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I want to join some PVC pipes. I've got primer (from a store that only sells paint) and on the back it says it's suitable for PVC. I doesn't say anything about paint or joining. Can I use this kind of primer with PVC cement? The pipes should be airtight and should be able to withstand 3-4 bar.

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I highly doubt a paint store sells what you are looking for. When you join two pieces of PVC, you aren't joining them together, but welding them together. PVC Cleaner (AKA Primer) cleans all dirt, and oils off the parts and soften them a bit, so they weld together properly and the glue can penetrate the PVC deeper. The glue then works on a molecular level I think to "melt" the pieces together to make one piece of PVC. You need to go to a hardware store to get the correct product. You can get PVC Cleaner/Primer and Glue separate, or you can get a Cleaner/Glue product in one can.

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The process is as you described. Joint Cleaner/Primer serves to clean the surface of dirt and oil. It usually has a light lavender dye that shows you've cleaned the whole inner and outer joint areas. The PVC Cement has a solvent and a PVC compatible filler/bonding agent. You are literally melting the two surfaces so that the quarter turn and seat assembly action spreads and intermingles the melted surface so the two pieces become a single whole once the solvent has dried. While the cleaner/primer might be multi use, the cement is specific to the type of plastic the pipe is made of (ABS, PVC) – Fiasco Labs Aug 12 '12 at 20:37
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Paint primer that says it's suitable for PVC can be used for painting PVC siding, Vinyl window surfaces, fencing, etc. It is a paint primary coat for weatherproofing surfaces and enabling other paint coats to stick to the plastic so they don't peel, not a pipe assembly agent. See Gunner's comments for proper materials needed for pipe assembly. it's a whole different item altogether.

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