Best PEX fitting system?

D.E.Bishop wrote:
While I do have a few years here on earth I am a newby in comparison to many of you. We bought our first rv in 1999 and it was 11 years old then. We had it for about 15 years and had two water leaks, both at aluminum crimped ring fittings. Replaced with Flair-It fittings and no problems with the fittings.

Our stick and brick is all copper except where I added a new "T" fitting for new drip watering in the landscaping. I used a shark bite fietting there because it was at the low point in the water system and soldering copper pipe when water is seeping out is a real PITA. No leaks there either and so much easier than soldering. Expensive, YES, but effective and easy.

I keep a variety of Flair-It fittings and I may buy the spanner someday.

Exactly, I got tired of stuffing bread in the line before soldering so one of my last sprinkler system installs got a sharkbite to copper. :)

While I do have a few years here on earth I am a newby in comparison to many of you. We bought our first rv in 1999 and it was 11 years old then. We had it for about 15 years and had two water leaks, both at aluminum crimped ring fittings. Replaced with Flair-It fittings and no problems with the fittings.

Our stick and brick is all copper except where I added a new "T" fitting for new drip watering in the landscaping. I used a shark bite fietting there because it was at the low point in the water system and soldering copper pipe when water is seeping out is a real PITA. No leaks there either and so much easier than soldering. Expensive, YES, but effective and easy.

I keep a variety of Flair-It fittings and I may buy the spanner someday.

Brass fittings are expensive but plastic break. Brass fittings are expensive but shark bite, etc are even more expensive. I purchased my crimping tool about 5 years ago for a raised bed garden irrigation system and later used it to rebuild my new trailer's plumbing from the pump all the way through the H2O heater and drains when I installed the outdoor shower. The best investment in a tool for quite some time. A crimper can be tough to use in some areas but with a little thought you can pre-build assemblies so that the install crimps are in an open area that allows good access for the crimp tool.

I have used Flair-It and Sharkbite in the RV. I far prefer Sharkbite.

Yes if I was doing an entire home or repairs on a regular basis I would get the crimper.

ctilsie242 wrote:
Crimp fittings are commonly used by RV makers, but twist the lines slightly, and they start to leak.

What they commonly use in RVs are "cinch clamps", not crimp fittings. Crimp fittings use a copper crimp ring and a PEX "crimper" is used to install them.

There are 6 ways to connect PEX piping to the fittings as explained in this youtube vid. Never use gear/hose clamps on PEX.

I really like copper crimp rings. They're small and pretty inexpensive. I bought a crimper off ebay about 10 years ago when building a new shop & house. I've used it a lot off and on over the years. Has interchangeable dies that will do 1/2" to 1" sizes. There are a few smaller sized "pocket" crimper styles like in the photos. These are great for working in tight spaces like inside cabinets in an RV. Full size crimper is on right. A pocket crimper would be a good choice for a box o' tools in an RV.

Using copper crimp rings is pretty much foolproof providing the crimper is correctly calibrated and there is a "go no-go" gauge that will tell you if they are properly tightened. It's very fast too. I've done thousands of PEX crimps and never had a single leak. Using a PEX tubing cutter is a must-have tool so you get clean cuts and square ends.

Sharkbite (or equivalent) fittings have their place but are heavy, bulky and expensive. The photo below shows a solenoid valve setup I just installed in our TT. It's very compact and there's no way that could be done with sharkbites. Also shown is a pressure regulator and filtration under the kitchen sink. Besides being bulky, using sharkbites would have been quite expensive.

RVs typically use plastic PEX fittings. Personally I don't like them but they don't seem to cause problems. I always use brass fittings in our TT. Easy to find all over the place too.

I am guessing that the reason they use cinch clamps at the factories is because of all the one-eyed monkeys they use to slap RVs together and cinch clamps are probably more foolproof. Copper rings are cheaper and you'd expect them to be used in that case, but they don't.

RLS7201 wrote:
I carry a selection of Flair-It fittings for emergencies. I have both 3/8" and 1/2" fittings and valves. Call me paranoid.
My neighbors, that I help, call me all sorts of things. Including, "lets go to dinner, my treat".

Richard

Flair-it for me too. My trailer had mostly half inch Flair-it fittings & Flair-it x pipe thd. There were also a few hose clamps.
I've done some piping mods myself so I have plenty of spare 1/2 inch Flair-it fittings and a 1/2 x 3/8 Flair-it fitting wrench. And I'm not paranoid, okay maybe just a little.

Copper crimp rings.

I use the stainless cinch clamps.

cinch tool

I like that system because one tool will work with all pipe sizes, the copper rings have to have a different tool or die for each pipe size.

Used many when I did a water heater and well pressure tank install in my house.
Never had one leak

I don't trust Sharkbite style to last for many many years. I always crimp. I use both copper rings and the stainless steel rings depending on the situation. I have the tool for both.

If you are in a tight spot, then obviously, SharkBite.

We used the compressed copper rings when we did my son's house.