We believe in

America.
90% of all pvc pipe
& plastic pipe
fittings we sell are
MADE IN THE USA
Please Like us
on Facebook
Follow us on
Twitter for news,
sales, & discounts.
1-888-PVC-
FLEX

This is TOLL FREE 1-888-782-3539 for technical
support questions and pre-sales questions only.
Phone hours are 10am to 4pm PST, Monday-
Friday. All orders must be placed on the
website. (Click here if you don't want to put
your card number online or want to purchase
by check or money orders.) You can click here
to email customer support as well. Please read
the FAQ and yellow TECH HELP box before you
call, email or order because most questions are
already answered there. All "Requests For
Quotes" for over 5000 fittings or 2000' of flex
pvc should be emailed to us. For smaller orders,
just use the website.



Search
View Shopping
Cart



John Guest push in
fittings &
Polyethylene Tubing
Water Flow Chart #1 The chart below takes into consideration the
potential damage from hydraulic hammer (shock) and noise considerations
due to excessive fluid velocity. For more detailed information click here for
our pipe selection based on pipe size and flow requirement Nomograph. You
can flow more than what is shown in the chart (see Chart #2 below)
however, you may run into problems if you do.
Assume Gravity
to Low Pressure.
About 6f/s flow
velocity, also
suction side of
pump
Assume Average
Pressure. (20-
100PSI) About
12f/s flow velocity
Assume "High
Pressure" PEAK
flow. About 18f/s
flow velocity
*
Sch
40
Pipe
Size
ID
(range)
OD
GPM
(with
minimal
pressure
loss &
noise)
GPH
(with
minimal
pressure
loss &
noise)
GPM
(with
minimal
pressure
loss &
noise)
GPH
(with
minimal
pressure loss
& noise)
GPM
(with
significant
pressure
loss &
noise)
GPH
(with
significant
pressure loss
& noise)
1/2"
.50-
.60"
.85"
7
gpm
420
gph
14
gpm
840 gph
21
gpm
1,260
gph
3/4"
.75-
.85"
1.06"
11
gpm
660
gph
23
gpm
1,410
gph
36
gpm
2,160
gph
1"
1.00-
1.03"
1.33"
16
gpm
960
gph
37
gpm
2,220
gph
58
gpm
3,510
gph
1.25"
1.25-
1.36"
1.67"
25
gpm
1,500
gph
62
gpm
3,750
gph
100
gpm
5,940
gph
1.5"
1.50-
1.60"
1.90"
35
gpm
2100
gph
81
gpm
4,830
gph
126
gpm
7,560
gph
2"
1.95-
2.05"
2.38"
55
gpm
3300
gph
127
gpm
7,650
gph
200
gpm
12,000
gph

GPM/GPH
Flow
based on
PVC Pipe
Size


There are now 3
charts and one
formula on this
page showing
water flow
through a pipe.
These 3 charts come
from 3 different
sources, and they all
are just general
guidelines. and should
not be relied on as a
precise source for
information or as a
substitute for
engineering. The data
between them does
vary. In the chart to
the left is a general
guideline for how
much liquid a pipe of
Page 1of 7 GPM/GPH Flow based on PVC Pipe Size, ie, How much water can flow through Sch 40 ...
1/15/2014 http://flexpvc.com/WaterFlowBasedOnPipeSize.shtml
Water Flow Chart #2
Here is yet another set of data predicting the amount of flow through a
straight piece of pipe. If you add any direction change (90's, 45's Tees,
Wyes, etc) or potention restrictions (valves, elevation change, obstruction,
etc) these estimates will also change.
Water Flow Chart #3
Below is another data set we've run across. What is shows is how much flow
you will get across a stainless metal ball valve of the length specified with a
1PSI pressure drop from one side of the valve to the other.
2.5"
2.35-
2.45"
2.89"
80
gpm
4800
gph
190
gpm
11,400
gph
300
gpm
17,550
gph
3"
2.90-
3.05"
3.50"
140
gpm
8400
gph
273
gpm
16,350
gph
425
gpm
25,650
gph
4"
3.85-
3.95"
4.50"
240
gpm
14,400
gph
480
gpm
28,800
gph
700
gpm
42,000
gph
5"
4.95-
5.05"
5.563"
380
gpm
22,800
gph
750
gpm
45,000
gph
1100
gpm
66,000
gph
6"
5.85-
5.95"
6.61"
550
gpm
33,000
gph
1100
gpm
66,000
gph
1700
gpm
102,000
gph
8" 7.96" 8.625"
950
gpm
57,000
gph
1900
gpm
114,000
gph
2800
gpm
168,000
gph
Pressure Flow in GPM through pipe ID in inches
PSI 1" 1.25" 1.5" 2" 2.5" 3" 4" 5"
20 26 47 76 161 290 468 997 2895
30 32 58 94 200 360 582 1240 3603
40 38 68 110 234 421 680 1449 4209
50 43 77 124 264 475 767 1635 4748
60 47 85 137 291 524 846 1804 5239
75 53 95 153 329 591 955 2035 5910
100 62 112 180 384 690 1115 2377 6904
125 70 126 203 433 779 1258 2681 7788
150 77 139 224 478 859 1388 2958 8593
200 90 162 262 558 1004 1621 3455 10038
Size (ID, inches) Length (inches) Flow (GPM)
1/2 4.25 26
3/4 4.62 50
1 5.00 94
1-1/2 6.50 260
specific size can flow
in GPM (Gallons Per
Minute) & GPH
(Gallons Per Hour.)
There are three
columns. (Well there
are really six, but
each colum is shown
in Gallons per minute,
and then again as
Gallons per Hour.)
The first set of
columns would be the
minium you would
expect for the pipe
size shown using
nothing but gravity in
a low head pressure
situation to power the
flow. The 2nd set of
columns show what
you can expect using
an average pump with
a pressure from 20 to
100psi. The 3rd set of
columns is the
maximum flow based
on maximum
recommended velocity
of the liquid in the
pipe. You may exceed
this, but you will have
to contend with
excessive noise and
exceedingly high
inertial impacts. (I.e.
Possible system
failure due to
hydraulic hammer
effects.) This is a very
general guide and is
subject to many
variables. Pressure,
noise allowance,
bends, fittings,
viscosity, etc. affect
how much liquid will
flow through a pipe of
given size. If you can
accept more noise and
have higher pressure,
you can pump more
at the risk of system
failure. If you have a
lot of bends and
fittings you will flow
less. The flow rates
Page 2of 7 GPM/GPH Flow based on PVC Pipe Size, ie, How much water can flow through Sch 40 ...
1/15/2014 http://flexpvc.com/WaterFlowBasedOnPipeSize.shtml
Note: The data is for water through the valve only, and does not take into account the rest
of the system. It does not give flow velocity, so there is some question as to the
applicability of the data. The data comes from a book for industrial piping and probably
assumes a massive pump, high flow velocities and metallic pipes. (Ie, where water
hammer and noise are less of a concern than with PVC pipe.) As always, "you mileage may
vary."
2 7.00 480
2-1/2 7.50 750
3 8.00 1300
4 9.00 2300
6 15.50 5400
shown should not
produce unacceptable
noise, however, many
variables affect noise,
so this is no
guarantee that the
system will be
noiseless. Sometimes
experimentation is the
only sure way to know
if a system will be
noisy or not. The flow
rates shown are for
water, with viscosity
of 1. Higher viscosity
liquids will flow less,
lower viscosity liquids
may flow more. You
can use the Hazen-
Williams equation
below to calculate the
exact flow loss
through a pipe.
Pipe Size vs Flow
Nemograph
The Nemograph (link
above) allows you
visually see the effect
of pipe size and flow
rates. You can click on
the link and print it
out to make it more
usable to you. You
should size your pipe
so that your flow
velocity stays in the
green or yellow range.
The green range is
safest, most efficient
and will produce little
to no noise. Flow
velocities in the yellow
range may be noisy
and have additional
back pressure. Flow
velocities in the red
are not recommended
because of the risk of
hydraulic shock and
pipe/fitting/joint &
pump failure.
Note: Back pressure
(restriction) is
exponentially
Page 3of 7 GPM/GPH Flow based on PVC Pipe Size, ie, How much water can flow through Sch 40 ...
1/15/2014 http://flexpvc.com/WaterFlowBasedOnPipeSize.shtml
dependent on flow
velocity. For example
in a 1" pipe going
from a flow velocity of
2 ft/sect (about
5gpm) to a flow
velocity of 3.86 ft/sec
(about 10gpm) will
increase back
pressure by 300%.
Going to a flow
velocity of 7.71ft/sec
(about 20gpm) will
increase back
pressure by 1300%!
These figures are for
straight pipe only! The
effect of putting
direction changes in
will compound the
back pressure even
more and could even
result in failure of the
system or burning up
the pump. You will
never be hurt by
going to a bigger pipe
and will gain by using
less electricity due to
a more efficient
system which may
offset the initial price
difference for the
larger pipe.
Find your flow in the
first column (GPM)
and then select the
pipe size you want in
the second column
(pipe, ID in inches.)
Draw a straight line
between them all the
way to the last
column. If the line
ends up in the green
you are good. If it
ends in the yellow or
red, increase the pipe
size until your line
ends in the green
(best) or yellow (just
okay) area.
Friction Loss
Further Detailed
Page 4of 7 GPM/GPH Flow based on PVC Pipe Size, ie, How much water can flow through Sch 40 ...
1/15/2014 http://flexpvc.com/WaterFlowBasedOnPipeSize.shtml
Information
If you really want to
get technical and
calculate the exact
friction loss through
PVC and CPVC pipe
you can use the
Hazen-Williams
equation as expressed
below for water:
f = 0.2083 (100/c)
1.852
q
1.852
/
d
h
4.8655


where
f = friction head loss
in feet of water per
100 feet of pipe
(ft
h20
/100 ft pipe)
q = volume flow
(gal/min)
d
h
= inside diameter
(inches)
c = a constant for
internal pipe
roughness. 150 is the
commonly accepted
value for PVC and
CPVC pipe.
You can also print out
and use the
Nomograph courtesy
of Plastics Pipe
Institute, a division of
The Society of
The Plastics Industry.
(Note: You normally
want to keep your
flow velocity under 12
feet per second for 4"
and under and 5
feet/second for 5" and
above to avoid
hydraulic shock.)
What about fittings?
How do they effect
flow? See our Friction
Page 5of 7 GPM/GPH Flow based on PVC Pipe Size, ie, How much water can flow through Sch 40 ...
1/15/2014 http://flexpvc.com/WaterFlowBasedOnPipeSize.shtml
loss due to pvc pipe
fittings chart.
Compared to other
materials on
construction for pipe,
thermo-plastic pipe
smoothness remains
relatively constant
throughout its service
life.
If you are flowing
something other than
water, you'll have to
adjust the formula for
the viscosity of the
liquid you are flowing.
Note: One of the
benefits of using Flex
PVC pipe is being able
to make long gradual
bends instead of using
fittings which will
allow more flow with
less noise, less back
pressure, and less
load on the pump. In
other words, a
more efficient
system.


*
"High Pressure" is a
general and non-specific
figure. What might be
"high pressure" for 1/2"
pipe (600psi) may not be
"high pressure" for 2" pipe
(280psi). There are just
too many variables to
consider to give a real
world number. The fact of
the matter is, on a
pressurized system, the
pump will dictate the flow
and pressure as much as
the pipe used. To achieve
the flow figures in the
peak column, it's assuming
there are no bends and a
short straight flow path. If
your system has bends
and T's, Wyes, etc, you
should go to a larger pipe
to achieve the flow
desired. Also feed pressure
effects the system. If the
feed pressure is too low,
you can get cavitation and
you'll damage the pump
Page 6of 7 GPM/GPH Flow based on PVC Pipe Size, ie, How much water can flow through Sch 40 ...
1/15/2014 http://flexpvc.com/WaterFlowBasedOnPipeSize.shtml
[Home] [Contact] [Short Cuts] [Terms & Conditions] [Warranty Disclaimer]
[Shopping Cart] [FAQ] [Shipping FAQ] [Shipping Options] [Our Charities and other
important issues] [Plumbing & Irrigation Directory] [Links] [Location:203.116.198.67]
and flow very little.


Specifications:
Pipe Size Chart
Flow Chart
Flex PVC Pipe
Specs
Rigid Sch 40/80
Pipe Specs
Clear Braided PVC
Tubing Specs
Clear PVC
Hose/Tubing
Specs
Flexible PVC Pipe
Application
Guidelines
FlexPVC Hose and
Tubing Selection
Guide
Why it's
important to buy
Made In The USA
flexible pvc pipe
from FlexPVC.com
Hard copy of our
Warranty, Returns
& Exchange Policy
(PDF format)
Page 7of 7 GPM/GPH Flow based on PVC Pipe Size, ie, How much water can flow through Sch 40 ...
1/15/2014 http://flexpvc.com/WaterFlowBasedOnPipeSize.shtml