watts or zurn pex fittings

[Redwood]

I picked up two of those manifolds last night and installed them. So far they are great! I actually got the ones with 6 ports, so I can run a few more things off each one.

Thanks for the watts recommendation! They do seem like a nicer fitting than the zurn.

Yes I usually buy extra ports too.

 

[AcidWater]

How thick is the gauge copper on the manifold? Thicker than the thickest pipe gauge?

Since I'm pulling out the copper pipe due to pinholes, I'd want thicker walls on the one piece that's still corrode-able.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Redwood]

How thick is the gauge copper on the manifold? Thicker than the thickest pipe gauge?

Since I'm pulling out the copper pipe due to pinholes, I'd want thicker walls on the one piece that's still corrode-able.

How does your water test out?
Low PH?

 

[BurleyMike]

Here are my Zurn pex fittings. These were the worst but some of the others also were getting these spots. I am not a metallurgist so I don't know if this is dezincification, I do know that after only 14 months this brass should not look like this. The two vanguard fittings I had used were fine so I did not want to cut them up.

 

[GPRACING]

bad pex fittings

I joined this site just to share some information with my fellow plumbers.I had no idea there was a problem with these fittings as our supplier hasnt said a word.In the past two weeks Ive ran into several pex fittings that are in BAD shape and one had already broken off so i did a google search and found this site.I am here to tell ya it aint just zurn fittings.They will be the first to fail because they are the thinnest.I inspected several durapex fittings last week that had been in service since 2002 and they were almost corroded shut and showed signs of seepage.It makes me sick!I am a diehard pex guy!I have repiped HUNDREDS of homes with this stuff,reassureing my loyal customers that pex was the way to go.From what I can tell,If you live in an area that has problems with copper pinhole leaks you cant put any type of metal fittings in the water line system and expect it to live.Needless to say,today I did my first repipe job with CPVC.I NEVER thought Id resort to using that glue together crap but what are you gonna do???I cant install something in someones home knowing theres problems with it.What do you guys think about the plastic pex fittings?I know the plastic poly fittings were junk but what about pex????

 

[NHmaster]

wirsbo with plastic fittings. Not one single failure. Not one single lawsuit.

 

[BurleyMike]

From everything I have found the plastic PEX fittings are polysulfone which has been around a long time and is not affected by low chlorine levels. I would have used more of them if they were not so darn hard to find. My local supply house has only 1/2 and 3/4 tees and elbows, everything else is brass.

I wish somebody would make stainless fittings. The PB fittings were acetal which chlorine attacks.

 

[Master Brian]

Now I'm not a plumber and only know what I have read, etc., but this obviously seems to be a regional issue with water causing the problems. I don't know how a manufacturer could be held liable for that. I would think that would fall back on the municipality supply and treating the water.

With that said, in central Kansas, in my 36 years, I've never seen or heard of anyone getting pinhole leaks in their copper lines, so I am hoping these issues won't affect my use of pex with copper fittings, but I am not taking any chances, any fittings will be in areas that are easy to get to. I certainly decided not to burry pex in my wall that is about to receive tongue and grooved bead board.

 

[GPRACING]

Im located in SC,near charleston.Like I said we have repiped ALOT of houses in this area because off pinhole leaks.If you take a straight peice of copper that has pinholes and look thru it you will see these white barnicle looking things growing inside the pipe.Everywhere you see one of these little barnicles on the outside will be a pinhole or about to be pinhole.There is a duplex community here that is 75% seniors.They are scared to death because the water heaters are in the attic so they have me relocate them in the garage.They were built around 2002.Anyways,This is where I noticed the durapex fittings that had the EXACT white barnicle looking growth in them that the copper pipe had.Ive also done ALOT of plumbing work on houses that are on well water and never seen this growth or pinhole leaks of any kind.Also Ive noticed that the water heaters last 20-30 years on well water and houses that are city water Ive replaced as early as 3 years old!Zurn and anyone elses fittings may be junk from china but there is something in the city water that is eating them up.We didnt get the copper pipe from china 35 years ago but it eats it up just as bad.Just my 2 cents.....

 

[Polyresearch]

Questionable Zurn Fittings

Hey burleymike. If you haven't done so already you might want to have a look at the class action website www.zurnclassaction.com. It's my understanding that this lawsuit claims that certain F1807 brass Zurn fittings were manufactured in a defective manner. So although dezincification of brass fittings is indeed expected to some extent the suit claims that certain Zurn fittings will fail irrespective of water quality and resulting dezincification. If I remember correctly the website has some pics of the fittings in question that may help you determine whether or not the ones your having problems with are included. Please let me know if you have any questions and I wish you the best of luck in getting things figured out.

 

[BurleyMike]

polyresearch, Yes those fittings I posted pictures of were made by Zurn. I am not quite sure what you are saying? I already know the Zurn fittings are made from a bad alloy that corrodes easily even in the best of conditions. They are also cast/machined poorly which in some cases has caused failures.

The whole reason I went to the trouble of opening my walls was to get all the Zurn crap out of there. I hate cutting into a wall I built just over a year ago but I really would hate to see my wood floors under a few inchs of water.