PVC electrical Conduit for Plumbing

[Fickie]

Dear All,

Can one use pvc electrical conduit for plumbing a pressure (low) line in marine strength saltwater.

I know that folks have said that it will corrode but I'm finding that a wee bit hard to believe since it is ozone resistant and more robust than perspex but in the end I dont really know.

I am looking to use it as a short cut to avoid me having to paint the blue pipe white. It will be placed in direct sunlight and I want it to remain cool hence the light / heat reflective white.

regards,
rafiq

 

[Mekaeel]

what about drainage pipes rafiq?they come in white and most sizes aswell.

 

[Fickie]

Hi Mekaeel,

I've been around to a few plumbing places they have only 40mm or 50mm. These are fine to use, they are uv tretaed and have a decent enough wall but I need 20mm and I have only seen the conduit.

this is what I found on WWM, still tempted to use it though, will also save me the time of driving out, none of the places here on the West Rand of JHB seem to have 20mm of the correct pipng anyway:
Pipe and fittings should be, of course, chemically inert. No metal parts, not even band clamps need apply! If you need a clamp, there are sturdy all-plastic varieties available... PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) pipe is the material of choice, generally "Schedule 40" (rated for up to 400 psi pressure), though there are clear plastics (that won't stay so...), ABS, even advocates of flexible tubing... For practical purposes, unless there is some strong compelling reason/s to do otherwise, do use PVC... of Schedule 40 construction... a comment though: there are times, places where some fittings, like unions, may only be available in Schedule 80 (rated fro 800 psi)... and applications like thread in adaptors (as in nipples to/from pump volutes) where Schedule 80 makes sense... But do avoid thinner walled PVC (e.g. Schedule 200) as this material is just too flimsy, hard to solvent securely, easily broken... to be practical.

thanks anyway Mekaeel. Please do elaborate if necessary, I have a feeling I misunderstood you

Cheers,
R

 

[AndreT]

Dear All,

Can one use pvc electrical conduit for plumbing a pressure (low) line in marine strength saltwater.

I know that folks have said that it will corrode but I'm finding that a wee bit hard to believe since it is ozone resistant and more robust than perspex but in the end I dont really know.

I am looking to use it as a short cut to avoid me having to paint the blue pipe white. It will be placed in direct sunlight and I want it to remain cool hence the light / heat reflective white.

regards,
rafiq

Rafiq,

I have used 32mm Class 6 PCV pipe before with no corrosion problems. I also use the normal 20mm electrical PVC that you can find at Builder's Warehouse. Never had any problems. Not sure about possible long term problems, we'll just have to wait and see.

 

[AndreT]

Rafiq,

Where are you from?

 

[Mekaeel]

thanks anyway Mekaeel. Please do elaborate if necessary, I have a feeling I misunderstood you

Cheers,
R

dont really know about sizes.but you probably right on that.ive seen on other US forums,the guys using white piping so figured we in SA might have the sizes you and many of us use

 

[Fickie]

Rafiq,

Where are you from?

I'm in Florida.

 

[Fickie]

dont really know about sizes.but you probably right on that.ive seen on other US forums,the guys using white piping so figured we in SA might have the sizes you and many of us use

If only! So many silly things here is still a beach to get hold of, like freagin PVC gate valves.

 

[Mekaeel]

true!well this is SA lol

 

[AndreT]

Fickie, in that case you have access to all the pipes and fittings you could possibly need.

There is Water Plant on Ontdekkers and there is FAB on Oxford Rd in Randburg, off Hans Strijdom drive.

They have all the pipes, fittings and valves you could ever want.

 

[Fickie]

Fickie, in that case you have access to all the pipes and fittings you could possibly need.

There is Water Plant on Ontdekkers and there is FAB on Oxford Rd in Randburg, off Hans Strijdom drive.

They have all the pipes, fittings and valves you could ever want.

Yes, thanks. In the West Rand (read: Waterplant ) no 20mm piping and I won't have the time this weekend to go to FAB (not really West Rand :razz but yeah, I know the places, pity really, maybe if I learnt a new one, they might have PVC gate valves, so not all the valves I could ever want unfortunately.

Ah well, I guess it'll just take me another weekend longer 'less I go with that conduit, thanks for that again Galibore.

Cheers,
R

Cheers,

 

[AndreT]

Well yes Water Plant tends to be out of stock every now and then.

 

[Alan]

i have used 20mm electrical conduit for a few of my returns, to fuge and frag tank and had no problems so far. I should imagine it is the same PVC as white waste water pipe.

 

[Bob the (reef)builder]

Can see no probs for low pressure stuff. Not designed for pressure, it can crack and often is loose fitting.

 

[Fickie]

Hi aLL,

Thanks for all the replies, apart from what has been said here here is some additional info I found out over the weekend.

The main reason not go with conduit is that it is brittle, especially so when it is cold. It will break / crack often even with small bumps. When used in an 'out of the way' application, it's good to go.

Most of the PVC / plastics (incl. the blue ) has very weak UV resistant properties except for the white plumbing stuff (not the electrical conduit), this is UV resistant (the darker in ground large diameter (110mm) stuff is not).

Since the piping I am using will be in a badly insulated sunroom with direct sunlight, I almost have to go with the blue piping and I'll have to paint it anyway, bummer!

Anyway I skipped golf and got the stuff from FAB in the end.

Regards,
rafiq