Both uPVC and mPVC pressure pipe share the same rubber-ring jointing system and SANS 966 certification — the difference comes down to wall thickness and impact strength.
Unplasticised PVC pressure pipe manufactured to SANS 966 Part 1 — a proven system for water reticulation, from small-bore reticulation to large-diameter mains.
| OD (mm) | Class 6 | Class 9 | Class 12 | Class 16 | Class 20 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wall (mm) | Mass (kg) | Wall (mm) | Mass (kg) | Wall (mm) | Mass (kg) | Wall (mm) | Mass (kg) | Wall (mm) | Mass (kg) | |
| 50 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 3 | 2.8 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 5.9 |
| 63 | 1.9 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 4.6 | 3.6 | 6.1 | 4.7 | 7.8 | 5.8 | 9.4 |
| 75 | 2.2 | 4.6 | 3.2 | 6.6 | 4.3 | 8.7 | 5.6 | 11.1 | 6.9 | 13.4 |
| 90 | 2.7 | 6.7 | 3.9 | 9.6 | 5.1 | 12.4 | 6.7 | 16 | 8.2 | 19.2 |
| 110 | 2.6 | 8 | 3.9 | 11.9 | 5.1 | 15.3 | 6.7 | 19.8 | 8.2 | 23.9 |
| 125 | 3 | 10.5 | 4.4 | 15.2 | 5.8 | 19.8 | 7.6 | 25.6 | 9.3 | 30.8 |
| 140 | 3.3 | 13 | 4.9 | 19 | 6.5 | 24.9 | 8.5 | 32.1 | 10.4 | 38.7 |
| 160 | 3.8 | 17.1 | 5.6 | 24.9 | 7.4 | 32.5 | 9.7 | 41.9 | 11.9 | 50.7 |
| 180 | 4.3 | 21.8 | 6.3 | 31.6 | 8.3 | 41.1 | 10.9 | 53.1 | 13.4 | 64.3 |
| 200 | 4.7 | 26.5 | 7 | 39 | 9.2 | 50.7 | 12.1 | 65.6 | 14.9 | 79.5 |
| 225 | 5.3 | 33.8 | 7.9 | 49.7 | 10.3 | 64.1 | 13.6 | 83.2 | 16.7 | 100.6 |
| 250 | 5.9 | 41.9 | 8.7 | 61 | 11.5 | 79.7 | 15.1 | 103 | 18.6 | 124.9 |
| 280 | 6.6 | 52.7 | 9.8 | 77.3 | 12.9 | 100.7 | 16.9 | 129.8 | — | — |
| 315 | 7.4 | 66.8 | 11 | 98 | 14.5 | 127.8 | 19 | 164.8 | — | — |
| 355 | 8.4 | 85.4 | 12.4 | 124.5 | 16.3 | 161.9 | 21.4 | 209.2 | — | — |
| 400 | 9.4 | 108.7 | 14 | 159.8 | 18.4 | 207.8 | 24.1 | 267.8 | — | — |
Minimum wall thickness and mass per 6-metre length, by outside diameter and pressure class. — indicates a size/class combination not manufactured.
Modified PVC pressure pipe manufactured to SANS 966 Part 2 — a tougher, impact-modified alternative to uPVC with a thinner wall for the same pressure class.
| OD (mm) | Class 6 | Class 9 | Class 12 | Class 16 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wall (mm) | Mass (kg) | Wall (mm) | Mass (kg) | Wall (mm) | Mass (kg) | Wall (mm) | Mass (kg) | |
| 50 | 1.5 | 2 | 1.5 | 2 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 2.9 |
| 63 | 1.5 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 2.7 | 2.1 | 3.6 | 2.7 | 4.6 |
| 75 | 1.5 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 3.9 | 2.5 | 5.1 | 3.2 | 6.4 |
| 90 | 1.8 | 4.5 | 2.2 | 5.4 | 3 | 7.3 | 3.9 | 9.4 |
| 110 | 2.2 | 6.7 | 2.7 | 8.1 | 3.6 | 10.8 | 4.7 | 13.9 |
| 125 | 2.5 | 8.6 | 3.1 | 10.6 | 4.1 | 13.9 | 5.4 | 18.2 |
| 140 | 2.8 | 10.8 | 3.5 | 13.5 | 4.6 | 17.6 | 6 | 22.6 |
| 160 | 3.2 | 14.2 | 4 | 17.6 | 5.2 | 22.7 | 6.9 | 29.8 |
| 180 | 3.6 | 18 | 4.4 | 21.8 | 5.9 | 29.1 | 7.8 | 38 |
| 200 | 3.9 | 21.7 | 4.9 | 27.1 | 6.5 | 35.6 | 8.6 | 46.6 |
| 225 | 4.4 | 27.6 | 5.5 | 34.3 | 7.3 | 45.2 | 9.6 | 58.8 |
| 250 | 4.9 | 34.2 | 6.1 | 42.4 | 8.1 | 55.9 | 10.7 | 73 |
| 280 | 5.5 | 43.3 | 6.9 | 54 | 9.1 | 70.7 | 12 | 92.2 |
| 315 | 6.2 | 55.1 | 7.7 | 68.1 | 10.2 | 89.5 | 13.5 | 117.1 |
| 355 | 7.7 | 70.1 | 8.7 | 86.6 | 11.5 | 113.7 | 15.2 | 148.6 |
| 400 | 7.8 | 88.8 | 9.8 | 111 | 13 | 146.2 | 17.1 | 190.2 |
Minimum wall thickness and mass per 6-metre length, by outside diameter and pressure class.
The essentials for installing Swan Plastics pressure pipe, drawn from our full installation practices guide.
01
Keep trench width to about 300mm wider than the pipe diameter. Maintain at least 900mm of cover on a bedding layer of at least 100mm.
02
Confirm the spigot has a uniform 15° chamfer and the depth-of-entry mark is visible. Both ends must be free of dirt and burrs.
03
Apply a thin film of water-soluble, non-toxic gel lubricant to the spigot and rubber ring. Never use oil, grease, diesel or dish soap.
04
Align both pipes, then push the spigot in until the depth-of-entry mark is just visible. Undue force usually means something's misaligned.
05
Test for one hour at up to 1.25× the pipe's rated class, per SANS 2001 DPI 2. Leave every joint exposed until it passes.
Concrete thrust blocks are required wherever pressurised pipe changes direction by more than 10°, changes size, or meets a valve or end cap.
Keep pipes shaded and off the ground on level supports. UV exposure beyond about 2 months can lead to discolouration and, in extreme cases, embrittlement.
Load onto a flat, upright-edged bed with continuous contact along the pipe's length. Heaviest and largest pipes go in first, at the bottom of a mixed load.
Complete trenching, jointing, testing, storage and transport specifications, direct from Swan Plastics.
Ebuhleni Industrial Park,
Cnr R103 & Eddie Hagan Drive
Cato Ridge, Durban