Chilling Possibilities

[TidalPete]

Thank you all for the info.
Sluggerdog, Just my luck that I'm going to Brissie on a Friday. As I can't change that I might wait till the next trip.
Nonicman, couldn't remember what diameter your coil was but your beer was nice.
There's no great urgency. I'm just looking for a cheap source & will take a 1\2" slip-on fitting with me if I check out a refrigeration parts place (just in case).

 

[Wortgames]

Ok i'm putting my flame suit on here, but a mate of mine who is a refrigeration mechanic has told me that standard 3/8 plumbing fittings will not fit on 3/8 refrigeration copper. He said it was something to do with plumbers using an external diameter and fridgies using an internal diameter so the pipes are actually different sizes.
Again the flamesuit is on as i'm a chemist and not a plumber or a fridgie!

[post="62951"][/post]​

From memory it has more to do with hard pipe vs soft tubing (one is specified in OD and one in ID, can't remember which).

Don't remember it being a major problem though, my HERMS uses 3/8" soft copper coil. Get some advice re: fittings but I was able to build the thing without too many hassles, and it's fairly complicated as it uses compression fittings onto stainless spigots in my HLT.

 

[ausdb]

Geez this asbestos jacket is rather uncomfortable

3/8 is not even a common plumbers size in copper pipe. They predominately use 1/2" OD (called 15mm when its actually 12.7 work that one out, I guess you don't want to confuse the poor plumber its hard enough to remember sh!t flows down ) 3/4" (called 20mm) and 1" (called 25mm). The only time you would probably get 3/8 stuff at a plumbing supply place is for gas or something else.

Threaded fittings and old galavanised water pipe is where it differs with a lot of the sizing worked off the ID of the fitting/pipe


All refrigeration tubing whether soft or hard drawn copper is measured by the OD of the tube. TIP If you are buying the tube from a refrigeration place then buy all of your copper fittings there as well.

Cheers ausdb

 

[sluggerdog]

Thank you all for the info.
Sluggerdog, Just my luck that I'm going to Brissie on a Friday. As I can't change that I might wait till the next trip.

[post="62955"][/post]​

ya never know your luck, pickup might be late friday afternoon and the bin might be chockers when you get there, I went on a tuesday and got what I wanted, mine was only about 10 metres but does the trick. $13 - brand new!

 

[TidalPete]

ya never know your luck, pickup might be late friday afternoon and the bin might be chockers when you get there, I went on a tuesday and got what I wanted, mine was only about 10 metres but does the trick. $13 - brand new!

Thanks for the info slugger. I may try to leave early on the Friday.

 

[Borret]

Geez this asbestos jacket is rather uncomfortable

3/8 is not even a common plumbers size in copper pipe. They predominately use 1/2" OD (called 15mm when its actually 12.7 work that one out, I guess you don't want to confuse the poor plumber its hard enough to remember sh!t flows down ) 3/4" (called 20mm) and 1" (called 25mm). The only time you would probably get 3/8 stuff at a plumbing supply place is for gas or something else.

Threaded fittings and old galavanised water pipe is where it differs with a lot of the sizing worked off the ID of the fitting/pipe


All refrigeration tubing whether soft or hard drawn copper is measured by the OD of the tube. TIP If you are buying the tube from a refrigeration place then buy all of your copper fittings there as well.

Cheers ausdb

[post="62995"][/post]​

A comment on the above.
By standard something labelled as PIPE should always be related to ID by definition. Pipe is concerned with flow and hence is reliant on cross sectional area inside . Hence gal pipe has N.B. size or nominal bore.
Things labelled as 'TUBE' on the other hand are reliant on external dimension for fit etc. For instance in use for furniture or railings etc where external dimension is relied upon... also gas in solderless fittings.
This does not mean that they will be labelled properly though.

2c

Borret :blink: