Press fittings are becoming more widely used in plumbing, heating and chilled water installations. BS 8537 will help manufacturers, suppliers or specifiers of copper tube fittings adapt to the increasing demand and ensure their products are suitable for use.
Specifying to BS 8537 will help manufacturers of press fittings find wider acceptance of press fittings in the UK market. Consultants often prefer to quote compliance to the standard so they remain independent from endorsing a manufacturer’s product. Pipe fittings conforming to BS 8537 are more likely to be referenced in contracts.
BS 8537 is the British Standard that specifies requirements for materials and design of press fit copper fittings intended to carry water or gas. Press fittings (also known as crimp fittings) are crimped, by the closure of a special jaw within a press machine, on to a tube. The crimping process mechanically locks a fitting on to a tube and presses a sealing ring within the fitting against the surface of a tube to make a seal between them.
Press fittings are quick to install and unlike solder fittings do not require the use of heat/blow torch to make a joint.
Who is BS 8537 for?
BS 8537 gives methods of test for copper press end connections of plumbing fittings up to 108 mm in diameter, used for the purpose of joining copper tubes conforming to BS EN 1057 and non-copper metallic tubes that are intended for use in hot and cold water, heating and cooling systems, natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas systems.