Pipe connection American. Detachable connections in plumbing

In any plumbing work, the main indicator is the provision of a hermetic connection. For this, devices such as a fitting, nut, gasket, clamp can be used. But the most high-quality and effective means for a tight connection is American plumbing.

What is it? It is a special nut designed to connect pipes to each other.

An American is a kind of connection of parts in plumbing, invented in America, hence the name. Later, an American coupling and crane were developed.

Types of threaded connections and what an American connection is made of

The thread on an American can be conical or cylindrical. There may also be a difference in the types of fittings. The surface of the fitting can be conical or flat.

Benefits of a conical seal:

To achieve these advantages, precision in the manufacture of fittings is required. In a flat seal situation, this can be slightly neglected. Here they use a flat Teflon gasket-ring.

An American nut can be used more than once, only replacing the old gasket will be enough, which can help protect yourself from buying new plumbing.

For the manufacture of connections, stainless steel, brass, chromium, nickel, cast iron, a combination of metals can be used. The use of these materials can be separately and in an alloy. The most durable will be the design, made with stainless steel elements. However, experts prefer chrome parts, as an American from this material is characterized by a high level of quality and plasticity. In addition, the reinforced structure does not require the use of a gasket.

Metal and polypropylene in the design will provide high tightness.

The American connection can be made using a variety of stainless steel grades. These are mainly brands such as AISI304, AISI316, AISI321.

The marking includes dimensions (unit inch), steel grade and conditional pressure in PSI.

The outer coating of the American is nickel galvanized, which protects it from corrosive formations and helps to increase the resistance to mechanical wear. This coating is also a decorative finish.

Coupling american

A coupling is a type of fitting used when connecting two pipes or when transferring 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 connection.

Crane American

At the moment, the most successful and common element of valves is a ball valve. There is a wide variety of types of ball valve, for example, decorative, special, having internal and external threads on one side only, 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 fixture, which consists of such elements as a long thread, a coupling, a lock nut, a plumb thread. It helps to simplify the task and with a few turns of the wrench to pull off the crane itself and its American.

Also, an American crane is used for the installation of heating radiators. The battery, attached on both sides by an American tap, becomes easily removable. Another plus here is that the water supply can be adjusted by hand, and as a result, the temperature of the heating radiator during operation.

Compared to plastic faucets, the American faucet is able to withstand higher operating temperatures, but they are not designed for extreme temperatures.

The working medium of an American can be hot and cold water, as well as a liquid non-aggressive medium transported through a process pipeline. The operating temperature should not be higher than +120 degrees Celsius.

An American corner is simply a necessary element so that you don’t have to pile up a lot of connections.

Like any ball valve, an American crane differs in the type of handle:

The butterfly is placed, as a rule, on cranes with a small section, since such cranes require little effort when turning. And the handle-lever is used for taps with a large section, where more effort is required to turn.

In any plumbing work, a reliable connection is the most important indicator. Ensuring water tightness is very important. For this, various nuts, fittings, gaskets, etc. are used. However, according to statistics, the tool that creates the highest quality and most effective tightness of the connection is American plumbing.

The structure and size of plumbing "American"

By design, an American is classified as a coupling with a union nut. With this element, a direct connection is created, and this simplifies many installation work.

The standard American kit includes a union nut, gasket, pressure fitting and nipple.

When choosing, you need to pay attention to the model, each model has its own parameters. The nut in diameter can be from twenty to sixty millimeters.

Mounting

As mentioned above, an American allows you to create a high-quality and convenient threaded connection quite simply. So, you can do the work of replacing the plumbing element yourself.

An American with an internal thread is used to connect pipes with the same diameter. At the ends of each pipe, seven turns are cut using a special cutting tool (die). Further, there may be several options for connections.

Before directly twisting the American at the end of the pipe, a sealant is placed there clockwise. The first turns should be left without a seal for easy putting on an American. The American is screwed onto the seal with a key. The material can be sealed with improvised means, for example, energy flex, flax, polypropylene tape, etc. The second end of the pipe, after the thread is twisted, is sealed and the second part of the American is wound onto it. So the two pipes are connected.

American mounting tool

When installing a structure using an American, they use wrench. He is the best for this job.

American is a universal connection, without it it is almost impossible to carry out installation work. It is used in the connections of the metering device and fittings to the pipeline of the hot and cold water supply system, in plumbing with threaded couplings, as well as for polypropylene pipes.

Currently, the American is being produced as a separate element or as an addition to certain types of fittings for the pipeline.

Another connection option is:

thread is cut;
winding the seal;
a long thread is wound on the second end of the pipe;
a lock nut is screwed onto a long thread, then an American;
a second pipe is installed;
two parts of an American are connected;
winding the seal;
the locknut is tightened close to the American.

Approximately the same principle of connection using an American with an external thread.

The American is installed on the pipeline in a place accessible for inspection in any position, the direction of the liquid does not affect the installation.

In plumbing, an American is always used for such work as replacing a heating radiator, installing a meter for hot and cold water, installing shutoff valves, connecting individual sections of pipes, installing deep filters. This makes the design very convenient for further maintenance.

American… What is it? This name is a quick-release nut equipped with a thread. The design of the element includes 2 threaded fittings, a union nut and a gasket. An American is often used for pipe installation, as it provides a reliable and tight connection. This is a universal element, very often used during installation work.

The American can be used to install hot and cold water pipes, heating systems, technological structures intended for the transportation of non-aggressive substances.

Connection types

The conical type of fastening, performed by means of an American, has many advantages. In particular, the connection is sealed and reliable. It is resistant to temperature extremes and chemical environments. You can use an American even when the axes of the pipes deviate slightly. Even in this case, the installation will be of high quality and reliable.

A threaded connection is indispensable in cases where instant joining or dismantling of pipes and control parts is required. You can see the types of installation by looking at the photo.

The American nut is good because it can be used several times. To carry out repeated installation work, you only need to purchase a new gasket.

Characteristics

The American has a number of advantages over other fittings. With its help, you can undock the structure without using the rotation method. These elements are made from a variety of materials: polypropylene, stainless steel, cast iron, brass.

For installation using an American, a special key is required. You can either buy it in the store or make it yourself.

There are different sizes of this item. The choice of a particular one depends on the specifics of the work. The most commonly used American sizes are 12 and 34.

Through this element, you can connect both hard and soft lines of structures. The connection is of two types: direct and angular. This factor is very important for comfortable and quick installation.

The corner element allows you to perform installation work in hard-to-reach areas, fasten parts of different types and sizes together. The American makes it easier to repair the system. So, you can quickly dismantle the system without using an additional tool.

The part can be installed on pipes transporting hot and cold water, non-aggressive liquids. In this case, the temperature of the liquids should not be more than 120 degrees. The part is used for mounting elements with a small diameter.

In stores you can find different types of American women: with external and internal threads. The element can be mounted in any position. In this case, it is not required to take into account the direction of transport of the substance in the system.

The connection is made by means of wrenches of open-end and adjustable type. You can also use generic type keys. Pipe gas wrenches cannot be used in work.

The outer surface of the element consists of a nickel galvanic sheath. It is necessary in order for the part to have increased resistance to corrosion and mechanical stress. In addition, this coating also has an aesthetic meaning. With it, the element acquires a pleasing to the eye appearance.

Scope of use

This element is used for a wide range of applications. In particular, it is used for the installation of water supply structures, in heating systems. The excellent consumer qualities of the elements make them suitable for connecting any type of pipe. They are also used for repair work on radiators, and for the installation of water meters, and for the installation of shut-off valves, and for attaching structural parts, and for installing cleaning filters.

The advantages of the American are not only that it can be easily and quickly installed, but also during the further operation of the system. The part facilitates further repair work, dismantling.

Now you know all the necessary information about this irreplaceable part: what it is, where it is used, how the work is done. You can see what it looks like through the photo. You can see them on our website. The photo shows different types of parts, which will allow you to better navigate in the store with the corresponding products.

A coupling is the most widely used plumbing fitting in civil engineering, designed to connect separate parts of a pipeline. A detachable threaded type coupling allows you to assemble a whole branch from individual blanks, consisting of an almost monolithic pipe.

It is not surprising that couplings are now used almost everywhere. We will consider a variety of such products invented in the USA. An American coupling is subject to consideration - designed for pipe assembly. What is so convenient about it and why is it so popular? Now you will know.

Article content

Design Features Differences

The standard threaded coupling is intended for the assembly of pipes and pipelines. The impossibility of creating an efficient 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 serious advantages.

It is customary to assemble pipes using fittings. Coupling as a fitting - performs the simplest and most common task - fastens pipes together, forming straight or angled joints.

Threaded couplings are much more common than others, because they made it possible to collect full-fledged branches from individual pipes, but at the same time leave them in a modified state. If the branch needs to be somehow modernized, improved or simply disassembled, it is enough to unwind the coupling.

Problems with standard threaded connections enough. This and:

weak tightness;
high weight, the need to cut the return 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. The thread must be unscrewed in order to disassemble it. To do this, you need to rotate either the pipe or the fitting, which adds problems.

American as a coupling - it was conceived just in order to eliminate such shortcomings and give plumbers a convenient detail.

The American turned out to be a truly universal model of plumbing. Its design, unlike a conventional threaded coupling, is completely collapsible and consists of at least three parts.

Two of them are counter threaded ends that are screwed directly into the pipe cavity. They can have an external or internal thread, it all depends on the specific design. The third part is a union nut used to fasten the two previous ones.

The beauty of the whole design is in its conciseness. The detachable system allows you to connect fittings or ends on pipes by rotating a separate nut. No need to twist the pipes, the fitting itself, the body of the coupling. Just connect the parts of the coupling 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 are the specific advantages of an American type coupling and how it is useful when fastening pipes.

Main advantages:

American is easily installed on any type of pipe;
the ability to form transitions, corner joints, connect taps and any other plumbing;
high level of tightness;
market availability;
good quality and performance;
the idea with a union nut simplifies installation and dismantling;
a large selection of a wide variety of products for every taste and budget.

The advantages are traditionally considered 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 saves us from such problems when assembling pipes into a single structure.

As for the cons, the only thing that can somehow affect your decision is the price. An American is an order of magnitude more expensive than a conventional threaded coupling. However, compression joints also cost their customers more, so there is nothing unusual here.

Types and differences

How many types of pipes there are in modern plumbing, so many fittings are needed for them.

Any detachable connecting part must meet the pipe in several ways at once. Only in this case it will be fully usable. Such a requirement is quite logical.

One of the most important points here is the material. If, for example, polypropylene is used as a material for pipes, then it is stupid to screw steel fittings to it. Polypropylene is a polymeric material, so polypropylene should be the main mating fitting. The same is true for any metal products.

According to the material, Americans are divided into:

Steel.
Brass.
Copper.
Polypropylene.
Polymer.

A steel split coupling for pipes is the most famous way to assemble them into a single structure. Steel is moderately cheap, very functional and durable. If we forget about its susceptibility to corrosion, there would certainly be no competitors for it.

However, the situation is different. Clean steel without treatment in a few years will begin to show signs of destruction. Galvanized will last a dozen, stainless will probably withstand two, which, however, does not save us from the initial problem.

Sooner or later, the steel fitting will begin to rust and turn sour, then its path is only for remelting.

That is why now they are more willing to buy brass models. Brass is a metal from a special group. With characteristics similar to steel, it does not cause a reaction to moisture or time. Brass fittings, even after 50 years, will be in the same condition as before.

Copper samples are an expensive option for those who have the entire piping system assembled from copper. Copper is superior to steel and brass in every way, except for strength.

Polymer fittings and adapters

Polymers such as polypropylene are increasingly being used to assemble civil water systems.

This assembly is carried out gradually, not everyone has the money, time and desire to completely change the pipes in the house. Obviously, the collapsible system in this case is faced with a problem.

You need to somehow combine different materials with each other. For example, polypropylene and steel.

Polypropylene, as a polymer, does not cause a response in steel, however, it is impossible to simply take and screw a fitting into a steel pipe, the main production material of which was polypropylene. You can't weld them either.

To solve such problems, a detachable variety of American women, called adapters, is used.

An adapter is a fitting consisting of combined materials, intended for assembling pipes from different materials. A detachable American of this type, on the one hand, will be a steel end with a thread cut on it. On the other hand, it is filled with polypropylene.

It turns out a very convenient detail that allows you to assemble the pipes into a single branch without destroying their identity. Each end interacts with its material, and the sealing system provides them with a gasket system together with a union nut.

An overview of the features of American women (video)

Differences in thread type

American women differ not only in terms of materials, but also in the very principles of design. They also differ in terms of specific solutions. For example, on different American women there may be different types and directions of thread.

There are samples with external threads, with internal threads, with combined components, where the thread for different parts of the American is different. This distribution slightly complicates the process of choosing a fitting for beginners, but greatly simplifies the work of professionals.

Its charm is the ability to choose an option that is ideal for your conditions. It doesn't matter what threads your pipe has and what that pipe is made of, you will find a working solution anyway.

In the event of the loss of one of the components, it will not be difficult to find a replacement for it.

American plumbers call a ready-made quick-release element for connecting 2 pipes.

For these purposes, a clutch with a drive was previously widely used.

A coupling is a piece of pipe with an internal thread or a wide nut. The coupling is used both for connecting pipes of the same diameter, and two pipes of different sizes. In the first case, it is called a coupling, in the second - a transitional one.

When mounting and adjusting the connection, it is often necessary to supplement the coupling with a drive. Squeegee is a piece of pipe with external threads at both ends.

Device

By its design, an American is a combined coupling, a collapsible part, consisting of 2 threaded fittings and a union nut.

The American is flat, in this case the tightness of the connection is achieved by a gasket. It is the cheapest and most compact.

During operation, it may be necessary to tighten the nut and replace the used gasket. For these reasons, it is better not to make connections with a gasket hidden.

Another option is a cone American.

Here, a gasket is not required, since the polished parts of the fittings, made like a cone, are tightly pressed against each other when the nut is tightened.

The deviation along the axis of the mounted pipes should not exceed 5 degrees. They should be carefully checked for hidden defects, as they are usually used in the most important connections.

Expert advice: for critical connections operating in conditions of temperature differences: water heaters, heated towel rails, use an American cone, it is more expensive, but more reliable.

American is a universal and convenient device on a single nut.

To connect pipes, simply tighten the union nut. Quick and convenient installation with the help of an American has replaced traditional couplings and shackles.

With the help of American women, the transition to a pipe of a different diameter or from a different material is decided. With an American, you can create a corner connection.

The convenience of an American type connection has led some manufacturers of plumbing equipment to use it as a mounting element in the design of branded taps, meters, filters, etc.

The American is produced from the following materials:

The last option is a combination of polypropylene with stainless steel, it is often used when installing plastic risers.

Depending on the thread, external or internal, there are three types of American women:

coupling-thread;
coupling-coupling;
carving-carving.

There are also options without thread, for welding connection.

Choosing the right part allows you to get by with one connecting node without additional elements during installation.

Detachable connection type American is available for all running sizes of pipes.

In practice, most often you have to deal with the sizes 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch.

Advantages

Connecting Assembly

To tighten the union nut of American women, a conventional open-end or adjustable wrench is used.

A wrench should not be used as it may damage the nickel plating.

If the nut has a decorative finish, use washers. Suitable pieces of plywood, plastic or rubber can act in this role.

When installing metal-plastic pipes, you will have to use a special tool - an internal key. With it, the press fitting is twisted during installation. The most common form is a cylinder with two notches for hooks, sometimes a hexagon.

Often, pliers or other handy tools are used instead of a key. However, there is a risk of damaging the product. If you plan to install several pipes, it is better to purchase an internal key for American women.

Those who know how to work with metal can make a homemade cone key to the required size.

The taper is necessary for an accurate hit in the recesses.

For an American 1/2, the corresponding key sizes are 12x12 mm and 10x10 mm. The shape of the key is L-shaped, the length of the handle is approximately 150 mm.

They make similar homemade products from unnecessary pieces of profile reinforcement.

Watch the video, which explains in detail the device and features of the use of an American woman in plumbing: