ASTM B88 Copper Water Pipes and Gas Tubes

ASTM B88 Copper Water Pipes and Tubes are superior quality of seamless copper pipes that are used in the supply of water, plumbing, HVAC, and general engineering uses. These pipes are also known as strong, corrosion resistant and smooth internally making them efficient in fluid flow and their longevity. They suit residential and commercial applications, are highly durable and readily fabricated. Being produced according to the ASTM B88 standards, they assure the rigid quality and reliability of performance on all applications.

Types of ASTM B88 Copper Water Pipes and Gas Tubes

• Type K – Thickest walls, highest pressure rating
• Type L – Medium wall, widely used for general plumbing
• Type M – Thinnest wall, lowest pressure rating

ASTM B88 Copper Water Pipes and Gas Tubes Specifications

• Standard: Seamless Copper Water Tube
• Application: Plumbing, potable water supply, and distribution
• Permitted Types: K, L, M
• Wall Thickness:
  • Type K = Thickest
  • Type L = Intermediate
  • Type M = Thinnest
• Base Alloy: C12200 (Phosphorus-deoxidized copper)
• Copper Purity: ≥ 99.9% (Cu + Ag combined)
• Phosphorus Content: 0.015% – 0.040%
• Available Sizes: ¼″ to 12″ nominal
• Tempers:
  • Type K & L: Drawn (hard) ¼″–12″, Annealed (soft coils) ¼″–2″
  • Type M: Drawn (hard) ¼″–12″ only

Chemical Compositions

Element	% Composition
Copper (Cu + Ag)	≥ 99.9%
Phosphorus (P)	0.015 – 0.040%

Seamless Copper Water Tubes – Dimensions – Type K

Nominal Size (inches)	Actual Outside Diameter			Tolerance on Outside Diameter				Wall Thickness				Weight
				Annealed		Drawn		Nominal		Tolerance
	(inches)		(mm)	(inches)	(mm)	(inches)	(mm)	(inches)	(mm)	(inches)	(mm)	(lb/ft)	(Kg/m)
1/4	3/8	0.375	9.52	0.002	0.0508	0.001	0.0254	0.035	0.889	0.0035	0.0889	0.133	0.20
3/8	1/2	0.5	12.7	0.0025	0.0635	0.001	0.0254	0.049	1.24	0.005	0.127	0.269	0.40
1/2	5/8	0.625	15.9	0.0025	0.0635	0.001	0.0254	0.049	1.24	0.005	0.127	0.344	0.51
5/8	3/4	0.75	19	0.0025	0.0635	0.001	0.0254	0.049	1.24	0.005	0.127	0.418	0.62
3/4	7/8	0.875	22.2	0.003	0.0762	0.001	0.0254	0.065	1.65	0.006	0.152	0.641	0.95
1	1 1/8	1.125	28.6	0.0035	0.0889	0.0015	0.0381	0.065	1.65	0.006	0.152	0.837	1.25
1 1/4	1 3/8	1.375	34.9	0.004	0.102	0.0015	0.0381	0.065	1.65	0.006	0.152	1.04	1.55
1 1/2	1 5/8	1.625	41.3	0.0045	0.114	0.002	0.0508	0.072	1.83	0.007	0.178	1.36	2.02
2	2 1/8	2.125	54	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.083	2.11	0.008	0.203	2.06	3.07
2 1/2	2 5/8	2.625	66.7	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.095	2.41	0.01	0.254	2.92	4.35
3	3 1/8	3.125	79.4	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.109	2.77	0.011	0.279	4	5.95
3 1/2	3 5/8	3.625	92.1	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.12	3.05	0.012	0.305	5.12	7.62
4	4 1/8	4.125	105	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.134	3.4	0.013	0.33	6.51	9.69
5	5 1/8	5.125	130	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.16	4.06	0.016	0.406	9.67	14.39
6	6 1/8	6.125	156	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.192	4.88	0.019	0.483	13.87	20.64

Seamless Copper Water Tubes – Dimensions – Type L

Nominal Size	Actual Outside Diameter			Weight		Tolerance on Outside Diameter				Wall Thickness
						Annealed		Drawn		Nominal		Tolerance
(inches)	(inches)	(inches)	(mm)	(lb/ft)	(kg/m)	(inches)	(mm)	(inches)	(mm)	(inches)	(mm)	(inches)	(mm)
1/4	3/8	0.375	9.52	0.126	0.187	0.002	0.0508	0.001	0.0254	0.03	0.762	0.003	0.0762
3/8	1/2	0.5	12.7	0.198	0.286	0.0025	0.0635	0.001	0.0254	0.035	0.889	0.004	0.102
1/2	5/8	0.625	15.9	0.285	0.424	0.0025	0.0635	0.001	0.0254	0.04	1.02	0.004	0.102
5/8	3/4	0.75	19	0.362	0.539	0.0025	0.0635	0.001	0.0254	0.042	1.07	0.004	0.102
3/4	7/8	0.875	22.2	0.455	0.678	0.003	0.0762	0.001	0.0254	0.045	1.14	0.004	0.102
1	1 1/8	1.125	28.6	0.655	0.974	0.0035	0.0889	0.0015	0.0381	0.05	1.27	0.005	0.127
1 1/4	1 3/8	1.375	34.9	0.884	1.315	0.004	0.102	0.0015	0.0381	0.055	1.4	0.006	0.152
1 1/2	1 5/8	1.625	41.3	1.14	1.697	0.0045	0.114	0.002	0.0508	0.06	1.52	0.006	0.152
2	2 1/8	2.125	54	1.75	2.602	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.07	1.78	0.007	0.178
2 1/2	2 5/8	2.625	66.7	2.48	3.687	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.08	2.03	0.008	0.203
3	3 1/8	3.125	79.4	3.33	4.954	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.09	2.29	0.009	0.229
3 1/2	3 5/8	3.625	92.1	4.29	6.381	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.1	2.54	0.01	0.254
4	4 1/8	4.125	105	5.38	8.007	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.114	2.9	0.011	0.279
5	5 1/8	5.125	130	7.61	11.33	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.125	3.18	0.012	0.305
6	6 1/8	6.125	156	10.2	15.18	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.14	3.56	0.014	0.356

Seamless Copper Water Tubes, ASTM B88 Copper Water Pipes and Gas Tubes – Dimensions – Type M

Nominal Size	Actual Outside Diameter			Tolerance on Outside Diameter				Wall Thickness				Weight
				Annealed		Drawn		Nominal		Tolerance
(inches)	(inches)	(inches)	(mm)	(inches)	(mm)	(inches)	(mm)	(inches)	(mm)	(inches)	(mm)	(lb/ft)	(mm)
1/4	3/8	0.375	9.52	0.002	0.0508	0.001	0.0254	–	–	–	–	0.106	0.158
3/8	1/2	0.5	12.7	0.0025	0.0635	0.001	0.0254	0.025	0.64	0.002	0.0508	0.144	0.214
1/2	5/8	0.625	15.9	0.0025	0.0635	0.001	0.0254	0.028	0.71	0.003	0.0762	0.203	0.302
5/8	3/4	0.75	19	0.0025	0.0635	0.001	0.0254	–	–	–	–	0.263	0.391
3/4	7/8	0.875	22.2	0.003	0.0762	0.001	0.0254	0.032	0.81	0.003	0.0762	0.328	0.488
1	1 1/8	1.125	28.6	0.0035	0.0889	0.0015	0.0381	0.035	0.89	0.004	0.102	0.464	0.691
1 1/4	1 3/8	1.375	34.9	0.004	0.102	0.0015	0.0381	0.042	1.07	0.004	0.102	0.681	1.013
1 1/2	1 5/8	1.625	41.3	0.0045	0.114	0.002	0.0508	0.049	1.24	0.005	0.127	0.94	1.399
2	2 1/8	2.125	54	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.058	1.47	0.006	0.152	1.46	2.173
2 1/2	2 5/8	2.625	66.7	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.065	1.65	0.006	0.152	2.03	3.021
3	3 1/8	3.125	79.4	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.072	1.83	0.007	0.178	2.68	3.988
3 1/2	3 5/8	3.625	92.1	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.083	2.11	0.008	0.203	3.58	5.328
4	4 1/8	4.125	105	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.095	2.41	0.01	0.254	4.66	6.935
5	5 1/8	5.125	130	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.109	2.77	0.011	0.279	6.66	9.911
6	6 1/8	6.125	156	0.005	0.127	0.002	0.0508	0.122	3.10	0.012	0.305	8.91	13.260

Important Links

• EN 1057 Copper Water And Gas Fittings
• ASTM B88 Copper Water And Gas Fittings