# CPVC fittings Breaking



## DRMATT (Feb 5, 2012)

I have had so many 1" and 2" CPVC fittings just crack on a hydronic system we are testing. The system has water circulating but no pressure and temps below 120F. The 90's, male adapters, couplings crack? Any suggestions?


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

Tear that crap out and put in copper, that's your only solution.


This site is for plumbing professionals


sent from the jobsite porta-potty


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## Evelse (Feb 2, 2012)

I'm sure everyone has an opinion on CPVC. I agree with Mississippi on this. CPVC is junk. It gets brittle after time. It cracks easily. Just horrible to work with. I've always had personal issues with gluing water lines as well. And if you're having problems with it than you already have your answer right in front of you.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Hydronic heating system plumbed with CPVC? I don't get it. :wacko:


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

plbgbiz said:


> Hydronic heating system plumbed with CPVC? I don't get it. :wacko:


Neither do I.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

DRMATT said:


> I have had so many 1" and 2" CPVC fittings just crack on a hydronic system we are testing. The system has water circulating but no pressure and temps below 120F. The 90's, male adapters, couplings crack? Any suggestions?


 






What other chemicals are coming in contact with the CPVC? There is a list as long as your arm of chemicals that cannot come in contact with CPVC.


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

I think the op should post an intro first.

sent from the jobsite porta-potty


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

http://www.lubrizol.com/BuildingSolutions/ChemicalCompatibility/incompatible.html


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## SHAUN C (Feb 16, 2011)

We always pipe boilers with cpvc, doesn't everybody?


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## ZL700 (Dec 8, 2009)

It is very common in commercial work to pipe closed-loop low temp and water-source heat pump systems with Sch 80 CPVC. The boilers inject heat into closed loops for perimeter heat fan coils or raise loop temp during water-source heat pumps in heat mode. Likewise during cooling modes the evaporative cooling towers shed the heat from the closed loops outside.

Lack of swing joints and expansion fittings will cause this though. 

Just taking a stab here I don't think he's talking about flow-gold residential CPVC here.


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## seanny deep (Jan 28, 2012)

I Have never installed cpvc " excepte blazemaster sprinkler pipe" in my life and i would never use it for hydronics or potable Its garbage ive never even seen it for sale in canada the idea of solvent welding potable water seems like Not such à great idea. Although i Have done So with schedule 40 & sch 80 pvc " well houses ect.." seanny


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

SHAUN C said:


> We always pipe boilers with cpvc, doesn't everybody?


ABS seems to hold up better


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## Greenguy (Jan 22, 2011)

Only thing I see CPVC used for is cable runs under ground for sparky's or venting my systems under the S636 guidelines. Like OS said much prefer ABS, unless it's going to be exposed then it's Sched 40 PVC. Around here I see mostly copper, pex, or victaulic used for heating.


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## U666A (Dec 11, 2010)

The only time I have ever actually seen CPVC was when I worked for a local hardware store early in my apprenticeship.

In the year or so I worked in the plumbing department (I know, I know ) I don't recall EVER selling a single stick, fitting or can of cement, EVER!

To be perfectly transparent, at the time, I really had no idea what applications would call for it, and I suppose I still don't.

It's something that just isn't used around here, so I cannot generate an informed opinion on the subject.

The following user wishes to thank U666A for this useful post: Mississippiplum


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*CPVC is DIRT CHEAP*

they should never use the stuff for something like a boiler
its bound to get brittle very quickly with expansion and contraction and the temps going through the pipe



*we use miles of cpvc ...* 3/4 is only about 48 cents a foot..
the fittings are only about 25 cents for an elbow and
about 40 cents for a 3/4 male adaptor..

its much cheaper than copper.. at about 30 bucks for 10 foot.
and about 2 bucks for a 3/4 male adaptor

*CPVC is dog crap* :yes:, and the only application that the stuff 
should be used is for the T+P drain pipe going down to the 
floor drain on water heaters... for that job it works great..

I can save up to 15 bucks on a heater when useing CPVC
over type M copper depending on how far I need to run the
pipe

you got to know where you can cut corners,
and when not to:thumbup:


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## Tim`s Plumbing (Jan 17, 2012)

*cpvc*



ZL700 said:


> It is very common in commercial work to pipe closed-loop low temp and water-source heat pump systems with Sch 80 CPVC. The boilers inject heat into closed loops for perimeter heat fan coils or raise loop temp during water-source heat pumps in heat mode. Likewise during cooling modes the evaporative cooling towers shed the heat from the closed loops outside.
> 
> Lack of swing joints and expansion fittings will cause this though.
> 
> Just taking a stab here I don't think he's talking about flow-gold residential CPVC here.


 
I agree I did a YMCA and all the piping on the loop out of the heat exchanger for the swimming pool heater where CPVC sch 80.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

ZL700 said:


> It is very common in commercial work to pipe closed-loop low temp and water-source heat pump systems with Sch 80 CPVC. The boilers inject heat into closed loops for perimeter heat fan coils or raise loop temp during water-source heat pumps in heat mode. Likewise during cooling modes the evaporative cooling towers shed the heat from the closed loops outside.
> 
> Lack of swing joints and expansion fittings will cause this though.
> 
> Just taking a stab here I don't think he's talking about flow-gold residential CPVC here.


Good to know ZL. Not being a wet head, I would have never thought about it. Sounds like a far cry from flow-gold.


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## DRMATT (Feb 5, 2012)

*CPVC fittings cracking*

It's not the pipe it's just the fittings. Low temp water, no pressure. This is a beta test system that circulates chilled water, hot water (125F) to a hydronic coil. We are trying different types of piping (i.e PEX, PVC, CPVC, copper). What is baffling is there is no chemicals to cause the fitting to break down. Just pure water. CPVC fitting are the only thing that has failed in about one year. We are not going to use CPVC anymore just wondering why they crack without any vibration, chemicals, or extreme temperature waters? By the way I'm an HVAC contractor for 32 years. I have contacted the factory who makes this CPVC and they are sending a rep to gather the fittings. We'll see what they make of the cracked fitting. Thanks for your input.


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## jeffreyplumber (Dec 7, 2009)

Well you dont seem to be getting much help other than tear that crap out and put copper in. It would be good to understand it on a higher level than that.
How about expansion and contraction due to temp changes 125 degree isnt that hot but how cold does it get?
Im not the biggest fan of cpvc but Its used a lot . I know Disney built a big timeshare hotel in anaheim with sch 80 hot and cold cpvc through out. 
All of us have our own experiances in this field but we each have a small amount of experiance with a product because I may have plumbed a few hundred houses using a product is not always enough to condem it in all uses. Also there are bad batches of material. Another problem I can go to a job and just because I think the material is **** doesent mean I get to do a complete re pipe .


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## Evelse (Feb 2, 2012)

jeffreyplumber said:


> Well you dont seem to be getting much help other than tear that crap out and put copper in. It would be good to understand it on a higher level than that.
> How about expansion and contraction due to temp changes 125 degree isnt that hot but how cold does it get?
> Im not the biggest fan of cpvc but Its used a lot . I know Disney built a big timeshare hotel in anaheim with sch 80 hot and cold cpvc through out.
> All of us have our own experiances in this field but we each have a small amount of experiance with a product because I may have plumbed a few hundred houses using a product is not always enough to condem it in all uses. Also there are bad batches of material. Another problem I can go to a job and just because I think the material is **** doesent mean I get to do a complete re pipe .


Yes you are right. A complete tear out is almost never an option. More than likely he'll have to make the repairs as best as possible. Whenever that happens it's always a good idea to make it very clear to the customer that this will most likely continue to be an issue unless more is done. I personally always jump on replacing CPVC as a solution but that rarely happens.


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