Buteline.

[Diy-mañana]

Following up on the locked thread by East61 and not wanting to hijack any existing threads i started this new thread.

We have buteline in our 4 year old property (new build) the buteline supplies h&c water only no heating (all electric).

The fault we have is some of the crimped fittings are leaking,this has been blamed on the installer for not correctly calibrating their crimp tools.
Other fault is the hot water flow slowly reduces to a trickle when running bath or shower,the developer has changed the mains uv cylinder but still the same.The fault,after 3 years of diagnostics is the bend radius is either to tight or the bute is kinked under the screed.

The builder/developer has agreed to replace all the butepipe with a different maker of plastic pipe.

What make of pipe is preferred by the tradesmen here ?.

Thanks in advance.

(PS the butepipe has not failed,the installation method is at fault).

 

[Dan Robinson]

They're much of a muchness really. If I have to use plastic it tends to be Hep, but only because Tectite classic fittings and Qual Pex are hard to find here.

 

[EAST61]

Following up on the locked thread by East61 and not wanting to hijack any existing threads i started this new thread.

We have buteline in our 4 year old property (new build) the buteline supplies h&c water only no heating (all electric).

The fault we have is some of the crimped fittings are leaking,this has been blamed on the installer for not correctly calibrating their crimp tools.
Other fault is the hot water flow slowly reduces to a trickle when running bath or shower,the developer has changed the mains uv cylinder but still the same.The fault,after 3 years of diagnostics is the bend radius is either to tight or the bute is kinked under the screed.

The builder/developer has agreed to replace all the butepipe with a different maker of plastic pipe.

What make of pipe is preferred by the tradesmen here ?.

Thanks in advance.

(PS the butepipe has not failed,the installation method is at fault).

How exactly did Buteline confirm that the cause of this fault was due to the installer not calibrating their tools properly? Considering it took several years for the joints to fail, this sounds like an inherent problem with Buteline and not the installation method.

Good to know that the Buteline guarantee isn't worth sh*t.

 

[bernardgreen]

This may not apply to Buteline pipes, whether it does apply depends on the actual material(s) used.

I recall flexible polybutyl ( or similar ) pipes used in an industrial application failed ( became brittle ) and this was put down to a reaction with the chlorine in water solution used to sterilise the pipes between batches.

http://inspectapedia.com/plumbing/PB_Piping.php ( thank you google ) mentions the class action against Shell Oil in the USA from people whose houses were damaged by failed polybutyl pipe work.

In 1995 a $950 million class action settlement, Cox v. Shell Oil Company, provided relief for damage due to leaks in Polybutylene plumbing (PB Plumbing) within certain age constraints. Periodic notices were to be provided to homeowners over a 12-year period (ending ca. 2007) as follows:

Owners who purchased a house, mobile home, or other structure in the United States after August 21, 1995, provided that the structure contained polybutylene piping with plastic or metal insert fittings when they purchased it, are included in the class. These individuals may have been entitled to free replacement of their plumbing if it leaked previously or in the future.

 

[Diy-mañana]

Good to know that the Buteline guarantee isn't worth sh*t.

Being the house owner with the butey already installed,it was up to the builder,developer,plumbers,whoever to sort out the problem,we were kept very much out of the info loop so i cant comment on the butey guarantee.
But during getting it sorted out we found out the plumbers have never worked with it,butey was specified and was already on site,so it went in.
Anyway we have now settled our claim in a very amicable way.

 

[EAST61]

Being the house owner with the butey already installed,it was up to the builder,developer,plumbers,whoever to sort out the problem,we were kept very much out of the info loop so i cant comment on the butey guarantee.
But during getting it sorted out we found out the plumbers have never worked with it,butey was specified and was already on site,so it went in.
Anyway we have now settled our claim in a very amicable way.

Do you think it's possible that they used non-Buteline crimping tools?

 

[Diy-mañana]

Mr Bernard,i will read your post one day,promise

 

[Diy-mañana]

Do you think it's possible that they used non-Buteline crimping tools?

I have no idea.

Edit,its being replaced now,some rerun in a different route with copper and hep being pushed through some underfloor ducts.

 

[Pin 5]

Multi layer composite pipe if using any crimping system like roth or maincor.

Think it was @dean7445 who had to re plumb a house with it and Im think tools were sold which needed calibrating from day one so not fit for purpose.

 

[jeff the gasman]

If they are regular taps it's down to an "O" ring. Nothing else. Post a picture of your taps.

 

[Diy-mañana]

 

[EAST61]

Hmmm.

So far I've read nothing good about Buteline (other than from Buteline or sponsors) and only bad things. So why the hell do I wanna try it out so bad? Someone talk me out of it?

Their accounts are a complete sh*t show which gives me no confidence they'll be around for much longer:

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/05101406

 

[Crezzer]

I use buteline all the time and haven't had a problem, the standard tools don't need calibrating either.

 

[jeff the gasman]

Well they don't use 15 mm for starters so why would you use it? Most final connections are 15 not 16 mm.
No chance of me ever trying it for that reason. Must be European ****e.

 

[EAST61]

Well they don't use 15 mm for starters so why would you use it? Most final connections are 15 not 16 mm.
No chance of me ever trying it for that reason. Must be European ****e.

I don't see 16mm as a problem.

They have straight and elbow fittings which convert a 16m crimp into a 15mm solder.