Pex Tubing??

 
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Freddy
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Post by Freddy » Sat. May. 31, 2008 3:46 pm

Devil5052 wrote:I just bought 100 ft of 1/2" PEX Red tubing for $24.95 at Lowes. I want to run a short line for hot water to a sink & the rest for cold water runs to new sillcocks I will be installing. The red should be fine for both applications, right?
You'll have to get a blue magic marker and color the entire cold line or the pex police will come and ticket you for code violation. **Joking!**

I believe the only reason for different colors is for future conveinience. If you tap into a line to add a fixture you'll know if it's hot or cold by color. They are the same pipe regardless of color. I do know some states now require all pipes to have decals on them telling what they are. Maybe the color coded ones don't need decals. I do not know if any plumbers are actually inforcing it, but Maine the law now says if any licensed plumber or heat person does any work in your house he is required to tell you of the law and insist you pay him to decal all pipes. Crazy!


 
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Post by cArNaGe » Sat. May. 31, 2008 5:51 pm

The plumbing Shop I bought my pex from let me borrow the crimper. Now my Camper has Pex in it and all the fittings are plastic. That will work fine for smaller sizes. I believe my camper is 1/2"

 
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Post by Scottscoaled » Sat. May. 31, 2008 9:11 pm

So I was over volunteering at the local county fair, building them a new set of bathrooms. The guy was installing pex above the trusses and didn't make any arrangements to drain the lines. When I brought this to his attension he replied that it didn't need to be. Boy was I amused. :) Scott

 
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Post by Freddy » Sun. Jun. 01, 2008 4:55 am

stokerscot wrote: The guy was installing pex above the trusses and didn't make any arrangements to drain the lines. When I brought this to his attension he replied that it didn't need to be. :) Scott
Geee, Scott, they don't need to be drained. Freezing won't usually hurt Pex..... the first time. :) So, it doesn't neeeed to be drained... what will neeeed to be done is have the plumber called in the Spring when it's first pressurized. Hey, it's a good way to stay updated with the newest of Pex!

That's why I used copper at my summer place. All my pipes are pitched. Valves at every low spot with drains going through the floor to the dirt under the place. I shut the power off, open six ball valves and the entire place is drained in seconds. It's hard to get Pex to completely drain.

 
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Post by coalboy » Mon. Jun. 02, 2008 6:36 pm

Does the pex-al-pex take the standard ring for crimping. Or does it have it's own special ring.
Yanche wrote:
Freddy wrote:Pex-al-pex can be used in boiler systems. Do not use domestic water pex. No pex can be within 18 inches of a boiler. Stub away with iron or copper, then adapt to Pex.

Personally, I'd only use pex on a boiler system if going more than 15 or 20 feet.
Just be sure you use PEX-AL-PEX tubing NOT PEX tubing with "oxygen barrier". The PEX tubing is polyethylene manufactured with a process the cross links the molecules that transforms the polyethylene into a thermoset plastic. If the PEX (not PEX-Al-PEX) tubing clams to have an oxygen barrier it has an additional EVOH (ethylene vinyl alcohol) layer for the oxygen diffusion barrier. It's no where near as good a oxygen barrier as the aluminum. Buy the good stuff, ASTM F1281 specs. Also avoid the rubber based tubing.

 
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Post by Devil505 » Mon. Jun. 02, 2008 7:18 pm

Just connected a sillcock & & outside sink with PEX. The crimping tool is $149.00 at Home Depot but they rent them for $10.00/day. Worked great!! Much easier than copper pipes & sweating, etc. for the homeowner!...I like it!!

 
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Post by Scottscoaled » Mon. Jun. 02, 2008 9:32 pm

In the house building industry here in N.Y. you would be suprised at the lack of copper in a newly erected building. The boys come in and run pex all over the place. NO copper. :) Scott


 
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Post by Freddy » Mon. Jun. 02, 2008 9:40 pm

When I was doing plumbing 1990- 1996, virtually every new house used copper for all plumbing and heating. I was at the plumbing supply a few weeks back and asked how many new houses use copper. They guessed 20%.

 
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Post by Devil505 » Mon. Jun. 02, 2008 10:17 pm

Trying to justify spending $149.00 for the crimper. Hmmmmm......I wonder if the wife would like a few faucets in the living room? :lol:

 
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Post by coalboy » Tue. Jun. 03, 2008 5:48 am

Anybody!!![Something tells me this is a dumb Question.]
coalboy wrote:Does the pex-al-pex take the standard ring for crimping. Or does it have it's own special ring.
Yanche wrote:Just be sure you use PEX-AL-PEX tubing NOT PEX tubing with "oxygen barrier". The PEX tubing is polyethylene manufactured with a process the cross links the molecules that transforms the polyethylene into a thermoset plastic. If the PEX (not PEX-Al-PEX) tubing clams to have an oxygen barrier it has an additional EVOH (ethylene vinyl alcohol) layer for the oxygen diffusion barrier. It's no where near as good a oxygen barrier as the aluminum. Buy the good stuff, ASTM F1281 specs. Also avoid the rubber based tubing.

 
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Post by Devil505 » Tue. Jun. 03, 2008 5:58 am

coalboy wrote:Anybody!!![Something tells me this is a dumb Question.]

coalboy wrote:Does the pex-al-pex take the standard ring for crimping. Or does it have it's own special ring.
Not an expert on PEX but they look totally different so my guess is you have to use PEX crimps

 
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Post by Yanche » Tue. Jun. 03, 2008 10:27 am

coalboy wrote:Anybody!!![Something tells me this is a dumb Question.]
coalboy wrote:Does the pex-al-pex take the standard ring for crimping. Or does it have it's own special ring.
I don't think it's a dumb question. The PEX-AL-PEX tubing is a different product that the plain PEX product. Do a manufacture search on "ASTM F1281". You will find many manufactures. Pick one. Look at the tools they sell for crimping. Now go look at the PEX product sold in home centers. The ASTM number on the tubing will be different. Using that ASTM number look manufactures up for that product and the tools. They will be different. Perhaps you will find a tool with interchangeable dies that can crimp either. It will not be a cheap tool.

 
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Post by Bob » Tue. Jun. 03, 2008 10:29 am

coalboy wrote:Does the pex-al-pex take the standard ring for crimping. Or does it have it's own special ring.
Yanche wrote:Just be sure you use PEX-AL-PEX tubing NOT PEX tubing with "oxygen barrier". The PEX tubing is polyethylene manufactured with a process the cross links the molecules that transforms the polyethylene into a thermoset plastic. If the PEX (not PEX-Al-PEX) tubing clams to have an oxygen barrier it has an additional EVOH (ethylene vinyl alcohol) layer for the oxygen diffusion barrier. It's no where near as good a oxygen barrier as the aluminum. Buy the good stuff, ASTM F1281 specs. Also avoid the rubber based tubing.
Pex al pex is manufactured to a different ASTM standard than pex with different dimensions. If you are using pex al pex you need crimping tools and rings designed for pex al pex. Alternatively, if you have only a few fittings it may be easier and not much more expensive to use fittings that do not require a crimper or other special tools.

 
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Post by LsFarm » Tue. Jun. 03, 2008 1:27 pm

I use 1" Pex-Al-Pex for my boiler instalations,, I use a double O-ringed compression type fitting. No special tools required,, and I can remove the pex from the fitting for modifications to the plumbing and re-use the pex fitting.. I'm not sure if you can remove the crimped clamp and reuse the crimp fittings..
The O-ringed fittings I use are not cheap,, about $10 each, but I've bought some off ebay for $6 at times.. They are brass, so a bit pricey.. but reusable, or resealable with new O-rings if needed..

!" pex to 1" NPT...

Greg L

 
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Post by Devil505 » Tue. Jun. 03, 2008 1:34 pm

Having never used PEX before (& not enjoying sweating copper pipe fittings with very little clearance to walls, insulation, etc.) I was very plesently surprised at how simple it was! Not one leak after about 12 crimped connections, & the PEX tubing is almost as easy to run as house wiring!

Edit: & rent the crimper (cost me $8.00 for most of a day) unless you're gonna do enough plumbing to warrant spending $150.00 on a crimper)
Last edited by Devil505 on Tue. Jun. 03, 2008 3:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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