The connection is demountable with a union nut American. An effective and reliable fitting for connecting pipes - American: types and features of application in plumbing

Correct high-quality pipe connection is a guarantee of trouble-free operation of the pipeline system. It is at the junction of pipes that accidents most often occur. When replacing parts of pipelines, it often becomes necessary to connect pipes made of different materials. In these cases, the use of an American can guarantee the tightness of the joint.

This connection is universal and reliable, it is successfully used even in cases where the axes of the pipes relative to each other have a slight deviation.

For the construction of networks, pipes made of cast iron, ceramics, asbestos cement, plastic, and steel are used. The performance characteristics of the materials are different, respectively, the methods of their connection also differ.

The correct choice of the docking method makes it possible to avoid emergency situations during the operation of the pipeline.

The technology for performing the work is chosen based on the material for the manufacture of the pipe and other elements of the system - angles, bends, couplings, etc.

Monolithic one-piece connections are distinguished by structural strength and the complexity of dismantling.

If, when replacing a pipeline, it is required, for example, to make an insert from a polyethylene pipe into a cast-iron drainage system, couplings and adapters help to solve this problem, they can also be used to join pipes of different diameters.

One of the options for a detachable connection, which is quickly disassembled and assembled, serves to connect pipes of different diameters or different materials, an American is considered.

What is an American

An American is called a connection element, which is a detachable nut equipped with a thread for joining two pipes. The American design includes two fittings, a gasket, and a union nut.

In other words, an American can be called a threaded coupling, although today there are many types of products.

Any faucet is considered American if it has a threaded thread on one side and a union nut on the other.

Connecting everything in the world with everything in the world is the primary task of any design. What to connect is always there, but what to connect - it still needs to be chosen and selected. For well-known connectors such as nails, bolts, screws, there are no problems in terms of their application, but how to connect pipes made of metal, plastic, rubber hoses? Of course, there are enough options here too: coupling joints of various designs, a huge number of technologies, the use of new materials. But it is unlikely that when starting to equip your home, someone will leaf through the Encyclopedia of Plumbing.

The easiest, but not exactly the cheapest way, hire specialists and then - as God wills. The cheapest, which is also how to see, is the option to do the installation yourself, but for this “feat” you need to know, at a minimum, what a squeegee, a lock nut and ... but you never know what. But the main adviser, most often are those who have already gone through all this. They then claim that the most common, convenient and reliable connector today is the "American". To be precise, this is not a connector, but a class or group of connectors that have a common design approach.

Let's consider the usual union connection and its shortcomings. Let's say that you need to connect two sections of the conduit of straight pipes. One of them connects with its end to a water tap, and the other to a conduit. We connect them, as shown in the figure from left to right:

If performed initial installation system, everything is assembled without complications. But during operation, if you need to dismantle any part of this system, have to disassemble it completely - and these can be multi-meter sections of pipes, and the presence of corners, etc. The problem is that you need to twist the entire pipe - after all, it enters the coupling - which means you need to dismantle its connection from the very beginning.

It is for this case that a compound called "American" is used.

American ... in Russia she is a foreigner

In the biography of this exotic element of sanitary wares, there is no beginning, just like the wheel, but it can be assumed that practical Americans had a hand in its name. In fact, an American is a clutch with cap nut. And the coupling is a little bit different, but with a persistent shoulder, and a nut with a mating part for this shoulder, and in general, almost everything is the same there, but not like that, but the result is simply wonderful - you can connect any two sections of the conduit, and at the same time rotate only one nut. Dismantling of a particular connection can be done any number of times without disassembly all other nodes, which means that the time to complete the work, their cost and maintainability are all at the highest level.

Here is only the most general constructive version of the American. Its classical definition contains a somewhat more extensive interpretation - quick release threaded nut, which contains two threaded fittings, a gasket and a union nut.

The design of this connection, depending on the place of application, can be straight or angular, and the threaded joints are flat (cylindrical) and conical. For flat joints gaskets polyurethane, rubber or paronite. The conical connection is especially good in terms of tightness, since it does not require gaskets and is more resistant to temperature changes and deviations of the axes of the connected sections.

Connecting an American to the highway does not represent no difficulty. Let's say that you have to connect a line of steel pipes.

The order of work is as follows:

• first we prepare the ends of the pipes - we cut a thread of at least 7 turns at both ends;
• we select a connection in which both fittings have an internal thread;
• we wind the fitting with an external thread onto the thread of one pipe, and before that we wind the sealant onto the thread - flax, tow, energy flex;
• we put on a union nut on a fitting with a shoulder, and wind it onto another pipe with a wound seal;
• The last step is to connect the union nut to the threads of the mating fitting.

Everything. The connection has been made. If we compare with the above example of a coupling connection, then you can notice a significant difference - the entire installation of the American consisted in twisting parts wrench, and nothing more. The rest of the highway remained motionless.

The use of American in plumbing

The versatility of connections with the help of an American and their positive qualities during operation made her indispensable in many cases of installation work. Structurally, the American has many modifications for various applications, and sometimes even is constituent node some types of equipment: taps, measuring instruments, complex switching units in heat and water supply systems, etc.

In home plumbing, almost every apartment has a water meter installed. , and often more than one - his inputs and outputs are made using an American. Due to this, when dismantling the meter, in fact, there are no problems with the connecting pipes - only it is unscrewed cap nuts.

With the help of an American, it is very convenient to carry out assembly and repair work with heating radiators, valves, various filters. Reducing the repair time during operation is the main headache for both residents and plumbers - the biggest positive effect using this connector.

The fundamental opportunity to create on the basis of an American high-tight connections determined its widespread use in systems with high pressure and high temperature. But this connection has become most widespread during the installation of metal-plastic and plastic pipes. . At the same time, the material of the connected pairs of the pipeline does not matter at all: metal-metal, metal-plastic or plastic-plastic - for any of them there is a connector model. Particularly shocking plumbers of the old school is the adaptability of an American woman to connect metal-plastic pipes without any special training- just the pipe is inserted into the "cunning" union nut, which, when connected to the counterpart, compresses it with a conical ring.

For the installation of this foreigner, an open-end or adjustable wrench of the appropriate size is used. Because outside the American has a beautiful nickel plating, the use of pipe wrenches is not recommended, or the surface of the nut should be protected with a wooden or plastic pad.

Materials from which Americans are made

American women are made of cast iron, brass, steel or stainless steel. Of course, the material is determined and the price in the end. Depends on the material performance indicators products: type of pumped liquids, allowable temperature, pressure. The range of these products is huge and you can always choose for any need. Typically applied to the surface nickel plated- this is protection from the external environment, and a presentable appearance.

Recently, plastic pipelines have been increasingly used in plumbing, so the American has also become a “half-breed” - some fittings with a persistent shoulder are made of plastic. During installation, such a fitting is welded to the pipe, and the nut presses it to a colleague - a mating fitting, which is made of metal, and is screwed onto a steel pipe. But if the pipeline is plastic, then the fitting pressed into plastic which is welded to the pipe.

For all its simplicity and attractiveness the American woman has a secret that does not lie on the surface, but everyone involved in the installation should know it - do you know how to twist it? The fact is that the union nut is controlled by the usual wrench, but there are also press fittings for metal-plastic pipes, which must be screwed into the landing site with an internal key. And this can be either a hexagon, which is simpler, or a cylinder with samples for hooks, which is more difficult, but more reliable.

In plumbing work, it is often necessary to join various pipes together. To accomplish this, many fittings have been invented, the most famous of which is the squeegee. But this connecting element has significant drawbacks and high labor intensity in the performance of work. The “American” will be a more convenient and faster connection element, since its qualities will fully ensure a reliable tight connection.

What is an "American" in plumbing: design and characteristics

"American" in plumbing, the correct name of which is a union nut, is a connection element for various pipelines with internal and external threads. With the help of such an element, pipe joining is quick and convenient. Structurally, the "American" has the following elements:

Quick release hex nut with thread;

Two fittings, also threaded;

Paronite, rubber or polyurethane gasket (some models, such as cone, are not equipped with it).

To put it simply, the “American” is a coupling with a shoulder and a union nut that abuts against the shoulder. Thus, the plumbing "American" provides a coupling connection of pipes by rotating one nut. In a similar way, the connection is disassembled.

"American" in plumbing is designed for operating temperatures up to +120 degrees Celsius, and the maximum pressure is usually indicated on the body.

The surface of the "American" is covered with nickel, which prevents corrosion and damage, and also improves the appearance of the product. If you work with this fitting carelessly and with a rough tool, then its surface may become scratched.

Why do we need an "American" in plumbing: the main areas of application

Since the "American" is a fairly versatile fitting that has a number of undeniable advantages, it is not by chance that its use in plumbing has become the most widespread in plumbing installation work. The versatility of the "American" is manifested in its unequal modifications for different cases, and in the fact that it is used as part of some complex plumbing devices: taps, switching units, measuring instruments, etc.

In household plumbing, "American" is used on water meters, which are found in almost every apartment. Thanks to this device, when replacing or checking the meter, there are no problems with pipes - only union nuts are unscrewed.

"American" is perfect for working with batteries, valves and all kinds of filters. The use of this fitting in plumbing will shorten the duration of the repair, which is important for both craftsmen and residents.

Since the "American" allows you to create connections that are distinguished by excellent sealing, it is used in high pressure and temperature pipelines. But this connection element was most widely used during the installation of plastic, polypropylene and metal-plastic pipes. At the same time, any type of pipe can be connected: plastic and plastic, plastic and metal, metal and metal - there is a fitting for each pair. Most of all in the "American" plumbers appreciate the ability to connect metal-plastic pipes without any preparation: when the pipe is inserted into the union nut and tightened, the counterpart is compressed by a conical ring.

For the installation of the "American" use open-end and box wrenches. Since the surface of this fitting is covered with nickel, it is better not to use pipe wrenches or use a protective wooden (or plastic) gasket to protect this layer from scratches.

"American": the benefits of the connection

Compactness, which the clutch with a clutch cannot boast of.

Versatility. Using different types, it is possible to mount connections with internal and external threads, as well as elbow and straight connections for pipes of different diameters.

Installation speed. In fact, the connection is made by tightening the nut.

Possibility of reuse. "American" in plumbing can be dismantled and re-installed on another section of the pipeline. In this case, only the gasket changes (if any).

Ease of installation in hard-to-reach places.

High degree of reliability and sealing.

The ability to quickly eliminate the blockage in the pipe.

When using a conical connection using an "American" on a pair of metal pipes, the use of a gasket is not required. In this way, the service life of the pipes is increased.

What are the types of "American women" (plumbing)

"Americans" in plumbing are represented on the market by a fairly extensive range. They differ from each other in material, size, type of thread and fastening. For each type of pipeline, its own specific "American" is suitable.

Types of fasteners connection "American"

Tapered

The conical connection of the fittings provides maximum tightness without the need for a gasket. Also, such joints are immune to temperature fluctuations in the pipe. Another plus of such a connection is the preservation of tightness when the axes of the pipes deviate, if the angle does not exceed 5 degrees. The conical connection is best suited for installing a thermostat on a heating radiator. Since the taper joint does not contain a gasket, the regulator will be more resistant to leakage during temperature changes.

Cylindrical (flat)

This is the most common type of "American" in plumbing. This type is used in most pipelines. In the specified connection, the tightness is ensured by the union nut that creates the screed and the gasket.

Sometimes flat washers are found on some plumbing fixtures. In this case, the connection will be less reliable, there is a possibility of its depressurization. Therefore, it is better to mount the connection with flat washers in an accessible place, not to remove it into the walls.

There are also two types of threaded connection "American"

direct. Suitable for mounting straight pipes

Angular. It is used when joining two pipes at a right angle. Connects perpendicular pipes.

Depending on the size there are "American" 1 inch, ½ inch and ¾ inch.

Features of an American crane

Ball valve with proper workmanship is the most popular and best type of valves. There are many such taps on the sanitary ware market: special taps, with threads inside and outside both on one and both sides, decorative taps, an American ball valve, etc.

Despite the fact that the “American” faucet is not uncommon, it does not find wide application in plumbing work. This comes from ignorance of all the advantages of this type of faucet, the main of which is the ability to install plumbing without the use of a plumbing fixture, which includes a long thread, a coupling, a lock nut and a reciprocal thread. Thus, using the “American” crane, we, only by rotating the wrench, get the docking of two self-centering parts. Everything is simple.

Also, the “American” ball valve is used when installing heating radiators. The radiator, docked on both sides through an “American” crane, can be easily removed. It is also very easy to manually adjust the flow of coolant on it, and therefore regulate the heating of the radiator itself.

Attention deserves the corner crane-"American". It has been on sale more and more lately. Such a device easily replaces in some cases an excessive number of connections.

The “American” crane, like other cranes, has two types of handles - a lever and a butterfly. The butterfly is installed on small cross-section cranes, where it does not require much effort to turn. The lever, on the contrary, is mounted on a crane with a large section, where it is necessary to apply more force to turn.

What materials is the "American" made of?

Americans are made from the following materials:

• Brass ("American" from this material is chosen by specialists, since brass keeps the temperature of the coolant up to 120 degrees; in brass "American" some parts can be made of nickel or chromium);

  Stainless steel grades ISI304, AISI316, AISI321 (marking contains information about the size in inches, steel grade and conditional pressure);

  Combined, using propylene parts.

Also in plumbing there are "American women", differing in diameter and performance in general. They are used in systems with hot and cold water supply. Corner "American" in plumbing is necessary for the installation of various elements in hard-to-reach places.

Of the above materials, "American" stainless steel has the highest strength. However, most plumbers choose "American" chrome, as this material provides more practicality and quality. Also, elements made of this metal do not require gaskets to ensure tightness.

How is the "American" installed

In plumbing, the “American” connection (threaded) is mounted extremely simply. "American" will allow you to install or replace a plumbing element, even for a novice plumber or a simple layman.

The most suitable place for pipe installation is one where there is access for any person carrying out this work. In this case, the direction of the coolant does not matter.

Installation of "American" (plumbing) in the highway will not cause much trouble. Imagine that you need to join steel pipes.

The connection using the "American" takes place in the following order.

It is necessary to prepare the ends of the pipes - cut at least 7 turns of thread.

Select connection with fittings with female thread.

Screw a fitting with an external thread onto one of the pipes, the threads of which are lined with flax, tow or energy flex.

Put the union nut on the collared fitting, then screw it onto another pipe with applied winding.

Connect the union nut to the thread of the mating fitting.

After these steps, the structure will be assembled. Compared with the coupling connection, the installation of the "American" in plumbing consisted only in twisting the parts. The rest of the highway remained motionless.

An "American" with an external thread is mounted according to the same algorithm, with the exception that the winding is applied to the "American" thread.

What is the key for the "American"

You can mount the "American" in plumbing without losing quality and convenience with different tools. But it cannot be said that there are no restrictions in their choice. The most suitable and often used for mounting the "American" is an adjustable wrench.

For the installation of this fitting in plumbing, the use of gas wrenches should be avoided in every possible way.

Recently, a universal tool has appeared that is most suitable for installing pipes in plumbing, including for the "American". This wrench is used for a wide variety of jobs, which clearly proves its convenience and practicality.

The most common sizes of "American" in plumbing are ¾ inch and ½ inch. This generally does not mean that you will not need other types of this fitting. In this case, you must purchase a wrench of a suitable size or use an adjustable wrench. The main thing is not to use a gas key under any circumstances.

If you know how to work with metal and have the necessary tools, then you yourself can make a cone wrench of the desired size. The taper is needed to get into the recesses.

The shape of the key will be L-shaped, the handle is about 150 mm long. The key sizes for the "American" in plumbing ½ inch will be 12x12 mm and 10x10 mm. As a rule, such keys are made from profile fittings.

A good alternative when working with a plumber with an "American" ½ inch will be pliers, which, as a rule, everyone has. They will perfectly replace a set of keys.

"American" in plumbing: price and where to buy

The price of "American women" is not exorbitant, so everyone can afford to purchase them for their plumbing needs. The use of these fittings in water supply systems of both residential and industrial buildings also indicates their availability.

The company "SantekhStandard" has been successfully operating in the plumbing market in Russia since 2004. The profile of work is large-scale wholesale deliveries of engineering systems for heating and water supply under our own brands AQUAPIPE, AQUALINK, AQUALINE.

The company's products are manufactured using high-tech equipment and meet high international quality standards. The production has a system of input control of raw materials and components, as well as a quality control system at all production stages. Thus, the product fully complies with the declared characteristics.

The company "SantekhStandart" presented in its catalog "American" and "American" taps for the following brands.

AQUAPIPE. Propylene fittings from this manufacturer are manufactured using modern production equipment from Borealis (Germany) raw materials, which guarantees their highest quality. Unlike other well-known brands, AQUAPIPE has a wide range of "American" (sanitary ware) made of polypropylene, as well as other polypropylene products, the range of which is regularly updated with new models.

AQUALINK. Threaded fittings of this manufacturer are represented by a large number of models of different types and sizes. The body of these fittings is made of brass brand CW617N, which is a complete analogue of domestic brass LS59 GOST 15527-2004. In the manufacture of the case, the method of hot pressing is used, which reduces the internal stress of the metal, thereby significantly increasing the strength and quality of the product.

LEXLINE. Under this brand, brass threaded fittings and pipe fittings for plumbing of the highest quality are produced. Production is located in Ukraine. The variety of these products is also great: fittings for gas and water pipes (including with a seal), suitable for plumbing, heating and gas pipeline systems in which there is a non-aggressive medium - water, steam, air, combustible gas. The connecting parts are made of brass brand LS-59-1 GOST 17711.

All questions regarding the connection using the "American", you will be answered by phone:

Americans for polypropylene pipes is a concept that combines fittings (corners, special couplings, taps, etc.) that have a standard union nut. Connections of this kind are distinguished by ease of use, the possibility of installation on fixed pipes, and tightness.

Americans are fittings created in the USA and spread around the world after a short time. The main feature of this product is practicality and ease of use. Americans are a design consisting of a union nut and two fittings designed to connect pipes made of various materials.

Unlike classic couplings or adapters, fittings of this kind:

• tightened with nuts, which not only facilitates installation, but also allows you to instantly shut off the pipeline in case of leaks;
• make it easy to disconnect the branch pipes when replacing a pipeline section, clogging the network, inserting new bushings (without destroying the pipes due to rotation - the latter remain in place);
• ensure the alignment of the joined elements, which protects against leaks (in conventional threaded connections, fittings affect the position of the nozzles during docking) - this is of great importance in the operation of gas pipelines and water supply networks;
• allow you to work in hard-to-reach places, unlike squeegee, the terms of use of which dictate the size;
• have their own seal - when installing the product, you do not need to worry about purchasing an FUM tape or cutting rubber gaskets;
• have many variations of design, which allows you to choose a product that meets the goals and plans for laying the network.

Scope of use

The area of ​​​​use of American women for polypropylene (PPR) pipes are house and main pipelines transporting non-aggressive liquid media, steam and gas. So, products of this kind can be found in heating systems (at the place where the radiator is connected), sewer septic tanks, plumbing, and gas inlets. They are used as adapters, elements of stop valves, plugs.

An American, whose correct name is a union nut, is a connection of pipes using a fitting. She received such an unusual definition in everyday life from plumbers. This is a fitting that is designed and manufactured in the USA and is designed for quick installation and disconnection of structures in water and gas pipeline systems without rotating the pipe.

Such a connection has found wide application in plumbing, because only one union nut is needed to join pipes. They make parts from cast iron, stainless steel, brass with chromium and nickel content, as well as some types of propylene parts and stainless steel.

Ways to install an American

The method of joining pipes, during installation, using a union nut is universal. Such a unit is suitable for polypropylene and steel, cast iron, copper and metal-plastic products. It is used in hard-to-reach, inconvenient places where welding is not possible. The simplest form of this element consists of the following details:

• Threaded fitting;
• Pad;
• Cap nut.

Thanks to the conical surfaces of the parts, as well as the rubber gasket, the fitting has a tight fit.

The union nut has two types of installation:

• conical;
• Threaded.

The conical connection makes it possible to quickly carry out the installation of parts in hard-to-reach places without the use of special tools. In this case, the docking will be tight and reliable.

A threaded connection is used when instant installation or dismantling of pipes is necessary.

Threaded connection is of the following types:

• Detachable with external thread (with its help, polypropylene and steel pipes are installed);
• Detachable with internal thread (also suitable for polypropylene and steel pipes);
• Detachable with union nut.

The detachable connection ensures the straightness of the connected pipe sections. The quick coupling is necessary for the quick connection of the pipes. The speed of work lies in the fact that undocking occurs with just a union nut. An important advantage of the American is that the fitting can be disassembled many times during the operation of the pipeline, only the replacement of the seal is needed. This makes it possible to save time and money.

In what cases is it used

With the use of a quick-release nut, American plumbing becomes much stronger and more reliable. When carrying out plumbing work, it is impossible to do without such an installation. With the help of this part, installation and repair work of heating radiators, meters, filters, plumbing, all types of pipes are carried out. It is especially noteworthy that the above work is carried out with just a union nut, which is controlled by a simple open-end or adjustable wrench.

Today, a ball valve has become an indispensable part in plumbing, because it has a very successful design. It is a modern and progressive type of pipeline crane, in which the working element has a spherical (spherical) shape. Such an element is used to pass water, gas, steam.

It is made from steel, cast iron, brass, copper.

An American connection can be:

• Direct;
• Angular.

There are different sizes of crane, depending on the nature of the work. The most popular sizes are 12 and 34.

When installing plumbing equipment, the faucet replaces the previously used conventional shackle, which consists of a long thread, a coupling, a lock nut and a counter thread.

Plumbers had to make a lot of work during the work. Now it is only necessary with a few turns of the key to pull off two self-centering parts - a crane and an American.

The ball valve is widely used in the installation of the heating system. The radiator, mounted through a faucet, is easy and simple to remove, plus the water supply can be adjusted manually. It has two types of handles:

• Butterfly;
• Lever arm.

The butterfly is mounted on nodes of small section, and the lever on nodes of large section.

Today, plumbing offers customers a wide range of exquisite products - from retro to stylish avant-garde. Global manufacturers put all their skills to meet customer needs at an affordable price. In order for such plumbing to serve for many years and please the eye, it is necessary to use such a detail as an American for faucets and sinks.

The American connection is the best, most reliable and versatile way, which is indispensable when carrying out plumbing work.