Page 1 of 1

Help deciphering Americal plumbing terms

Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 2:57 pm
by dongfang
Hi,

Can anyone help me decipher this American plumbo-lingo :roll:

http://www.valterra.com/Ind/Gate.htm

--> 2" Fipt x Fipt

What does 2" mean? I mean, what could I expect the real ID of the bushing end of the valve to be? I believe you have nominal 2" which is not really 2" - - or something like that. I have seen a valve appearing to be that model here in Switzerland - the salesman said it was 60 mm ID. Could it be the same?
(And he wanted 55 CHF (that's 54 US$) for it, is that typical!!! It costs one third of that in the US....)

What does Fipt vs. Slip mean? I presume you stick the pipe into one of the types - what is the other? Same OD as the pipe, for a bushing (or to stick into some other fitting)?

Now we are at is, there was also something somewhere called spigot. Is that the same as one of the above?

This thing could be really interesting for my next project ;)

Regards
Soren

Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 3:03 pm
by clide
Pipe sizes are nominal. Actual sizes can be seen here http://www.harvel.com/pipepvc-sch40-80-dim.asp
The OD of pipe stays the same across the different pipe thicknesses.

Fipt = female <strike>internal</strike> pipe thread
slip = glues over the outside of a pipe, the ID is the same as the OD of the pipe
spigot = glues into a slip fitting, same OD as a piece of pipe

Edit: female iron pipe thread

Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 3:03 pm
by Hubb
Fipt stands for female international pipe thread. It is the standard for what we use in America. Slip means just that, a slip socket joint, commonly found on PVC parts.

Generally, in terms of schedule, the 2" would represent the outside diameter of a 2" pipe, 2.375 inches on Sch40 and Sch80 pipe (steel or pvc).

Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 3:14 pm
by dongfang
Hi,

Cool, thanks both of you.

OK then I believe that what I have seen is an overpriced 2" nominally ported slip coupling valve. It has an ID of 60.325 mm (nom.).

Sigh, there is no such pipe around here. BUT the 50mm bushings I can get just happen to have a 60 mm OD, hehehehehe....

Regards
Soren