How long can the PE pipe be used with water after hot melt welding?

PE pipes have been widely used in water supply, drainage and other fields due to their excellent performance. Hot melt welding is one of the main ways of connecting PE pipes, and the quality of welding is directly related to the safe operation of the pipeline system. Many people will be concerned about a question after completing the hot melt welding of PE pipes: How long will it take to pass water?

In fact, PE pipes cannot pass water immediately after hot melt welding, because the PE material at the welding interface needs to undergo a cooling and curing process after hot melt. Only when the interface is completely cooled and solidified to form sufficient strength and sealing can it withstand the pressure when passing water. If you are in a hurry to pass water when the interface has not been fully cured, the pressure of the water flow may cause serious problems such as deformation, cracking, and even leakage of the interface, which not only affects the use, but also may cause unnecessary losses.

So, how long do you need to wait? This time is not fixed, it is affected by many factors. Among them, the ambient temperature is an important factor. In higher temperature environments such as summer, the cooling and curing speed of the hot melt interface of PE pipe will be relatively faster; while in winter or low temperature environment, the cooling and curing time will be longer.

Another key factor is the diameter of the pipe. Generally speaking, the larger the pipe diameter, the more materials need to be melted during hot melt welding, and the larger the cross-sectional area of the welding interface, so the longer the cooling and curing time required. Small-diameter PE pipes may be cooled for a few hours after welding to meet the water conditions; while for large-diameter PE pipes, it may take longer, sometimes even 24 hours or more to ensure that the interface is completely stable.

In order to ensure safety, it is recommended not to rush to water after the hot melt welding of PE pipes is completed. It is best to give sufficient cooling down according to the ambient temperature and pipe diameter at that time. In actual operation, relevant construction specifications or empirical data are usually referred to. For example, for small and medium-diameter PE pipes in conventional environments, many professionals will recommend waiting for at least 24 hours before water testing and formal use. But this is only a general reference, and the specific situation needs to be judged flexibly.

In addition, during the process of waiting for water delivery, attention should also be paid to protecting the welding interface to avoid collision or extrusion by external forces, so as not to affect the curing effect and final quality of the interface. Before formal water delivery, appearance inspection and necessary stress testing can also be carried out to ensure that all welding interfaces meet the standards for safe use.

In short, the water time after hot melt welding of PE pipe needs to comprehensively consider the environmental temperature, pipe diameter and other factors, follow the principle of "rather long than short", and give the interface sufficient cooling and curing time, so as to ensure the long-term safety and stable operation of PE pipe system.