# Forum Home Renovation Heating & Cooling  Ducted Air Con Insulated Pipes Installation, Routing, Bending, Laying

## New_Renov8or

Hi, I am installing a Ducted split system Air conditioner and am finally up to the stage of installing the pipes between the outdoor and indoor units.  I have a 10 metre roll of insulated copper pipe, sizes are 3/8 and 5/8. 
I would like to install the pipes myself and then have a professional do the final connections to the units.  The connection between the 2 units involves a 3 metre ascent up a wall, a right angle turn inside the ceiling space, and then a 4 metre flat run to the indoor unit. 
Having never worked with this pipe, i'm unsure of how the bending of it will go and want to make sure I don't kink or damage the pipe. My questions are: 
1. Obviously I will need to straighten out the pipe to start with, can this just be done by hand or is a special straightening device required?
2. Can I feed the pipe into the ceiling as I'm unrolling it and then use the bend that is already in the pipe to make the turn from wall to to ceiling? or will it need to be bent properly at a right angle? will this require a device to bend it?
3  Are there any special considerations like does the horizontal section need to have a slope on it? does it need any 's' bends in it at certain lengths etc? 
Any help on this subject would be greatly appreciated.  Am happy to do a sketch to explain the layout more clearly if that would help.

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## nww1969

The only thing I can ad is you can buy a pipe bender from bunnings for about 30 bucks.
I would think the less joins the better.
You will be working with the soft copper type which normally does not need a bender
but a pipe bender would guarantee you do not crimp the pipe to much. 
Let me know how you go with your installation.
I plan to install a split soon myself.
The type already gassed ready to go, just turn tap on after connection.
Just require friend to silver solder the pipe and get an electrician in for the wiring

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## Pulse

Just unroll it, not difficult. The bend into the ceiling can be tricky if it needs to be tight. What i would do is have it straight up into the ceiling and then a  gentle curve back the ceiling height inside to the fan coil unit. 
If a tight bend is needed then use a bender.
Pulse 
PS search tool is your friend

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## New_Renov8or

Thanks for your replies, much appreciated. 
Pulse: If I attached a drawing of my layout, could you indicate on it the path the pipes could follow please?

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## China

Before you put in all your hard work make sure you have a installer  lined up who is happy to do it, as most of them won't touch it unless they do the complete job

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## AIRMAN

Here we go... what ever you do make sure you get the lines vac'd before you crack the valves on the precharged outdoor unit if you have any moisture (air) in your system it will turn to acid in the compressor, and the first thing manufacturers do when a compressor fails under warranty is to test the oil for presence of acid, if any is found they will not give you warranty. This is also the best way to test the system for leaks, pull it down under vacum and make sure it holds it at least overnight. 
Also don't think about purging the system, firstly it doesn't garrantee you have got all the moisture out and you have to let gas into the atmosphere which is illegal. 
Also most guys will use flare connections of split installs if they have to join pipes, I think it's a crap and lazy thing to do but it happens all the time.    

> The only thing I can ad is you can buy a pipe bender from bunnings for about 30 bucks.
> I would think the less joins the better.
> You will be working with the soft copper type which normally does not need a bender
> but a pipe bender would guarantee you do not crimp the pipe to much. 
> Let me know how you go with your installation.
> I plan to install a split soon myself.
> The type already gassed ready to go, just turn tap on after connection.
> Just require friend to silver solder the pipe and get an electrician in for the wiring

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## New_Renov8or

Airman: Thanks for your reply. From what I understood from the Manual, the flared connections are the correct way to connect to the indoor and outdoor unit.  Also, I plan on getting a profeesional air con installer to do the final hook up of the pipes, so I hope that they will do the vacuuming etc. 
My main issue is whether to try running the pipe myself and save some time and money or to just leave it for the pro's. 
I've attached a pic of the layout for the indoor and outdoor unit.  If anyone would like to use the drawing to indicate a suggested path for the pipes it would be appreciated. 
Thanks for the comments and advice.

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## AIRMAN

Get the pro's to run the pipes as they will do the drain at the same time.  
Don't hope they vac the pipes, tell them to and make sure they do it, I would suggest that you ask them to leave the vac over night to ensure there are no leaks, but most domestic installers would be anti this.  
poor unit installation is the single biggest influencing factor on life of your unit. 
Most of the small units have flared unit connections, it onlys some of the larger ducted units that have welded unit connections. I was more referrring to when they have to do a join in a pipe run.

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## exotiic

Airman, I have never seen a flared joint in copper run. Wouldn't it take a longer time to install the flare nut and coupling and join it than to just weld the joint? In all my time I have only seen welded joints of copper lines.

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## sdrob

trust me, when you have been in the trade for a while you will see a whole heap of less than proper methods of doing things.. there is always a cheaper easier way but 99% of the time they are wrong..  get the installer to run the pipes so if there are any problems it is his, 5/8 pipe in twin core can kink very easy without tube benders or experience...

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