Crimping fittings

[ziggy1979]

Hi

DOes anyone know whether Pexconnections can be bought in the UK (www.pexconnection.com) or whether there are other manufacturers of siilar products in the UK.

Also, are they any good compared to soldered joints or pushfit or speedfit.

THanks

Zigs

 

[breezer]

Don't think it would do you any good, all their stuff is imperial sizes, we use metric

 

[Softus]

DOes anyone know whether Pexconnections can be bought in the UK (www.pexconnection.com)

It isn't at all clear what you're asking.

or whether there are other manufacturers of siilar products in the UK.

For example: you can buy wood chisels on that web site.

Also, are they any good compared to soldered joints or pushfit or speedfit.

What is the plumbing and/or central heating problem that you wish to solve?

 

[Corgigrouch]

Another US idea that overcomplicates things that the Europeans have made simple... If you cant solder then use speedfit.. The European spec pipe is superior quality to the US stuff as it can be used for central heating, not just water distribution.. And in the future when you call a plumber in to fix a problem, he wont have the kit on his van and you will be left forever whilst he tries to find fitting that work with that system.. If he even bothers to come back. There is a misguided perception that if it is American then it is superior.. It ain't

 

[kevplumb]

no **** fella

you finally got summat right (plastic confederate ) btw

try coming ower here and having to sort it

wait for dia he has more crimps than most of us

 

[ziggy1979]

Hi Guys

THanks for your replies.

Softus I ask with reagrds to using for new installations (not fixing or adding to an existing system). I have read on the internet that some installers (in the US) have reported large new installations without a single leaking connection and that it is very quick to install.

Is it true that UK's speedfit plastic pipes and fittings are better? Can you please explain (to a non-plumber) how they differ?

Its more the crimping v. speedfit issue that i wanted advice on ... i.e. i have read that crimping gives a tighter bond than plastic connections and that they leak less ... so i just wanted to gauge your opinions.

Would it be possible to crimp UK plastic pipes to cirmp fittings as opposed to using speedfit fittings? Alternatively, is there a UK manufacturer that produces non-metric crimp fittings?

Thanks!

 

[Biggles..]

Crimping is mainly used in the UK where hot works are not permitted. Still not seen any domestically but industrially its getting everywhere.And the ones we come across are copper not plastic.(x-press etc)

Tool is expensive, crimp heads are expensive, fittings are expensive and with all that cost they still sometimes leak.

 

[doitall]

Wirsbo Unipipe is what you're looking for

 

[Softus]

Softus I ask with reagrds to using for new installations (not fixing or adding to an existing system). I have read on the internet that some installers (in the US) have reported large new installations without a single leaking connection and that it is very quick to install.

I never get leaks from Hep2o installations.

Come to that, I never get leaks from any installations. The last one I had was on a brass compression tee onto new copper. I hadn't used a spanner on one of the capnuts, but thanks to the installation method I use, hand tight was enough to contain everything but one bead of water.

Is it true that UK's speedfit plastic pipes and fittings are better? Can you please explain (to a non-plumber) how they differ?

I have no information on which to base a comparison. Sorry.

Its more the crimping v. speedfit issue that i wanted advice on ... i.e. i have read that crimping gives a tighter bond than plastic connections and that they leak less ... so i just wanted to gauge your opinions.

Nothing wrong with crimping per se, but I concur with Corgigrouch.

If I came across something as bizarre and unavailable, and had to maintain the pipework around it, I'd hesitate for no more than a nanosecond before cutting it all out and scrapping it.

Would it be possible to crimp UK plastic pipes to cirmp fittings as opposed to using speedfit fittings?

Yes. And I'm sure that there are plenty more weird ways that you could install pipework without using locally available fittings. But when in Rome...

Alternatively, is there a UK manufacturer that produces non-metric crimp fittings?

I sincerely hope not.

 

[ziggy1979]

Softus, is HEP2o the same as PEX pipes?

Also, what, if any , is the difference between HEP2o, PEX, PEX barrier pipe, Polybutylene and polybutylene barrier pipes?

Screwfix sell a polybutylene pipe in conduit which they describe as a "pipe in pipe" - does this type of pipe offer any advantages over any of the above?

Screwfix also sells, speedfit and Flo-fit - are both brands as good as each other?

Thanks

PS - You are right ... just beecause it exists in the US does not make it any better than what we have over here ... I was simply trying to learn a bit more about crimp fittings. I agree that fitting something that isn't the norm over here might put off some plumbers and that is a very important issue i had failed to consider - thanks!

 

[Softus]

Softus, is HEP2o the same as PEX pipes?

No.

Also, what, if any , is the difference between HEP2o, PEX, PEX barrier pipe, Polybutylene and polybutylene barrier pipes?

AFAIK...

Hep2o pipe is manufactured from polybutylene.

PEX is cross-linked polyethylene.

PEX is not suitable for circulating heating systems; barrier pipe is.

Screwfix sell a polybutylene pipe in conduit which they describe as a "pipe in pipe" - does this type of pipe offer any advantages over any of the above?

I don't support anything to do with ScrewFix, as a matter of principle. Hopefully someone else will be able to help you with that one.

Screwfix also sells, speedfit and Flo-fit - are both brands as good as each other?

Speedfit is a John Guest product, and is perfectly respectable. I don't know what Flo-fit is.

I agree that fitting something that isn't the norm over here might put off some plumbers and that is a very important issue i had failed to consider - thanks!

It wouldn't put me of, but it would make me rip it out if it caused any delay in getting a job done.

 

[Corgigrouch]

I suppose that if I were to put my air conditioning hat on I could suggest that you could crimp copper with the brass crimps from Vulkan Lokring but they are expensive and way over spec for what you would need and the crimping tool would be difficult to get in to tight places and if you don't get them spot on, then they will leak just as well as a badly soldered fitting or a badly fitted speedfithttp://www.vulkan.co.uk/lokring/srvcmanl.htm#LOKRING Tube Connectors

 

[doitall]

Unipipe is better than all of them

 

[Softus]

Would you still put jointing paste on it?

 

[gigz]

Yorkshire do it as well as mannesman. On the domestic side it'll work out really expensive for the crimping tool. Use soldered fittings, even allowing for a few leaks it'll be a lot cheaper and just as good a job.