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Engineering ToolBox > Comparing Friction Loss in Steel, Copper and Plastic Pipes
Due to difference in inside cross sectional area, wet surface and roughness of the surface, there is significant difference in friction head loss in steel, copper and plastic PVC pipes. The difference will vary with the size of pipe and the flow rate.
The friction loss in feet of head per 100 feet of Steel pipes Schedule 40, Copper pipes Type L and thermoplastic PVC pipes Schedule 40 are compared below.
| 3 in. | |||
| Flow Rate (gal/min) | Friction Loss (ft/100 ft) | ||
| Steel Pipe Schedule 40 | Copper Pipe Type L | PVC Pipe Schedule 40 | |
| 50 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.6 |
| 60 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.9 |
| 70 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.2 |
| 80 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.5 |
| 90 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 1.8 |
| 100 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.2 |
| 150 | 5.3 | 5.7 | 4.8 |
| 200 | 9.1 | 9.5 | 8.1 |
| 250 | 13.6 | 14.2 | 12.8 |
| 300 | 19.8 | 19.8 | 17.1 |
| 400 | 34.2 | 33.4 | 29.0 |
| 4 in. | |||
| Flow Rate (gal/min) | Friction Loss (ft/100 ft) | ||
| Steel Pipe Schedule 40 | Copper Pipe Type L | PVC Pipe Schedule 40 | |
| 100 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 |
| 150 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.3 |
| 200 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.2 |
| 250 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.3 |
| 300 | 5.0 | 5.1 | 4.6 |
| 400 | 8.7 | 8.6 | 7.8 |
| 5 in. | |||
| Flow Rate (gal/min) | Friction Loss (ft/100 ft) | ||
| Steel Pipe Schedule 40 | Copper Pipe Type L | PVC Pipe Schedule 40 | |
| 150 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| 200 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 |
| 250 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.1 |
| 300 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.5 |
| 400 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.6 |
| 500 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 3.9 |
| 6 in. | |||
| Flow Rate (gal/min) | Friction Loss (ft/100 ft) | ||
| Steel Pipe Schedule 40 | Copper Pipe Type L | PVC Pipe Schedule 40 | |
| 150 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| 200 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 |
| 250 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 |
| 300 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 |
| 400 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.1 |
| 500 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.6 |
| 750 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.4 |
| 1000 | 6.3 | 6.5 | 5.8 |
| 8 in. | ||
| Flow Rate (gal/min) | Friction Loss (ft/100 ft) | |
| Steel Pipe Schedule 40 | PVC Pipe Schedule 40 | |
| 150 | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| 200 | 0.08 | 0.08 |
| 250 | 0.12 | 0.12 |
| 300 | 0.17 | 0.16 |
| 400 | 0.3 | 0.28 |
| 500 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| 750 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| 1000 | 1.6 | 1.5 |
| 1250 | 2.4 | 2.3 |
| 1500 | 3.5 | 3.2 |
| 2000 | 6.0 | 5.5 |
| 10 in. | ||
| Flow Rate (gal/min) | Friction Loss (ft/100 ft) | |
| Steel Pipe Schedule 40 | PVC Pipe Schedule 40 | |
| 200 | 0.03 | 0.03 |
| 250 | 0.04 | 0.04 |
| 300 | 0.06 | 0.05 |
| 400 | 0.1 | 0.09 |
| 500 | 0.15 | 0.14 |
| 750 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| 1000 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| 1250 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| 1500 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| 2000 | 1.9 | 1.8 |
| 12 in. | ||
| Flow Rate (gal/min) | Friction Loss (ft/100 ft) | |
| Steel Pipe Schedule 40 | PVC Pipe Schedule 40 | |
| 400 | 0.04 | 0.04 |
| 500 | 0.06 | 0.06 |
| 750 | 0.13 | 0.13 |
| 1000 | 0.2 | 0.21 |
| 1250 | 0.3 | 0.32 |
| 1500 | 0.5 | 0.45 |
| 2000 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| 3000 | 1.7 | 1.6 |