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The Cooney 12 Days of Christmas: Day 10, Copper Couplings

Posted on Wednesday, Dec 18, 2019 in PVFundamentals

As we count down the days to Christmas, we’ve re-imagined the classic 12 Days of Christmas song! Check back tomorrow, Thursday, December 19th for a new verse of our updated song.

The Cooney 12 Days of Christmas

On the tenth day of Christmas Cooney Brothers sold to me

Ten Copper Couplings

Nine Y-Type Strainers

Eight Wash Down Stations

Seven Pressure Gauges

Six Clamp End Fittings

Five Urinals

Four Bronze Ball Valves

Three lengths of pipe

Two RIDGID Wrenches, and

A pump for condensate recovery

Copper Fittings: Couplings, Reducers, and Adapters, oh my

Copper Fittings are manufactured using two main methods:

  1. Wrot Copper Fittings are made by taking copper tube formed, or wrought, into the desired shape. These fittings can be joined by soldering or brazing.
  2. Cast Copper Fittings are made by taking copper alloy and forming it in a mold. Cast Copper fittings can be joined by soldering, brazing or mechanically (press fed).

To be soldered or brazed, fittings must have solder cup or solder ends (C = Female Solder Cup; Ftg = Male Solder End); Fittings joined by threading are (FTP = Female Threaded Pipe Ends; MPT = Male Threaded Pipe End) 

Fittings are available in a variety of shapes. Couplings are a specific style of fitting that are a very short length of pipe or tube that is used to connect two pipes or tubes of the same size, and can help to extend or terminate pipe runs. Copper Couplings come in two forms:

  1. Stop Couplings have a dimple in the center of the fitting. This controls the distance that the tube goes into the fitting. It is important to note that due to the stop, known as laying length or takeoff, the run of pipe is extended in length.
  2. Couplings that are smooth throughout are referred to as repair couplings or slip couplings.

There are additional forms of couplings, each with a specific purpose:

Reducing Couplings, or reducers, are a style of coupling that is used to connect pipes that are different sizes.

Adapters are another type of coupling used to connect pipe or tube that have different styles of end connections, for example allowing a copper tube to be connected to ta threaded connection. Fitting adapters might have a fitting connection end Ftg inserted into a fitting socket.

Another similar type of fitting are bushings which are used to connect pipe or tube to a different size fitting or valve. A fitting reducer connects one fitting that joins two lengths of pipe to a third section of pipe with a smaller diameter. When the larger end of the fitting reducer is inserted into the socket in the fitting, it is called a fitting connector. When the smaller end extends beyond the socket of the tee and fits over the third tube joined, it is called an extended bushing. Specifications for Fitting Reducers will list the fitting end first. Flush bushings are when the bushing is even, or flush with the face of the socket, and are inserted into the fitting socket so the tube with the smaller diameter can be connected to the run. Specifications will list the fitting end first.

Crossovers allow for one run of pipe to pass over another by raising the center portion of the fitting. Sockets at each end join fittings to tend of copper tube and crossover specifications indicate the size of pope and type of ends.

Copper fittings are also available in additional styles including Elbows, Bushings, Caps, Tees and Wyes. Cooney Brothers stocks a wide range of Copper Fittings. Shop all Copper Tube Fittings or contact us for questions or a personalized quote.