Manufacturers describe pipe range in words as often as numbers, and the wording changes the meaning. A phrase like pipes larger than 1.5 inches sets an exclusive lower bound. It suggests the system suits pipe above 1.5 inches, but it does not promise that exactly 1.5 inch pipe works. Read past that difference and you can buy a camera that does not fit the very line you needed it for. This page explains the language so a listing tells you what it really means.
Inclusive and exclusive bounds
An inclusive bound includes the number itself. From 2 inches means 2 inch pipe is covered. An exclusive bound excludes it. Larger than 2 inches means the coverage starts just above 2 inches, so a 2 inch line sits outside the claim. The words larger than, above, and over signal exclusive bounds. The words from, and up, and minimum usually signal inclusive ones. A single word decides whether your pipe is in or out.
Why the distinction matters
Retail copy often treats an exclusive bound as if it were inclusive, because it reads better in an advert. A listing that says works in pipes larger than 1.5 inches gets summarised as fits 1.5 inch pipe, which is not the same claim. If your branch line is exactly 1.5 inches, that gap is the difference between a camera that fits and one that stalls. The safe habit is to read the exact wording, not the rounded summary.
How PipeScope records the bound
Our compatibility data preserves the maker’s bound exactly as stated, rather than smoothing it into a friendlier number. Where a system claims coverage above a size, the record keeps that exclusive flag. Where the exact edge case is not documented, it is marked as unconfirmed rather than assumed to work. That way a borderline pipe, such as a true 1.5 inch line, is never quietly counted as covered when the maker never said so.
Reading a range on a real listing
Start with the exact phrase, then translate it. Larger than 2 inches means plan for pipe of about 2.5 inches and up, not a tight 2 inch elbow. A range written as 2 to 6 inches is usually inclusive at both ends, so 2 inch and 6 inch pipe are both meant to be covered. When the wording is vague, treat the narrow end as uncertain and confirm with the seller before you rely on it for your tightest line.
Bounds and head size together
A pipe range is a system claim, while head diameter is a physical fact. The two should agree. A system that claims coverage down to 2 inch pipe but ships only a large head is making a claim its hardware struggles to meet at the narrow end. Cross check the stated range against the actual head size, because the head has to turn the bends in the smallest pipe the range promises.
A worked example
Say a listing reads suitable for pipes larger than 1.5 inches, and your tightest line is a 1.5 inch branch under a basin. Read literally, that pipe sits just outside the claim, because larger than excludes the number itself. In practice the camera might squeeze in, but the maker has not promised it, so you would be buying on hope rather than a stated fit. Now compare a listing that reads from 1.5 inches. That one includes your pipe by its own wording. Between two otherwise equal systems, the inclusive claim is the safer buy for that branch line, and the difference is a single word you could easily have skimmed past.
Wording to watch for
- Exclusive, starts above the number: larger than, above, over, greater than.
- Inclusive, covers the number: from, and up, minimum, as small as.
- Usually inclusive at both ends: a range written as 2 to 6 inches.
- Treat as uncertain: vague copy with no clear bound, or a summary that rounds the maker’s exact phrase.
Frequently asked questions
Does larger than 1.5 inches include 1.5 inch pipe?
No. Larger than is an exclusive bound, so it starts above 1.5 inches and leaves an exact 1.5 inch line outside the claim. If your pipe is truly 1.5 inches, look for a system that states coverage from that size, or confirm the edge case with the seller.
Are printed pipe ranges reliable?
They are a useful guide, but the wording and the head size both matter. A range is a claim about the whole system, so pair it with the physical head diameter and your real pipe measurement before you decide. Vague or exclusive bounds deserve a second check.
What if a listing gives no pipe range at all?
Then judge it by the head diameter and cable, and treat the fit as unconfirmed for your narrowest pipe. A missing range is not a promise of universal fit. Ask the seller for the smallest pipe the head will turn before you buy.