PVC solvent cements, which is best?

[Jesse Kershaw]

Looking for some help on PVCsolvent cement. There's the normal Oatey at home stores but there's a bunch more options online. Heavy duty, heavy body, medium body, "hot", etc.

Those cement's that work for larger diameter pipe I assume would be stronger on small diameter pipe.

Can someone explain the difference between all these?

Is Hercules and Oatey the same?

And are some primers better than others?


I'm asking all this because I just finished plumbing my house and i used three cans of cement Oatey cement and purple primer. The second and third cans seemed funny. Thicker than what I've used it in the past and drying quick but then not completely, gummy for a long time. Pushing the joints apart like I've never seen, I had to hold them together a long time with force. And I did buy it new so I thought maybe it was the heat and humidity causing this funny condition. Long story short when I checked the system with water it was like it was raining in the house. Leaks everywhere. So now I want the best I can use even if it's overkill to avoid a third time.

Thanks for your help

 

[Flapper]

Wow I was just thinking of asking about cements; I was recently wondering about all the different types myself.

From what I have learned, there are different thicknesses, colors, and types.

First there are Regular, Medium, Heavy Duty, and Extra Heavy Duty. I think these are the viscosities. Regular is the thinnest, Medium is thicker, etc. You need thicker cement for larger pipes. Regular can only be used with pipe sizes up to 4". Medium goes up to 6". etc. Regular and Medium are most common.

Then there are different types. You have what I'd call 'standard' cements; for example, Regular Clear Cement, Medium Clear Cement, Medium Gray Cement, Heavy Duty Gray Cement, etc. Then there are the more specialty cements; there's hot blue cement, like Christy's "Red Hot Blue Glue" which I think is like a more aggressive cement that can work without primer and can handle some moisture; hot blue cements are usually used for irrigation. There's All-Purpose cement, which works with PVC, CPVC, and ABS. There's transition cement for connecting ABS to PVC, and it is colored green, or "lizard snot". And there's other cements like Wet or Dry cements (which I think are the same or similar to hot blue cements), hot weather cement, cold weather cement, all weather cement, bla bla bla whatever! I've also seen "Irrigation Cement" which seems to be no different than the other cements.

There are a lot of cements out there and I have wondered about them too. Many of them seem to do the exact same thing and there doesn't seem to be much of a difference. Many cements may be appropriate for a certain job. I still wonder about this subject and I was going to ask the same question, so I'd like to see other's replies.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Flapper]

I'm asking all this because I just finished plumbing my house and i used three cans of cement oatey cement and purple primer. The second and third cans seemed funny. Thicker than what I've used it in the past and drying quick but then not completely, gummy for a long time. Pushing the joints apart like I've never seen, I had to hold them together a long time with force. And I did buy it new so I thought maybe it was the heat and humidity causing this funny condition. Long story short when I checked the system with water it was like it was raining in the house. Leaks everywhere. So now I want the best I can use even if it's overkill to avoid a third time.

What exact cements did you use, and what technique did you use for gluing them?
Are you using CPVC or PVC? You should be using CPVC in your house.

 

[Jesse Kershaw]

What exact cements did you use, and what technique did you use for gluing them?
Are you using CPVC or PVC? You should be using CPVC in your house.

Cut, deburr, prime, glue. No wait time although maybe the primer want fully dry on some joints before cement. I used Oatey purple primer and pvc cement. They sell them as a combo pack. It wasn't cpvc stuff. Pvc was new bought so I did not scuff it up or clean prior to primer.
I'm not a pro but I've done two other homes in the past never had anything likes this. I really believe I got bad cement or primer.

Has anyone used the gray stuff or the "hot" cement's and can give insight?

 

[CountryBumkin]

May of your questions are answered on the FAQ page. http://www.oatey.com/doc/category-1-faqs.pdf

 

[Flapper]

Cut, deburr, prime, glue. No wait time although maybe the primer want fully dry on some joints before cement. I used Oatey purple primer and pvc cement. They sell them as a combo pack. It wasn't cpvc stuff. Pvc was new bought so I did not scuff it up or clean prior to primer.
I'm not a pro but I've done two other homes in the past never had anything likes this. I really believe I got bad cement or primer.

Has anyone used the gray stuff or the "hot" cement's and can give insight?

So you're using PVC in your house?
Gray is the same as clear cements other than color, I think.

 

[Flapper]

When I was searching for "best pvc cement" I found Oatey Rain-R-Shine most frequently suggested.

 

[Jesse Kershaw]

May of your questions are answered on the FAQ page. http://www.oatey.com/doc/category-1-faqs.pdf

This was very helpful. I didn't see this before posting.

 

[Jesse Kershaw]

FYI, while I still find this an interesting question I decided to hire out the job. After talking with a plumber it sounds like I did get at least one can of cement that was bad, he suggested either partially dried out or had frozen. And I didn't stop when I recognized it was acting funny. Because I cannot be sure which joints were compromised we're tearing it all out. Three full baths, laundry, and kitchen with two vent stacks. In addition to the leaks I had a few questionable decisions he pointed out and I need to pass inspection ASAP so it's pro time.
Thanks for the replies, the scientist in me wants to make a test for all this just to see the differences. Maybe some future time.

 

[Flapper]

You shouldn't use PVC for plumbing your house

 

[Jadnashua]

If the cap wasn't making a good seal, or the cement was very old, it can become much less viscous, and because it has lost most of its solvents, acts more like caulk than being a cement. It also smells 'better', since it does not have as much solvent content.

TO work, it has to melt the two surfaces together. Won't happen if it's lost most of its solvent somehow.

 

[Flapper]

Tip; after you are finished with your cement and glue, tighten the lids with tongue-and-groove pliers.

 

[Jesse Kershaw]

You shouldn't use PVC for plumbing your house

This is drain vent side.

 

[Flapper]

This is drain vent side.

Oh, I thought this was the PW because you said you tested it and it was like raining in the house.