Copper Pipe
- Thread starter Bluff
- Start date
I don't see why you couldn't use any of the three...
One wonders if the trace amounts of copper would cause any problems with the plant. We use slightly acidic water... this might cause more of the copper to leech into the water.
Only guessing... I have no real idea.
Cheers.
Only guessing... I have no real idea.
Cheers.
huh... whaddayaknow.... every now and then, I just get lucky. Sweet!
A few other reasons not to use copper...
You can only bend copper a few times. Plastic you can fold, spindle, and mutilate.
Copper would be a better conductor of heat... you might need to insulate it.
Copper conducts electricity... this shouldn't ever be an issue, but accidents happen.
Fittings in copper usually require soldering... pain in the butt, and who knows what's in solder these days. Is it mainly lead?
I'm sure there are many others. Generally, I assume that if everyone else is doing something a certain way, there's probably a good reason.
Cheers
A few other reasons not to use copper...
You can only bend copper a few times. Plastic you can fold, spindle, and mutilate.
Copper would be a better conductor of heat... you might need to insulate it.
Copper conducts electricity... this shouldn't ever be an issue, but accidents happen.
Fittings in copper usually require soldering... pain in the butt, and who knows what's in solder these days. Is it mainly lead?
I'm sure there are many others. Generally, I assume that if everyone else is doing something a certain way, there's probably a good reason.
Cheers
- Thread starter
- #5
ive been in plumbing my whole life.
I wouldnt be worried about the solder, its mostly tin, as required by law. They quit puttin lead in stuff like that years ago. as of a month or so ago, even your kitchen faucet and bathroom faucets are without lead.
id be worried about the flux though. you use flux to clean the pipe before soldering it. Ive made water pipes out of copper pipe and it leaves a residue that can be tasted. normally it washes away in a house's system, but in a small hydro system without much pressure i would be concerned.
I wouldnt be worried about the solder, its mostly tin, as required by law. They quit puttin lead in stuff like that years ago. as of a month or so ago, even your kitchen faucet and bathroom faucets are without lead.
id be worried about the flux though. you use flux to clean the pipe before soldering it. Ive made water pipes out of copper pipe and it leaves a residue that can be tasted. normally it washes away in a house's system, but in a small hydro system without much pressure i would be concerned.
Great info! +Rep!
OldMedUser
Formerly Known as LabRat
Nix on the copper. Any pH below 7 will leach copper and/or tin and lead. Unless the solder used specifically says lead free it's usually 60/40 - 50/50 lead/tin. Any of the above metals can and will lead to toxic conditions for your garden's health.
Stick with plastic. It's safer and cheaper too.
Stick with plastic. It's safer and cheaper too.
- Thread starter
- #9
Don't use copper, to kill a tree drive a copper nail or spike into it, it'll kill it. The stuff that was preferred for pressure treating wood was copper chromated arsenic but they use boron or something now. One of the most powerful herbicides is a copper variety. Don't know hw much copper could leach out of pipe but the safety factor brought up earlier with electrical conductivity is enough for me. Plus, pvc is SO easy to work with and cheap.
