Uponor hePEX Leaking at Fitting

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Billboe

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Hi All,

I'm trying to perform a repair to a hydronic heating system (carpenter put a nail thru a pipe).

Pipe is 3/4" Uponor hePEX and has been installed for about 10 years.

For the fix, I cut out section of pipe which contained the hole and added new pipe section and two couplers. Now, there is a very slight leak where the new ProPEX EP couplers connect to the old pipe (both ends are leaking). I was careful to rotate the manual expander tool between each expand...

My only thought is that there is build up on the inside of the hePEX that is causing a bad connection with the coupler. Does this sound plausible?

Before I go back and try the fix again, I thought I should get some feedback. Do you think cleaning the inside of the pipe with a soft brush (toothbrush?) would do the trick? Any other ideas?

I guess another option would be to use push fittings. And of course, this connection is buried behind drywall.

This is the 1st time I've ever seen an Uponor fitting leak!

Thanks!

Billboe
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p.s. another issue I encountered (for the 1st time) was that the rings were sliding up the pipe (past the stop) when using the expander tool. I was able to make this work by lightly sanding the outside of the pipe which caused the ring not to slip.
 

Reach4

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For the fix, I cut out section of pipe which contained the hole and added new pipe section and two couplers. Now, there is a very slight leak where the new ProPEX EP couplers connect to the old pipe (both ends are leaking). I was careful to rotate the manual expander tool between each expand...
Did you maybe have to stretch more somehow such as stretching the ring to get it on for some reason? When that happened, I put a worm gear clamp around the ring, and the leak stopped. Later I was able to remove the clamp, and the leak did not recur. I was doing potable.

p.s. another issue I encountered (for the 1st time) was that the rings were sliding up the pipe (past the stop) when using the expander tool. I was able to make this work by lightly sanding the outside of the pipe which caused the ring not to slip.
Sliding up the pipe would be be away from the stop on the fitting, so I think you mean the ring went fully onto the pipe. When I have done that I think my pipe was wet. So my solution to give more friction was to dry the pipe well.
 

Billboe

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Thanks for the reply!
Did you maybe have to stretch more somehow such as stretching the ring to get it on for some reason? When that happened, I put a worm gear clamp around the ring, and the leak stopped. Later I was able to remove the clamp, and the leak did not recur. I was doing potable.

Interesting thought about using a clamp. And no, I really don't think I "stretched" the ring (at least not more than what is needed to get insert the fitting).

Sliding up the pipe would be be away from the stop on the fitting, so I think you mean the ring went fully onto the pipe. When I have done that I think my pipe was wet. So my solution to give more friction was to dry the pipe well.

My 1st try to fix this issue was to dry the pipe and that wasn't enough. I actually got the light sanding trick from an Uponor tech...
 

Mliu

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Do you know there were deposits inside the pipe or are you guessing that might be the problem?

Why didn't you have the carpenter pay a professional to make the repair?
 

Billboe

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Do you know there were deposits inside the pipe or are you guessing that might be the problem?

Why didn't you have the carpenter pay a professional to make the repair?

The pipe is discolored, so, yeah, I'm pretty sure there are deposits.

Re: the carpenter... It is complicated!

Thanks!
 
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