American plumbers call a ready-made quick-release element for connecting 2 pipes.
For these purposes, a coupling 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 to connect pipes of the same diameter and two pipes of different sizes. In the first case it is called a connecting coupling, in the second - a transition coupling.
When installing and adjusting the connection, it is often necessary to supplement the coupling with a drive. A pipe is a piece of pipe with external threads at both ends.
Device
By its design, the American is a combined coupling, a dismountable part, consisting of 2 threaded fittings and a union nut.
The American one can be flat; in this case, the tightness of the connection is achieved with a gasket. It is cheap 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 the gasket hidden.
Another option is the American cone.
No gasket is required here, since the polished parts of the fittings, made like a cone, press tightly against each other when the nuts are tightened.
The deviation along the axis of the installed pipes should not exceed 5 degrees. They should be carefully checked for hidden defects, since they are usually used in the most important connections.
Expert advice: for critical connections operating under conditions of temperature changes: water heaters, heated towel rails, use an American cone, it is more expensive, but more reliable.
The American is a universal and convenient device with one single nut. To connect the pipes you just need to tighten the union nut. Quick and convenient installation with the help of an American has replaced traditional couplings and drives.
With the help of American women, it is possible to switch to a pipe of a different diameter or from a different material. You can create a corner connection with an American one.
The convenience of the American type connection has led to the fact that some manufacturers of plumbing equipment use it as a mounting element in the design of branded taps, meters, filters, etc.
American is produced from the following materials:
The latter option is a combination of polypropylene and stainless steel; it is often used when installing plastic risers.
Depending on the thread, external or internal, there are three types of American women:
- thread coupling;
- coupling coupling;
- thread-thread.
There are also options without thread for welding connections.
Choosing a suitable part allows you to get by with one connecting unit without additional elements during installation.
The American type detachable connection is available for all common pipe sizes.
In practice, you most often have to deal with the sizes 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch.
Advantages
Connection assembly
To tighten the American union nut, use a regular open-end or adjustable wrench.
Do not use a gas wrench as it may damage the nickel plating.
If the nut has a decorative coating, use shims. Suitable pieces of plywood, plastic or rubber can play this role.
During installation metal-plastic pipes you will have to use a special tool - an internal key. It is used to tighten the press fitting during installation. The most common shape is a cylinder with two recesses for hooks, sometimes a hexagon.
Often, instead of a wrench, pliers or other improvised tools are used. 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 wrench to the required size.
The taper is necessary to accurately fit into the recesses.
For American 1/2, the corresponding key sizes are 12x12 mm and 10x10 mm. The key is L-shaped, handle length is approximately 150 mm.
Similar homemade products are made from unnecessary sections of profile fittings.
Watch the video, which explains in detail the design and features of the use of American plumbing:
“American” in plumbing is a quick-release connection that consists of three parts (two mating threaded ends and a union nut).
"American": characteristics
The quick-release threaded “American” is available with a conical or flat connection. The simplest product consists of 4 parts: a union nut, two threaded fittings, and a gasket. By the way, the gasket is not always included in the product. “American” fittings are airtight, which was made possible thanks to the conical surfaces of the edges of the parts, as well as the rubber gasket. If we talk about the flat American, then the tightness in it is achieved through one gasket.
Where are “Americans” used?
The products are designed for quick and convenient disconnection or connection of pipes, as well as various shut-off and control elements of the plumbing and heating systems. A connector or connection using an “American” is carried out using only one union nut. This connection can be used several times, and it is possible to change a leaky gasket. The “American” has an advantage over the standard locknut and drive with coupling.
American cranes have also become widespread. This can be a straight or corner tap. Designed to work with hot and cold water supply systems, does not tolerate aggressive environments. The temperature limit of the product for a plastic faucet is 90 degrees. If the material is made of brass, it can easily withstand temperatures from -20 to +120 degrees.
Video review: What is American?
What are “American women” made of?
For plumbing, the product is made from various materials. Thus, cast iron “American” ones are available for sale, made of stainless steel and brass coated with nickel or chrome, combined with polypropylene parts. They are available in a variety of sizes and designs (angular or straight), designed for different pressures in the water supply or heating system.
How to choose a key for “American women”?
For mounting and dismantling and repairing detachable connections, a special key for American women is used. In the plumbing field, it is quite common to encounter ¾” and ½” “American” ones with two internal protrusions. A hexagon is rarely used. Pliers also cope quite well with the role of a key; they can cope with two ½” “American” ones.
This is the name for the type of threaded connection of pipes in water supply and hot water supply systems. With its appearance on the market, the American quickly gained popularity among plumbing specialists due to the ease of installation and reliability of joining pipeline elements.
If you need to connect pipes, the American one is the ideal option. After all, later, when performing repair work, there is no need to dismantle part of the network.
It is impossible to assemble a pipeline from a single pipe. It is necessary to perform turns and connections of pipeline elements to obtain the desired configuration. Fittings have always been used to make joints.
You can also carry out installation using a coupling, which in the standard version is a threaded part. When connected, it is screwed onto the threaded part.
The next part is twisted into the coupling by rotation, and such an operation (especially if all the elements are large) represents quite a noticeable inconvenience.
What is an American
- threaded fittings - attached to one part of the water supply at the connector;
- counter pipe with collar - installed on the other end;
- union nut - installed on a fitting with a collar before installing it in its location.
Next, when the nut is screwed in with pressure on the shoulder, the fittings are pulled one to one and these two parts are compressed. To ensure the tightness of the joint using a coupling, gaskets are used. And with a conical joint, it is not necessary.
If it is necessary to dismantle a section joined using an American connection, it is enough to unscrew the nut, while the mating elements of the pipeline remain motionless.
Types of docking points. Quantity constructive solutions installation corresponds to the number of varieties of molded products.
By type of materials used
It involves the use of homogeneous elements, primarily in order to avoid electrolytic corrosion, therefore fittings are produced in various designs:
- . The life cycle of such parts is also limited by the tendency for lime deposits to form from water on internal surfaces.
- Copper– less susceptible to corrosion, used only on pipelines made of the same material.
- Brass– the most popular in use, resistant to oxidation, durability is at least 50 years.
- Polypropylene- By strength characteristics and ease of use are increasingly competing with metal products.
- Polymer– have all the advantages of plastic products. For polypropylene pipes– American is the best type of connection.
- Combined– used as adapters when joining metal pipes with plastic pipes partial replacement pipeline. To make such fittings, a metal threaded part is pressed into a plastic body.
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.
Video
Such a variety of fittings creates certain difficulties when choosing them for an inexperienced person, but gives real pleasure to professional performers.
By surface protection method
What types of protective coating are there for American women? Steel and cast iron products are coated with a protective nickel or zinc coating to protect against corrosion.
For plastic or stainless steel analogues, protection is not applied. In this regard, it is recommended to use chocks for pipe wrenches or special wrenches with internal engagement of the part.
Joining of metal components
Pipelines for various purposes made of metal are still widely used in plumbing. Therefore, installation 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;
American allows you to get a sealed joint in pipelines of any configuration.
Joining plastic components
The connection of components of pipelines made of composite materials has its own characteristics. Polypropylene pipes are joined by welding using special equipment. The process is very simple and is carried out on site during installation.
Video
Widely used are designs where connections are made to a polypropylene pipe on American conical pipes, where devices with a sealing ring are used.
Connecting polypropylene pipes using an American method is the most reliable and perhaps the only method of joining using a detachable coupling, including connecting a heated towel rail.
Several types of connections for polypropylene pipes are used:
- coupling with external thread;
- coupling with internal thread;
- a device with the simultaneous use of internal and external threads;
- angular, produced at angles of 30, 45 and 90 degrees for installation in hard-to-reach places.
Installing a towel dryer
Installation of such a device in the bathroom can serve as an example of using a threaded connection for inserting additional equipment. The heated towel rail is connected either to a heating system or to a hot water supply circuit.
Video
In the second case, you will have to use the services of a remote control service to turn off the hot water riser for several hours; in the first case, you will have to wait until the end of the heating season.
Work can be performed in the following order:
- Install the dryer in its permanent location.
- Make a connection into the hot water supply or heating riser and install threaded fittings for the inlet and outlet flows.
- Install corners with ball valves on them.
- Connect the heated towel rail through plastic pipes. The critical temperature for them is 95 degrees; this temperature is not used in either system.
- Install a tap on the upper register to bleed air from the system, otherwise an air lock may prevent the coolant from circulating.
- Check for leaks in the dryer by opening the inlet and outlet Ball Valves. If there are leaks, you need to recheck the joints using additional seals on the threads. Linen tow and fluoroplastic sealing material (FUM) in the form of a tape or cord are suitable for this.
- Installing ball valves will allow you to carry out repair work without disconnecting the riser. It should be noted that connecting a heated towel rail to a polypropylene pipe requires careful handling, since the pressure ring cannot always be reused due to its deformation.
Connecting the heated towel rail to the riser with a polypropylene pipe using American cones allows you to avoid the use of pipe benders. This reduces the labor intensity of work and their adjustment in place.
An example of connecting a heated towel rail through a threaded connection is shown in the figure.
Dimensions of coupling elements
In domestic plumbing standards, American ones are classified as “coupled connections with a union nut.”
Naturally, their size range corresponds to that on the molded elements of water pipelines. What types there are depend on the method of docking to the main line or cantilever element.
Video
So, when installing a tap or mixer as a plumbing element, American ones are used in sizes from 3/8 to ¾ inches with tapered thread. This allows for reliable installation in just a few turns of the nut.
For water supply systems they are used within the range of 10 – 50 mm, the maximum value is typical for connection with a heated towel rail.
To connect pipes made of polymers, special couplings are used - American conical couplings, onto which the plastic shell is literally pulled by the force of a screwed nut through a thrust ring, ensuring a joint density that is several times higher than the pressure in the system.
Pipe sizes
For American plumbing, the thread can be selected based on the data given in Table 1.
When using plastic pipes, you need to take into account the properties of the material. , such as elasticity, plasticity and chemical resistance.
Video
Therefore, for polypropylene products, American is practically the only connection method that ensures high-quality joining. Using them locally, you can assemble a pipeline of any configuration with a high degree of reliability.
For installation using American means, its dimensions must be adequate to the pipes used. For cold and hot water supply networks this is an inch or an inch and a quarter; for heating systems in a private home it is better to use one and a half inch products.
When using plastic products for drip irrigation systems, it is enough to use half-inch sizes.
It should be remembered that the critical temperature for polypropylene pipelines is 95 degrees; this parameter must be controlled when connecting to heaters. The temperature at the outlet of the device may be above permissible limits.
When partially replacing the water supply with a plastic one, the American one is used as an adapter.
Video
When editing with American women who have protective covering, you need to use a special tool that does not damage the cladding layer.
When selecting components for a pipeline, you need to take into account their location in terms of accessibility and functionality.
Conclusion
The invention of the “American” method of connecting pipeline elements was a revolutionary event in the field of installation plumbing systems of any complexity. As a result, such a complex process has become accessible even to performers with minimal skills in this field.
Without a doubt, be equipped with this type of connection and good luck to you!
PostsAmerican... What is this? This name is given to a quick-release nut equipped with a thread. The element design includes 2 threaded fittings, a union nut and a gasket. American is often used for pipe installation, as it provides a reliable and tight connection. This is a universal element, very often used when carrying out installation work.
American can be used for installing hot and cold water pipes, heating systems, and technological structures intended for transporting non-aggressive substances.
Types of connections
The conical type of fastening, performed using an American fastener, has many advantages. In particular, the connection is tight and reliable. It is resistant to temperature changes and exposure chemical media. You can use the American one even when the pipe axes are slightly deviated. Even in this case, the installation will be of high quality and reliable.
A threaded connection is indispensable in cases where immediate 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 relative to 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 the American type, a special key is required. You can either purchase it in a store or do it yourself.
There are different sizes of this element. The choice of a particular one depends on the specifics of the work. The most commonly used sizes are American sizes 12 and 34.
Using this element, you can connect both hard and soft lines of structures. There are two types of connection: straight 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 and fasten together parts of different types and sizes. The American makes it easier to repair the system. So, you can quickly dismantle the system without using additional tools.
The part can be installed on pipes transporting hot and cold water, non-aggressive liquids. In this case, the temperature of liquids should not be more than 120 degrees. The part is used for mounting elements with a small diameter.
You can find it in stores different types American women: with external and internal thread. The element can be mounted in any position. In this case, it is not necessary to take into account the direction of transport of the substance in the system.
The connection is made using open-end and adjustable wrenches. You can also use universal keys. Gas pipe wrenches must not be used during work.
The outer surface of the element consists of a nickel galvanic shell. It is necessary so that the part has increased resistance to corrosion and mechanical stress. In addition, this coating also has an aesthetic meaning. With it, the element acquires a pleasing appearance to the eye.
Scope of use
This element is used for a wide range of works. In particular, it is used for the installation of water supply structures and heating systems. The excellent consumer qualities of the elements make them suitable for connecting any types of pipes. They are used during repair work on radiators, and when installing water meters, and when installing shut-off valves, and when fastening structural parts, and for installing cleaning filters.
The advantages of the American system 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 and dismantling.
American connection in plumbing
The plumbing piping system consists of many threaded connections, needing repairs from time to time. In this connection, the reliability of such joints is of paramount importance, but at the same time it is associated with a number of difficulties.
When dismantling plumbing fixtures, for more convenient work, specialists use various couplings and fittings that provide a collapsible connection of pipes. One of the methods of combination using a fitting is called “American”. Actually, the design itself, consisting of two threaded ends, a union nut and a rubber gasket, also received a similar name. It is a detachable plumbing structure and is intended for the junction of two pipes, fastening pipes of different diameters or parts of various shut-off and control elements. It is possible to use the union nut multiple times with subsequent replacement of the gasket, which usually consists of paronite. In this case, the quality of the alignment will be high and there will be no leakage.
American detachable combination coupling with external thread
One side of the American coupling is tightly screwed or welded to one end of the pipe (if they are iron or copper), soldered in the case of propylene structures, and the other side is a collapsible connection for the pipe.
The tightness between the end switches is achieved due to the conical surfaces of the edges of the parts and the rubber gasket, which in turn minimizes the likelihood of leaks. American ones with a flat gasket, which is the basis of sealing, are most often used when connecting polypropylene products.
Detachable connection American corner
Coupling qualities
Other advantages of being an American include:
- compactness;
- aesthetics; convenience, allowing you to use the structure in hard-to-reach places and dismantle joints without the need to rotate them. In this situation, one nut is sufficient at the junction of the pipe and the coupling, while the pipe itself remains motionless;
- speed during assembly and disassembly.
Composition and properties of American
Threaded fitting Lexline connector American
Based on the materials used, American women can be divided into the following types:
- made of cast iron;
- brass, which is the more preferred material for specialists, because can withstand temperatures up to 1200C. Such designs may have some parts made of chrome or nickel;
- made of stainless steel grades ISI304, AISI316, AISI321. The marking contains an indication of the size in inches, steel grade and nominal pressure in PSI;
- combined, when separate propylene parts are used. They have different diameters and are straight or angular in cold and hot water supply systems. The corner design is most relevant precisely in those places in the room where it is extremely difficult, but necessary, to turn around for plumbing work.
Suitable for use at high pressure and temperature in pipes. The lower temperature limit is - 200C.
The next feature of American women is the difference in the connecting surfaces of the fittings. These surfaces can be conical or flat.
Squeegee with flat seal bronze
A conical seal based on the metal-to-metal principle is considered more durable and reliable, consistently resistant to physical and chemical changes in the pipeline due to the uniformity of the physical and chemical properties of the material; used for small deviations of the axes (up to 50) of the connected areas without loss of tightness. All these properties require high precision in the execution of parts.
A flat seal coupling includes a flat ring gasket, most often made of Teflon.
Using American
When connecting pipes of the same diameter, an American female thread is used. To do this, 7 threaded turns are formed at the ends of the pipes. Before installing the plumbing, a sealant in the form of flax, asbestos, red lead or graphite putty is placed on the end of one of the pipes. One of the modern and most convenient to use is a sealing tape based on fluoroplastic - FUM tape. The nut is screwed in, then the situation is repeated with another thread.
The internal and external threads on the coupling have a conical or cylindrical bore. In the case of tapered pipe threads, a sealant is not installed on the threads. When using “cone-to-cone” designs, the threads are lubricated with oxol drying oil before joining.
Installation and dismantling of the coupling is usually carried out using an adjustable or open-end wrench. But it is also possible to use a universal key (in the case of operations with gas pipes this is impossible).
Current ! In some cases, when working with an American 1/2″, if you do not have the necessary keys, you can use elementary pliers, which will always be at hand and will serve as an excellent alternative to the missing tool.
Universal key for an American woman
The American coupling is quite expensive, but today it is the most popular and universal means of joining pipeline parts in various buildings, significantly simplifying the work of plumbing specialists. And having a head and hands, a person, even without special training, will be able to independently carry out installation and dismantling work of the pipeline, saving the family budget and strengthening the reputation of the best husband in the world.
American connection application
Connecting everything in the world to everything in the world is the primary task of any design. There will always be something to connect, but what to connect with - you still have to choose and select. For well-known connectors such as nails, bolts, and screws, there are no problems with their use, but how to connect metal pipes, plastic pipes, and rubber hoses? Of course, there are plenty of options here too: coupling connections of the most different designs, a huge number of technologies, the use of new materials. But it’s unlikely that anyone will leaf through the Plumber’s Encyclopedia when starting to decorate their home.
The simplest, but not quite cheap way, hire specialists, and then - as God wills. The cheapest option, which also depends on how you look at it, is to do the installation yourself, but for this “feat” you need to know, at a minimum, what a squeegee is, a lock nut and... you never know what. But the main advisers are most often those who have already gone through all this. They claim that the most common, convenient and reliable connector today is the “American”. To be precise, it is not a connector, but a class or group of connectors that share a common design approach.
Let's consider the usual option coupling connection and its shortcomings. Let's say that we need to connect two sections of a water conduit with straight pipes. One of them is connected at its end to a water tap, and the other to a water pipeline. We connect them as shown in the figure from left to right:
If fulfilled initial installation system, everything is assembled without complications. But during operation, if you need to dismantle any part of this system, will have to disassemble it completely - and these can be multi-meter sections of pipes, or the presence of corners, etc. The problem is that you need to twist the entire pipe - after all, it goes into the coupling - which means you need to dismantle its connection from the very beginning.
For such a case, a compound called “American” is used.
American... in Russia she is a foreigner
The biography of this exotic element of plumbing consumer goods has no beginning, just like the wheel, but it can be assumed that practical Americans had a hand in its name. In fact, the American woman is a muff with union nut. And the coupling is slightly different, but with a persistent collar, and a nut with a mating part for this collar, and in general, almost everything is the same, but not the same, but the result is simply wonderful - you can connect any two sections of the water conduit, and at the same time rotate only one nut. Dismantling a specific connection can be done any number of times without disassembly all other components, which means that the turnaround time, cost and maintainability are all at the highest level.
Only the most general design version of the American is given here. Its classic definition contains a slightly 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 use sealing gaskets polyurethane, rubber or paronite. The conical connection is especially good from the point of view of tightness, since it does not require gaskets and is more resistant to temperature changes and deviations of the axes of the connected areas.
Connecting an American to the highway does not represent no difficulties. Let's say that we have to connect a main line of steel pipes.
The work order 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 internal threads;
- we screw a fitting with an external thread onto the thread of one pipe, and before that we wrap a sealant onto the thread - flax, tow, energyflex;
- We put a union nut on the fitting with a collar and screw it onto another pipe with a wound seal;
- The last step is to connect the union nut to the threads of the mating fitting.
All. The connection is complete. If you compare it with the above example of a coupling connection, you will notice a significant difference - the entire installation of the American consisted in twisting parts a wrench, and nothing more. The rest of the highway remained motionless.
The use of American in plumbing
The versatility of connections using an American connection 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 is even component unit 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 - its inputs and outputs are made using American technology. Thanks to this, when dismantling the meter for verification, there are no problems with connecting pipes - only it is unscrewed union nuts.
With the help of an American it is very convenient to perform installation and renovation work with heating radiators, shut-off valves, various filters. Reducing repair time during operation is the main headache for both residents and plumbers - the biggest positive effect use of this connector.
Fundamental opportunity to create on the basis of an American highly hermetic connections determined its widespread use in systems with high pressure and high temperature. But this connection is most widespread when installing metal-plastic and plastic pipes . In this case, the material of the pipeline pairs being connected does not matter at all: metal-to-metal, metal-to-plastic or plastic-to-plastic - there is a connector model for any of them. Particularly shocking to old-school plumbers is the American woman’s adaptability to connecting metal-plastic pipes without any reason special training- the pipe is simply inserted into a “cunning” union nut, which, when connected to the mating part, compresses it with a conical ring.
To install this foreigner, use an open-end or adjustable wrench of the appropriate size. Because the outside of the American woman has a beautiful nickel coating, then the use of pipe wrenches is not recommended, or the surface of the nut should be protected with a wooden or plastic backing.
Materials from which American women are made
American women are made of cast iron, brass, steel or stainless steel. Of course, the material ultimately determines the price. Depends on the material performance indicators products: type of pumped liquids, permissible temperature, pressure. The range of these products is huge and can always be selected to suit any need. As a rule, applied to the surface nickel plated- this is both protection from the external environment and a presentable appearance.
Recently, they have been increasingly used in plumbing plastic pipelines, so the American also became a “half-breed” - some fittings with a persistent collar are made of plastic. During installation, such a fitting is welded to the pipe, and the nut presses it against its counterpart - a counter fitting, which is made of metal, and is screwed onto steel pipe. But if the further pipeline is plastic, then the fitting pressed into plastic which is welded to the pipe.
Key for American women
With all its simplicity and attractiveness The American woman has a secret that doesn’t lie on the surface, but everyone involved in editing should know it - do you know what to use to tighten it? The fact is that the union nut is controlled by the usual open-end wrench, but there are also press fittings for metal-plastic pipes that need to be screwed into place using an internal wrench. And this can be either a hexagon, which is simpler, or a cylinder with recesses for hooks, which is more complicated, but more reliable.
American connection: How to connect pipes using an American connection and what are its advantages
What is the American one for and how to use it. Classifications of American women and their features. What materials is American made from?
Quick-release threaded American is available with a flat or conical connection of structural parts. Usually, the simplest American one consists of four parts: two threaded fittings, a gasket (but not always) and a union nut.
The tightness between the fittings occurs due to the conical surfaces of the edges of the parts and a rubber gasket, or for flat ones - only with a gasket, for example, a paronite one.
American ones are designed for convenient, quick connection or disconnection of pipes and various shut-off and control elements of heating and plumbing systems in the house. The connection (connector) of the pipelines is carried out using only one union nut. Please note that the American detachable connection in plumbing is intended for repeated use with replacement of the “squeezed out” gasket if necessary and has an undeniable advantage over a conventional connection with a coupling and lock nut.
Such connections come with a coupling threaded connection (Photo 1)
or for soldering polypropylene pipes (Photo 4).
American plumbing fixtures are made from different materials: cast iron (Photo 3),
brass coated with chrome or nickel (and without),
made of stainless steel and combined, with individual polypropylene parts. They can be bought in the retail chain in various sizes (diameters) and designs (straight, angular (Photo 2),
designed for different medium pressures in the pipeline.
American taps have become widespread.
By design, an American ball valve can be straight or angular and is designed to operate in cold and hot non-aggressive environments.
Available in nominal diameters of 15 (1/2″), 20 (3/4″) ... and up to 50 (2″ inches). The temperature limit for a plastic tap is plus 90 degrees. And a ball valve with an American brass valve, for example, a Bugatti (Bugatti), can withstand temperature conditions, according to the manufacturer, from minus 20 to plus 120 degrees.
In order to install or dismantle detachable connections, you will need a key for American women. In plumbing practice, you often have to deal with American ones of 1/2″ and 3/4″, with two internal projections, less often with a hexagon. I make this “L”-shaped double-sided key myself, from scraps of construction profile 14 reinforcement, using the method of heating and flattening to a square. Then I give it a slight conical shape and harden it. It is made under a cone because different manufacturers have slightly different sizes of internal protrusions.
The universal double “L” shaped key for American women has the following approximate dimensions (diagram in Fig. 1):
handle length 150 mm;
edge under 1/2″ - A = 12, B = 10, C = 32;
edge under 3/4″ - A = 16, B = 13, C = 35
This homemade wrench is also suitable for detachable hexagon connections.
Advice: if you need to work with only one or two... 1/2″ metal American ones, you can use ordinary pliers, which will serve as a key quite well (Photo 5).