are different animals. Pretty sure that was why Bill put this in his last post:

"(pipe, being harder, will deform less than tubing; the tubing is really terrible)"

yea sorry I should have called it tubing instead of pipe, tubing is what I use (comes in a coil), and that's what I was refering to.

A good tubing cutter with a "reamer"(the triangular piece) should cut the pipe in about 30 seconds and you will have the same ID as when it was uncut. No need to clamp down hard with the tubing cutter, start out with mild pressure and continue through the cut that way and it will minimize ID contraction.