Alternative to copper?

[cguffin]

Does anybody know if anything other than copper can be used for piping for outdoor Heat Pumps/AC units?

Thanks,

Craig

[Jeremy]

I am assuming you mean the refrigerant line set. I have never seen anything but soft copper used. The lines must be smooth, clean, able to change direction smoothly and be of the specified diameter for the application and distance between condesor and evaporator. All of this information is given by the manufacturer and must be followed in order to have a system that is going to operate properly and efficiently.

What kind of material do you see?

[cguffin]

Thanks. Its not what I see but what a customer didn't see. He had copper stolen from several units and said he was told that there was another kind of material that he could use to replace it that was not in such demand. I was not aware of anything that would work that I could tell him about but that I would look into it and let him know what I found out.

Craig

[Chad Fabry]

There are aluminum alloys that work fine. One could also buy bulk rubber lines like they sell for use in cars and have a line set made up...at least it could be used outside. It won't work with Puron/ r410 though.

[cguffin]

Thanks Chad, I will pass that information on to him.

Craig

[hausdok]

Gold? [:-dopey]

[Thor]

Originally posted by cguffin

Thanks Chad, I will pass that information on to him.

Craig

Ahhh, I don't think so, at least no one has told the HVAC industry about this.[:-bigeyes

[MechAcc]

At an ADM plant they are using stainless steel tubing with Crawford Swagelock fittings. They are using stainless steel due to the highly corrosive environment.