Aaron,
aaronm wrote:Is flexible corrugated copper supply line an approved piping material under IRC P2905.4?
You mean P2905.5 in the 2009 IRC or P2904.5 in the 2006 IRC? The table is for water distribution pipe versus 2009 IRC P2905.4 which is for water service pipe?
Yes, that is just 'copper tubing' which has been physically shaped to be 'flexible' (I used single quotes as it is not "flexible" in the normal way one thinks of "flexible", it is more like "bendable" as it can be "bent" without deforming its shape unless the bend is too sharp).
If so, why can it not be used for residential water heater TPR drain line tubing?
Because that 'bendable' copper pipe is deformed such that it can readily be installed where it is not straight and thus will not "9. Be installed to flow by gravity." and because the deformations will restrict its ability to "9. Be installed to flow by gravity."due to the corrugations in the pipe.
Those 'bendable' piping connectors are suitable for size-wise as the size reduction restriction of "3. Not be smaller than the diameter of the outlet of the valve served and shall discharge full size to an air gap." is referring to 'nominal trade size' and those 'bendable' piping connectors are sized in 'nominal trade sizes'.
Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 11:14 am
) an approved piping material under IRC P2905.4? If so, why can it not be used for residential water heater TPR drain line tubing?