Why would the plumber install PEX like this?

[JuanSigned]

I'm having a new house built and asked for a loop to be installed for a water softener. Is something wonky here? Why would they splice little bits of pex together? Makes no sense to me. The extra fittings would cost far more than 6" of pex.

Is there a reason to do this?

 

[Jadnashua]

IMHO, one of the major advantages of pex is that you don't need to install many fittings. The stuff is designed to bend. Yes, it can look sloppy inside the wall, but then you cover it up. It does need to be supported according to the manufacturer's instructions, though.

So, it appears to me that whomever did this was trained on copper, then decided to start to install pex, and used fittings for all changes of direction. This not only ends up costing more both in time and material, it reduces the flow because of the restrictions in the fittings and the angular changes, it also offers up more chances of a leak versus not using fittings except where required for T's or transitions to fixtures, etc, or if the turn radius would end up being too small for the diameter and type of pex being used.

Don't understand the logic of what he did on that short piece, or how it was all laid out in the first place.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[James A Pettit]

Amateur

 

[Jadziedzic]

You possibly have other concerns with that installation. It's hard to tell since the picture is cut off on the left side, but there should be at least 18 inches of copper pipe leaving the hot side of the water heater before connecting to the Pex tubing; it doesn't appear you have that.

Your electrical inspector may be less strict, but I know a local inspector who would not permit any water lines - especially ones with connections - to run over the electrical service panel.

 

[Cacher_Chick]

The install is pretty messy, but that section at the bottom of the loop is going to be cut off when the softener goes in, so I wouldnt be too concerned about that.

 

[Reach4]

I am wondering about the mix of copper-colored and black rings. I know for some polybutylene-PEX transition fittings that they use color-coded rings of a different size. I am confident that is not what is going on here.

Was this some plan to identify the in and out directions with some upstream/downstream code? Way to complicated to do something that could be done simpler. I see that the WH inlet valve has a black and a copper-colored ring. Is this the result of two bags of same-size rings or even different plumbers using different rings?

Is there a little check valve clamped into those lines? Now that is just silly.

 

[Jeremy7835]

I agree that looks like a mess absolutely terrible water heater should look like this 18” minimum

 

[Jeremy7835]

Pex with stainless sleeves and neat!

 

[WorthFlorida]

If you are planning to install the water softener next to the electrical panel, it's too close. Code requires 36" from the center of the panel (18" to either side) needs be clear space for access to the panel.

110-26 of the National Electrical Code (NEC): 1) at least a 3-ft clearance in front of all electrical equipment; 2) a 30 in. -wide working space in front of equipment operating at 600V or less; and 3) minimum headroom clearance of 6 ft or the height of the equipment, whichever is greater.

 

[Taylorjm]

So much water close to that panel.

 

[Mliu]

If you are planning to install the water softener next to the electrical panel, it's too close. Code requires 36" from the center of the panel (18" to either side) needs be clear space for access to the panel.

110-26 of the National Electrical Code (NEC): 1) at least a 3-ft clearance in front of all electrical equipment; 2) a 30 in. -wide working space in front of equipment operating at 600V or less; and 3) minimum headroom clearance of 6 ft or the height of the equipment, whichever is greater.

While I agree that it's poor practice to place water appliances and piping so close to a distribution panel, your interpretation of NEC 110-26 is incorrect. The 36" clearance is space in front of the panel (not side-to-side). The width of the clearance space must be 30", but the panel is not required to be centered in that space. For example, if the panel is 15" wide, then you need an additional 15" clearance on the side(s) of the panel. That could be 7.5" on each side, or it could be 0" on one side and 15"on the other, or any other combination to have a minimum of 30" total width.

 

[hj]

He was a hacker, not a plumber, like many who use PEX because it is cheaper and faster. but have no pride in doing a neat job. He economized by just using TWO anchors on that whole mess.