Blk. pipe vs. CU. cost& time?

clammy

Kevin for many years i do alll my hot water boilers in copper and after i started to do service i noticed alot of copper jobs that had leaks not big as lose but in is huge calium despoits .Most of all the leaks where from piping and pumps not being supported properly the copper taking all the weight of pumps ,zone valves and such ,i also figured that all the hacking i had seen was based on a guy with a saw all and a torch hacking in zones here and there usually when those guys see all steel pipe they run no tools or knoweldge to work with it .I finally stopped doing copper way before the price went up and it was cheaper then ,the labor is a draw when you add it all up ,big plus no male adp to boiler ,spriovent ,pump flanges always felt it never look pro .As for threading i use a ole ridgid 400 and i have a set of die a adjustable for in place stuff ,drive shaft and 2 1/2 to 4 die for bigger stuff and a vise .Porta band saw ids also a must in my book .Time wise i find i can pipe up most of the boiler quicker with steel and have a much better looking job when complete but you have to be use to working with threaded pipe and be confindent with your abbiliaties it just takes a little time but it surely makes you different then everybody else and the look on onspectors face is excellent some know other can't believe .It's all trail and error do what you feel you are comfortable with peace and good luck clammy

Kevin O. Pulver

Voice of experience please.

Guys, I've never done steam so I've always been able to
use copper for all my boiler piping. I've got a tee-puller and the Ridgid copper prep tool. But with copper getting so scary, I've considered going to all black pipe for all my
boiler piping. How does the material cost compare and how does the time compare? If I bought a good used power threader, how does a Ridgid 300 power vise compare to using the handheld 700? The little threading I've done has been the hard way! CPVC is starting to look pretty inviting, but I don't think the inspector would let it pass. LOL
Any thoughts welcome,
Thanks in advance, Kevin

Bill Nye_2

Uh, Kevin?

I was just being a wiseguy, I would never ever use copper for steam. Especially not DWV fittings like one sees installed.

Kevin O. Pulver

Thanks for the reply, any other opinions?

So you are saying it was cheaper BEFORE copper went through the roof and about the same labor if you're good with black pipe? That sounds worthwhile to me.
Any other experiences out there? How does labor and material cost compare copper to black?
Kevin

EBEBRATT-Ed

The 700 is ok but the 300 is better if you do a lot of threading. I cut with a bandsaw when I use a 700 so I don't have to ream.

Best deal in my opinion is a rems amigo 2 if you go with a handheld threader. That 700 gets heavy pick it up put it down.

Ed

Kevin O. Pulver

I'm starting to get the picture

I see the pros and cons of the 300 or 700.
Anyone else want to weigh in on the time and material differences between black pipe and copper?
Kevin

Robert O'Brien

Ever

thought of black on the manifolds and headers and PAP from there?

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Ted_9

both

Most of our installs are black supply and return headers and then copper after the circs or the zone valves.

I am, however using less copper. All of our heat lines through the house are pex or pex/al/pex.

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Unknown

Very nice Ted

I wonder how the costs line up though . Since you used premade manifolds for the return piping and threaded ball valves . By the way , what type of valves are on the returns ? Do they have purges built in ? Who makes em ?

Just thinking about pricing , would it be less expensive to transition to copper right away since everything you're connecting to on the return is copper ? I hardly get into pricing , but I know threaded fittings are more expensive than sweat .

Outstanding job Ted . The steel return does look fantastic .

Ted_9

Work

Thanks for the compliment Ron.

All of the iso flanges and ball valves are Webstone. And the returns are ball valve with drain. IPS x copper.

I used to do all copper on the return.

I used the EZ-Headers because I was getting sick of the black tees and fittings not being tapped right.


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Kevin O. Pulver

Now you've about changed my mind...

I was thinking going black instead of copper, now I remember all the gripes I've heard here about cheapo china black fittings that aren't straight. And they cost more chan sweat? Maybe I should just stick with copper huh? I now use copper for the boiler piping and manifolds (homebuilt) and pap to connect the two. Kevin