Best PEX fitting/set up

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Windows on Washington

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This forum is a wealth of information and I am hoping you guys/gals can help.

I want to get better flow to my bathroom (end of a long run with several bends and right angles) as well as manifold my outside spigots for easy on/off. I was going to be remodeling the kitchen at some point too and was wondering if I should just buy one of those PEX tools for the fittings and convert my CPVC to PEX on those locations.

My basement is unfinished with easy access to everything.
 

Jeff H Young

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Proper pipe sizing is what you need . No real downside to going a bit over size on the cold line , but on the hot you give up a quicker time for hot water to arrive . If you really want a good system (and most people dont care) run bigger on hot as well with a recirc system. No wait for hot water and plenty flow to fill a tub 60 feet away or whatever.
 

Jadnashua

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TO be able to use an expander tool/fitting, you must use PEX-A. In order of flexibility and memory, -A has the most and is the only one that can be restored if you kink it during installation without having to cut the kink out and put a fitting in. PEX-A also has the smallest bend radius, that lets you get by with fewer fittings, and because when you use the expansion fittings, a larger ID through them. To use crimp fittings on -B or -C, the fitting must slide into the tubing...the expansion fitting is larger, and needs the pipe expanded before it will fit in, and then, it collapses to make the seal around it. While you could use crimp fittings on -A, it's kind of a waste.
 

Terry H

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PEX crimp fittings restrict the flow quite a bit unless you use Uponor or Rehau everloc etc, one that has to be expanded.

Just splicing a larger pipe onto your CPVC is unlikely to give you the results you want depending on sizing and pressure of the water service coming in. A lot goes into getting the volume you need for a home and unless your service is sized correctly you’ll never obtain it.

Do you know what size the line servicing the home is? What kind of pressure do you have on the home? I’m assuming you are on city water?
 

Jeff H Young

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Im thinking PEX A is better than type b as well its the only one Ive used and my experiance with pex has been only with type a expander uponer. One advantage is the fittings ID is bigger than crimp fittings of pex . I wouldnt compare Pex with CPVC because its apples to oranges but the fittings must be smaller with pex vs cpvc .
Cpvc as far as I know around southern California is dead at least for single family homes.
 

Jadnashua

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The area of the opening is pi*r^2, so a small change in the radius can make a huge difference in the area of the opening. The larger the opening, the less friction, and higher volume you can achieve. Friction lowers the dynamic pressure. Lots of people confuse pressure with volume, but both are important.
 
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Taylorjm

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So obviously the expanding PEX tool and fittings are the professional way to go, but what about someone that just needs to make some changes and repairs and would rather use the crimp on fittings instead of the Sharkbite. I thought there was the copper crimp rings, or some kind of stainless cinch rings. What is preferred?
 

Reach4

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So obviously the expanding pex tool and fittings are the professional way to go, but what about someone that just needs to make some changes and repairs and would rather use the crimp on fittings instead of the sharkbite. I thought there was the copper crimp rings, or some kind of stainless cinch rings. What is preferred?
I think you are asking whether rings are better than clamps.

I would go clamps, because the same tool can be used with more than one size. Tool calibration seemed easier too, but crimp has that go-nogo check gauge.

http://blog.supplyhouse.com/pex-crimp-vs-pex-clamp/
 

Jeff H Young

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So obviously the expanding pex tool and fittings are the professional way to go, but what about someone that just needs to make some changes and repairs and would rather use the crimp on fittings instead of the sharkbite. I thought there was the copper crimp rings, or some kind of stainless cinch rings. What is preferred?

I actually think many pros use clamp or crimp as well maybe guys that dont do much pex. But I haven't seen many pros use clamp or crimp on new construction homes here. but my observations are not many. I actually own no PEX tools at all was thinking of getting some at least for repair or a tie in . So I too am interested in all 3 PEX joining methods actually the 4th would be shark bites but not interested in those . let us know guys that have used crimp or clamp are those junk?
 

Terry H

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The majority of homes here are done with cinch rings(oetiker). Uponor just isn’t very popular.

If you keep your tool calibrated I can’t say I’ve seen one fail. To me the PEX systems are for repair and the Uponor for new installation. The restriction of the PEX fittings on your flow is a turn off for me.

I don’t like the crimp rings just because you have different tools for each one, they are harder to crimp the ring and I used to see them get out if calibration a bunch. Whether they were too tight or too loose people had a hard time keeping them between the lines. With the cinch tool if you check it every 50-100 crimps and have a good tool they’ll be within range, they are more forgiving and much easier to get off if you need to change something.
 

Jeff H Young

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Thanks Terry H. If your doing repair and you cant tell if its type A or Type B than you can't use Uponer . if you know its Uponer then you can repair with same. I found Uponer to be quick and easy but its the only PEX I ever ran. I've wondered If those that use other methods besides Uponer did it simply because of price. Correct me if I'm wrong. Expander more expensive Type a pipe cost more fittings? rings cost more I think? Finally Cinch are clamps unlike the crimps right? I've read up a lot on this but never got a good answer on which are better.
 

Windows on Washington

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Proper pipe sizing is what you need . No real downside to going a bit over size on the cold line , but on the hot you give up a quicker time for hot water to arrive . If you really want a good system (and most people dont care) run bigger on hot as well with a recirc system. No wait for hot water and plenty flow to fill a tub 60 feet away or whatever.

Can you talk to me a bit more about the recirculating system? I am going to be putting on an instant on water heater (HeatWorks system) and given that my bedroom is at the end of a 60' run, wondering how that might work.
 

Martin Boring

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In my area PEX was slow coming in. PEX B was the first and still is used a bunch. Type A has only been around here a few years. I myself love it for repipe in old houses and new as well. I bought the battery powered expanding tool and its been great. Only time I do B is on repairs.
 

Jeff H Young

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Actually and again my observations are few. Most housing in my area are multiple houses , tract home custom homes are still often copper. tract homes I've never seen plumbed with crimp or clamp they are nearly all expander. If you do that kind of work and you have 5 houses a week to bust out plus keep up with the rest of the rough in I don't see reason to go with crimp? I'm curious if the pace here is faster or if companys down in Alabama like TerryH is from if they just do one house at a time or if they build a lot of big projects without going with expander type a. ?
 

Taylorjm

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Can you talk to me a bit more about the recirculating system? I am going to be putting on an instant on water heater (HeatWorks system) and given that my bedroom is at the end of a 60' run, wondering how that might work.

A recirc system with an on demand water heater? Doesn't that kinda defeat the purpose of having an on demand system if it's going to be running all the time to keep the lines full of hot water?

We went with a form of hybrid on demand and tank. 20 gal tank with 75,000 btu burner. It keeps the water in the tank hotter, about 140 I think and mixes it to bring lower temps to the faucet, but the burner is big and only runs for a couple minutes to heat the water. You can put it on a 1/2" gas line. When I installed it and turned it on, the burner ran for about 3 minutes and stopped. I thought it was broke and realized it had heated the 20 gallons already. So it runs when using water like for a shower but 2 showers at the same time will start to run cooler after awhile, but would be more suited for a recirc system since it has a tank. Also gives instant hot water instead of waiting for the on demand unit to fire up and heat the water.
 
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