Riser Pipes : PVC with Square threads or PVC with SS Ends or Mild Steel?

One question a lot of our buyers of India Mark 2 Hand Pump ask us when buying our handpumps is this:

Which Riser Pipes Should we go for?

1. PVC with Square Threads or

2. PVC Pipes with SS Ends or

3. Galvanized Iron ( GI )  Riser Pipes

Out of the above 3 which  riser pipes Offer the best Price / Performance Ratio ?

Spoiler Answer :  option 3, PVC Riser Pipe with SS Ends

To answer this in more details, let’s summarize the performance and cost of each type of Riser Pipe:

1. PVC  Riser Pipe with Square Threads

This is made of PVC resin and has Trapezoidal ( square threads ) at both ends and a heavy duty Injection Moulded Coupler as the connector between 2 pipes. The Trapezoidal Thread is used instead of Metric Thread so that the pipe doesn’t break easily from the thread part

Advantages

• Non-corrosive in Nature – suitable for places where water is hard or Acidic
• Relatively long lasting , can easily last 3-4 years with careful installation and maintenance
• Relatively Cheap : Around 9-10 US$ per 3 meter length

Disadvantages :

• Since it is PVC , if not handled properly during storage / installation/ repairs , it can break

2. PVC Riser Pipes with SS Ends

Advantages of PVC Riser pipe with SS Ends

• Very Sturdy , can easily last 10+ years in the field
• Non-Corrosive, very suitable for places where the water is very acidic or hard
• These Types of Pipes made by SKI have special ingredients added to them which makes them resistant to breakage, cracks etc during handling, installation and  during years of use

Disadvantages

• slightly higher cost , around 18 $  ex factory India per 3 meter length
• is a very difficult pipe to make , only SKI in India and a few companies in France have mastered the art of making these pipes with exact precision.

3. GI Riser Pipe

The GI Riser Pipe shown above is the type used from the very beginning. Each length of 3 meters weights between 7 to 9 Kgs approx

Advantages:

• it has been used everywhere since long ago
• relatively cheaper cost, around 10-12$ Ex Factory India
• Widely Available

Disadvantages:

•  It is  prone to rusting
• Couplers used with these pipes are poor quality controlled and fail easily.
• In our opinion this is one of the more problematic types and should be avoided where possible as cheaper and better options are available, see above options 1 and 2.

So the answer :  In most situations, the PVC Pipes with SS Ends  is the best choice.