I'm not a plumber either, but I've done a lot of plumbing in my own properties. Pex is new to me and I am re-plumbing a 1 family rental I own and was going to use copper. Like I have done for over 45 years. With this demonstration and explanation of pex A, I'm going to buy the expansion tool and use all pex A in this house. Thank you very much.
@@alexkidd1906 he owns property. Quick fittings are for house owners that don't know anything plumbing to fix something small, quick. Get the tool and use uponor from then on. Good with weather and easy/quick to install
I live in southern NM and the well water is very hard. I have an older manufactured home that was originally plumbed with polybutylene. Many of the brass fittings turned green and began to leak. I had it re-plumbed with pex pipe with what looked like the same type of brass fittings, and yes I knew about the recall on polybutylene. Anyway, these fittings also turned green and began to leak. I went to a local mobile home supply parts house and told the salesman what my problem was. He recommended Flair-it plastic fittings for our area. Evidently I was not the only one having issues. So I slowly went through every place that there was a fitting, opened the belly wrap, and replaced it with a Flair-it fitting. I haven't had any issues since. Doing this gave me a deep respect for Plumbers. You gotta love the underside of mobile homes. They are their own eco-systems. Thank you and God Bless...
I also have a mobile home, the largest spider farm in Pennsylvania so it's no fun going in the crawlspace and you want to spend as little time in the cold dark, mud. My place was built in the 1980s and still had iron pipes that I replaced with PEX B but got leaks due to freezing . I built a double floor for insulation and the new PEX pipe runs under to protect it from freezing and I can work inside with access hatches in the floor and work indoors.
First time I ever installed PEX, I expected to have some leaks due to it being my first time. Certainly had plenty of leaks when learning to solder copper back in the day. My first PEX install ever had ZERO leaks. I made sure to do my research and do some practice crimps etc but I was still shocked I had no leaks! Then I realized I didn't like the look of a particular connection, so I cut it out, and made a new one in under a minute. Love me some PEX! But since I mainly do HVAC, I am still brazing copper all the time.
I started installing PEX C, 4 years ago, until I pulled the trigger to buy a Milwaukee ProPEX tool (Uponor). There is nothing better than not having to crimp rings in a tight space. PEX is a great system and there are places for use for "C", but I am loving the PEX A lifestyle so much more. Customer love it too when your in and out is a short time frame. No more grunting noises from being in tight places crimping rings.
I replumbed the original part of my house from screwpipe to PEX B and ABS drains about 16 years ago. it was a simple enough thing to run a size larger pipe. later, I upgraded my water heater, and it was cheap enough to buy a crimp ring tool to do the changes in PEX B. now that Milwaukie has such a good line of PEX A tools, most of the plumbers I work with use PEX A with M-12 expansion tools. a lot less work for them than the original manual tools when PEX came to my area in the late 90s.
Roger, I am so glad to see your emphasis on flow restriction. Too many short-sighted others focus on the cost of the tool or supplies. Flow restriction will be lived with for a much longer time.
Thinking a lot of folks just really restrict flow with firstly seriously undersizing the pipe circuit sizes just to save money on the Job.. be it a Contractor or a Weekend DIY Have a Go - Know it All type... and then there's further restricting to the flow by creating seriously sketchy / bad pipe geometry, 90Degree Elbows rater than slow pulled bends in running piping circuits, again two sharp 90 degree elbows would be used as a quick option to route around an obstacle the pipe encounters where as two 45 degree bends slow bends to create a Set and Run solution would be the way to go, even in Pex... rather than burying your self into a hole proper planning and snaking and or running PEX say BACK from a sink or Facet by First Fix can save a world of bother rather than some Cowboys try to strangle miss measured pipework onto same straining the Sanitary fitting for a pastime...
Just got into plumbing about 2 months ago, and I love it. I will say that I love installing Pex piping because, to me at least, an empty headed apprentice, it's really easy to make it look nice, and keep it functional. Granted there are times where it looks a little jank, but that's usually when I have to install it in a very tight, and hard to reach spot.
I like being expansion feeling so much better to. I believe it is a better product for the customer and with the A-pex I think it will last a lot longer than the other ones
I'd love to see a science experiment of flow restrictions vs. no flow restrictions. You'd have to use like...3-4+ joints to simulate stuff....but that would be neat. I also feel like their would be increased flow noise (sound) with the snap together fittings.
We use PEX A. I love it because I can have a helper to do some of the work that cut down our labor costs and uponor has a 25 years warranty on end to end.
There really are no so called "water restrictions" when using the basic connectors on PEX. The real restriction comes at the end of the flow line. Water saving faucets and shower heads. At this point, there is enough pressure and volume of water being used. Using non restrictive connectors would make very little if any detectable difference. That is why code allows it.
It's an exceedingly small difference going from 1807 fittings to 1960 expansion type, a typical pex run have few fittings and besides increasing head loss a bit 3 or 4 fittings a run will not significantly reduce flow. The bigger issue with PEX is while they use CTS sizes it is indeed smaller than copper, in order to maintain the same flow as the copper you need to go up a size on longer runs.
I used this Pex Pipe, It is the easiest stuff to work with, a crimper with a go no go gauge. I did my entire home with it in like 10 hours. Six years later not a single leak anywhere. I rate this material at 100% the highest score you can give a product. BUY BUY BUY
I have re-plumbed two houses I've owned with PEX. Both using the crimp style fittings. Mostly because it required less expensive tools (compared to the pex expander). I like the flexible PEX pipe because I could make unbroken runs from my distribution ring to the end use point. Very few connections to be made at all. If I had done so with copper, I may still be sweating joints.
I was going to mention this as well. Sioux chief power PEX, as well as most Apollo coils sold at Home Depot as well as Viega I believe, have PEX B rated for F1960 fittings as long as you use powered self rotating expansion tools. I’ve used lots of the Sioux Chief with good results. Less of the Apollo.
I just want to say I’ve been doing plumbing for 20 years. I also have a retail store. I’ve been selling sharkbite brand push on fitting since around 2008 maybe. I didn’t trust them at first. I still think they shouldn’t be used often however the only ones I’ve seen fail were installed without cleaning the pipe, installed in the ground or were in a really bad bind. As long as you clean your copper before you push it on and don’t have it in a bad bind you shouldn’t have a problem
PeX A is great if you have a good swedger like you have. If you have a manual one it kinda sucks...... It also recovers from over bending with heat also.
I've seen guys make an emergency puncture repair on PEX A with a heat gun. there can't be material removed, and I wouldn't trust it longer than it takes to get what you need to come back and make a permanent repair, but just heating it and letting it cool will give a temporary fix if it got hit with a nail or staple.
I like the push together fitting as a homeowner doing my own minor repairs and I have them in service for 10 years or more. I don't know if I trust them enough to put into a wall. I've used them in my basement that's unfinished. If there was a failure nothing major would be destroyed like if they were in a wall upstairs and they can be seen and checked for issues.
Ok, I have two questions? For the occasional person who dose plumbing and wants to start using PEX dose it really make sense cost wise to spend $$$$$ for the expansion tool which I do agree is the better option and possibly the slightly better option of PEX A. So, between the stronger brass quick and the crimp connections which would be the better choice? Both reduce flow, but quick connects don’t require any special tools except maybe a pair of ratcheting pipe cutters which all methods need. The crimp system needs the crimp tool needs the crimp tool and go-no-go gauge. The cost per fitting for a quick connection is $$$ where a bag of crimp and inserts is similar but you are able to do several connections. So, you are looking at a reduction per systems that are about equal and considered nominal by both systems manufacturers. Is it worth it to purchase the tools to install PEX or just buy the quick connects. My second question is have you ever heard of PEX A sweating once it reaches its lower thermal temperature range stamped on the PEX A of 76°. It’s wired that PEX is sweating in a isolated basement only when water is flowing and before the main copper pipe feeding the home and the rest of house sweats. In fact the PEX A causes the copper to sweat. Any ideas why this would happen?
Hey Roger, I really enjoy your videos and plan to keep watching but I do have one suggestion. I think it would be helpful if you could end with a summary of takeaways. For example here you could say so for PEXA which has the such and such connector you might best use that under condition one, two, three, four. For pexB which has the such and such connector you might find more appropriate under condition a condition b condition c. It would greatly help a newbie like me. Thanks again!
Can you produce a video explaining the benefits of Zurn Pex B over Uponor Pex A. As both install in the same manner with expansion collars, I'm hearing on-line that Zurn Pex-B is a better long term material as lacks small, near microscopic ridges in the inside, which Uponor has. Thanks, Roger!
I use the pex A Had a helper install 2- couplings in a space i couldnt get into. He expanded the pipe, onto the other pipe, without a coupling. After 1 year of being used, had a leak on 1 hot pipe. The cold was fine.. He used the 3/4 head to make the 1/2 inch bigger....to coupling the pipes..... It held though...on the cold...The house did sit for awhile before turning water on....lol
Ive sheared one of the metal ears on my sharkbite crimp tool. I had to upgrade. I think I was doing it wrong, but it’s not any metal to get excited about. my two cents.
With expansion fittings. Or are you claiming the tubing itself has less friction or flow resistance? Using A pex with expansion fittings and tools the system will have better flow rates.
Pex-A expander & Ring sleeves can be used to attach/ repair new garden hose fittings, instead of using hose clamps, but just remember to wrap the sleeves/Ring with pipe tape to shield it from UV rays 👍
@RodgerWakefield. I had to fix some of my grandfathers plumbing on his mobile home single wide. It was placed over basement in 1970. It has a clear looking pex that I'm assuming was from factory in mobile home. He solder all 3/4 pipe in basement for water and used pvc for toilets and drains. What was the clear pex looking stuff in trailer because according to you it was interduced in 1968. I had to use single sharkbite so far because the brass fitting that was attached using some sorta clamp band got Crack in brass and there was no room for any other and it was going from pex to fitting for sink.
The insert piece inside of a "shark bite" is made for Pex and Polybutylene pipe. Therefore it will have a stiff structure inside of the plastic/softer pipe. That way the softer pipping will stay in a perfect circle and not risk the pipe losing its shape and the fitting leaking. It will NOT reduce the flow rate. Also, Evo Pex Pipe and Fittings are awesome. They are Shark Bite style Oex Fittings, and yes, plumbers these days love the Evo Pex Pipe and Fittings system. Why? Because it's super easy to work with, your hands don't hurt after manually crimping all day long. Plus you don't need a giant cordless tool to complete the install. I see a lot of the Old School Plumber's are bitter because we have it "easy nowadays with Pex and Pro press Copper. Well, why the f would I not use the new technology? Why kill myself doing everything the old way just to please some old dude in UA-cam who honestly, gives terrible advice.
Great video! I use PEX A and have a difficult time finding it here in southern Missouri. Most guys run B, in this area. I can get Apollo brand at a local supply house, or Home Depot. I buy Sioux city from Menards. Both seem to be good products. Wish there were more PEX A manifold systems. I've only found Apollo brand.
I had the opportunity to buy PEX-A Upunor from FW Webb at the time. I decided to skip that and go with the PEX-B, mainly to save $$$ on the tool and to have better hours shopping at Home Depot. I replaced all of the plumbing in my mobile home, from the ground up. I used the stainless steel clamps. My only problem was with the Apollo 24 valve manifold (twice what I actually need) but I like it. It was working fine, until the cold weather where the hot side started to leak a bit. I had to tighten up the caps and valves (hand tight). I put that all in the hot water heater closet and haven’t run the heat much. I added a Mr. Frost Heat Tape zip-tied to it and insulated all of the main piping. I think I might have liked a PEX-A installation better, but seemed it would cost me at least $500-600 more due to the expander tool and better manifolds. For now, the PEX-B has been holding up ok. My biggest fear was seeing the manifold bust from the cold, but a minor leak is the extent of it for now. I’m just mentioning this because it was a point of pride for me going the spring and summer with zero leaks, until a couple weeks ago. I made it so all of the fittings are in the heater compartment and at the fixtures where I can see them, no hidden junctions or fittings under the floor. Everything returns to the manifold.
@@jamesflynn10 I got the Dewalt tool as a bare tool. But it did have everything you needed if you already had the batteries. Paid 287.00. Then found the 5 ah battery, charger and a bag for 82.00. That was also when Amazon didn't do tax on third party sellers too.
For the home owner the push together fittings cost bit more but no special tools required especially if just repair one time fix these special tools are not cheap use one time then get lost lol lol unless you are doing a lot of plumbing not every place have rental tools
See im the opposite on uponor. I love but hate it. Living in a state like Indiana where weather fluctuates your constantly fighting uponor in either extremely cold situations where you need a heat gun to to rapidly heat it to shrink back down to original size or in summer where it's warmer hold it in longer times for the same thing. In an area like mine pex B is the go to for crimping and maximum productivity in the work space
I saw a video saying Pex A on a job for an individual had a leak develope after it had been installed for about 10 years. I have to wonder why? Was the a defect in the pipe? Or was the stretching of the plastic causing stress in the pipe that after years of service if finally gave out with a pin hole?
Fresh out of high school a couple buddies and I got into residential plumbing. Guy down in the basement ran the entire thing without any rings on the uponor , needless to say we spent two plus hour cutting and redoing every single connection and retesting.
Great video but 2 things to point out. 1. Anytime you transition from copper to any PEX a flow restriction is taking place. For 3/4" applications copper is a full 3/4" inside diameter, PEX pipe is 5/8" inside diameter. With the PEX B fitting the inside diameter drops a little further. And what Roger said about Sharkbite is very true. If you are joining/coupling say 2 (two) 3/4" copper pipes using a 3/4" Sharkbite coupler, the inside pipe diameter is 1/2", not 3/4". A reduction of cross-sectional area of 33%. 2. I like PEX A most of all as well but I don't do that much plumbing. It's a hobby to me. So I use those manual expansion tools. There is no way I would want to do a full house with the manual expansion tool. I'd certainly invest in the type tool Roger is using above, the Milwaukee expansion tool. But it does cost in excess of $400.
I don't understand what you mean about joining copper with sharkbite - pretty sure they're full bore... not that that they're something you should be sticking I'm wall and such
I was going to use 3/4 from main line then 1/2 to fixtures may even do a manifold system. Pex b. I'd love pex a but the tool is quite expensive for the automatic type and the manual ones I've heard are way too hard to use.
I have a friend who converted a PEX crimp tool into a PEX press tool by carefully filing off the end of the tool. Does anyone know of a video of somebody doing this? I asked my friend to share with me how he did it but he's not reliable in replying back in a timely manner. Thank you for your time.
The thing about flow restriction with PEX B is in reality the water is going to eventually end up at water saving aerator or other type restrictor anyhow. Ever see the pinhole sized flow path through one of those?! And in many places they're required by code or law.
I like ZURN PEX-B as you can actually USE EXPANSION tools on this OR compression/crimp tools and fittings as well. Now that pretty cool, especially if a house is all pex-b and you prefer expansion tools. It’s nice, imo, a d my fav way compared to press/crimp fittings. So, that our fav and also Uponor pex-a. Cheers✌🏻
This isn't said enough. The misconception that PEX B can't be expanded is Uponor propaganda from years ago. The only thing that's different between A, B, and C type PEX is the chemical that it's crosslinked with. Zurn PEX has been our go to for years and the expansion capabilities with it now make it even better!
Hi Roger. Hope you are doing well. Love your videos as they are very educational. Why don’t you start a virtual plumbing course session for home owners. Or have an portal where you can do an annual subscription and provide emergency home repair guidance for people who are not in TX. I am from NY and I would love to have an instructor to guide me. Just a thought. Cheers and stay blessed.
I've done a bunch of installs, repairs. They work fine. I use the one handed ratcheting crimper. Only issue is when your buddy doesn't get the ring with a 1/8 space and crimps it crooked...it WILL leak then. But it's an easy fix.
I'm a service plumber and I'm in fl the old company I worked for was into nothing but cpvc and pvc I recently started working for a new company and they use pex A and I will tell you I will never use nothing but pex A unless I have no other choice
someone had a major leak on their hydronic heater all over their house during a winter storm and their plumber walked down from his shop blacks away during the storm with pockets full of sharkbites man i mean we found 1 1/2" sharkbites he had all kinds of sizes it was state of emergency he couldnt drive no leaks yet but we went back and replaced it all with pro press later be fore he closed the walls back up im no fan of sharkbites but i was wondering if it is possible if those plastic sleeves in the sharkbites but melt due to the high tempatures of a boiler system i wonder what tempature theyre rated for
Hi Roger !! Im in the maintenance field. My work Record. -11 years Apts maintenance - 4 years HVAC Tech/Installer - 4 years building maintenance Tech - worked 2 years with the city master plumber (city of Arlington TX) Now I’m working for another city as plumber I have my plumber prentice license. (5 years) My question for you is how /what I need to do to get my plumber Journeyman license? Thank you in advance.
Hey I'm a plumbing apprentice and been talking to my boss about expansion. We use cinch clamps mostly what's the cost for fittings and pex between the different kinds? I think expansion is more reliable and easier to get to work in right places where you can't get your cinch clamps.
Pex-a fittings are slightly more expensive than pex-b but just barely. The pex-a system is superior in my opinion. But you know what they say about opinions 😊
Aloha Roger, thanks for the video. I have heard that there are problems with the red and blue Uponor pipe and there is even a law suit. Have you heard anything about this and if so any do you have any information?
And either way it's an insert fitting so it will also create turbulence as well as a drop. See the specs of the fittings they are also smaller than the diameter of the pipe. 3/4" pipe is .824 inside diameter and the inside diameter of expansion 3/4" fitting is .681 so therefor it is a smaller diameter insert fitting. Hence the reason you cannot use any 3/4" pex pipe for a relief line on a WH.
As a homeowner, I'd like to use the expansion connection, but won't be buying the $500 tool you're using. Home Depot does not rent this tool, either. What are my options to avoid flow restriction?
Hi, I just found your channel. I’ve been putting off changing out my bathroom fixtures. seeing that my home is “I’m assuming” plumbed with pex I do not have a stop valve on either my toilets or sinks. would shark bite shut off valves be an option for the valves? newbie here. Thank you in advance.
Roger, why did you use the best cordless power tool available for the PEX A demonstration and the absolute worst hand tool for the PEX B demonstration? I could rough in the water in a house twice as fast with Milwaukee’s cordless crimper for PEX B than the one you used for PEX A. Are you being paid by Uponor to mention their name and then demonstrate how much easier it is to use than PEX B? It’s not easier and it’s not faster. Also, it does burst when it freezes - it does not expand enough to make a real difference between it and PEX B. Also, PEX A joints blow apart much easier than PEX B in freezing conditions.
Pex a is superior to pex b, your comment isn’t very clear but you can’t expand pex b. If you recommend pex b over pex a you’re a hack. So the “being paid by uponor” holds no weight. Clearly you don’t know what you’re talking about
Yeah I did new construction for over a year and did a lot of water lines in uponor. The cheapest material and cheapest tools to install waterlines. Had about 7 fittings blow completely out in a 300 unit apartment. I understand a few pin leaks or something but 7 fittings completely blown out of the ring and pipe is absurd. Glad I work somewhere else now, soldered all day today lol
The guy said he preferred PEX A why spend $500 on a tool to put together a pipe you don't use. If i was in the business of plumbing new houses I wouldn't buy a tool for something I don't use.
I'm not a plumber either, but I've done a lot of plumbing in my own properties. Pex is new to me and I am re-plumbing a 1 family rental I own and was going to use copper. Like I have done for over 45 years.
With this demonstration and explanation of pex A, I'm going to buy the expansion tool and use all pex A in this house.
Thank you very much.
Just use quick fitting and save the money. No need to buy expansion tool.
@@alexkidd1906 do you mean shark bite push to connect? In an entire house?
@@alexkidd1906 Good lord no Sharkbite for an entire house.
Going to need to review your laws can’t use that inside walls in most states
@@alexkidd1906 he owns property. Quick fittings are for house owners that don't know anything plumbing to fix something small, quick. Get the tool and use uponor from then on. Good with weather and easy/quick to install
I live in southern NM and the well water is very hard. I have an older manufactured home that was originally plumbed with polybutylene. Many of the brass fittings turned green and began to leak. I had it re-plumbed with pex pipe with what looked like the same type of brass fittings, and yes I knew about the recall on polybutylene. Anyway, these fittings also turned green and began to leak. I went to a local mobile home supply parts house and told the salesman what my problem was. He recommended Flair-it plastic fittings for our area. Evidently I was not the only one having issues. So I slowly went through every place that there was a fitting, opened the belly wrap, and replaced it with a Flair-it fitting. I haven't had any issues since. Doing this gave me a deep respect for Plumbers. You gotta love the underside of mobile homes. They are their own eco-systems. Thank you and God Bless...
I also have a mobile home, the largest spider farm in Pennsylvania so it's no fun going in the crawlspace and you want to spend as little time in the cold dark, mud. My place was built in the 1980s and still had iron pipes that I replaced with PEX B but got leaks due to freezing . I built a double floor for insulation and the new PEX pipe runs under to protect it from freezing and I can work inside with access hatches in the floor and work indoors.
I’m no plumber but I like understanding how things work. It’s interesting to me. ♥️
Well we're glad you're here!
What is disturbing is the many plumbers who would give the comment.
First time I ever installed PEX, I expected to have some leaks due to it being my first time. Certainly had plenty of leaks when learning to solder copper back in the day. My first PEX install ever had ZERO leaks. I made sure to do my research and do some practice crimps etc but I was still shocked I had no leaks! Then I realized I didn't like the look of a particular connection, so I cut it out, and made a new one in under a minute. Love me some PEX! But since I mainly do HVAC, I am still brazing copper all the time.
Maybe you can try a pressing tool, which is more efficient than welding and only takes about 4 seconds to complete a pipe connection
I like the flow restriction it saves a lot of water when my wife and my kids take a long shower and I don't want to have to buy an expander tool.
LMAO
I started installing PEX C, 4 years ago, until I pulled the trigger to buy a Milwaukee ProPEX tool (Uponor). There is nothing better than not having to crimp rings in a tight space. PEX is a great system and there are places for use for "C", but I am loving the PEX A lifestyle so much more. Customer love it too when your in and out is a short time frame. No more grunting noises from being in tight places crimping rings.
I replumbed the original part of my house from screwpipe to PEX B and ABS drains about 16 years ago. it was a simple enough thing to run a size larger pipe. later, I upgraded my water heater, and it was cheap enough to buy a crimp ring tool to do the changes in PEX B. now that Milwaukie has such a good line of PEX A tools, most of the plumbers I work with use PEX A with M-12 expansion tools. a lot less work for them than the original manual tools when PEX came to my area in the late 90s.
Roger, I am so glad to see your emphasis on flow restriction. Too many short-sighted others focus on the cost of the tool or supplies. Flow restriction will be lived with for a much longer time.
Thinking a lot of folks just really restrict flow with firstly seriously undersizing the pipe circuit sizes just to save money on the Job.. be it a Contractor or a Weekend DIY Have a Go - Know it All type... and then there's further restricting to the flow by creating seriously sketchy / bad pipe geometry, 90Degree Elbows rater than slow pulled bends in running piping circuits, again two sharp 90 degree elbows would be used as a quick option to route around an obstacle the pipe encounters where as two 45 degree bends slow bends to create a Set and Run solution would be the way to go, even in Pex... rather than burying your self into a hole proper planning and snaking and or running PEX say BACK from a sink or Facet by First Fix can save a world of bother rather than some Cowboys try to strangle miss measured pipework onto same straining the Sanitary fitting for a pastime...
All we use in my area is Pex B and never had any problems/complaints from customers with flow restriction.
It’s junk. Kinks if you look at it, inferior and not significantly cheaper. The intelligent decision is pex-A period.
For a typical install 5% reduction. Very little of the length is actually restricted Bernolii principal
Just got into plumbing about 2 months ago, and I love it. I will say that I love installing Pex piping because, to me at least, an empty headed apprentice, it's really easy to make it look nice, and keep it functional. Granted there are times where it looks a little jank, but that's usually when I have to install it in a very tight, and hard to reach spot.
I like being expansion feeling so much better to. I believe it is a better product for the customer and with the A-pex I think it will last a lot longer than the other ones
I'd love to see a science experiment of flow restrictions vs. no flow restrictions. You'd have to use like...3-4+ joints to simulate stuff....but that would be neat. I also feel like their would be increased flow noise (sound) with the snap together fittings.
Check out the UA-cam channel of Matt Rissinger. He did a flow comparison of pex pipe. Pretty interesting.
We use PEX A. I love it because I can have a helper to do some of the work that cut down our labor costs and uponor has a 25 years warranty on end to end.
There really are no so called "water restrictions" when using the basic connectors on PEX. The real restriction comes at the end of the flow line. Water saving faucets and shower heads. At this point, there is enough pressure and volume of water being used. Using non restrictive connectors would make very little if any detectable difference. That is why code allows it.
It's an exceedingly small difference going from 1807 fittings to 1960 expansion type, a typical pex run have few fittings and besides increasing head loss a bit 3 or 4 fittings a run will not significantly reduce flow. The bigger issue with PEX is while they use CTS sizes it is indeed smaller than copper, in order to maintain the same flow as the copper you need to go up a size on longer runs.
What a awesome coincidence! I was getting on UA-cam to see if roger has anything on pex pipes & voila. Love your videos and thanks for all the help 👍.
Thanks to your videos I've grown very interested in plumbing and am pursuing a career in it!
Glad to hear it!
PurpleBassThumb should be the name of a fishing lure for Bass 😊
I chuckled at the clip at the start talking about Peter A, B, C. That was my childhood there. 🤣
I used this Pex Pipe, It is the easiest stuff to work with, a crimper with a go no go gauge. I did my entire home with it in like 10 hours. Six years later not a single leak anywhere. I rate this material at 100% the highest score you can give a product. BUY BUY BUY
I have re-plumbed two houses I've owned with PEX. Both using the crimp style fittings. Mostly because it required less expensive tools (compared to the pex expander). I like the flexible PEX pipe because I could make unbroken runs from my distribution ring to the end use point. Very few connections to be made at all. If I had done so with copper, I may still be sweating joints.
I like pex b with stainless clips. More access with the tools and they don’t expand.
Pex B can do both expand or crimp, as long as it has the F1960 and F1807 rating.
I was going to mention this as well. Sioux chief power PEX, as well as most Apollo coils sold at Home Depot as well as Viega I believe, have PEX B rated for F1960 fittings as long as you use powered self rotating expansion tools. I’ve used lots of the Sioux Chief with good results. Less of the Apollo.
Never heard this before
Apollo’s website says specifically not to expand Pex B pipe. I wouldn’t ever do it. Would make it hard for me to sleep at night
If it was as good at expansion as Pex A was, then it would be called that. And it’s not.
I just want to say I’ve been doing plumbing for 20 years. I also have a retail store. I’ve been selling sharkbite brand push on fitting since around 2008 maybe. I didn’t trust them at first. I still think they shouldn’t be used often however the only ones I’ve seen fail were installed without cleaning the pipe, installed in the ground or were in a really bad bind. As long as you clean your copper before you push it on and don’t have it in a bad bind you shouldn’t have a problem
Dependent upon the water itself. Here in Vegas the water is absolutely terrible. Not once not never out here. Situational tho
Pex b tip crimp the ring with your pliers a little first to stop the ring from sliding somebody taught me that and made my life alot easier
Let’s put to rest the controversy over flow restriction by doing a flow test! Fill a 5 gallon bucket with pex-a fitting vs. pex-b fitting!
I second and third this
PeX A is great if you have a good swedger like you have. If you have a manual one it kinda sucks...... It also recovers from over bending with heat also.
I've seen guys make an emergency puncture repair on PEX A with a heat gun. there can't be material removed, and I wouldn't trust it longer than it takes to get what you need to come back and make a permanent repair, but just heating it and letting it cool will give a temporary fix if it got hit with a nail or staple.
I like the push together fitting as a homeowner doing my own minor repairs and I have them in service for 10 years or more. I don't know if I trust them enough to put into a wall. I've used them in my basement that's unfinished. If there was a failure nothing major would be destroyed like if they were in a wall upstairs and they can be seen and checked for issues.
We use auspex in Australia it’s fittings are a bearded inner and a crimp sleeve on the outside
Looking forward to your video on "Three types of hoses: Jose, Hose-B and Hose-C". Can't forget your friends south of the border.
Ok, I have two questions? For the occasional person who dose plumbing and wants to start using PEX dose it really make sense cost wise to spend $$$$$ for the expansion tool which I do agree is the better option and possibly the slightly better option of PEX A. So, between the stronger brass quick and the crimp connections which would be the better choice?
Both reduce flow, but quick connects don’t require any special tools except maybe a pair of ratcheting pipe cutters which all methods need. The crimp system needs the crimp tool needs the crimp tool and go-no-go gauge. The cost per fitting for a quick connection is $$$ where a bag of crimp and inserts is similar but you are able to do several connections.
So, you are looking at a reduction per systems that are about equal and considered nominal by both systems manufacturers. Is it worth it to purchase the tools to install PEX or just buy the quick connects.
My second question is have you ever heard of PEX A sweating once it reaches its lower thermal temperature range stamped on the PEX A of 76°. It’s wired that PEX is sweating in a isolated basement only when water is flowing and before the main copper pipe feeding the home and the rest of house sweats. In fact the PEX A causes the copper to sweat.
Any ideas why this would happen?
You should definitely get with Ferguson on upnour factory tour. It would be cool to see how it’s made.
Hey Roger, I really enjoy your videos and plan to keep watching but I do have one suggestion. I think it would be helpful if you could end with a summary of takeaways. For example here you could say so for PEXA which has the such and such connector you might best use that under condition one, two, three, four. For pexB which has the such and such connector you might find more appropriate under condition a condition b condition c. It would greatly help a newbie like me. Thanks again!
Great suggestion!
Can you produce a video explaining the benefits of Zurn Pex B over Uponor Pex A. As both install in the same manner with expansion collars, I'm hearing on-line that Zurn Pex-B is a better long term material as lacks small, near microscopic ridges in the inside, which Uponor has. Thanks, Roger!
I use the pex A
Had a helper install 2- couplings in a space i couldnt get into.
He expanded the pipe, onto the other pipe, without a coupling.
After 1 year of being used, had a leak on 1 hot pipe. The cold was fine..
He used the 3/4 head to make the 1/2 inch bigger....to coupling the pipes.....
It held though...on the cold...The house did sit for awhile before turning water on....lol
Hey check out rehau pex used for radiant heat systems mostly but the fittings you expand the compress a sleeve over fitting with a tool made by dewalt
Ive sheared one of the metal ears on my sharkbite crimp tool. I had to upgrade. I think I was doing it wrong, but it’s not any metal to get excited about. my two cents.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I do say on a daily basis we use pex at my job. Then copper depending what what they want for the job.
The videos had me laughing especially the ‘Irishman’ video lol love your videos
Uponor PEX A---That's all that needs to be said!!!
I love it!
The flow volume for Pex A is substantially higher than B and C, even without push fittings like Shark bites
With expansion fittings. Or are you claiming the tubing itself has less friction or flow resistance? Using A pex with expansion fittings and tools the system will have better flow rates.
Pex-A expander & Ring sleeves can be used to attach/ repair new garden hose fittings, instead of using hose clamps, but just remember to wrap the sleeves/Ring with pipe tape to shield it from UV rays 👍
Thank you Roger for sharing your expertise. You are easy to understand and give me useful information and advice. Subscribed!
what about ZERN PEX-B expansion? zern pex b has a better warranty than uponor pex a. both are installed same way with zero flow restrictions
@RodgerWakefield. I had to fix some of my grandfathers plumbing on his mobile home single wide. It was placed over basement in 1970. It has a clear looking pex that I'm assuming was from factory in mobile home. He solder all 3/4 pipe in basement for water and used pvc for toilets and drains. What was the clear pex looking stuff in trailer because according to you it was interduced in 1968. I had to use single sharkbite so far because the brass fitting that was attached using some sorta clamp band got Crack in brass and there was no room for any other and it was going from pex to fitting for sink.
The insert piece inside of a "shark bite" is made for Pex and Polybutylene pipe. Therefore it will have a stiff structure inside of the plastic/softer pipe. That way the softer pipping will stay in a perfect circle and not risk the pipe losing its shape and the fitting leaking. It will NOT reduce the flow rate.
Also, Evo Pex Pipe and Fittings are awesome. They are Shark Bite style Oex Fittings, and yes, plumbers these days love the Evo Pex Pipe and Fittings system.
Why? Because it's super easy to work with, your hands don't hurt after manually crimping all day long. Plus you don't need a giant cordless tool to complete the install.
I see a lot of the Old School Plumber's are bitter because we have it "easy nowadays with Pex and Pro press Copper. Well, why the f would I not use the new technology? Why kill myself doing everything the old way just to please some old dude in UA-cam who honestly, gives terrible advice.
Thanks for all you help..
doing a remodel now and i would love the expansion tool
Great video! I use PEX A and have a difficult time finding it here in southern Missouri. Most guys run B, in this area. I can get Apollo brand at a local supply house, or Home Depot. I buy Sioux city from Menards. Both seem to be good products. Wish there were more PEX A manifold systems. I've only found Apollo brand.
Amazon is where I get mine. Even the Dewalt expander tool. Can't guarantee it's the best price on pipe and the fittings.
I had the opportunity to buy PEX-A Upunor from FW Webb at the time. I decided to skip that and go with the PEX-B, mainly to save $$$ on the tool and to have better hours shopping at Home Depot. I replaced all of the plumbing in my mobile home, from the ground up. I used the stainless steel clamps. My only problem was with the Apollo 24 valve manifold (twice what I actually need) but I like it. It was working fine, until the cold weather where the hot side started to leak a bit. I had to tighten up the caps and valves (hand tight). I put that all in the hot water heater closet and haven’t run the heat much. I added a Mr. Frost Heat Tape zip-tied to it and insulated all of the main piping. I think I might have liked a PEX-A installation better, but seemed it would cost me at least $500-600 more due to the expander tool and better manifolds. For now, the PEX-B has been holding up ok. My biggest fear was seeing the manifold bust from the cold, but a minor leak is the extent of it for now. I’m just mentioning this because it was a point of pride for me going the spring and summer with zero leaks, until a couple weeks ago. I made it so all of the fittings are in the heater compartment and at the fixtures where I can see them, no hidden junctions or fittings under the floor. Everything returns to the manifold.
@@jamesflynn10 I got the Dewalt tool as a bare tool. But it did have everything you needed if you already had the batteries. Paid 287.00. Then found the 5 ah battery, charger and a bag for 82.00. That was also when Amazon didn't do tax on third party sellers too.
I suspect the "restriction is de minimis especially on a home run system which has no fittings only a manifold at one end and a stop at the other.
good job ,...... thank you for shearing
For the home owner the push together fittings cost bit more but no special tools required especially if just repair one time fix these special tools are not cheap use one time then get lost lol lol unless you are doing a lot of plumbing not every place have rental tools
See im the opposite on uponor. I love but hate it. Living in a state like Indiana where weather fluctuates your constantly fighting uponor in either extremely cold situations where you need a heat gun to to rapidly heat it to shrink back down to original size or in summer where it's warmer hold it in longer times for the same thing. In an area like mine pex B is the go to for crimping and maximum productivity in the work space
I saw a video saying Pex A on a job for an individual had a leak develope after it had been installed for about 10 years. I have to wonder why? Was the a defect in the pipe? Or was the stretching of the plastic causing stress in the pipe that after years of service if finally gave out with a pin hole?
Hard to say, it could be a number of different things…what video are you referring to?
Now you just gotta show us where to find expansion fittings, because they're no where to be found at the supply houses here in southern California.
I think that’s because California sucks
@@SureShotImages California doesn't suck... the California state government sucks.
Keller Ferguson and consolidated doesn't have them?
Can you review zurn piping system?
Fresh out of high school a couple buddies and I got into residential plumbing. Guy down in the basement ran the entire thing without any rings on the uponor , needless to say we spent two plus hour cutting and redoing every single connection and retesting.
Wow
Wish I could get ahold of pex a, but right now pex b is all I could find.
That's nationwide right now, I got laughed at by two of my supply houses when I asked for a 100' roll of 3/4!
Facts
Great video but 2 things to point out. 1. Anytime you transition from copper to any PEX a flow restriction is taking place. For 3/4" applications copper is a full 3/4" inside diameter, PEX pipe is 5/8" inside diameter. With the PEX B fitting the inside diameter drops a little further. And what Roger said about Sharkbite is very true. If you are joining/coupling say 2 (two) 3/4" copper pipes using a 3/4" Sharkbite coupler, the inside pipe diameter is 1/2", not 3/4". A reduction of cross-sectional area of 33%.
2. I like PEX A most of all as well but I don't do that much plumbing. It's a hobby to me. So I use those manual expansion tools. There is no way I would want to do a full house with the manual expansion tool. I'd certainly invest in the type tool Roger is using above, the Milwaukee expansion tool. But it does cost in excess of $400.
I don't understand what you mean about joining copper with sharkbite - pretty sure they're full bore... not that that they're something you should be sticking I'm wall and such
Can you do a video on how to join different types of PEX together?
Transition fittings. Pex a on one side and pex b or c on the other.
I was going to use 3/4 from main line then 1/2 to fixtures may even do a manifold system. Pex b. I'd love pex a but the tool is quite expensive for the automatic type and the manual ones I've heard are way too hard to use.
I have a friend who converted a PEX crimp tool into a PEX press tool by carefully filing off the end of the tool. Does anyone know of a video of somebody doing this? I asked my friend to share with me how he did it but he's not reliable in replying back in a timely manner. Thank you for your time.
The thing about flow restriction with PEX B is in reality the water is going to eventually end up at water saving aerator or other type restrictor anyhow. Ever see the pinhole sized flow path through one of those?! And in many places they're required by code or law.
I like ZURN PEX-B as you can actually USE EXPANSION tools on this OR compression/crimp tools and fittings as well. Now that pretty cool, especially if a house is all pex-b and you prefer expansion tools. It’s nice, imo, a d my fav way compared to press/crimp fittings. So, that our fav and also Uponor pex-a.
Cheers✌🏻
This isn't said enough. The misconception that PEX B can't be expanded is Uponor propaganda from years ago. The only thing that's different between A, B, and C type PEX is the chemical that it's crosslinked with. Zurn PEX has been our go to for years and the expansion capabilities with it now make it even better!
Hi Roger. Hope you are doing well. Love your videos as they are very educational. Why don’t you start a virtual plumbing course session for home owners. Or have an portal where you can do an annual subscription and provide emergency home repair guidance for people who are not in TX. I am from NY and I would love to have an instructor to guide me. Just a thought. Cheers and stay blessed.
Full flow fittings are best
What's your take on cinch clamps for pex b?
I've done a bunch of installs, repairs. They work fine. I use the one handed ratcheting crimper. Only issue is when your buddy doesn't get the ring with a 1/8 space and crimps it crooked...it WILL leak then. But it's an easy fix.
I wish I could find a place to rent one of those expansion tools.
A close-up camera would make all your videos more enjoyable!
What is your experience with the use of pre-insulated PEX vs manually insulating the PEX after installation?
(2021 UPC 609.12)
Mans a legend😆💙
Fun fact pex started showing up in American made RV and campers in 70-71 or around there.
here in wisconsin we started using pvc in the late 1960s.
And wi used PB when it was around
I'm a service plumber and I'm in fl the old company I worked for was into nothing but cpvc and pvc I recently started working for a new company and they use pex A and I will tell you I will never use nothing but pex A unless I have no other choice
someone had a major leak on their hydronic heater all over their house during a winter storm and their plumber walked down from his shop blacks away during the storm with pockets full of sharkbites man i mean we found 1 1/2" sharkbites he had all kinds of sizes it was state of emergency he couldnt drive no leaks yet but we went back and replaced it all with pro press later be fore he closed the walls back up im no fan of sharkbites but i was wondering if it is possible if those plastic sleeves in the sharkbites but melt due to the high tempatures of a boiler system i wonder what tempature theyre rated for
they are rated for 200 degrees
Were learning about plastic fittings this week of school in my va plumbing apprenticeship classes
Hi Roger !!
Im in the maintenance field.
My work Record.
-11 years Apts maintenance
- 4 years HVAC Tech/Installer
- 4 years building maintenance Tech
- worked 2 years with the city master plumber (city of Arlington TX)
Now I’m working for another city as plumber
I have my plumber prentice license. (5 years)
My question for you is how /what I need to do to get my plumber Journeyman license? Thank you in advance.
What’s best to use for hurried lawn sprinkler systems ?? Thanks
Show us the manual expander! 😄
Love your videos
Hey I'm a plumbing apprentice and been talking to my boss about expansion. We use cinch clamps mostly what's the cost for fittings and pex between the different kinds? I think expansion is more reliable and easier to get to work in right places where you can't get your cinch clamps.
Uponor is the fittings and rings yiu want to look for, uponor is amazing
Pex-a fittings are slightly more expensive than pex-b but just barely. The pex-a system is superior in my opinion. But you know what they say about opinions 😊
Aloha Roger, thanks for the video. I have heard that there are problems with the red and blue Uponor pipe and there is even a law suit. Have you heard anything about this and if so any do you have any information?
Is there a specific hardware store where you can buy the different grades of pex and it's fittings?
Home depot for pex b. Ferguson/keller/Consolidated for pex a and b
well bro pex A uponor brand been busting and cracking at area that was expanded I've ran across a few and also wirsbo brand pex a
What is the name of PEX with an oxygen barrier mostly used in radiant or hydronic systems?
I grabbed some pex A scrap to finish a project and used crimp on it. I noticed after charging it, didn't leak.
You can crimp anything you're just not supposed to expand anything except pex a but I've expanded pex b and it was fine too
This information is out of date. PEX B is now certified for F1960 expansion.
Very good explanation only your microphone is so big cover up some of the stuff you teach. Take care🌹👆
I will take note fr future videos! Thanks for pointing that out to me.
And either way it's an insert fitting so it will also create turbulence as well as a drop. See the specs of the fittings they are also smaller than the diameter of the pipe. 3/4" pipe is .824 inside diameter and the inside diameter of expansion 3/4" fitting is .681 so therefor it is a smaller diameter insert fitting. Hence the reason you cannot use any 3/4" pex pipe for a relief line on a WH.
any fitting will create turbulence. even a soldered copper coupling will create turbulence.
So using your logic…does code allow for 1” pex or larger relief line?
@@travlangley1 Ipc/Irc states if you use insert fittings it must be upsized. So yes.
As a homeowner, I'd like to use the expansion connection, but won't be buying the $500 tool you're using. Home Depot does not rent this tool, either. What are my options to avoid flow restriction?
Hi, I just found your channel. I’ve been putting off changing out my bathroom fixtures. seeing that my home is “I’m assuming” plumbed with pex I do not have a stop valve on either my toilets or sinks. would shark bite shut off valves be an option for the valves? newbie here. Thank you in advance.
Are there transition fittings to go from Pex B to Pex A?
If Uponor didn't send this guy a check or some kind of gift, i don't know anything.
I was reading about Pex leaching out BPA and other toxic things...B was supposed to be less likely to leach?
What about the Surelock clamp rings? I was hoping to get your opinion on those, as thats what I use most of the time.
Roger, why did you use the best cordless power tool available for the PEX A demonstration and the absolute worst hand tool for the PEX B demonstration? I could rough in the water in a house twice as fast with Milwaukee’s cordless crimper for PEX B than the one you used for PEX A. Are you being paid by Uponor to mention their name and then demonstrate how much easier it is to use than PEX B? It’s not easier and it’s not faster. Also, it does burst when it freezes - it does not expand enough to make a real difference between it and PEX B. Also, PEX A joints blow apart much easier than PEX B in freezing conditions.
Pex a is superior to pex b, your comment isn’t very clear but you can’t expand pex b. If you recommend pex b over pex a you’re a hack. So the “being paid by uponor” holds no weight. Clearly you don’t know what you’re talking about
Yeah I did new construction for over a year and did a lot of water lines in uponor. The cheapest material and cheapest tools to install waterlines. Had about 7 fittings blow completely out in a 300 unit apartment. I understand a few pin leaks or something but 7 fittings completely blown out of the ring and pipe is absurd. Glad I work somewhere else now, soldered all day today lol
Roger did a video and tested PEX A vs PEX B. During the test, the PEX A burst under pressure before the PEX B in both tests.
The guy said he preferred PEX A why spend $500 on a tool to put together a pipe you don't use. If i was in the business of plumbing new houses I wouldn't buy a tool for something I don't use.
What was that brittle blue pipe?
Mice love pex, watch out
I‘ve done pex b with push on / crimp fittings like you showed. Is there a reasonably inexpensive tool to expand pex A?
Hi. What do you think about Zurn Pex B that is installed the same way as Pex A, Integrity repiping says it’s better?
If I use Pex A. Can I use clamp rings & climbing tool instead of expansion fittings & tool?
Yep.