Can Hose Clamps Be Used For PEX

[semipro]

RE the leaking crimp connections: perhaps the installers crimpers were not properly adjusted. (as I type I see that Highbeam just posted the same thought)

RE: "ridges versus barbs" - a terminology issue? My understanding is that ridges are flat and barbs are angled so that hose pushes on much easier than it comes off.

 

[shoot-straight]

Your plumber's crappy workmanship is no reason to condemn a technology that is the new standard.

the pex issues are real. unfortunately a multitude of things can go wrong. i has 3/4 brass fittings in many lines when my home was built. we had a failure of the brass fitting when we were on vacation- 35k later, the house isnt the same and im paranoid. all fittings have been changed to copper, but im still paranoid. if you google pex failures, you can see some of the other issues.

 

[Highbeam]

the pex issues are real. unfortunately a multitude of things can go wrong. i has 3/4 brass fittings in many lines when my home was built. we had a failure of the brass fitting when we were on vacation- 35k later, the house isnt the same and im paranoid. all fittings have been changed to copper, but im still paranoid. if you google pex failures, you can see some of the other issues.

A brass fitting failed so you changed them all to copper? Wow. Brass is more durable, I would call that swap a downgrade. Of course the reason for the brass fitting failure could have had nothing to do with the material used for the fitting. Could be workmanship again.

 

[velvetfoot]

Well, I assume the system passed some kind of air leak down test and that it didn't leak for some amount of years. I wouldn't expect that type of delayed leak like that with sweated copper pipe unless there was some kind of corrosive water issue.

PS: We shut off the water (electrically) every time we leave the house and also have a WaterCop system, not that the insurance company cares.

 

[maple1]

Water chemistry can corrode copper - and water friction can do a number on it too.

Back when I had a tankless coil, I had to replace a couple of elbows on it. Shouldn't have happened with their age. But they seemed to be worn away on the inside, on the outside of the L.

Had to do another quick fix yesterday, a 1/2" copper T started spraying water in my parents basement. I did that one with a Sharkbite (those things make life a lot easier when it comes to quick fixes). Any future repairs here will be done with swapping in of PEX, and use of Sharkbites where desired.

I am pretty sure I would do a new house with PEX - doing so should enable you to get all joints out of wall spaces.

 

[Highbeam]

I am pretty sure I would do a new house with PEX - doing so should enable you to get all joints out of wall spaces.

The trick is when plumbing stubs out of a 2x4 wall. You don't have enough room for the full bend radius required so you can either crimp on a copper stub or a 90 degree bend. I would rather not bury a sharkbite in the wall but bury crimped brass fittings as needed.

 

[heat seeker]

We have copper plumbing - and the acidic water has eaten holes in various places. We do neutralize the water now. If we're going to be gone more than a day, we shut the water off - just a flip of a ball valve give me peace of mind.

 

[shoot-straight]

A brass fitting failed so you changed them all to copper? Wow. Brass is more durable, I would call that swap a downgrade. Of course the reason for the brass fitting failure could have had nothing to do with the material used for the fitting. Could be workmanship again.

it had everything to do with the material in the fitting thats why it failed. it was not cast properly. several of the fittings from that supplier failed. bad batch. i had 2 others that broke when they removed them to replace.

 

[Highbeam]

it had everything to do with the material in the fitting thats why it failed. it was not cast properly. several of the fittings from that supplier failed. bad batch. i had 2 others that broke when they removed them to replace.

No, that's not the material's fault. It is the manufacturer that poorly cast the material who failed you.

 

[velvetfoot]

What makes you say it's not the material's fault? Have you done an analysis on it? It didn't fail immediately, it failed over time.

 

[OwlPic]

...Sounds like your plumber wasn't using the go nogo gauge to ...

Think you missed the part "several plumbers and the manufacture reviewed the failures and everything is in specification"
We have a complete analysis, everything was measured with electronic instruments.

It is not disputable that the nature of a crimp is to draw the band material tight by gathering material away from the hose, forming a bubble under the crimp, where the band does not contact the hose. The noncontact area under the crimp provides less normal pressure than the bands. The water stain leak markings also show this very clearly.

 

[OwlPic]

RE the leaking crimp connections: perhaps the installers crimpers were not properly adjusted. (as I type I see that Highbeam just posted the same thought)

RE: "ridges versus barbs" - a terminology issue? My understanding is that ridges are flat and barbs are angled so that hose pushes on much easier than it comes off.

Yes both types are called Barbs, as shown below and have been around long before Pex.
SEE: http://www.parker.com/literature/Brass Products/3501E-I.pdf