Thread: Thailand Plumbing - Blue Pipes

PVC and copper are about the same price, so it is more to do with availability and skills

I think copper piping is being fazed out and the newer plastic water pipes (PEX, PPR, C-PVC etc.) that have been approved for hot and cold piping in many industrial countries will replace it. There are many reasons for this here are a few.

Plastic tubing is available in long coils and is flexible enough to bend around obstructions without the use of connections. Fewer connections mean fewer opportunities for connections to leak and cause water damage. Lightweight, flexible nature mean plastic tubing can be easily run around and through obstacles in the home and can be installed more quickly - resulting in lower labor costs although not as large a factor here. Reduced maintenance and repair costs. Service is relatively simple, and it’s corrosion-resistant. Any Thai with a broken hacksaw blade can install it. Can be install in concrete.
Improved energy efficiency. It reduces the amount of heat lost from water in the piping, increases the response time of hot water, and decreases the amount of energy the water heater uses to deliver hot water.
Oh just so you know I’ve sold all my shares in plastic.

I think one reason why copper is used so extensively in the US (at least) is lobbying by plumbers trade groups! Where I live, it is actually illegal per the plumbing code to do ANY plumbing work on your own residence - you cannot even legally change a washer! Obviously a house plumbed with copper takes much more time than the other alternatives.

That being said, I built a house in another state in the US and used PEX. The stuff is great, and I would think would be perfect for Thailand. You can get 300+ foot long rolls, so that there are no fittings within the walls, bend the stuff pretty easily (with maybe a 1-foot radius on the bend) to avoid elbows, and join the fittings with a special crimping tool. Each fixture is typically a separate run, maintaining better pressure throughout. Great stuff to work with!

Originally Posted by danno5

I think one reason why copper is used so extensively in the US (at least) is lobbying by plumbers trade groups! Where I live, it is actually illegal per the plumbing code to do ANY plumbing work on your own residence - you cannot even legally change a washer! Obviously a house plumbed with copper takes much more time than the other alternatives.

Huh? You mentioned the US not Thailand?? Where is it "illegal" to do plumbing work (or any work) on your own property in the US? I want to be sure to avoid that bung hole, if it really exists?... I would also suggest that the use of copper piping is not extensive anymore in the states and hasn't been for the last 20 years or more except maybe on a limited regional basis..

what about

Plastic supply pipes have become increasingly common since about 1970, with a variety of materials and fittings employed, however plastic water pipes do not keep water as clean as copper and brass piping does. Copper pipe plumbing is bacteriostatic. This means that bacteria can't grow in the copper pipes

DF, I mentioned the US to follow up on a prior comment. I lived in Massachusetts, where it is still illegal to do your own plumbing work unles you are a licensed plumber (although you can do electrical work with out a license if it is on your own house).

And I am not sure if the current plumbing code in MA allows the use of PEX for potable water supply - although they allow it for heating systems (my sister's house was built 4-5 years ago and used PEX for heat and copper for potable water). Certainly plastic pipe (typically HDPE) is used for exterior burried conditions, but copper is still used almost exclusively for interior potable water!

The other house I built was in Maine - where there is no building code (at least the woods where I was building!).

Interesting how things change as time goes by. My Grandfather was a plumber when lead was used in plumbing. My father also a plumber saw that end with galvanized piping the way to go. During my thirty some years of plumbing I witness the end of galvanized piping except for the new plastic lined pipe, the end of lead based solder for copper and for the most part the end of copper piping in residential housing. First drainage then water lines. Some plastic piping was used for quite a number of years for potable water until studies showed it to be a carcinogenic. Sorry forgot the names, but it was the flexible gray stuff with crimped fittings. As DrAndy pointed out copper pipes are biostatic and able to resist bacterial growth. It will be interesting to see what is next. Good or bad the trend at least for now is plastic piping of one type or another. So be careful out there boys and girls it’s a dangerous world.

yup, peoples republic of MA....the labor unions pay off the democrats who control the house, senate and now governor's office! I too am a fugitive from justice, although when I build my house there I had to hire a plumber, since it was the only way I could get a building permit.

Hi guys,

Any of you a plumber? I'm building a house and I would like to subcontract the work to a good plumber. Greater BKK area (just south of the city near Central RAMA II)

Thanks

Kim

So it sounds like copper supply lines and PVC waste lines seem the way to go if you can afford the instalation.

Guys,

I checked out Syler pipes as suggested by one of the members. Called the company... they suggested Thai-PPR for the good water and the blue pipes for waste water. Their Thai PPR line of product ensures that the joints are completely sealed via heat. They have several versions of the pipe. Some can take hot water as well.

I'm planning to use them for my house. Here's the website: ไซเลà¸[at]ร์ ผู้นำนวัตà¸�รรมท่à¸[at]ภ™à¹‰à¸³

Originally Posted by luesak

Hi guys,

Any of you a plumber? I'm building a house and I would like to subcontract the work to a good plumber. Greater BKK area (just south of the city near Central RAMA II)

Thanks

Kim

I don't think there are 'plumbers' (good or bad) in Thailand, the concept of skilled trades doesn't seem to exist here.

There is very good info here, especially the part about using the acetone cleaner before applying the glue. In Australia it is dyed pink to show it's been applied.

Also, give the fittings a bit of a twist when joining to ensure a seal.

Many builders will try to save costs by running everything in 1/2" (15mm). This is a really bad practice that will reduce water pressure, strain pumps and use more electricity.

As someone else mentioned, blue pipes are used everywhere. Even farms use them for irrigation, which is much more expensive and time consuming than using black irrigation pipes.

Originally Posted by Smithson

Originally Posted by luesak

Hi guys,

Any of you a plumber? I'm building a house and I would like to subcontract the work to a good plumber. Greater BKK area (just south of the city near Central RAMA II)

Thanks

Kim

I don't think there are 'plumbers' (good or bad) in Thailand, the concept of skilled trades doesn't seem to exist here.

There is very good info here, especially the part about using the acetone cleaner before applying the glue. In Australia it is dyed pink to show it's been applied.

Also, give the fittings a bit of a twist when joining to ensure a seal.

Many builders will try to save costs by running everything in 1/2" (15mm). This is a really bad practice that will reduce water pressure, strain pumps and use more electricity.

As someone else mentioned, blue pipes are used everywhere. Even farms use them for irrigation, which is much more expensive and time consuming than using black irrigation pipes.

Well... looks like building my house will be an interesting experience.

That leads to another interesting point. I seem to recall that my home in TX had 1 1/2" pipes. The Thai PPR person tells me the standard is 1" in Thailand. How will this impact water pressure, etc.

Slightly off topic but what is it with the blue pipes in spots of natural beauty in Thailand? I've been to numerous waterfalls and mountains etc only for what would be a lovely bit of scenery spoiled by fugly blue pipes running everywhere! Two off the top of my head are Erawan falls near Kanchanaburi and Than Sadet waterfall on Koh Phangan. Suppose they're to supply some nearby shacks or summat?