Walk into any air-conditioning installer's van and you will find flat, disc-shaped rolls of soft copper tube. These are copper pancake coils, often called PCC, and they are the most convenient way to carry and install annealed refrigerant tube. This guide explains what a pancake coil is, how a copper pancake coils manufacturer makes it, and what to check before ordering for ACR, split-AC or refrigeration projects.
A copper pancake coil is a length of seamless, soft-annealed copper tube wound flat in tight spiral layers, so the finished coil looks like a stack of pancakes. Unlike a plain loop coil, the tube is wound in a controlled spiral on a flat former, giving a compact, stable package that stacks neatly on pallets, is easy to carry and pays out smoothly from the centre or the outside. It is normally produced to ASTM B280 (ACR field service) or EN 12735-1, in C12200 (Cu-DHP) copper in the O60 soft temper.
If your team cuts and routes tube by hand, pancake coils are usually the best fit. If you run automatic bending and brazing equipment, level wound coils reduce downtime for reel changes.
| Parameter | Typical range / value |
|---|---|
| Material | C12200 Cu-DHP (C10200 on request) |
| Temper | O60 soft annealed |
| Standards | ASTM B280, EN 12735-1, ASTM B68 (bright annealed) |
| OD range | Roughly 1/4 in to 7/8 in (6.35 mm to 22.2 mm); larger sizes as straight lengths |
| Coil length | Commonly 15 m or 50 ft; custom lengths on request |
| Cleanliness | Dehydrated, ends plugged or capped |
| Packing | Poly bag or carton, palletised or in wooden cases |
Exact sizes, wall thicknesses and coil lengths vary by project; confirm them against your refrigerant, working pressure and local code.
Refrigerant circuits are intolerant of moisture and oil residues. Moisture can freeze at the expansion device or react with the refrigerant oil to form acids, while loose scale or debris can block capillary tubes and damage compressors. For that reason ASTM B280 sets limits on internal residue, and good manufacturers dehydrate and seal each coil. During installation, braze with a nitrogen purge to avoid forming oxide inside the tube.
Melta Alloys manufactures soft copper coils and straight tubes at our Umbergaon, Gujarat facility, exporting to 20+ countries. With controlled drawing, in-house spectrometer and hardness testing, and export-grade packing, we supply wholesalers, installers and OEMs with traceable copper tube. Read more about our copper pipes and tubes, the broader copper coils guide, or send us your size list for a quote.
PCC stands for pancake coil copper (or pancake coil). It refers to soft copper tube wound flat in spiral layers, commonly used for air-conditioning and refrigeration installation.
Pancake coils are supplied in soft annealed (O60) temper so the tube can be bent easily. Hard drawn tube cannot be coiled and is supplied in straight lengths.
C12200 (Cu-DHP) is the standard grade for ACR pancake coils; oxygen-free C10200 can be supplied where required.
Insulated copper tube is a separate product. We supply bare, cleaned and capped pancake coils; please mention insulation requirements in your enquiry so our team can advise.
Send your grade, size, standard and quantity — our team replies with pricing, lead time and mill test certificate details.
