# Plumbers/HVAC: Wide Weep Bends?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plumbers-hvac-wide-weep-bends/313512>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 21, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plumbers-hvac-wide-weep-bends/313512 "2005-07-21T18:27:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plumbers-hvac-wide-weep-bends/313512/1 "2005-07-21T18:27:44Z")

</div>

Can someone in plumbing or HVAC tell me if there is a definition for a “wide weep bend”? And, if so, what minimum bending radius for 1-in refrigerant pipe should be maintained when bending 90 degrees? (I assume it’d be the same for even a 45 degree bend, correct?)

- Jinx 😕

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plumbers-hvac-wide-weep-bends/313512/2 "2005-07-22T00:23:34Z")

</div>

I’ve heard of wide **sweep** bends, e.g. larger radius, and ells used for venting of high efficiency furnaces with a condensate drain fitting, but not weep bends.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plumbers-hvac-wide-weep-bends/313512/3 "2005-07-22T01:47:19Z")

</div>

> [@Jinx](#):
>
> Can someone in plumbing or HVAC tell me if there is a definition for a “wide weep bend”? And, if so, what minimum bending radius for 1-in refrigerant pipe should be maintained when bending 90 degrees? (I assume it’d be the same for even a 45 degree bend, correct?)- Jinx 😕

A wide sweep bend is usually used for waste water and drainage piping to minimize blockage by waste.  
Use a bending tool for 1" copper tubing. It should be made to provide the correct bending radius. 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plumbers-hvac-wide-weep-bends/313512/4 "2005-07-22T04:38:25Z")

</div>

IIRC, the minimum radius for a bend in refrigerant tubing is 6 pipe diameters. So 1" pipe requires a 6" radius bend.