Copper and Cast Iron

October Home

so much for your replies.

I'll look futher into the issue and let you know.

Best regards to the wonderful wallies, Arlene

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October Home

Can

you mix copper and cast iron heat pipes in the same system?

Hot water boiler.

The entire house is being renovated and my friend wants to use copper pipes that will be connected to cast iron pipes. His plumber won't let him do it. Is his plumber correct?

Thank you, Arlene

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Cunner_2

Copper

Arlene,
Provided it is a hot water system, there should be no trouble at all, I don't know of anyone who is cutting and threading pipe for a system, unless it is near boiler piping. I am curious as to what the plumber recommends should be used?

C

rumn8r

Correction, addition...

Cunner said, "Arlene, Provided it is a hot water system, there should be no trouble at all, I don't know of anyone who is cutting and threading pipe for a system, unless it is near boiler piping."

What Cunner MEANT to say was "Arlene, Provided it is a CLOSED LOOP hot water system, there should be no trouble at all, I don't know of anyone who is cutting and threading pipe for a system, unless it is near boiler piping."

And from my take, if the plumber is really worried about it, install brass threaded ball valves between the piping material transitions and there will be NO potential for dissimilar metal issues, or di-electric connection or electrolysis.

Personally, I don't think its an issue in a close loop heating system because there is no substantial free oxygen available to support the electrolysis theory, a critical component.

And Arlene, the wife wanted you to know that there are a WHOLE bunch of new casinos opening up in the hills... Stop by some time when you're in town:-)

ME

Cunner_2

I stand...


corrected, never thought about the open system possiblity. Live and learn I guess!!

C

rumn8r

So long as you learn something new everyday...

You're paying attention:-)

As my long gone pappy used to say, "If'n you don't learn something new every day, you were either A) Gone fishin', or Not payin' attention. And if'n you WERE Gone fishin' and you didn't learn something new, you weren't A) Payin' attention!

We all make msitakes...

ME

Brad White_141

THE Arlene? How cool!

Arlene, Hi-

Just to ferret out among the other possible parts of the issue, I assume the point is one of connecting copper to iron pipe. This can be done, with some debate, best with a bronze ball valve as an intermediate connection device. It forstalls dielectric corrosion but also makes for a neat connection. Female copper connections to iron pipe are the worst in my experience. If not dielectric corrosion then just the expansion/contraction fatigue and potential for leaks.

The other part is, just to cover the bases, copper tube fin-tube should not be mixed with cast iron radiation on the same zone because the copper side will cool much faster while the cast iron is still glowing with heat. That may not be the issue at hand but is worth mentioning, I think.


But as said in the other posts, closed system, no problem.

Cheers!

Brad

Boilerpro_5

One other perspective.....

copper tube boiler manufacturers have been combinging cast iron and copper for alot of years (50 or more), and don't appear to be having problems. There is also alot of copper baseboard system put in in the 1950's with no signs of problems. I am scientific by nature, but it appears that real world experience tells me that dielectric issues are non issues in closed systems. I suppose it may be different if we were talking about newer barrier and non barrier tubing products, as they can let in much more oxygen than steel pipes or copper tubing, I believe.

Boilerpro

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