One of the bottlenecks when installing a heating system has always been connecting the battery using threaded connections. Conventional couplings with locknuts were good for massive cast iron radiators. But the era of multi-ton cast iron panels is already a thing of the past, giving way to compact and more efficient systems that use American-type connections as a connection system.
What is "American"
Among the methods of connecting pipes and heating devices, two main methods are used - using bends and couplings, using nuts and fittings, or in other words, American ones.
In technical language, this connection is referred to as a union nut connection. Unlike traditional couplings and fittings, the American one is a separate unit with a thread for installation in a radiator and in a pipeline connected by a union nut. Both halves have a connecting unit in the form of a cone and a funnel. When tightening, the parts of the connection fit tightly against each other and are tightened with a nut.
Unlike drives and couplings, when connecting with an American, fewer operations are performed, firstly, and secondly, the connection is more dense and reliable.
Sgons and Americans
What it is
Let's start with a short excursion into history.
Quite recently, by historical standards - some twenty to twenty-five years ago - only three types of heating devices were massively sold and used in our country:
- Convectors, which consisted of steel plates pressed onto it to increase heat transfer.
Let us clarify: optionally, their design could include a decorative screen and blinds to regulate heat transfer.
- Plate radiators are two stamped steel plates welded around the perimeter. The coolant moved through a labyrinth of grooves between them.
- Cast iron sectional radiators. They, it seems, do not need any introduction, since they are now installed in most apartments.
There were only two methods of fastening:
- Welding
. They were welded to the convector connections exclusively: their mechanical strength and service life, at least not inferior to the service life of the risers and connections, did not require dismantling for repair or replacement. - Sgony
. The coupling (in the case of a convector or plate-type device) or the radiator plug (in the case of a sectional radiator) was driven along the long thread on the connection, simultaneously screwing onto the thread of the device or screwing into it. The connection was then sealed with a wound locknut.
The first aluminum radiators were mounted the old fashioned way - on saddles. However, after a few years, simple fittings - American ones, which included detachable connections with a union nut and a rubber seal - became widespread. Their main advantage was the simple and quick dismantling of the device: an operation that previously took up to half an hour now took no more than a minute and did not require much effort.
Help: a cast iron radiator cap from a new radiator can be unscrewed with a gas wrench number 2. To deal with an old stuck cap, you have to lengthen it with a lever or use a wrench number 4. In this case, the cap often does not unscrew, but is literally torn in half, losing the thread .
Does the American woman have any disadvantages? In essence, there is only one drawback: the strength of the connection is limited by the quality of the rubber seal and the tightness of its pressure. With high pressure in the circuit (for example, during water hammer), it is the seal and the relatively thin American union nut that turn out to be the weak link.
- In central heating systems with a high probability of exceeding the standard pressure, it is better to use the usual threaded fittings.
- It is advisable to use American ones in autonomous systems.
How to choose American taps for central heating radiators
When choosing fittings for connecting heating radiators, attention is usually paid to two points - the quality of the product and its technical condition.
The taps for installation in the battery are selected depending on the type of radiator and the manufacturer’s recommendations are taken into account. The correct choice depends on taking into account the size of the mounting hole in the battery, the type of thread and the diameter of the pipes used in the system.
To connect to the system, straight and corner fittings with American females are used. This makes it possible to optimally select the installation option. In the connection diagram, you can install both American fittings and the control valve itself in the mounting socket.
When installing an American fitting into a battery, sealing tape or tow with sealant or paint is used.
Experienced builders recommend choosing American ones with a conical connection; it is stronger and more reliable, since it does not have a seal. In addition, when choosing, it is recommended to carefully examine the body of the parts - the thicker the body, the more reliable the connection. And be sure to pay attention to how many turns of thread are cut into the nut and into the body of the fitting. If there are only 2-3 turns, then such an American one is not worth buying.
Installation
Sgony
Here are instructions for connecting a cast-iron battery to squeegees.
- We push the locknuts and the passage plug onto the long threads of the liner until they stop.
- We hang the radiator by inserting the liner threads into the first section by 1-3 centimeters.
Please note: the heating device is hung strictly horizontally, level. When tilted towards the liner, air will collect in it.
- We wind the plug along the thread with a bunch of plumbing flax with paint or.
- We wrap it into the radiator until it stops with moderate force.
- We drive the locknut to the plug, leaving a gap of 5 - 10 mm between them.
- We wind a bunch of flax into the remaining gap along the thread (again with paint or sealant).
- Tighten the locknut.
American women
Here the procedure is much simpler:
- Let's look at the Americans;
- We screw the parts of the fittings with the union nut into the coupling, tap or throttle, and the elements with the gasket into the radiator plugs. For winding we use the same flax with paint or a polymer thread - sealant.
- We hang the radiator on the brackets.
- We screw on the American union nuts by hand and carefully, without unnecessary effort, tighten them with an open-end or adjustable wrench.
How to properly install an American on a heating radiator
Installation of shut-off valves is done in the battery according to the installation diagram. To install a radiator in a private house, a diagonal pattern is usually used, and for an apartment building, a one-sided pattern is usually used. After the transportation plugs are removed from the seats and the threads are inspected, they proceed to installing the valve under the American one.
The algorithm looks like this:
- The type of thread in the radiator seat is determined;
- The sealing tape is wound onto the threads of the fitting;
- The fitting together with the nut is screwed into the thread and secured with a key;
- The valve is tried on in the pipeline, the fitting is installed in the pipe and fixed;
- After this, according to the installation diagram, the tap is fixed with a union nut on the radiator;
- The next step is to fix the tap with a union nut on the pipeline side.
- Finally, both nuts are tightened using a wrench, and the connection is finally sealed.
The use of American in plumbing
The versatility of connections using the American connection and their positive qualities during operation made it indispensable in many cases of installation work. Structurally, the American has many modifications for various applications, and sometimes is even a component unit of 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 , and often not just one - its inputs and outputs are made using American technology. Thanks to this, when dismantling the meter for verification, there are no problems with the connecting pipes - only its union nuts are unscrewed.
With the help of an American, it is very convenient to carry out installation and repair work on heating radiators, shut-off valves, and various filters. Reducing repair time during operation - the main headache of both residents and plumbers - is the biggest positive effect of using this connector.
highly hermetic connections on the American basis has 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 . 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 ability to connect metal-plastic pipes without any special preparation - 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. Since the outside of the American nut has a beautiful nickel coating, the use of pipe wrenches is not recommended, or you should protect the surface of the nut with a wooden or plastic backing.
Tools and materials
To obtain a strong and reliable connection, in addition to high-quality fittings and nuts, you also need reliable tools. This applies, first of all, to the keys for installing fittings into the radiator body.
The design of the fitting provides for the use of a key for the internal volume of the fitting. To avoid damaging the thread during installation, the inner surface is made in the form of a hexagon or has two protrusions for gripping with a special key.
This feature is extremely important during installation work. Experienced experts recommend not making mistakes, but immediately purchasing keys for American women. I can recommend a key for American women, Good-natured Plumber, this is the optimal price/quality ratio for this type of tool. The key is a stepped cone with grooves. Each diameter corresponds to the size of the inner diameter of the fitting. For operation, a ratchet handle is used, which allows you to change the direction of tightening. For hexagonal shapes, regular hexagons are used.
The external threads of the fittings on many models are jagged. This shape is not something unusual; it’s just more convenient to wrap sealing tape or hemp tow on such a thread. When screwed into the battery, it is the notches that prevent the seal from sliding along the threads. This connection turns out to be quite reliable. As for the sealant, it is recommended to use sealing tape for modern radiator models, and for traditional cast iron radiators to use the classic method - packing tow.
Radiator piping
The sectional radiator itself is a “semi-finished product” that cannot be connected to the system. Especially considering that it has a right-hand thread on one side and a left-hand thread on the other. This feature is dictated by the way individual sections are connected into a battery through a nipple, which has two sections with multidirectional threads and a gasket between them.
To connect the battery to the system, you need special fittings (futures) and plugs.
The minimum set of additional elements for connecting a cast iron battery includes two fittings and two plugs. Depending on the characteristics of the heating system and the side from which the connections are fitted, the external thread of the plugs and fittings can be left-handed or right-handed. And the internal thread of footwear is always right-handed.
If a cast-iron battery needs to be equipped with a Mayevsky valve or an automatic radiator air vent, then instead of the top plug, another fitting is screwed in.
For aluminum and bimetallic radiators, they sell ready-made kits that consist of four fittings (in pairs with left and right external threads), one plug to match the size of the internal thread of the fitting and one Mayevsky tap (plus a key for it).
Of course, a Mayevsky tap or an automatic air vent is optional, but they make it possible to release the air lock that has formed in the battery.
Another recommended piping element for the central heating system battery is ball valves for supply and return. They make it possible to repair or replace the battery without stopping the system if a leak appears in it, as well as increase the number of sections if there is insufficient thermal power to heat the room.
For an autonomous heating system, instead of a ball valve for the supply, it is better to install a manual or automatic thermostat.
Taps and thermostats are connected to the battery through an “American” connection, and the method of connecting them to the supply line depends on the material of the pipes.
Which American crane is better?
Traditionally, when choosing an American crane, preference is given to foreign models. There is an opinion that the quality of these particular ones is the standard. At the same time, the point is missed that much depends on the operating conditions of the crane and components.
In apartment buildings, especially high-rise buildings, where high pressure is maintained in the heating system, the use of American-style heating systems with thin walls is fraught with constant leaks. This especially affects the unqualified installation of heating devices. Due to constant high coolant pressure in the system or water hammer, thin-walled connections are prone to deformation.
In private houses, where the pressure in the system is much lower, the risk of leaks is less, therefore for multi-storey buildings it is recommended to install high-quality fittings from well-known brands.
Purpose of fittings
A faucet installed near the radiator can perform one of the following functions:
- Changing the amount of coolant entering the radiator. In this way, the heat transfer of the battery is regulated, and, accordingly, the temperature in the room;
- Complete disconnection of the radiator from the heating system. Most often this is done for repair work;
- Reset work environment. Performed when performing repairs or to flush the battery;
- Air release.
Since the pressure drop in the heating system is very insignificant, even a small air lock can stop the circulation of the coolant. By bleeding the air, we eliminate the cause of the blockage and restore the functioning of the system.
In apartments and private houses, ball valves are installed on radiators of heating systems. This type of valve is also called a plug valve. Inside it there is a metal ball rotating around an axis perpendicular to the axis of the pipeline. The ball has a through hole, the cross-section of which is equal to the cross-section of the pipeline (the diameter of the ball itself exceeds the clearance of the pipeline). By rotating the handle, the user turns the ball, and the axis of the channel made in it either aligns with the axis of the pipe (water flows through the tap) or occupies a position perpendicular to it (water does not flow through the tap). The tight fit of the ball in the seat is ensured by the plastic shell covering it.
Ball valve is the most popular type of shut-off valve for pipelines with a diameter of less than 50 mm. Their main advantage is speed: you can shut off the flow of water in the pipeline in one motion by turning the valve 90 degrees. The principle of the valve design eliminates leaks through the hole for the stem, so there is no need to install an oil seal, which would have to be changed periodically. Thanks to the advent of new materials and technologies, all the shortcomings that were characteristic of plug taps in the past have been eliminated in modern models. Today they are reliable, practical and durable devices that are very easy to work with.
What you need to know about American crane manufacturers
In the age of information technology, consumers have a unique opportunity to verify for themselves the reality of information about the manufacturer. It is enough to look on the Internet to find the manufacturer’s website and make sure that the purchased part is not a fake. But the online representation of hardware manufacturers is not only additional advertising, but also an opportunity to confirm your name and the quality of the product.
When purchasing accessories, it is recommended to pay attention to the following American faucet manufacturers:
- Arco – valvulasarco.com;
- Bianchi – bianchifratelli.it;
- Bugatti – it;
- Fiv – fiv.it;
- General Fittings – generalfittings.it.
In addition to Italian manufacturers, it is worth paying attention to one domestic manufacturer of high-quality fittings - Valtec - valtec.ru
