Ira Posted January 27, 2003 Report Share Posted January 27, 2003 Plastic pipe is also cheaper, doesn't corrode, lasts longer, etc. I'd say THOSE are the biggest reasons, instead of heat loss. If heat loss was a big concern the pipes would be wrapped with insulation whether they're plastic or copper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john1 Posted January 27, 2003 Report Share Posted January 27, 2003 Sorry Caryl Got carried away. I meant people in some countries. The area apund Melbourne is black. Because of the devastating bushfires around it. And to be precise, it was 44.1° The copper-pipes here in Australia which carry hot water, always have an insulating material around it. Less heat-loss. And here in Australia, normal plumbing, hot or cold water is alway made of copper. The only exception is a closed system, like a spa or swimming pool. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delta Posted January 27, 2003 Report Share Posted January 27, 2003 John, I'm in Australia, I just had a new hot water system put in. Previously I said I asked about this and was told that they only use black piping for all plumbing now, even hot. For sharp bends they use elbows etc, but generally it is bent onto shape. For new houses they run it through the frames before the internal wall cladding goes on. They don't use copper pipe much here if even at all. The confusion with the two threads about HWsystems is because I'm trying to see if I need to keep our old 50L disconnected HWsystem for a future fish room. :lol: Di Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john1 Posted February 2, 2003 Report Share Posted February 2, 2003 Hi Di Apparently, the pipes installed in new homes are plastic. And the color.... probably has to be black for identification. Grey is for electrical stuff outside or inside, orange goes underground. And maybe black now for the new watersystem. Copper does lose a lot of heat. That is the reason for copper in a car radiator. Copper gets rid of the heat quickly. You don't want that in a hotwater system. Therefore they have to be insulated. But now with the new plastic pipes, which I heard are already insulated, you don't have that problem. So there you go, I learned something new. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted February 2, 2003 Report Share Posted February 2, 2003 I watched a plumber installing some piping in my brother in laws house not long ago...All gray pipes, none were black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted February 3, 2003 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2003 Quite right Ira, Most new intallations use the "Grey" piping, which is Butyl, for intallation on hot and cold systems. Even the pneumatics companies now use this type of pipe for their main feed systems in preferance.to the old steel and copper. Copper is a thing of the past, except for certain installations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john1 Posted February 3, 2003 Report Share Posted February 3, 2003 Hi Ira I am talking here in Australia now. New houses can be installed with plastic or copper pipes. It depends on the builder. Now the new pipes are called Popy Butylene. The colours can be grey, yellow, purple, black.. and that depends on the manufacturer. And, according to a mate look similar to Pegasus's pneumatic hoses. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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