foam lagged copper how to bend

[rgormley]

how do i go about bending soft drawn twin lagged copper pipe

used on air cons (1/4 + 3/8) foam wrapped

cant get a pipe bender on it as the foam gets in the way.

or should i hand bend (with my hands) slowly and little bit by bit?


thanks,

[Barry_White]

You should be able to bend it by hand. You only need a pipe bender if you need to make real tight bends but even then you should be able to get reasonably tight bends by hand.

The only thing to be careful of is bending it backwards and forwards several times as it will become very hard.

[Bob Willson]

Hand bend it over a piece of plastic pipe (100 mm dia or thereabouts)

[Jack E]

When you buy your pipe you should also purchase the bending tube with it.

Bending tube is a flexible plastic tube (almost solid) which fits closely inside the pipe.

When you bend with it you don't get kinks, and it is reuseable.

Be aware that when using this, you should only do one bend at a time, otherwise it is very hard to remove from the pipe.

It also helps to slightly flare the pipe before inserting the tube. Otherwise any rough part on the pipe can cut slivers off the plastic tube, these then remain in the system and can shorten its life.

Alternatively, cut the insulation, pull it back, use your benders and then refit the insulation with duct tape.

You can pulll the insulation back quite easily on the white lagged pipe.

That being said, you can carefully hand bend the pipe sizes you have mentioned.

Once the pipework is on, be sure to vac the system according to the manufacturers instructions.

BTW, the refrigeration and electrical work should be done / checked by licensed tradesmen.

[rgormley]

ok thanks thats the info i required.

now i have found that the pump unit does NOT have the 1/4 and 3/8 union couplers bugger!! now i will have to get thme from reece?? or purple pig


funny though the head unit has them but not the pump (only has plastic protection caps)

will post on the results...

[Cliff Rogers]

I watched a plumber here last week.
He slit the Kemlag, (around the pipe, not along it) slipped it off the end, made the bend & then slipped the Kemlag back on & covered the cut with gaffer tape.
When he had to bend some big stuff that wouldn't fit in his bender, he did the same thing but took more off & the heated the pipe with an Oxy to bend it. He cooled it with water & slipped the Kemlag back on.