Sharkbite vs Crimp?

[journeyman]

pex is easy and cheap. or should i say it again cheap. plastic is plastic. copper is the best and if you can out smart the water anything can be fixed. it is a lot harder to drive a nail through copper then pex. and so if you have a customer with quest pipe and you sell a repipe are you really going to sell the customer on more plastic pipe. good luck. there is no value in plastic.. as far as sharkbites they are good for temp work.

 

[SHR]

With the right tools I have always been able to crimp fittings no matter how tight the spot. Not many DIYers have the right tools for all situations so I understand your statement though.

 

[serviceman1123]

I'd say go with CPVC solvent weld joints are more dependable than mechanical.

 

[CT18]

I have installed pro press at a Bosch facility in 1998, Airport parking garage 2000 and 2 major sports arena 2002. So far so good, with a lot of the joints exposed to Michigan weather. I prefer to solder, but pro press would be next.

I have even installed some on a large section of gas line in a large casino/hotel.

 

[plumcrazy]

I agree that shark bites are a temporary fix. I do use them for all stub outs on sink, wall mount toilets and sinks.

 

[AlwaysPlumber]

i would look into whats called pro press

 

[frodo]

i have installed pro press at a bosch facility in 1998, airport parking garage 2000 and 2 major sports arena 2002. So far so good, with a lot of the joints exposed to michigan weather. I prefer to solder, but pro press would be next.

I have even installed some on a large section of gas line in a large casino/hotel.

what !!!!!!!!!!!!! That is illegal as hell!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Caduceus]

Propress has gas approved fittings, but the question is WHO approved them. Even if industry standards say it's okay, the state and locals have the final say-so. I am not a fan of copper as a NG conduit just because I've seen too many leaks over the years in my area. I'm sure nobody looks into sulfur content and additives for their area to see if copper would be an appropriate material, anyways, Frodo. Remember that industry standards approved PB piping tears ago, but the manufacturers didn't time-test the bonding agents and found out the hard way that chlorinated water degrades the fitting connections. Look how that turned out.

 

[WyrTwister]

I'd say go with CPVC solvent weld joints are more dependable than mechanical.

If for cold water , Why CPVC over PVC ?

I am planning on replacing my water line from the meter to the house . Was considering PVC vs PEX .

Recommendations , please ?

God bless
Wyr

 

[gargalaxy]

New construction in Florida from meter to the house usually is PVC and then copper, pex or cpvc. If repipe pvc from meter and then pex inside.

 

[artworksmetal]

I bought a house with PEX 9 years ago, and I've been doing DIY plumbing using John Guest (or Lowes equivalent) type press on fittings. The Shark Bite brand is a more recent addition to their offerings.
I never bought the crimp tool because it was so expensive (over $100 at the time), and I never planned on doing so many modifications. I only used them in exposed basement rafters. I never had a problem, except when I didn't push it in all the way the first time.
Recently I looked at all the spare fittings in my toolbox and realized I should have bought the tool years ago. Those fittings run $7 - $12 apiece now.
Picked one up at Amazon for less than $30. I used it to run airlines for my shop compressor. It didn't take too long to get the hang of it. And it paid for itself 5 times over already.

 

[WyrTwister]

I am in the process of running a new main water line from the water meter in the alley to the house . Hope to do the ditch Saturday .

I purchased a 100 foot roll of 1" white PEX and 2 barbed brass fittings that use the black copper crimp rings . This stuff may or may not be Shark Bite brand , or not . Can not remember .

Local lumber yard will rent the compression tool to me for a modest cost .

One fitting will be at then water meter , the other under the house ( pier and beam ) where I connect to the existing copper cold water system .

I have done some research on the internet , including youtube . I honestly can not say I fully trust the plastic push fittings . As far as the plastic crimp fittings , for no more cost for only 2 fittings , I decided to go with brass .

I had considered the pinch ring system , but after the videos , felt a little more comfortable with the crimp ring .

I had originally planed to use PVC , but at the point where the new piping goes under the house , I am not going to be able to get as deep as I wished to . So , the decision to go with PEX . PEX is more $$$ , but not enough to be a huge issue . Certainly not a deal breaker .

Will try to report back when I finish .

God bless
Wyr

 

[WyrTwister]

I finished a day or two after Christmas .

Rented a Kubota mini-excavator at Home Depot to dig the ditch .

I had pre-purchased all the parts and pieces ahead of time . Turned out the 1" PEX and 2 barbed brass fittings were SharkBite , after all .

Well , the place I rented the crimp tool , the tool did not go up to 1" . Ended up buying the SharkBite tool for 1" on down , for a little over $ 100 . To make 2 crimps ( with the black copper crimp rings ) .

I used the white 1" SharkBite from Home Depot . Was cold & WOW ! Is that stuff ever STIFF ! And it has one heck of a memory from being in that 100' coil ! :-(

I had to walk it down / into the ditch , using a hoe to drag dirt down on top of it . To get it to stay down into the ditch ! :-(

But , now that it is in the ditch & covered up , all seems to be well .

One crimp is at the meter , with the barb attached to the meter fitting with a brass 3/4" x 1" reducing bushing . The other is under the house , with the barb screwed into a ball valve , where I have connected it into the 3/4" copper cold water line .

I hope to not have to cut another ditch for a long time . And not to have to crawl under the house , again for a while .

Rightly or wrongly , I probably would not have trusted the push fit fitting at the water meter . Certainly not under the house , out of sight and mind .

And , I am told , if it ever does freeze ( I do not think it will ) , that the PEX is suppose to expand and not bust .

Other than that , PVC would have worked & I would not have had to buy the crimp tool . But , truth to tell , the ditch was the most $$$ part of the project . A little less than $ 300 for 24 hours to cut the ditch and a little less than $ 200 to rent it again to cover the ditch back up .

I still need to do some shoveling and raking ( hoe ) to level and fill .

Thanks for the help !

God bless
Wyr
Happy New Year