What is the difference between a bushing and an adapter when dealing with water pipes and fittings?

Question

What is the difference between a bushing and an adapter when dealing with water pipes and fittings?

Answer 1

A bushing usually is a piece that's threaded on both inside and outside, and goes into a larger pipe coupling so a small pipe can fit up to it, say at the junction of a Tee joint.  If  you have the open threaded end of a pipe to connect to, and need a larger pipe leading up to it, then you use an adapter, which is shaped like a bell, with the smaller end going on the small pipe and the other end being threaded for whatever size pipe you're going to use there.   The same scenario apply for sweated copper and glued PVC.

Answer 2

The bushing would be threaded inside and out, with shoulders on one end to hold on to when s******g it into a larger fitting or when inserting a smaller pipe or fitting inside. That would be the shortest distance in which you could change pipe sizes. An adapter could be one of many items used to join pipe of same or different sizes.

Answer 3

Good question, Kinda hard to explain. I guess a bushing fits inside a fitting and an adapter fits into or over a pipe or fitting. Using a bushing instead of an adapter can save you some space if you don't have a lot of room for fittings. Look at it this way, they can both do the same thing, but a bushing is half the length of an adapter. OK are you totally confused now, me too!!

Answer 4

For purposes of explaination I will use thread fittings.

A bushing has threads on both the inside and outside while an adapter has threads on one end for one size pipe and threads on the other end for th other size pipe. So by default a bushing can be half the size of an adapter.Go ere for pictures: http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumPa...