Browse Forums Building A New House Re: PEX pipe: how long can it expose to sun? 2Dec 02, 2013 6:52 pm 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: PEX pipe: how long can it expose to sun? 3Dec 02, 2013 6:55 pm I paid extra to have all my pipes copper. Tried and proven to last. Re: PEX pipe: how long can it expose to sun? 4Dec 03, 2013 8:52 am SaveH2O Top product. No problem whatsoever. Thanks SaveH2O, is it normal to expose PEX pipe under sun during construction? Do you know how long is the max uv exposure days for this product? Thanks Re: PEX pipe: how long can it expose to sun? 6Dec 03, 2013 9:38 am HeathWilD Thanks, I found it yesterday. As I read, "Pipes and PPSU fittings should be covered from direct sunlight or UV emitting fluorescent lights during installation and operation". From Google, Normally PEX company have a max UV exposure days, printed on package. But I could not find anything online for this rehau rautitan product. Any plumbing expert know it? or I just worry about too much? Thanks Re: PEX pipe: how long can it expose to sun? 7Dec 03, 2013 11:37 am I wouldn't worry about it as the product is UV stabilised. If exposed to sun when installed, PEX should be covered. I used another product (AUSPEX) nearly 15 years ago to connect my water tank pump to a toilet and a garden tap. That particular product was only UV stabilised a couple of years ago yet I have an exposed length of the old AUSPEX between the ground and the garden tap on a west brick wall. It still looks as new. I didn't realise at the time that it was not rated as UV stabilised but I have no doubt that it has UV stabiliser in it. What colours are the pipe? I have assumed black. If you have any concerns, why not speak to your builder. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: PEX pipe: how long can it expose to sun? 8Dec 03, 2013 12:19 pm SaveH2O I wouldn't worry about it as the product is UV stabilised. If exposed to sun when installed, PEX should be covered. I used another product (AUSPEX) nearly 15 years ago to connect my water tank pump to a toilet and a garden tap. That particular product was only UV stabilised a couple of years ago yet I have an exposed length of the old AUSPEX between the ground and the garden tap on a west brick wall. It still looks as new. I didn't realise at the time that it was not rated as UV stabilised but I have no doubt that it has UV stabiliser in it. What colours are the pipe? I have assumed black. If you have any concerns, why not speak to your builder. Yes, the cold water is black, and hot water is red. rainwater provision is green. Re: PEX pipe: how long can it expose to sun? 9Dec 03, 2013 12:55 pm See link further below for black. The green should not be exposed but I have seen some that has been exposed when fitted without any short term effect. Not a good idea though. Was the red exposed? A bit slack if it was. Highly unlikely to be any effect as there have been a lot of overcast days over the past few weeks but I would mention it to the builder as a matter of course. I wonder if they would have done differently if it was the middle of summer? http://www.chinapipegroup.com/assets/Up ... alogue.pdf And from the above link: "RAUTITAN his 311 pipes are made from high-density cross-linked polyethylene (PE-Xa), and are co-extruded with an external black PE sheath that protects the pipes against ultraviolet rays when exposed to direct sunlight. In the past, embrittled polymer pipes were experienced when the products were exposed to sunlight, even for a short period of time. With the PE sheath protection, moderate amount of sun exposure in the course of short-term storing outdoor no longer causes deterioration in pipe material. RAUTITAN his 311 pipes are hygienic and non-toxic. They comply with requirements of AS/NZS 4020:2002 (Testing of products for use in contact with drinking water) and other hygiene related requirements that are approved by various approval certifying bodies." 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: PEX pipe: how long can it expose to sun? 10Dec 03, 2013 1:43 pm SaveH2O See link further below for black. The green should not be exposed but I have seen some that has been exposed when fitted without any short term effect. Not a good idea though. Was the red exposed? A bit slack if it was. Highly unlikely to be any effect as there have been a lot of overcast days over the past few weeks but I would mention it to the builder as a matter of course. I wonder if they would have done differently if it was the middle of summer? http://www.chinapipegroup.com/assets/Up ... alogue.pdf And from the above link: "RAUTITAN his 311 pipes are made from high-density cross-linked polyethylene (PE-Xa), and are co-extruded with an external black PE sheath that protects the pipes against ultraviolet rays when exposed to direct sunlight. In the past, embrittled polymer pipes were experienced when the products were exposed to sunlight, even for a short period of time. With the PE sheath protection, moderate amount of sun exposure in the course of short-term storing outdoor no longer causes deterioration in pipe material. RAUTITAN his 311 pipes are hygienic and non-toxic. They comply with requirements of AS/NZS 4020:2002 (Testing of products for use in contact with drinking water) and other hygiene related requirements that are approved by various approval certifying bodies." Thanks SaveH2O again. I will ask my builder and update answer here later. Re: PEX pipe: how long can it expose to sun? 11Dec 03, 2013 2:33 pm Just be aware that the outer layer is a sheath covering. The issue you have is whether the (unprotected) end of the exposed pipe was directly exposed to UV (sticking up) for 3 weeks. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: PEX pipe: how long can it expose to sun? 12Dec 03, 2013 2:47 pm SaveH2O Just be aware that the outer layer is a sheath covering. The issue you have is whether the (unprotected) end of the exposed pipe was directly exposed to UV (sticking up) for 3 weeks. As I can see, there is no exposed end. they are all jointed together very well. I found some info online. but most of them are USA, nothing for AUS. they said, generally, pex pipe company allow 30-60 days uv exposure. Re: PEX pipe: how long can it expose to sun? 13Dec 04, 2013 9:07 am Update: I called Rehau australia hotline this morning. the staff told me " it is ok to expose to sunlight/UV during construction. do not worry about it at all." I also ask him, technically, how long can it be exposed to sunlight/uv during construction. he told me "3-4 months exposed to sunlight during construction, is no problem at all". My builder use "Rautitan Platinum" for cold water, "red" for hot water, "green" for rainwater provision. they are all not uv stabilised. they cannot be exposed to UV permanently. But short construction period (3-4 months) is no problem at all. I guess they still have some margin to extend this period. Anyway, I still no hear anything back from builder. But I guess the builder will tell me the same thing. Re: PEX pipe: how long can it expose to sun? 14Dec 04, 2013 9:31 am The spec sheet states that the black has 2.5% UV stabiliser. We use that amount when manufacturing products from Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA) and that stays in full sun for years without affect. I think that the rehau cautions are conservative but wisely so. I had a look for a cutaway photo of PEX pipe that showed the outer sheath but I couldn't find one. I had a panic attack for a moment a couple of posts ago when I thought of the worst case scenario of cut ends being exposed. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: PEX pipe: how long can it expose to sun? 15Dec 04, 2013 9:59 am SaveH2O The spec sheet states that the black has 2.5% UV stabiliser. We use that amount when manufacturing products from Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA) and that stays in full sun for years without affect. I think that the rehau cautions are conservative but wisely so. I had a look for a cutaway photo of PEX pipe that showed the outer sheath but I couldn't find one. I had a panic attack for a moment a couple of posts ago when I thought of the worst case scenario of cut ends being exposed. my builder use "Platinum" for cold water. it is not black. it is not uv stabilised. full list of rehau pipe products is here http://www.rehau.com/AU_en/Construction ... tab=989562 Re: PEX pipe: how long can it expose to sun? 16Dec 04, 2013 3:32 pm Very interesting, this never crossed my mind during construction! Is it the same pipe type as 'staindard' water pipes, eg. the ones that run to your shower heads? Ours were baking on direct sun for about 2 months. Ours are all black. My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: PEX pipe: how long can it expose to sun? 17Dec 05, 2013 1:54 am Lex Is it the same pipe type as 'staindard' water pipes, eg. the ones that run to your shower heads? Ours are all black. PEX pipe is known by different proprietary names, AUSPEX for example. "Baking in direct sun" should be avoided but most people assume that black PEX is UV stabilised. This is not always the case as per AUSPEX until a couple of years ago. Regardless, PEX is made from HDPE and is tough but the manufacturers written instructions should always be followed. It has been refreshing to read this query from pengruijun. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: PEX pipe: how long can it expose to sun? 18Dec 05, 2013 12:04 pm Lex Very interesting, this never crossed my mind during construction! Is it the same pipe type as 'staindard' water pipes, eg. the ones that run to your shower heads? Ours were baking on direct sun for about 2 months. Ours are all black. As I know, the black color is just a outer PE layer. It is hard to say uv stabilised or not. If the construction has been finished, nothing we can do as "customers". Plumbers 'can be' plumbers, made all the worse by self certification which the building surveyor invariably accepts as proof of compliance! The good thing is that you know know. 3 5854 I think you are getting different numbers because they all just based them on "other jobs" even though each job is unique. Often, with builders, unless you're speaking to… 3 3828 DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair We have a hot water copper pipe that runs from our hot water unit on one side of our house under a concrete slab to our bathroom and laundry...old house so not ideal. The… 0 6612 |