Installation Guide

111
HVAC Condensate Drain Lines
Exercise caution when using FlowGuard Gold
®
CPVC pipe or
ttingsforHVAC-orrefrigerant-condensatelines.Somere-
frigerant systems contain oils that may damage CPVC products.
In HVAC applications, some heat exchangers or condenser
coils may contain residual oils from the manufacturing process
which can cause cracking of CPVC. Caution should be exercised
wheninstallingCPVCincombinationhot/airhandlingunits
or as condensate-drain lines from air conditioning systems.
Confirm the compatibility of CPVC with residual oils prior to
installation. The interior of heat exchangers or the exterior of
condenser coils may be thoroughly cleaned with a detergent
solution to remove incompatible oils prior to piping installa-
tion. A rinse with clean water to completely clean the system is
advisable as a final flushing. Charlotte Pipe and Foundry will
not accept responsibility for failure resulting from exposure
tocompressoroilsinHVAC-orrefrigerant-condensatelines.
Thermal Expansion
Expansion Tanks do not compensate for linear expansion and
contraction of the pipe and fittings. Expansion tanks are de-
signed to compensate for the expansion of the liquids within
the system.
For information on thermal expansion please see Expansion
and Contraction in the Design and Engineering Data section
of this manual.
Thermal Conductivity and
Sweating of CTS CPVC
Due to its low coefficient of thermal conductivity, FlowGuard
Gold
®
CPVC retains hot water longer and reduces condensa-
tion and sweating.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Prior to installing PVC or CPVC piping in hydronic
applications, it is important to flush the interior of the heat
exchangers and the exterior of the condenser coils
thoroughly with a mild ionic detergent solution to remove
incompatible oils. Failing to do so could result in system
failure and property damage.
Verify that all boiler cleaning and sealing chemicals used in
hydronic radiant heating systems are compatible with PVC
or CPVC. Failure to do so could result in system failure and
property damage.
Equipment leaks in refrigeration or HVAC systems may
release POE oils or other contaminants into the piping
system. These oils and contaminants are incompatible with
PVC or CPVC and such exposure may result in pipe or
fitting failure regardless of flushing.
Thermal Conductivity
Thermalconductivityisdenedas“transferofheatfromone
part to another part of the same body,or from one body to
another in physical contact with it, without appreciable dis-
placement oftheparticlesofthebody.”Thisdenitionleads
to the commonly used “K” factor, which refers to thermal
conductivity.Notethattheunitsare“Btuperhour”forone
squarefootofsurfaceand“onedegreeFahrenheitperinch”
of material thickness.
Material Btu/h-Sq.Ft.-°/in
CPVC 1.0
PVC 1.3
PEX 2.4
Steel 312.0
Cast Iron 360.0
Copper 2,616.0
Condensation and Sweating
Due to its low coefficient of thermal conductivity, it is often not
necessary to insulate FlowGuard Gold CPVC against condensa-
tion within conditioned buildings. Two conditions that control
sweating of a pipe are (1) the pipe surface temperature, which
depends on the temperature of the water inside the pipe and
(2) the relative humidity of the air around the pipe. Because
each of the factors can vary greatly, it is possible that condi-
tionsexistthatcancauseCPVCpipetosweat.Undermost
conditions that cause copper pipe to sweat and drip, FlowGuard
Gold pipe will remain free of condensation.
Water Hammer Arrestors
Quick closing valves, actuated valves, starting or stopping
pumps or rapid increases or decreases in system flow rate
canresultinpressuresurgeor“waterhammer”capableof
damaging PVC or CPVC piping systems. Systems should be
designed by the engineer of record and in conformance to local
code requirements to manage the effects of pressure surge. In
applications where severe or repeated water hammer is encoun-
tered, especially at elevated temperatures or in a commercial
laundry or commercial kitchen, the use of a water hammer
arrestor is advisable.