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  • Results 1 to 19 of 19

    Thread: PVC versus ABS pipes and fittings

    1. #1
      Doman71's Avatar
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      PVC versus ABS pipes and fittings

      Hello everyone,

      I more I read and watch other's pond build, the more I am confused with the acceptable usage of PVC or ABS pipes & fittings for gravity bottom drain system. The 4" white PVC pipes & fittings are not readily available at the local big box hardware stores(HD and Lowes). In my area, Ferguson carries them, but cost almost double of the cost of the equivalent 4" black ABS pipes & fittings. Schedule 40 on both product seem to be of the same dimension and interchangeable in connectivity. No pressure being produced and buried underground. So can I just use the ABS pipes & fitting? or should I pay the premium for the PVC? Please share your knowledge and experience as it's related to this use, rather than saying... "go with PVC because it's better".

      Side question... would the Oatey All Purpose Cement be good enough? Seeing how it's designed for PVC, CPVC and ABS? or is the Primer with Hot Medium Blue Lava the defacto standard for PVC?

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    2. #2
      icu2's Avatar
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      I used ABS on mine for the BD's and skimmer pipe and mixed PVC and ABS fittings...
      so far no problems after 10 years.
      I've seen people back fill with sand and such as a precaution but I just used the soil
      that came from the ditches and it has worked fine. I don't think ABS is even available
      in much of the east coast as it's not used in construction... so often times in those builds
      you'll see nothing but PVC used.

      I've used the transition glue on both with good results. You might already know this but
      never use primer on ABS, only PVC.
      --Steve



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    3. #3
      Tony&koi's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by icu2 View Post
      I don't think ABS is even available
      in much of the east coast as it's not used in construction... so often times in those builds
      you'll see nothing but PVC used.
      We, on this side, are jealous of those black ABS pipes and fittings, so we paint them all black.
      Tony

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      Quote Originally Posted by icu2 View Post
      I used ABS on mine for the BD's and skimmer pipe and mixed PVC and ABS fittings...
      so far no problems after 10 years.
      I've seen people back fill with sand and such as a precaution but I just used the soil
      that came from the ditches and it has worked fine. I don't think ABS is even available
      in much of the east coast as it's not used in construction... so often times in those builds
      you'll see nothing but PVC used.

      I've used the transition glue on both with good results. You might already know this but
      never use primer on ABS, only PVC.
      We can always count on icu2 for chiming in... Thank You. Now, did you have an option to go PVC and chose not to? Why did you choose ABS over PVC if you had the option? and why mixed PVC & ABC fittings if you went with ABS pipes?

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      Quote Originally Posted by Tony&koi View Post
      We, on this side, are jealous of those black ABS pipes and fittings, so we paint them all black.
      Ok, so paint the pipes black if I go with white PVC. Any brand of paint you'd recommend? LOL

    6. #6
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      I have used Krylon Fusion on PVC and it works pretty well.

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      Quote Originally Posted by Doman71 View Post
      We can always count on icu2 for chiming in... Thank You. Now, did you have an option to go PVC and chose not to? Why did you choose ABS over PVC if you had the option? and why mixed PVC & ABC fittings if you went with ABS pipes?
      Always hate to see a question sitting there without a response.

      I did have the option but, like you, I'd have to drive another 30 min from the local big box store and pay much
      more. PVC is designed for more pressure, so it's basically better built. ABS is foam cored pipe and designed for
      gravity flow pipes, like sewage lines in home construction. That's really all our gravity fed pipes need. And even
      under pressure, our pumps probably don't come close to actually "needing" PVC.

      Honestly mixing the types often came from convenience of what I had in the garage. But sometimes HD didn't
      have a PVC fitting like what I needed... and sometimes the ABS fittings provided a wider bend (like with 90's) than
      what they had available with PVC. I later found the electrical sweeps out of PVC that I used too that added
      just one more color.

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      --Steve



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      Both are fine for our pond uses.
      I've used both, based mostly on price and availability. My local HD has both PVC and ABS in 3" and 4" sizes, but some fittings were twice the price depending on the material, and as was mentioned above, sometimes I could only find a certain bend in one or the other, so I made due with what I could get. Wherever possible I try not to mix them because I don't get a good feel from the green pvc-abs glue but as was said before, we don't have pressurized systems so it's less of a concern. Just be sure to use the right kind of good, fresh glue to join everything together.
      -Steve in Phx.
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      Interesting... The LOWE near by my house carry both ABS and PVC and ABS is always more expensive.. So, I always use PVC, unless I want it to be black at certain location .

      hp.

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      Also, for what it's worth,
      I needed to bend some large pipe to make it conform to my terrain. I was able to do this with 3" and 4" PVC pipe but the ABS wasn't happy with me heating it.
      -Steve in Phx.
      Novice Extraordinaire

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    11. #11
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      Cool, sounds like I can save some money and go with ABS. It's kinda lame, but I bought a couple of 4" x 10ft ABS pipes at Lowes, then read some old threads on here about pvc and abs... which bluntly said to use pvc or else(I'm paraphrasing here), so I returned my purchase asap. As I was planning to go to Ferguson or the 4" PVC pipes and fittings, I kept on moping over the cost, so had to ask this question. LOL

      How about my second question... will the Oatey All Purpose Cement work on the ABS pipe and fittings(no primer)?

      Thanks
      Last edited by Doman71; 10-15-2019 at 05:35 PM.

    12. #12
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      PVC conduit in 3’’ and 4’’ is usually cheaper than ABS 3’’ and 4’’ pipe. Ive been buying the PVC conduit locally at Graybar electric supply for less than Lowe’s and HD. The big bonus , is that the grey PVC conduit is UV resistant .Not sure where You are in Cali, but They are all over the state. They don’t usually have it in stock , but will have it the next morning.
      I use the black ABS fittings with the PVC conduit , and use the All purpose glue. All purpose glue is pressure rated and will give a stronger bond than transition glue .

    13. #13
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      Quote Originally Posted by pickerel View Post
      I have used Krylon Fusion on PVC and it works pretty well.
      Use this same brand from Walmart. My Home depot does not carry it.
      Tony

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      Quote Originally Posted by catfish whiskers View Post
      PVC conduit in 3’’ and 4’’ is usually cheaper than ABS 3’’ and 4’’ pipe. Ive been buying the PVC conduit locally at Graybar electric supply for less than Lowe’s and HD. The big bonus , is that the grey PVC conduit is UV resistant .Not sure where You are in Cali, but They are all over the state. They don’t usually have it in stock , but will have it the next morning.
      I use the black ABS fittings with the PVC conduit , and use the All purpose glue. All purpose glue is pressure rated and will give a stronger bond than transition glue .
      Thanks Jeff for the additional option.

      I'm in the Inland Empire, and within 30 minutes of 3 Graybar Electric Supply stores. I'll check them out if I'm in the area.

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      Quote Originally Posted by Tony&koi View Post
      Use this same brand from Walmart. My Home depot does not carry it.
      I guess you guys were serious about the paint, and I will take note of this if I choose to paint the exposed pvc pipes and fittings. My current focus is the buried portion of the bottom drain. haha

    16. #16
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      Quote Originally Posted by Doman71 View Post
      We can always count on icu2 for chiming in... Thank You. Now, did you have an option to go PVC and chose not to? Why did you choose ABS over PVC if you had the option? and why mixed PVC & ABC fittings if you went with ABS pipes?
      I prefer the gray (UV protected) PVC electrical conduit and regular PVC pipe. I like the sweeping drain fittings... but, as you know, in California we use ABS pipe and fittings for drains. So I order the PVC drain fitting equivalent online through Home Depot (free shipping store pickup). I also sometimes use the longer sweeping gray PVC conduit fittings.


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      Quote Originally Posted by Doman71 View Post
      I guess you guys were serious about the paint, and I will take note of this if I choose to paint the exposed pvc pipes and fittings. My current focus is the buried portion of the bottom drain. haha
      Then I would use PVC (or ABS) pipe and sweeping drain (or electrical conduit) fittings.

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    18. #18
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      Quote Originally Posted by ricshaw View Post
      I prefer the gray (UV protected) PVC electrical conduit and regular PVC pipe. I like the sweeping drain fittings... but, as you know, in California we use ABS pipe and fittings for drains. So I order the PVC drain fitting equivalent online through Home Depot (free shipping store pickup). I also sometimes use the longer sweeping gray PVC conduit fittings.
      Thank you sir. More options, more thinking...

      Sounds like any of the schedule 40 pipes can work for gravity flow bottom drain usage - since it's not under pressure. It comes down to availability, cost, and color preference.

      Thanks

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      I used PVC DWV on my buried bottom drain and skimmer lines. I did bed them in sand, as my son who does in ground pipe work as a career would not let me use the soil with all of the rocks from the trench excavation.

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