Has Hep2o changed since 2013?

[denso13]

Thanks. Do you mean the connector takes the insert?

It can remain in the fitting when you remove the pipe.

 

[Albumen]

It can remain in the fitting when you remove the pipe.

Thanks. Probably not a problem, depending on exactly what new connections I'm making to those current fittings.

I'm tempted to do as much of this as possible in copper, just to avoid the "taking the insert with it" problem in the future. And I've got a 3m length of 15mm copper that's been sitting on top of the kitchen units for 13 years, my wife will be glad to see that gone!

I thought that copper pipe into Hep2o fittings is a neat way to do things, obviously I'm not going to try to do any soldering in that space!

As I said, the only leak I've ever had with Hep2o was when I tried to reuse a piece of pipe, as opposed to reusing a fitting. And from memory it was a badly scarred bit of 22 mm I was trying to reuse to avoid buying a whole new length.

 

[hllns]

Thanks. Do you mean the connector takes the insert? That wouldn't be a problem, I'd just buy another. Whereas anything that makes the pipe unusable is a lot more problematic.

Thinking about it I seem to remember that happening. This is 13 years ago, and at the time I thought I knew Hep2o fittings inside out. But I've obviously forgotten it all!

In my case the insert came half out damaging and snagged in the "jaws" of an elbow, be prepared to be able to pop out and get some replacement fittings (like I had to) or have them in hand.

 

[Albumen]

Thanks for the help folks. I'll post experiences, maybe to help anybody doing a search.

So update on the last two days of hell! Well, a bit dramatic maybe, but it's not been fun.

First thing to say is - Hep2o "demountable", my arse. Yes, if you've got it right in front of you, and you can get both hands to it, but even then, even with the proper Hep key, it's still takes some doing. And as others have said, often the insert thing will come out in the fitting. In my case, if the pipe work is clipped to the wall, just above the ground at the back of kitchen units, so that the only way to reach them is by stretching an arm through the gap under the units, forget it. You probably can't get two arms to it, and even if you can, there's no way a normal mortal will be able to pull them apart. Which idiot decided to run the pipes there. Oh, wait....

Hours of huffing and puffing allowed me to disconnect the existing, but I was fearful about any damage I may have cause further back. I lay awake last night worrying that even if I did manage to make new connections I would spend the rest of my life waiting for them to fail.

So in the end I just cut them with side cutters, and bent them forwards so that they are still under the units, but near the front. And in fact I could bend them all the way into the kitchen to make connections. So long as you've got the proper plastic pipe cutter, severing them with side cutters and then make a good new end could be the way to go.

I decided to go with compression 3/8 to 15mm connectors. Originally I was going to use soldered adaptors, but figure that doing it this way if I ever need to change to 1/2" flexis, it's an easy change. I just checked a pair of 1/2" to 15 mm connectors, and the thread for the compression is the same, so I wouldn't even need to change the olive (hopefully).

I went for lever isolators, partly because those ones with the stupid little handles are rubbish, and also Hep2o do these. I didn't fancy making compression joints on horizontal pipework in that space. You can see I've managed to get everything under the units, so any leaks won't cause damage. There was a lot of "offering up" to get the lengths OK, but the flexis are nice and straight, and not under strain.

Amazingly I seem to have got the hang of compression joints, practically no leaks. I'll check in a while. Anyway, pleased with the job, future changes will be way easier. And a lesson learnt about considering future access.

PS, I will be clipping those flexis soon!