plastic piping

[Agile]

I was checking a box of fittings in our store today and found the box of Roses chocolates sent as a gift was empty but the ( copper ) fittings were all there.

Pity about the chocolates though.

To make it worse I could not find the "M" section "V" belt I was looking for either! But at least the Garmin had at last arrived!

Tony

 

[Softus]

Never had any problems with plastic pushfit? Either you are making that up or very, very lucky.

I'm lucky too. And the more care I take, the luckier I get.

So, WS, what problems have you have with installing plastic pushfit fittings? Do you not know how to do it without getting leaks?

 

[Water Systems]

I have so that makes you better than me. Vertually every plumbing business in this town has had a leak from sprint t's. It's a matter of care assembling lack of sleeving to guide means when you are in a tight spot trying to assemble a t you can dislodge the o ring, forewarned is four armed. As long as you are careful OP push fit joints are OK.

I repeat they are the most problematic fittings ever produced. The failure rates are very high. Abandon them and use brass compression - easy and sorted.

 

[Softus]

I repeat they are the most problematic fittings ever produced.

You can repeat it, but it doesn't make it fact.

The failure rates are very high.

Based on what information? Your highly questionable opinion?

 

[Water Systems]

i know there is push fit, but is there any compression fittings instead and are they better?

Normal brass compression fitting for copper pipe will do and are far superior. Just wrap the olive with PTFE.

 

[kevplumb]

Normal brass compression fitting for copper pipe will do and are far superior. Just wrap the olive with PTFE.

 

[Softus]

Anyone in this trade will tell you horror stories of the stuff. You should get out more.

I've installed kilometres of the stuff, and thousands of fittings, all without one single leak.

So, let's hear your personal horror stories...

 

[ChrisR]

I'm happier with compression on plastic pipe than with O rings of dubious quality (they use inadequate grades of rubber, imho) but have found a couple of those (Compression on plastic) leaking too now. One wasn't fully inserted - the plastic pipe wanted to spring out.
Manufacturers vary in their recommendations about ptfe tape. "Conex" say you don't need it, but I'm not happy with the force between the olive and fitting when plastic pipe is used.
To rely on tape, paste, etc, just because it's handy, isn't engineering, it's a bodge. Nobody publishes anything useful so all we can do is go on educated guesses and anecdotal experience.

We've all seen all types of joint leaking, but what bothers me with pushfit is the number of leaks I've seen where there was no obvious cause, or a relatively minor one. Splits in metal grab rings are alarming too, the joint can just pop apart.

 

[Water Systems]

Never had any problems with plastic pushfit? Either you are making that up or very, very lucky.

I'm lucky too. And the more care I take, the luckier I get.

So, WS, what problems have you have with installing plastic pushfit fittings? Do you not know how to do it without getting leaks?

I have had them shoot off leaving a full bore gush after an hour. I have had the O rings push out after pipe insertion and using grease too. I have a had a stop end shoot out and embed itself in the wall opposite.

I know many people who after a few weeks have had ceilings collapse after fitting failures and all done as per book. Just use brass compression. Cheaper, about the same amount of time to install and much, much superior. I have NEVER had a problem using compression on plastic.

I know many who install this stuff on site - they use it so the ****** don't steal it. The average is one fitting failure per house after testing. Sometimes many failures on one house. Sometimes failures after the customer has moved in many weeks later and re-plastering and redecoration, etc.

These guys can fit copper pipes quicker when using end feed. They know when finished the copper setup will have no failures.

Not one would have plastic in their own houses.

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

I could write an essay but seeing as its all been said before here's a few concise points on the issue.

Copper for pretty.

Plastic for speed.

Follow the instructions for plastic and dont expect the fittings to go on chrome pipe and stay there!

I have never started a fire when fitting plastic.

I have never heard of anyone breaking in to an empty house to steal the plastic pipe!

 

[Water Systems]

I have never started a fire when fitting plastic.

Neither have I using copper and compression.

MOD 2

you have been warned any more and the lot goes your not on screwfux now

 

[Softus]

I have had them shoot off leaving a full bore gush after an hour.

Installation fault, or component failure?

I have had the O rings push out after pipe insertion and using grease too.

Eh? How does an O ring "push out" when the fitting is assembled?

I have a had a stop end shoot out and embed itself in the wall opposite.

Which brand?

I know many people who after a few weeks have had ceilings collapse after fitting failures and all done as per book.

Component failure? Which brand?

I know many who install this stuff on site - they use it so the ****** don't steal it. The average is one fitting failure per house after testing. Sometimes many failures on one house. Sometimes failures after the customer has moved in many weeks later and re-plastering and redecoration, etc.

I maintain a set of about 50 rented properties on a large two-year-old estate. All of the plumbing leaks have been on brass/copper tap connectors, or brass compression joints on Gledhill heat exchangers, or shared copper overflow runs, and no leaks whatsoever on the plastic pipe and pushfit fitttings (despite them being Polyplumb, which I don't favour).

These guys can fit copper pipes quicker when using end feed. They know when finished the copper setup will have no failures.

Yeah I've seen the kind of work they do - the pipework looks like the solder and flux have been sprayed on.

Not one would have plastic in their own houses.

I have plastic pipework and push-fit fittings in my own house - previous generation Hep2o and they've been there for years without a sniff of a problem.

I don't trust the information you present because it's largely someone else's experience, not your own, and very little of it forms any basis on which to form a judgment in either direction.

 

[Softus]

Mod 2 - I don't see what your objection is to this discussion - a lot of it is technical discussion that will be use to the OP when making up his mind.

 

[Water Systems]

The failure rates are very high.

Based on what information? Your highly questionable opinion?

Every time the topis is raised it produces a vast amount of post slamming it. If it was faultless you would not get this.

 

[ChrisR]

I have plastic pipework and push-fit fittings in my own house

So have I, but nowhere I can't get at easily!

I don't like Polyplumb, for the same reason Hepworth ditched the design. The metal ring sits in water, so it will corrode if the water's stagnant. (ie dead legs) Eventually it'll break the grab ring. I was told by a college lecturer that a town in the US ripped out all its plastic/pushfit when this started to happen, but you can't believe everything.
The stainless steel they use, corrodes in stagnant water.