Speedfit > ball o fix leak - please help!

[mattshaw]

Connnected my cold supply with speedfit to metal ball o fix/flexi to tap. After 2 months of use last night it burst off, the tube stiffener was left in the ball o fix. I cut the pipe squarely and used speedfit pipe and stiffeners. Anyone any ideas why this has happened, - could I have over tightened the ball o fix.

Would I be better replacing it with copper to the ball o fix?

 

[Burnerman]

I may be miles off here but the Speedfit pipe stiffeners are so long that they protrude out of the pipe too far to give a good fit into some fittings - rad valves being a case in particular. Maybe this is the case here?
Personally I use plastic pipe a lot - of various makes - but I use compression bends and tees etc.
The stainless stiffener in Hep20 products only protrutes a millimeter or so from the end of the pipe.....preferable, I think.
John

 

[mattshaw]

That could well be the case, the speedfit stiffener does protrude I would guess a good 3-4mm. My plumber friend did use copper on all my rad valves, then plastic from the elbow on. I think I might revert to copper ends for this to be safe!!! HEP2o is a better system I agree, but unfortunately my mate started using jg instead! Thanks for your advice.

 

[Nige F]

I may be miles off here but the Speedfit pipe stiffeners are so long that they protrude out of the pipe too far to give a good fit into some fittings - rad valves being a case in particular. Maybe this is the case here?
Personally I use plastic pipe a lot - of various makes - but I use compression bends and tees etc.
The stainless stiffener in Hep20 products only protrutes a millimeter or so from the end of the pipe.....preferable, I think.
John

You`re not even 11/64" off M8 : I agree with you 99% . The 1% lampoons you for using plastic at all

 

[muggles]

You can get Speedfit inserts that are designed for compression fittings - they have the top O-ring (the one that sits outside the pipe) and it's groove missing, making them shorter and therefore more suitable.