The American is a universal and indispensable device that is used in domestic and industrial construction of pipelines of various configurations. Almost all craftsmen have to face the need to create a quick-release connection on a line to replace a section of it, insert an insert, or clean it. Thanks to this useful invention, plumbers have at their disposal a variety of practical fittings for American plumbing, allowing them to do the job quickly and efficiently.
What is “American”: why is it called that and what is it used for
The “American” connection owes its name to the country where the technology for threaded connections of materials of different sections and compositions was developed. GOST USA The American thread standard does not coincide with the standards in force in Europe and Asia. But quite often there is a need to create a unified system of pipes and plumbing fixtures of different origins. In order to adapt their products to the standards of importing countries, American designers came up with a technology for quick and reliable joining of plastic, copper and steel pipes.
American couplings are used to perform the following tasks:
- inserts into the system of tees, taps and other devices;
- replacing the damaged section of the highway;
- installation without the use of electric and gas welding.
To understand what an American is, it is necessary to consider the design features of this category of fittings, study their properties, advantages and scope of application.
Why are shut-off and control devices needed?
More recently, batteries were connected to the rest of the heating system without any additional elements. Today, the installation of almost every radiator automatically involves the installation of taps. The reason for such changes is related to savings and the possibility of unplanned situations.
If the seal of the radiator is broken, it leaks, or becomes clogged, you can simply turn the valve, blocking the access of water, and remove the battery for repair or cleaning. To do this, you don’t even have to drain the water from the entire system. Such taps are called shut-off taps. They are installed on pipes through which fluid is supplied and discharged. In open mode, they do not interfere with the free flow of water, but in closed mode, they completely block its supply.
Shut-off valves for radiator
The tap is necessary to remove air accumulated in the heating system. Usually it is called "Maevsky".
Some taps allow you to adjust the heating temperature of the heating system. With their help, you can save on heating by lowering the heating temperature of the radiators or turning them off if it’s warm outside. This is true for both private houses and apartment buildings.
What types of fittings are there?
The assembly of water supply, heating and gas pipelines requires the presence of many branches, branches and intermediate devices. At the same time, it is necessary to provide connection options for heated towel rails, toilet tanks, radiators and many other devices.
The detachable connection of pipes must be tight, strong and durable.
Particular attention is paid to the aesthetic side of the issue. To achieve these goals, various types of American women are used.
Gusset
It is used at the joints of pipeline sections at a certain angle. If earlier adapters were welded into the system, now this need has disappeared. American corners have different diameters and degrees of bending. Products available for sale are curved at angles of 45º, 60º, 90º and 135º.
The main advantage of such fittings is that the transition from one direction to another is smooth. The connection with the union nut ensures a tight fit of the joints and optimal pressure on the rubber gaskets. At any time, it is possible to remove the fitting for inspection or cleaning of the line.
coupling
The combined detachable coupling is used to connect straight sections of the main line. American inch thread allows joining of pipes made of PVC, non-ferrous and ferrous metal.
Despite the simple-looking device, these fittings are capable of ensuring tight joints throughout the entire period of operation of the system. An undoubted advantage of using a coupling is the ability to unscrew and remove it. The product is reusable and can be used many times without loss of quality characteristics.
Cranes
Ball valves have become a successful and worthy replacement for valves, which were previously used everywhere. Installing an American faucet, what does it give? This question arises due to the high cost of this product in comparison with standard squeegees. The stainless steel body and brass inserts are durable, corrosion-resistant and reliable. The absence of rubber and silicone gaskets eliminates abrasion and premature failure of fittings.
Ball valves are installed under sinks, waste tanks, water heaters, at the entrance of the main line to the apartment, in front of heating radiators.
Other types of American
When repairing pipelines, you may need removable tees, crosses and plugs. You can complete installation tasks without the use of welding, soldering and thread cutting tools using American fittings. Connectors have different configurations, sizes and materials of manufacture. For joining, fittings with one or another connection option are used.
Joining of metal components
Metal pipelines for various purposes are still widely used in plumbing. Therefore, the installation of metal pipes is widely used in a wide variety of options.
For simple joining, you need to cut threads at the ends of the assembled elements using a standard thread-cutting tool. The American thread is screwed onto the prepared ends, and the threads need to be sealed by winding FUM tape or strands of flax fiber.
The final connection is made by tightening the nut and installing the gasket. When reusing the connecting assembly, the gasket must be replaced. The joint turns out to be reliable and repairable. What are the American types for metal components:
- direct connection of metal pipes;
- installation is carried out at right angles, as well as at angles of 30 and 45 degrees;
- installation of cantilever elements of a water supply system with a pipe, such as taps, mixers, air vents;
- threaded connection for changing to another diameter;
Connecting pipes using an American allows you to get a sealed joint in pipelines of any configuration.
Types of threaded connections and options for connecting to a pipe
Novice plumbers are interested in what American fittings are available for connecting pipes. Quite a lot of them have been developed to solve any issue when laying or repairing pipelines. Let's dwell on what kind of fittings and fittings there are, the shape and cross-section of products.
Cone and flat
The American cone is rightfully considered the most reliable, dense and durable device for joining materials of the same and different configurations. The conical connection assumes the absence of gasket material. Contact density is achieved by tightly pressing the joints being connected.
Experts recommend using sealing tape when installing an American brass straight coupling to prevent even the slightest chance of leakage. Cone fittings are usually installed in heating and hot water supply systems, as these products are resistant to high temperatures.
Flat fittings use a flange nut on the flange and a flat gasket to provide a seal. It is easy to install cylindrical inserts; you can use gas wrenches for this. The disadvantage is that the gasket decreases in size over time, changes shape and begins to leak water.
It is not recommended to hide such varieties of Americana in walls or under decoration. A leak will definitely occur, it’s a matter of time.
With threaded fitting
A similar device with external thread allows you to join polypropylene pipes without welding. In some cases, the distance between the wall and the connection point is so small that the issue can only be resolved by installing an American fitting with a threaded fitting. For work it is necessary to use special tools with a fixed application of force.
With internal thread
When working with steel and brass pipelines, durable and reliable fittings with internal threads are used. The use of plastic in such joints is not recommended.
The tubes are pre-carved to match the American style.
To do this, there is no need to dismantle or cut off part of the system. After this, no matter how many inches the internal thread is, the union nut is screwed onto the pipeline.
Cone or flat?
Conical “American” ones, supplemented with a rubber seal, ensure tightness due to internal pressure; in this case, the union nut can even be tightened by hand. As for flat seal options, it will be necessary to ensure the required contact pressure.
Mandatory tightness of the connection can be ensured by either a conical “American” or a flat one. At the same time, flat ones make it easy to change gaskets, which are not in short supply. And for conical ones, special gaskets with a non-standard size are needed. In turn, conical ones without gaskets should not be chosen, since to create a tight connection, you need to tighten the nut very tightly, which is unacceptable if the pipes are, for example, plastic.
Materials
American fittings are made from materials that have different strength, resistance to temperature changes and corrosion. Each pipeline has its own characteristics, for which its own version of connections and inserts is selected.
Steel (stainless)
Stainless steel products are characterized by high strength, ease of use and long service life. They do not change their appearance throughout the entire service.
The cost of steel weld fittings is in the average range, which makes them popular among amateurs and professionals.
Galvanized
They belong to the budget category of goods of this class. The availability of products attracts craftsmen when carrying out large-scale construction work. However, the service life of galvanized fittings is limited. Over the course of several years, their geometry is disrupted due to corrosion, which destroys the black iron. The zinc itself moves away from the body of the product after a maximum of a year, exposing unsightly rust.
Brass
A review of the types of couplings for polypropylene pipes allows us to conclude that brass American ones meet all the requirements regarding reliability and safety.
The alloy is durable, elastic, resistant to heat and chemically active liquids. The disadvantage is the high cost and change in color of brass during operation. The appearance of products is improved by chrome plating or powder coating.
Copper
American copper products are produced in limited quantities due to low demand and high cost. Fittings made of this metal are in demand only when they are attached to products made of a similar material. Copper is difficult to care for as it darkens and develops a greenish patina.
The metal is susceptible to electrolytic corrosion, which is impossible to combat.
Plastic
American women are not produced in their pure form from polypropylene. This plastic does not have sufficient strength for connecting pipes and plumbing fixtures. A polymer is used as a base into which metal threaded inserts are fused. As a rule, plastic American ones are used in systems where there is high temperature and pressure.
size table
What is pressure testing of a heating system?
Types of threaded connections and what the American connection is made from
The thread on an American can be conical or cylindrical. There may also be a difference in the types of fitting connections. The surface of the fitting can be conical or flat.
Advantages of a cone seal:
- The seal will be durable and reliable if you use the metal-on-metal principle without any additional materials;
- The material, homogeneous in chemical and physical composition, is resistant to temperature changes and the influence of chemicals;
- can be used for small deviations of the connected pipes along the axis of no more than five degrees, without losing tightness.
To achieve these advantages, precision in the manufacture of connecting parts is required.
In a flat seal situation this can be slightly neglected. Here they use a flat Teflon ring gasket. The American nut can be used more than once; it will only be enough to replace the old gasket, which can help save you from buying new plumbing fixtures.
Stainless steel, brass, chrome, nickel, cast iron, and a combination of metals can be used to make connections. The use of these materials can be separately or in an alloy. The most durable design will be one made with stainless steel elements. However, experts give preference to chrome parts, since American parts made from this material are characterized by a high level of quality and ductility. In addition, the reinforced structure does not require the use of a gasket.
Metal and polypropylene in the structure will ensure high tightness.
The American connection can be made using a variety of grades of stainless steel. These are mainly brands such as AISI304, AISI316, AISI321.
The outer coating of the American steel is galvanic nickel, which protects it from corrosive formations and increases resistance to mechanical wear. This coating is also a decorative finish.
American coupling
A coupling is a type of fitting, used when connecting two pipes or when transitioning a pipe with one diameter to a pipe with another.
An American coupling is the same coupling, on one side it is tightly screwed or welded, and on the other it is a collapsible American coupling.
American crane
At the moment, the most successful and widespread element of shut-off valves is the ball valve. There are a wide variety of types of ball valves, for example, decorative, special, having internal and external threads on only one side, American ball valve, etc.
In general, an American faucet allows you to solve one important problem when installing plumbing; it is a replacement for a standard plumbing faucet, which consists of elements such as a long thread, a coupling, a lock nut, and a plumb thread. It helps to simplify the task and with a few turns of the wrench tighten the crane itself and its American.
The American faucet is also used for installing heating radiators. The battery, connected on both sides with an American tap, becomes easily removable. Another advantage here is that the water supply can be adjusted manually, and as a result the temperature of the heating radiator during operation.
Compared to plastic faucets, American faucets can withstand higher operating temperatures, but they are not designed for extreme temperatures.
The American corner is simply a necessary element so that you don’t have to block up a lot of connections.
Like any ball valve, the American valve differs in the type of handle:
- Butterfly type;
- Lever type.
The butterfly is usually placed on taps with a small cross-section, since such taps require little force when turning. And the lever handle is used for taps with a large cross-section, where more effort is required to turn.
In any plumbing work, the most important indicator is a reliable connection. It is very important to ensure the water supply is tight. For this, various nuts, fittings, gaskets, etc. are used. However, according to statistics, the means that creates the highest quality and most effective sealing of the connection is American plumbing. https://www.youtube.com/embed/P8fTP4oXzkE
Advantages and disadvantages
Having examined the features of American plumbing and answered the question of what it is, we can dwell on the advantages and disadvantages of these devices.
First, let's look at their advantages:
- reliability and strength of the connection, absolute tightness of the connection;
- simplicity and high speed of installation, which involves tightening one or two nuts;
- a dismountable connection that can be easily removed and put back;
- the ability to join pipes made of materials of different structures;
- a wide range of products of different configurations with seals included;
- long service life of a structure assembled using American steel.
Fittings in this category have no technical disadvantages. The high cost confuses craftsmen with low incomes, but it is justified by the high quality of the product. As for changing the color of products made of non-ferrous and ferrous metal, they are installed in technological channels, covered with panels and boxes.
Design Features Differences
The standard threaded coupling is intended for the assembly of pipes and pipelines. The inability to create an effective water supply or heating system from a single pipe. Yes, it can be bent and connected to other, large branches, but this will significantly complicate the work without providing any serious advantages.
It is customary to assemble pipes using fittings. A coupling as a fitting - performs the simplest and most common task - fastens pipes together, forming straight or corner connections.
Threaded couplings are much more common than others, because they made it possible to assemble full-fledged branches from individual pipes, but at the same time leave them in a modifiable state. If a branch needs to be somehow modernized, improved, or simply disassembled, all you need to do is unscrew the coupling.
There are plenty of problems with standard threaded connections. This and:
- poor tightness;
- heavy weight, the need to cut a counter thread on the desired side of the pipe;
- the need to rotate pipes, etc.
The main problem lies in the design of standard type threaded connections. To disassemble the thread, you need to unscrew it. To do this, you need to rotate either the pipe or the fitting, which adds problems.
The American is like a coupling - it was conceived precisely in order to eliminate such shortcomings and give plumbers a convenient part.
Components of an American type coupling
The American turned out to be a truly universal example of plumbing. Its design, unlike a conventional threaded coupling, is completely dismountable and consists of at least three parts.
Two of them - counter ends with threaded threads - are screwed directly into the pipe cavity. They can have external or internal threads, it all depends on the specific design. The third part is a union nut, used to fasten the previous two.
The beauty of the whole design is its brevity. The detachable system allows you to connect fittings or ends on pipes by rotating the separate nut. There is no need to twist the pipes, the fitting itself, or the coupling body. Simply connect the coupling parts and tighten the nut until it stops.
Rubber gaskets are attached to the inner ends of the coupling parts. They are needed to improve the sealing of the connection.
Advantages and disadvantages
What specific advantages does the American-type coupling have and how is it useful for joining pipes?
Main advantages:
- American can be easily installed on any type of pipe;
- the ability to form transitions, corner connections, connect taps and any other plumbing fixtures;
- high level of tightness;
- availability on the market;
- good quality and performance;
- the design with a union nut simplifies installation and dismantling;
- a large selection of a wide variety of products to suit every taste and budget.
High-quality American steel
The advantages are traditionally considered to be ease of use and tightness. As we noted above, the standard connecting thread on a conventional coupling cannot boast of tightness or ease of installation. The American one saves us from such problems when assembling pipes into a single structure.
As for the minuses, the only thing that can somehow influence your decision is the price. The American one costs an order of magnitude more than a conventional threaded coupling. However, compression connections also cost their customers more, so there is nothing unusual here.
Keys for American women
To work with American women, it is recommended to use a special tool. The use of improvised tools and devices can lead to deformation and breakage of fittings.
The recommended kit for installing American plumbing fixtures consists of the following products:
- adjustable wrench;
- open-end wrench;
- spanner;
- dies for making threads;
- internal keys with 6, 12 and 34 edges;
- round spacer key.
It is better to buy tools in a set, which is cheaper and helps solve any problems with installing the American one.
Installation rules
Ball valves are easy to install. This is done using a special key in the following sequence:
- First, the integrity and cleanliness of the pipeline threads are checked.
- Then it is recommended to wrap it with FUM tape, which will ensure better tightness of the connection.
- Before installation, you should check whether the adjusting knob of the mechanism makes a full revolution.
- “American” is wound by 4-5 turns.
- It is checked that all the nuts are tightened well, after which the water supply is turned on.
- After a few minutes (if water begins to drip at the joints), the nut must be lightly tightened with a wrench.
How to install correctly
Depending on what material you have to work with, different methods of installing fittings are chosen.
At the joints of metal pipes
Steel lines are used to transport hot liquids under high pressure. Threaded connections are used to connect their sections.
First you need to take a die of the required size and make 7 turns of thread at each joint. After this, the fitting is inserted between the joints, and the union nuts are screwed onto the threads until the required degree of pressure on the gasket is achieved.
In plastic joints
Threads are not made on polypropylene pipes, since they are not intended for this. Adapters with metal fragments with internal or external threads pressed into them are welded or glued to the ends of the pipes (this depends on the operating conditions). And American women are already attaching themselves to these elements.
Dear reader, if you have experience in this field, share it with those who are taking their first steps in the repair business. We will be very grateful to you.
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By type of assembly method
In addition to differences in materials of manufacture, the threaded connection differs in the design of the docking units.
They are threaded, with different cutting directions, having internal or external threads on the sides. Samples with a conical joint are also used, with the help of which an American connection is made using a thrust ferrule under the nut.
American connection
Such a variety of fittings creates certain difficulties when choosing them for an inexperienced person, but gives real pleasure to professional performers.
Markings for fastening
The standard location for the radiator is the partition under the window opening. According to SNiP 3.05.01–85 (clause 3.23), the battery on the side of the riser should not extend beyond the window opening, and their axes are not required to coincide. But for the battery to look harmonious in the interior, it must be located symmetrically relative to the vertical axis of the opening. Therefore, first, this axis is leveled.
The second step is to tap the horizontal level of the battery position and ensure alignment when connecting the connections to the fittings.
But there is one feature here - the horizontal channels of the radiator must be oriented strictly according to level, and the forward and return supply pipes must have a slight slope relative to the flow of the coolant. These angles are needed to reduce the force of resistance to flow and to reduce the risk of airing the battery. The slope value is very small - 5–10 mm for a line length of more than 50 cm (SNiP 3.05.01–85 clause 3.18), and steel line pipes less than 1.5 m long are not attached to the wall. And if the battery is replaced in connection with an existing wiring, then, for example, for a single-pipe system with a riser, a shift in position up (or down) can level out the slope of the forward (or reverse) supply.
