grey plastic heating pipes?

[mysteryman]

I think it should last longer. Most houses are plumbed in it with copper tails like yours and mine are.

 

[neds]

Hep20 has been around for 15-20 years now. Its predecessor was Acorn, which was dark brown, and that was first in use getting on for 30 years ago. They are excellent - as long as there is an insert AND the pipe is fully inserted into the fitting. The fittings will go straight onto copper, and you can get special O rings for 3/4 copper.

Thanks mysteryman, this stuff sounds briliant. Is the lifespan expected to be as long as copper?

It should outlast copper. Although my only suspicions will be the rubber O rings that will perish well before the plastic pipe. Also anything less than barrier pipe is pointless regardless if it is being used for heating or not.

 

[looneyfitter]

ou can get special O rings for 3/4 copper.

Well ive just learnt summit new!!!

 

[looneyfitter]

Thanks mysteryman, this stuff sounds briliant. Is the lifespan expected to be as long as copper?

IIRC hep comes with a 25yr garauntee.

I have fitted in the last 5 years no less than 100 new build houses with the stuff, its amaing, never had a call back yet.

Reduces sludge, friction etc etc. Very good to install/work with. Alot better than speedfit IMHO

 

[fixitqueen]

I think it should last longer. Most houses are plumbed in it with copper tails like yours and mine are.

Thanks mysteryman. This stuff sounds almost too good to be true!

 

[fixitqueen]

Hep20 has been around for 15-20 years now. Its predecessor was Acorn, which was dark brown, and that was first in use getting on for 30 years ago. They are excellent - as long as there is an insert AND the pipe is fully inserted into the fitting. The fittings will go straight onto copper, and you can get special O rings for 3/4 copper.

Thanks mysteryman, this stuff sounds briliant. Is the lifespan expected to be as long as copper?

It should outlast copper. Although my only suspicions will be the rubber O rings that will perish well before the plastic pipe. Also anything less than barrier pipe is pointless regardless if it is being used for heating or not.

I'm planning to leave the pipework accessible so I can keep an eye on it - just in case! Sorry, what's barrier pipe?

 

[fixitqueen]

Thanks mysteryman, this stuff sounds briliant. Is the lifespan expected to be as long as copper?

IIRC hep comes with a 25yr garauntee.

I have fitted in the last 5 years no less than 100 new build houses with the stuff, its amaing, never had a call back yet.

Reduces sludge, friction etc etc. Very good to install/work with. Alot better than speedfit IMHO

I've never done this before, so i don't know about speedfit. Did have a nasty flood years ago tho, and the insurance assessor said it was a hole in a pipe propably cause by excess flux from a soldered joint. (not that i was going to do any soldering but it's another risk the hep eliminates).

 

[Threadjacker]

If you need to use chrome pipe, then don't use it in a push fit fitting. The grab ring won't bit into the chrome plating.

Use a compression fitting with a brass olive.

 

[Agile]

You can use chrome pipe in a compression or grab ring but you have to use emery paper or an acid to remove the chrome plating which is very hard.

The Acorn plastic and its fittings have now become very brittle and sometimes breaks.

I expect the current plastice are better but copper lasts for 100s of years and I dont see plastic ever being as long lived as copper.

Tony

 

[mysteryman]

Tony is only partially correct here. Copper can corrode in hard water areas. Plastic must be protected from sunlight, but otherwise should be highly durable. I once removed some brown Acorn which had been in a dark loft carrying mains cold water for about 12 years. It was just like new.

 

[Threadjacker]

There's an estate near me with Hep2o throughout and I get regular calls regarding weeping from the joints, sometimes pouring out, sometimes just weeping.

On all times I've never seen a missing insert, the pipe has been pushed fully home, every time it is the nut/coller that is slack.

So they have either come loose of their own accord or they weren't installed right in the first place.

Probably the latter.

 

[Agile]

Copper has been used for plumbing and heating since the 1960s.

Its not clear to me when the Acorn was first used but probably the 1970s. I have been to two cases when it has split for no particular reason. As its thankfully rare it seems to have a high failure rate.

I also go to modern plastic which has started to leak but in most cases there is a very obvious installation error as the cause. Regardless I still far prefer copper pipework.

Tony

 

[looneyfitter]

is acorn the nasty solvent weld brittle stuff we come across from time to time?

 

[Agile]

Yes!

And those solvent welds took about 30 hours to set properly!

Tony

 

[looneyfitter]

That stuff is the devil had many snap off on me. Whole bluddy housing estate in Runcorn is plumbed in it. Arse clenches like a blood hound whenever i get a call to it now.