Underfloor Heating Jointing and De-Mounting

Polyplumb manifolds use Polyplumb fittings for connecting to a circuit. As many of our domestic floor heating systems use 15mm Polyplumb pipe, any of the pipe not required for your project can be re-used for other heating or hot/cold water services using the Polyplumb fittings range.

Jointing

There are six stages to successfully jointing the Polyplumb system. These instructions apply to Polyplumb when used in hot and cold water or heating applications, including floor heating.

1(a) Cutting Polyplumb pipe

Always use one of the approved pipe cutters (PB777 or PB778). A slight rotation of the pipe when cutting will help make the operation easier. Never use a hacksaw. Wherever possible, cut on a depth insertion mark. These “K” shaped marks are equally spaced along the pipe and indicate the depth required for full insertion into a Polyplumb socket fitting.

1(b). Cutting copper pipe for insertion into a Polyplumb fitting Wherever possible, use a rotational pipe cutter when cutting copper pipe. Ensure that all cut ends have a rounded lead in, with burrs removed. Never use a hacksaw. You will need to mark the depth insertion on the pipe, the insertion depths are shown in the table below.

2. Use of pipe stiffener

Pipe stiffeners are an integral part of the joint when using Polyplumb pipe with either Polyplumb fittings or compression fittings, and need to be fully inserted in to the pipe end. They are not required when using copper pipe.

3. Visual check of fitting & fitting components

Although every single socket is visually checked during the manufacturing process to ensure that all components are present and in the correct order, a further visual check is recommended as tampering by others can take place on site or during distribution. The cap should be hand tight only.

Caution - Do not insert fingers into the Polyplumb fittings, as the grab ring is sharp and designed to grip.

Note: Components shown in de-jointing section.

4. Insert pipe fully into fitting

The pipe should be inserted into the fitting to full socket depth, such that the insertion depth mark aligns with the outer end of the cap nut on the fitting.

5. Grab ring check

A quick tug on the pipe will confirm that the pipe is inserted past the grab ring and that a grab ring was present in the fitting. It does not, however, ensure that the pipe is fully inserted, as this can only be confirmed by using the depth insertion mark.

6. Avoidance of re-jointing - WARNING!

On no account should a pipe be removed from a jointed Polyplumb fitting by removing the cap-nut and withdrawing the pipe end, complete with all the socket components, from the fitting to be re-jointed without removing and replacing the grab-ring into the fitting and re-making the joint in accordance with the normal Polyplumb jointing procedure.

If the pipe end, complete with all the socket components, is subsequently re-jointed into the body
of a fitting, there is a risk that the outer edge of the grab-ring could catch on the outer end or the inside surface of the socket of the fitting, which forces the grab-ring into an angled position on the pipe. Forcing the grab-ring into an angled position on the pipe in this way seriously damages the grab-ring teeth and will reduce the pull-out performance of the joint when subjected to pressure, such that premature failure will almost certainly occur.

De-Mounting

Polyplumb fittings must not be dismantled for any reason prior to jointing. Using the spare component pack:

1. If it is necessary to remove a jointed pipe from a fitting, the cap-nut should be unscrewed and the
pipe, with all the socket components present on the pipe end, should be pulled out of the socket of
the fitting. The pipe end, complete with all the socket components, should be cut off and discarded.
A complete component pack of socket spares should be fitted to the socket, as described in the
following paragraph, and pipe jointing should be carried out as described earlier.

2. The component pack (PB95**) is supplied as a cap-nut, with all the socket components present
in the correct order, and retained by a clip-on protection cap.

3. Remove the protection cap, ensuring that the socket components remain within the cap-nut. 4. Without removing any of the socket components from the cap-nut, introduce the cap-nut and socket components to the socket of the fitting and tighten up the cap-nut by hand, ensuring that the components enter the socket without snagging.

5. Carry out a visual check to ensure that all socket components are present in the correct order, as
shown in the diagram, and that the rubber ‘O’-ring is lubricated. If in doubt, the ‘O’-ring should be re-lubricated using Polyplumb silicone lubricant.

6. Carry out pipe jointing as previously described.

**Represents different sizes