I need to insert a new ball valve into a section of my main AquaPEX water line. Unfortunately, the only valve on the line now is an old gate valve right before the water meter, and with this valve tightened all the way by hand, there is still a trickle of water flowing through. Can I cut into the PEX tube and quickly make the expansion and fit it onto the barb of the new ball valve with this small flow of water? Or will not having it totally dry impede the seal?
Can Propex be fit with a trickle of running water?
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My limited experience with the rings and a hand expansion tool is maybe not. When I have had my pipe wet during expansion, the ring has slipped from the end of the pipe and onto the pipe. Maybe there is a technique to make that not happen. My experience is very limited. Maybe something as simple as tape to keep the ring from sliding onto the pipe would work. Even my finger might have resisted had I thought about that.
My workaround without cutting back the pex, was to expand a new ring separately before trying again. The connection then leaked there lightly. I put a hose clamp over the new ring to stop the leak. Eventually I removed the hose clamp and there was no leak; things had tightened with time. I waited a month or two. A much shorter wait would have probably been fine.
What I think would work with an expansion system is F2080 fittings, but that requires an added tool. That should work wet really well, it seems to me.
Other pex fittings, plus rings or stainless steel clamps, would work with the more common type of fittings (but smaller ID). You can still use the PEX-A tubing.
Sharkbite would work.
My workaround without cutting back the pex, was to expand a new ring separately before trying again. The connection then leaked there lightly. I put a hose clamp over the new ring to stop the leak. Eventually I removed the hose clamp and there was no leak; things had tightened with time. I waited a month or two. A much shorter wait would have probably been fine.
What I think would work with an expansion system is F2080 fittings, but that requires an added tool. That should work wet really well, it seems to me.
Other pex fittings, plus rings or stainless steel clamps, would work with the more common type of fittings (but smaller ID). You can still use the PEX-A tubing.
Sharkbite would work.
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Thanks. I may give it a try and see how it goes. It's a 3/4" tube, and the rings that I use have a little stop on them that may help keep them from slipping and I have the Milwaukee tool so I'd only need a few seconds. In any case, I'll keep a sharkbite valve on hand in case I need to go that way.
I suspect that is going to work for you. If you can, I would use your thumb and fingers to try to resist any tendency for the ring to climb onto the tubing. I was using the real ProPEX rings with a stop also.
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It doesn't work wet in my experience.
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