Sharkbite vs Crimp?

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H20Boy

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Who is a fan of what and why?

I would like to hear the pros and cons to applications if possible.
 
sharkbite is awesome if in an accesiblle place, that is the only place it should be used.

crimp, 100% better than sharkbite and will last and not fail .
 
johnjh2o said:
This is were my vote goes.

John

I agree again 100%. Shark bite or "tektite" fittings are temporary fixes only. That goes for anything that has an o-ring seal for that matter. I stock them in my trucks for temporary use only. And the caps work great for demo situations!

Rock on John
 
havasu said:
I prefer Sharkbite as a temporary fix and a crimp as a permanent solution.

Same with me. I like them on freeze ups in the middle of the night because they are fast and easy but I consider them temporary as well. I've only had one fitting leak but just don't trust them longevity wise yet.
 
Though I haven't used ProPress, I do believe that the fittings have an Oring inside. The press tool crimps the copper fitting against the outer wall of the pipe, making a ridgid connection, unlike the SharkByte fitting, which has some movement to it. This makes it probably a better fitting than a SharkByte, but I still question ProPress in a long term situation. Time will tell.
 
Shark bite is much more expensive than other methods of joining, but can mate two totally different material types as long as the outside diameter is the same. It also works well if the liquid in the pipe can not be stopped or can not be turned off. Shark bite has not been around long enough to prove itself as a long term solution.
 
Both are for the home owners and want to be plumbers. Real plumber use copper
 
Copper is good, I mean we've used it for years with no issues. I do enjoy soldering, but I'm not spending 6 days running water lines for a house and spend like 10 times as much money when I could do it in pex for dirt cheap and run water lines in less than a day. Plus pex can be repaired with water in the line with copper you either get it all out which is almost impossible sometimes (or it seems that way lol) or shark bite. But don't get me wrong, anyone can go and crimp some ring on a fitting. Not just anyone can solder, or at least well haha.
 
I also agree on the sharkbite being a temp fix. I'd never use them permanently. Like said earlier, the caps are great for remodels and demo work. Unfortunately almost nobody wants to pay for copper anymore.
 
Well actually I ran into a situation last night where i had no choice but to sharkbite. In a commercial building with 8 apartments(2 bathroom apartments) and there was a leak on the hot main so I shut the building down, tanks and recirc pump as well. Drain the water down for 30 min while I get parts. Come back cut the lines and of course since its an emergency shut down people open taps all the time so I got some free showers haha. But it would have next to impossible to solder because there's so much water in the pipe, and every time someone opens a tap more comes down. In a commercial building I don't think you have much choice on an emergency shut down but to sharkbite. Maybe if it was scheduled but even then its a ton of water.
 
So is the reason you decide to go with crimp or solder vs sharkbite is because it hasn't proved long term results or are they still too pricey as well?
 
In service, long term reliability is why I don't use sharkbyte. In new construction, long term reliability is first, with price somewhere in second.

In a situation such as SteveMachine mentioned, I would think that press would be preferable to Sharkbyte. Same sealing system using an Oring, but the press system does not have a "release ring", and in theory at least, is a lot more rigid than Sharkbyte, which will leak little spurts if flexed back and forth, like a hot line will tend to.
 
Im with Ap here, wirsbo IS the best and has the best guarantee ( though I HATE installing it and especially in the winter )

pex is quick and cheap.

Sharkbite is a service plumbers best friend and although has really good guarantees ( can be used even underground which suprises me and i would never do ) but is pricey, and CAN if installed by the wrong person cause a problem later. ( i once fished a center stigffener out of where a 3/4 line teed into a 1/2 feeding a sink cause the original installer installed the sharkbite in copper without removing the plastic ferrule for a pex installation on it eroded over time and went down the line )causing a blockage ).... its also pricey.

PROPRESS/Pressfit is AWESOME but is expensive as hell ( more than 10x the price of a standard copper fitting ) and can be used with water flowing, however i dont trust the longevity of these even though ive seen these hold for over 10 years now. and you likely wont have them around in an emergency due to the cost of them. its also a pain in the ass tocarry around the tool ( heavy though lighter these days )

if you cant stop the water then get yourself a Jetsweat tool, they work awesome... OR ( cheap alternative ) make sure you have white bread on your sandwitch. I used 4 loaves once to soldier a 4" main that was weeping past pretty fast. was Still cheapest alternative
 
No self respecting plumber should be using sharkbites. They are strictly for those who can't solder or don't know how to transition. If you can't do either of these...call a pro!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Plumbing Forum mobile app
 
I prefer Sharkbite as a temporary fix and a crimp as a permanent solution.

Absolutely agree. I too use Sharkbite brand fittings for temporary repairs. They are actually great quality fittings and have all of the necessary approvals to use anywhere crimp fittings can be used. I would never choose to use knock-off push-to-connect fittings though, too many leaks. ProPress are great one time use sharkbite-type fittings that are used in many commercial installations with great success. But as stated by another poster the fittings are 10x standard copper fittings and require a $3000 tool to install. Not practical for DIY. For small DIY repairs Sharkbite fittings are a good option. For larger repairs or if planning on doing more plumbing in the future, invest in a Sioux Chief brand 1/2" and 3/4" all in one crimping tool. It will pay for itself quickly. If you hire a plumber and they insist on using Sharkbite fittings, I would question their professionalism. Real plumbers opt for more permanent solutions.
 
I used Shark Bite because of the tight space problems. Sharkbite are for repairs or where crimping is not possible. Crimping gives you professional results. Also, good planning is essential to get a professional looking job.
 

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