Tangit PVC-U Special Adhesive

Tangit is Henkel's solvent cement for rigid PVC pipework and the one most Kenyan plumbers ask for by name. The pack here reads Tangit PVC-U — Special Adhesive / Gundi Spesheli, “Henkel: Quality for Professionals”, and on the carton “Special Cement for rigid PVC fittings and pipes”. The tin is marked “Made by Henkel Kenya Ltd”, Nairobi. It is a tetrahydrofuran-based, gap-filling, thixotropic cement that cures by solvent evaporation, and the pack carries the ASTM D-2564, EN 14680 and EN 14814 marks, a CE mark and a Kenya Bureau of Standards Standardisation Mark.

Henkel approves it for PVC-U pressure piping to EN 1452 and EN ISO 15493 and for non-pressure piping to EN 1329 — mains and rising mains, irrigation, borehole delivery lines, pool circulation, soil and waste. It is not the product for PVC-C or ABS, for which Henkel sells separate Tangit cements, and PP and PE pressure pipe fall outside its approved scope altogether. Plumbers take the small tubes for repairs and small-bore work and the tins for a pipeline; note that Henkel states tube application should not be used on pipe above d90 mm. From d90 upwards Henkel wants the adhesive applied to pipe and socket at the same time by two people, and from d160 a pipe joiner used to bring the joint home.

Sold by the full carton in five sizes. Henkel's published data runs to d315 mm pipe, and Henkel is clear that PVC-U pressure work needs trained installers working to the pipe maker's own instructions alongside this sheet.

Specifications

From the pack, and from Henkel's Tangit PVC-U technical data sheet v.1, November 2024.

• Printed on the pack: pressure resistant up to 16 bar; complies with DIN 16970 (German) and BS 4346-3 (British) specifications; temperature range −30 °C to +60 °C; ASTM D-2564, EN 14680 and EN 14814; CE mark; a Kenya Bureau of Standards Standardisation Mark (SM#640 on the tube carton — the tins carry a different number)
• Made by: Henkel Kenya Ltd, Nairobi (printed on the tin)
• Chemistry: solvent-borne adhesive based on stabilised tetrahydrofuran (THF); gap filling and thixotropic; cures physically by solvent evaporation
• Density: 0.96 g/cm³
• Approved pipe material: PVC-U to EN ISO 15493, EN 1452 and EN 1329; pressure systems to EN 14814 with diameter tolerances up to +0.6 mm; non-pressure systems to EN 14680
• Open time: approx. 4 minutes at 20 °C — 3 min at 25 °C, 2 min at 30 °C, 1 min at 40 °C
• Do not move the joint: for the first 5 minutes after bonding, extended to at least 15 minutes below +10 °C
• Before lowering into a trench: 10 to 12 hours
• Final strength: 24 hours
• Before filling or leak testing: 24 hours after the last joint, up to a test pressure of 1.5 × PN
• Before applying operating pressure: a minimum of 1 hour per bar
• Application temperature: +5 °C to +35 °C
• Below +25 °C: Henkel requires special installation technique — warm the pipe end and socket to +25 to +30 °C with an explosion-proof hot-air blower and keep the finished joint at +25 to +30 °C for about 10 minutes. Below +5 °C, pipe and fittings also become more vulnerable to impact
• Consumption per joint: d20 3 g · d32 5 g · d50 9 g · d75 20 g · d110 60 g · d160 120 g · d200 200 g · d315 500 g (Henkel's maximum laboratory values)
• Insertion depth: d20 16 mm · d50 31 mm · d110 61 mm · d160 86 mm · d315 164 mm
• Brush size: d32 no. 8 round · d40–d63 no. 1 flat · d75–d160 no. 2 flat · above d300 no. 3 flat
• Tube application: Henkel states it should not be used on pipe exceeding d90
• Further approvals Henkel publishes: CE marking with DoP 00131; WRAS; supervised by SKZ Würzburg and KIWA Nederland B.V.; KIWA drinking water application certificate
• Cleaner: Tangit Cleaner PVC-U/C/ABS, applied on white tissue; surfaces must be dry before the adhesive goes on
• Shelf life: 24 months at +20 °C in the unopened can; do not store below +5 °C
• Ready for use: must under no circumstances be diluted
• Disposal: product remains are special waste. Only recycle well-emptied containers with dried adhesive residue and no solvent vapour

How the pack says to use it

In the pack's own words: before use, stir the cement thoroughly. Using a flat brush, apply a thin, even layer to the inside of the fitting — work axially, from the inside to the end of the fitting or pipe. Apply a thicker layer to the outside of the pipe, and insert it into the fitting without twisting. Remove excess adhesive with absorbent paper. The pack adds three notes: cleanliness is essential to making an effective joint, close the tube firmly after use, and ensure adequate ventilation while in use.

Safety — read this before use

• Henkel states plainly: “Never use PVC piping systems with compressed air or gas!”
• Tangit is flammable. Solvent vapours are heavier than air, collect at ground level and can form explosive mixtures. Ventilate the work area; no smoking, welding, open flame or sparking there or in adjoining rooms, and avoid any static charge.
• Prolonged inhalation of solvent vapours may be injurious to health, which is why used tissue goes into a closed container rather than being left lying about.
• Remove accumulated vapour before any welding nearby: fill the pipes with water, flush and purge them well. Do not close or seal pipes while the joints are drying.
• Flush the pipeline thoroughly before it goes into service to clear residual solvent vapour.
• Both the adhesive and the Tangit cleaner attack PVC-U, so keep spilled adhesive and cleaner off the pipe and fittings.
• Wear gloves, wash hands repeatedly during work, keep used tissue in a closed container, and read the safety data sheet before use.
• If it gets in your eyes, rinse thoroughly with water and get medical advice. Take off any clothing stained with adhesive straight away.

A note on two older claims you may see elsewhere: Henkel's Southern Africa datasheet for this family says the product can be used on gas piping and on ABS. Henkel's current global datasheet does neither — it prohibits gas service outright and scopes the product to PVC-U. We carry the newer and stricter wording.