Electrical Insight - PVC Attachments

Some of you may know what some of the materials, products, or tools we are posting are, and others of you may have never seen or used something like this before. We're going to post some behind the scene pictures of material, products, or tools which we use on your projects, both residential and commercial, so you have a little inside scoop and can impress our Spectrum Electrical Services, Inc. electrician next time they stop by!

How do you ensure PVC pipes and fittings stay securely together? They make special PVC Primer and Glue to be used in these specific instances. Make sure you get the proper primer and glue for the type of PVC pipe you are using - if you are unsure how to determine this information, ask at the local hardware store, they can definitely help guide you!

If attaching a PVC pipe piece and a PVC fitting such as a 90* elbow, first you will need to wipe the inside of the fitting and the outside edge of the pipe with primer. Next spread an even layer of PVC solvent cement on the inside of the fitting and the outside of the pipe. (Just swiping the pipe with cement and pushing on the fitting won’t ensure a strong joint. You want to make sure you have an even layer of cement over all mating surfaces.)

If you’re using PVC or CPVC pipe, wipe pvc primer around the pipe and into the fitting to prepare it for the solvent PVC cement. Let it dry about 10 seconds. Then spread an even layer of solvent cement on the same surfaces. To keep excess solvent cement from being pushed into water piping, don’t apply too much to the inside of the socket on the fitting. At this point you have to work fast to complete the assembly. Align the fitting and pipe about a quarter turn from their final orientation. Then twist the fitting a quarter turn as you press it onto the pipe. Twisting the fitting helps spread the solvent cement evenly to ensure a solid joint. If you’ve made alignment marks, make sure they’re aligned with each other. Hold the pipe and fitting together for about 15 seconds until the cement grabs. If you let go immediately, the pipe may push out of the fitting, resulting in a weak joint.

Check out the learn more button for more tips and tricks to PVC attaching!