Introducing: The Super Modular System for FPT/MPT plastic pvc pipe fittings in Sch 40 and Sch 80 The Background: Pipe sizing and dimensions go back over 100 years. In fact they go all the way back to the clay pipes of the Roman Empire. Starting at the turn of the last century IPS (Iron Pipe Size) made it's start in the modern plumbing revolution. Over the years technology has invented many substitutes for the iron in IPS, but the dimensions and technology has not changed. The same "interference thread" system used for Iron Pipe Size has been carried over into the plastic pipe world. Amazingly, it did a great job for almost 100 years. However, anyone who has threaded in a pipe nipple into a female plastic pipe fitting knows you have 3 states of matter: 1) Leaking, 2) Sealed perfectly and 3) Cracked. With the difference between leaking & cracked as little as 1/16th of a turn. :-) That is because plastic pipe is not designed to handle the extreme pressure interference threads put on the fitting. Every turn you make is trying to explode the fitting. Over the years we've used teflon paste, pipe dope, and teflon tape to try and seal the threads, stop the leaks and keep the fittings from cracking, but the success rate has only been "just okay." The Solution: The Modular O-Ringed Fitting. The Modular O-Ringed Fitting obviously uses an O-Ring of EPDM rubber to make the seal. You no longer have to tighten the fitting to make the seal, the O-Ring goes it with very modest pressure. Also, unlike a traditional nipple and FPT, it's easy to take apart. In fact, you usually don't even need tools. Hand tightening is all that is required. Additionally for some applications, you can use the adapter as a union and/or bulkhead fitting. The key uses of Modular O-Ringed Fittings:
The only down side is that the range of sizes and fittings is limited. Currently most of the fittings are only available for 1", however there are a few for 1.5" and 2", and there are barb adapters to convert 1/2" hose, 3/4" hose and 1" hose to use the modular fittings. EXAMPLES (For the full line of Modular O-Ringed Fittings, Adapters, Converters and Manifolds click here.
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