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PEX: Sharkbite quick connects vs crimping
Posted on 3/1/23 at 8:31 pm
Posted on 3/1/23 at 8:31 pm
Doing a little plumbing work soon.
I am now hearing that the quick-connect Sharkbite connectors has really come a long way in terms of reliability and longevity.
I don't want to be redoing this in another 5 years.
Crimping seems to be superior in holding but Sharkbite quick connects are a lot easier.
BTW, this is going to be a small bathroom plumbing job in NELA.
I am now hearing that the quick-connect Sharkbite connectors has really come a long way in terms of reliability and longevity.
I don't want to be redoing this in another 5 years.
Crimping seems to be superior in holding but Sharkbite quick connects are a lot easier.
BTW, this is going to be a small bathroom plumbing job in NELA.
10
Posted on 3/1/23 at 8:39 pm to Reubaltaich
Shark bites rely on a rubber gasket to form a water tight seal. That will degrade over time and fail. Crimping isn't that bad (effort wise), but the right way to do it in my opinion.
Posted on 3/1/23 at 8:44 pm to Reubaltaich
quote:
I don't want to be redoing this in another 5 years.
then do it in hard copper and solder joints
i would never put pex in anything i owned, not even a garage
Posted on 3/1/23 at 9:19 pm to Reubaltaich
Use uponor pex with the expansion joints. It’s the best plumbing material you can use.
Posted on 3/1/23 at 10:35 pm to keakar
quote:
would never put pex in anything i owned, not even a garage
Why? It's pretty great stuff in my experience
Posted on 3/1/23 at 10:35 pm to Reubaltaich
I ran PEX for my shop and decided to use crimp connectors. It wasn’t bad at all as long as you have decent access to the area.
Posted on 3/1/23 at 10:51 pm to dltigers3
Zurn PEX-B, Legend HyperPure PE-RT, Uponor PEX-A, Apollo/Sharkbite PEX-A...I've used them all with F1960 expansion fittings and they all work. Zurn was the most flexible and set fastest, but all work well and it really comes down to what was most available at the time. All my rings are Zurn and Uponor, brand matching matters as far as warranty claims but I have seen exactly zero difference in how they seal on different brand lines and fittings. As with any system, even old fashioned soldering copper, it's about proper prep and keeping everything as clean as you can until the joint is made.
Posted on 3/1/23 at 10:51 pm to dltigers3
quote:
Use uponor pex with the expansion joints. It’s the best plumbing material you can use.
Just curious, why do you say this? I've got it in my house, good so far.
Posted on 3/1/23 at 11:38 pm to indytiger
Think because Uponor/Wrisbo is a big name and an early industry standard. Recently there have been concerns of Uponor PEX having issues with breakpoint chlorination. Other pex products might have the same issue or it might be PEX-A thing. Zurn doesn't seem to have that issue nor Legend but they are are made with different processes.
Posted on 3/2/23 at 8:14 am to Reubaltaich
FWIW, my plumber BIL is sitting right next to me now drinking coffee and I read your post to him, and he said crimping would be superior long-term to Sharkbites as a permanent solution. Pex started coming in as he transitioned to retirement over traditional copper and soldering, but he said he was comfortable using Pex and thinks it is a good product and the product has lived up to its hype. .
This post was edited on 3/2/23 at 9:11 am
Posted on 3/2/23 at 9:03 am to Reubaltaich
I wouldn’t use shark bites on anything that was covered up. If it’s inside a wall or under the house crimp it.
Posted on 3/2/23 at 9:10 am to CottonWasKing
Fixing to do this very thing on barndo build. I was planning on having a christmas tree with all runs from it and have an access panel. This uses more pex than running it and branching from the attic. What's the consensus on how to run? I will be using crimp connectors.
Posted on 3/2/23 at 10:40 am to Wraytex
One of my sons had the manifold/pex lines running from it to each item requiring a water feed. It was so easy to work on anything since the water source can be turned off individually from inside a panel in a closet.
I use 1/4 turn shark bite fittings when I have to replace an old 30 year water shut off valve to a faucet or toilet. So far so good.
I use 1/4 turn shark bite fittings when I have to replace an old 30 year water shut off valve to a faucet or toilet. So far so good.
Posted on 3/3/23 at 5:56 am to indytiger
quote:
Just curious, why do you say this? I've got it in my house, good so far.
Because the pex tubing is designed with some kind if memory plastic feature to always get back to its extruded size. If you crimp it your tightening it to a smaller than its extruded size and it spends the life of that fitting connection fighting to get off of it. If you use expansion (uponor/f1960) it spends the life of that fitting connection fighting to continously constrict on that fitting to get back to its extruded size. Its hard for me to imagine that at some point the expanded pex isnt just stretched out for good but thats what they claim. Also the fittings on uponor are true size. Woth crimp you lose a bit on the port of the fitting. A 1/2" coupling in crimp is really only about a 3/8" opening. An uponor would be a true 1/2" and can handle higher flow rate.
Posted on 3/3/23 at 8:30 am to Reubaltaich
The crimper is like 150 bucks and then you gotta buy a sack of the clips vs each shark bite fitting is like 8 bucks
So if you’re just doing a bathroom or whatever and need a few connections it’s probably not worth it to get the crimp kit
So if you’re just doing a bathroom or whatever and need a few connections it’s probably not worth it to get the crimp kit
Posted on 3/3/23 at 9:03 am to keakar
quote:Lots of downvotes for the correct response. It is not difficult to solder. Why are people so quick to come up with other options to "fix" something that has worked for a long time? Is it because people are too lazy to take an hour of their time to learn how to do it?
then do it in hard copper and solder joints
Posted on 3/3/23 at 9:13 am to Reubaltaich
I did a shower and bath tube over 6 years ago with sharkbites after the flood, still no problems.
When I did the water filter system for my rv, I used crimped pex. It was easier to use than the sharkbites. If I had to do over again, I was just used crimped pex.
When I did the water filter system for my rv, I used crimped pex. It was easier to use than the sharkbites. If I had to do over again, I was just used crimped pex.
This post was edited on 3/3/23 at 9:15 am
Posted on 3/3/23 at 10:50 am to indytiger
PEX is easier to install, has less joints which greatly increases flow rates, is much more resistant to freeze. It also has been used in Europe for decades with no major issues. It isn’t subject to pinhole leaks like copper. As far as lifespan, they really don’t even know because it hasn’t been around long enough to find a maximum lifespan, but 50-100 years is the estimate
Posted on 3/3/23 at 5:31 pm to HubbaBubba
quote:
Lots of downvotes for the correct response
Because it isn't correct. Correctly done, sweating copper is very durable. It also very easy not to do correctly, especially DIYers with little experience. There are lots of PEX systems and they all have their pros/cons, I have solder, crimp, expansion, and Sharkbite fittings in my plumbing kits and dedicated tools to match. I repaired some old galvanized steel plumbing in my house with F1960 PEX fittings as I was able to run inside a wall cavity behind a toilet without cutting the drywall out. I had to sweat adapter fittings onto the existing copper stubs under the house but PEX from there on. With new insulation and PEX being PEX it does give that much more protection for the next deep freeze we get too.
Posted on 3/4/23 at 5:40 pm to el Gaucho
quote:
The crimper is like 150 bucks and then you gotta buy a sack of the clips vs each shark bite fitting is like 8 bucks So if you’re just doing a bathroom or whatever and need a few connections it’s probably not worth it to get the crimp kit
I have a family member who has a crimping tool that I am going to use. BTW, I am going with Pex-B
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