FAQs of Drop Ear Elbow Fitting

1. What is the core function of drop ear elbow fitting?

The drop ear elbow fitting mainly used in residential or building water supply and drainage system, to achieve 90° turn connection of pipes, and at the same time fixed on the wall, ground or bracket through both sides of the “ear”(with installation holes), enhance pipe stability, avoid loose joints caused by medium flow or external force, especially suitable for exposed pipe scenes.

2. What are the main materials of Plumberstar’s drop ear elbow fitting?

Core materials are brass (H59/H62) and stainless steel (304/316). The brass model has strong corrosion resistance, good thermal conductivity, is suitable for neutral water medium, and has high cost performance. The stainless steel model offers acid and alkali resistance, as well as high temperature resistance (304 temperature resistance: -20 ℃~425 ℃, 316 temperature resistance: -196 ℃~800 ℃), making it suitable for commercial buildings with strong corrosion or high-temperature fluid scenarios.

3. How to select drop ear elbow fitting specs based on pipe pressure and flow?

The selection shall meet two conditions: 1 pressure grade ≥ pipe design pressure (such as pipe pressure PN16, choose PN16 or PN25 elbow with ears);2 diameter ≥ pipe diameter (such as pipe DN25, choose DN25 elbow with ears, avoid flow loss caused by small diameter); no complex formula, provide pipe pressure, flow, medium parameters, Plumberstar can assist in accurate selection.

4. Can the drop ear elbow fitting be used in an outdoor piping system? 

Yes, but you need to choose outdoor special models: brass models need to be thickened chrome plating or sprayed with outdoor anti-corrosion paint, stainless steel models need to be passivated; after installation, it is recommended to apply rust grease at the ear screws to avoid rainwater infiltration into the screw holes leading to rust; long-term exposure to cold areas (below-10℃), low-temperature seals need to be selected to prevent freezing cracks.

5. Whether support custom engraving of logos or models on drop ear elbow fittings?

Support, customer logo, model, production batch and other information can be laser engraved on the ear surface (character height ≥2mm, to avoid affecting the strength of the ear); engraving content needs to provide vector diagram (such as AI format), no additional cost (to meet the custom MOQ), if you need to raise or recess logo, you need to open the mold, the cost is calculated separately.

6. Can you customize drop ear elbows per EN 1254 for the European market?

Full support, we can customize according to international standards such as EN1254 (copper and copper alloy pipe fitting standard), ANSI B16.22 (North American copper pipe fitting standard), JIS B2311 (Japanese copper pipe fitting standard); CE certification can also be provided for orders from the European market to ensure compliance with EU market access requirements.

7. Are drop ear elbow fittings suitable for concealed pressure testing?

Their structural strength and sealing performance fully meet the strict requirements of concealed pressure testing.
Here are the specific advantages:
1. High-Strength Body Design: Withstand High-Pressure Impact of Pressure Tests
Plumberstar elbow fittings with ears are made of high-quality brass or 304 stainless steel. They’re formed by integral precision casting. No weld defects or stress concentration points at all.
The product’s rated pressure can reach 1.6–2.5MPa. The conventional pressure test pressure for concealed engineering is only 1.5 times the working pressure (usually ≤1.2MPa). So it can fully handle the high-pressure load during testing. No valve body deformation or cracking will happen.
At the same time, the fitting’s “hanging ear” structure is thickened. After fixing the pipeline, it can disperse the hydraulic impact force during pressure tests. It avoids joint loosening caused by pipeline shaking. This ensures the pressure test process runs stably.
2. Precision Sealing Structure: Eliminate Pressure Test Leakage Risks
The pipe fitting’s threaded joints (BSPP/NPT standard) are machined with high precision. Tolerance is controlled within ±0.02mm. When used with special sealing rubber gaskets or Teflon tape, the sealing performance is excellent.
Every elbow fitting with ears undergoes a pressure holding test before delivery. The test pressure is 1.5 times the rated pressure. It holds pressure for 30 minutes with zero leakage. This ensures no pressure drop caused by sealing failure during concealed pressure tests. It also avoids misjudgment of the pipeline system’s tightness.

8. Can customized drop-ear elbows be reworked or returned if they fail testing?

If our design or production problems do not meet the requirements, we will provide free rework or replacement. If the customer provides incorrect parameters, causing problems, we will negotiate to bear part of the cost (such as material costs) after rework. Before custom production starts, we will send confirmation drawings. Production only begins after the customer signs off on them. This avoids product deviations as much as possible.

9. Can you provide a material spectrum analysis report for the drop ear elbow fitting?

Each batch of raw materials is accompanied by a material certificate (MTC); a spectrum analysis report can be provided after production, and the material composition (such as copper content ≥59% in brass, chromium content ≥18% in 304 stainless steel, nickel content ≥8%) can be detected by a spectrometer to ensure compliance with standard requirements. The report is accompanied by goods to support customer re-inspection.

10. Do you support partial delivery for drop-ear elbow fittings?

Yes, batch delivery is supported. Customers need to specify the quantity, time, and port of each batch in the order. We will arrange production according to the delivery plan, and issue a packing list, a bill of lading, and an inspection report separately for each batch to ensure the batch is clear. The advance payment for partial delivery shall be paid by 30% of the total order amount, and the final payment for each batch shall be paid before delivery, so as to flexibly reduce the pressure on customers ‘funds.

11. Can large-volume orders of the drop ear elbow fitting be delivered on time?

High-volume orders for elbow fittings with lugs get delivered on time.
Plumberstar runs 3 automatic precision casting production lines plus 5 CNC machining lines. We specialize in the large-scale production of plumbing fittings. For elbow fittings with lugs, the daily output of conventional specifications (DN15, DN20, DN25) exceeds 20,000 pieces. Even big orders of 100,000 pieces can be finished in 30–45 days. That’s way faster than the industry average delivery time.
On top of that, Plumberstar factory keeps 15% emergency production capacity. It handles sudden needs, like last-minute order increases or earlier delivery dates. No delays from insufficient capacity.