He must have found them in his truck from another job and figured I can get rid of these. Lol I should have rebuilt the whole thing with fewer fittings but unfortunately I didn’t.
It wouldn't surprise me if that's what they did, I have had a number of fixes in that building and the company that did the work is no longer in business.
As a plumber I would never be willing to use it ,looks expensive in fittings and tool and also hard to repair ,it does have its plus side but for what I need I would rather spaced the time and save the money on fittings
I don’t hat pro press if I did more pluming I would get the tool. If they had just used threaded ball valves it would have been an easy repair. I also should have used threaded ball valves but I can heat mine off. It’s no wonder the plumbing company that did the work is out of business.
I’ve had one leak in a chase wall. Inch and a 1/4 return riser in a chase. On a coupling. Had to re-drain 4 stories down and sweat couplings in. Was repairing pitted type L, so it very well could have been the copper.
Two of us did a water heater, and a third guy rolled up. All that was left was crimping the circ pump. So he did it, and every fitting he touched leaked. It wasn’t the last time either.
Pro press fittings need to be spaced twice the pipe diameter. They need to be sanded with empty cloth and reamed. The less fittings you use, the less pressure you lose, the less points of connection you have for leaks. Sweating or pressing, build it, and press or sweat it all together at once.
Technically they don’t need to be sanded… spacing is definitely important though. There’s a vid of a guy that presses a coupling without the o-rings in…. It didn’t leak, until he started beating on it😂 if the pipes not dirty, I don’t sand em..
@@ShortBusEnduro according to Viega, they do need to be cleaned and the recommended way is emery cloth. The fittings worked by crimping a washer onto the outer diameter of the connecting pipe. That washer even though it's already pre-lubricated with food grade silicone by the factory, will not make a proper seal to a dirty surface. I think that's pretty common sense but the information is readily available online
@@Don_Von_De_LaNoochSo… you don’t plumb as a job? Good luck sanding fittings or keeping them clean in a crawl. If your pipes are dirty enough for the need of sanding… you might want to reconsider pressing it to begin with. Never-mind the change of o.d. With the sanding of certain dirty pipes.
Propress has been installed in at least tens of thousands or maybe hundreds of thousands or millions of buildings for years now. If you use quality name-brand fittings and quality pipe and you clean/debur your pipe, align everything properly, and install with a quality tool, it doesn’t leak. I am not a plumber, but I have seen plumbers install copper plumbing in entire houses with propress, and I haven’t seen the stuff leak. I had to remodel part of my home after a natural disaster (long story). I saw the crew use propress on the copper plumbing, and it has held up. I DIY small plumbing jobs myself, and I solder copper fittings for simple runs. I would generally prefer soldering (if done by myself or a plumber who solders cleanly) over propress where there’s good access and when it’s ok to leave water off for an extended period of time. For certain tight spots or fixes that need to be done quickly in certain cases, I think propress would make sense. If I had to connect brass valves, I would probably use threaded or solder fittings at the valves and then propress copper-to-copper connections a few inches from the valves if I were going to connect brass valves to existing plumbing with propress. But that’s just my opinion as a non-plumber guy who does various kinds of DIY construction and has seen pros do various kinda of plumbing.
I think part of the contributing factor to the leak is we had a freeze up in the building about 5 years ago but why it took that long for a leak to develop is beyond me. If I did more plumbing repairs and I could justify the cost to my boss I would buy the propress tool and use that for all of the plumbing repairs. There are press fittings in other locations and they have had no issues but the problem I had was probably more to do with all of the fittings were pressed so to replace just the ball valves I had to remove so many fittings and pipe and put in new fittings and pipe. I should have rebuilt it better but I wasn't thinking about making it a better design I was just trying to get water back on ready for the next group.
@@LifeofaCampRangerI convinced the owner of the buildings I look after to buy me the press tool. It paid for itself within a few years in labor savings. It's 100% worth the cost.
@@okgroomer1966 I really only make a few copper repairs a year, this was an unusual repair for me. Maybe in a year or two I will try and put it in my budget but for now I need other tools more.
Your not being a plumber, your comment is accurate , sharkbite is the same , installed by a quality individual and follow their guidelines it will not leak, if they were crap they would not me manufacturing and allowed
I don't have a 1" press tool for pex so that wasn't an option but I probably would have spent the same amount to get the tool as I did on copper fittings.
@@LifeofaCampRanger PEX + Sharkbite makes life soooo easy. I was hesitant on Sharkbite's for a while when they were new and hadn't proven how long they last, but I know folks who used them on projects from 20+ years ago without issue. I still won't use them anywhere that I can't access without having to cut drywall, but seems like they would be great for this project.
its not just the plastic, never solder to close to any threaded connection unless you're using teflon tape. the pipe dope just melts out of the threads when heated.
I didn't do the original install and the "Plumber" that did the original work went out of business shortly after they finished this job. I'm just a guy that had to fix it on a time crunch.
I’m a home owner and love Propress. I’ve done a couple of projects which involved installing whole house water filter, PRV, external bibbs and replacing a bunch of gate valves with ball valves. No issues at all. Super easy and clean, I don’t have to worry about fire and fumes. I just rent the tool when I need it.
I don't hate propress but repairing poorly installed things by "professionals". I never thought to rent the tool, next time I'm at the rental place I will see what there price is.
All those joint, connectors and fittings is crazy. Couple of elbows and three pieces of flexible 3/4" copper and you'd be done. I've had flex copper on water tank inlets for a dozen years without issue.
I'm curious. Why did you run the waterline up higher than the filter, then back down instead of just putting in a 90 at the height of the filter intake and then a horizontal piece into the filter?
I like to make things more complicated than they need to be. lol I unfortunately copied what the "plumber" did originally instead of rebuilding it completely like I should have.
dang, that is a lot of pro press fittings everywhere in the beginning but in the aftermath, it looks good. The prep work must have taken the most time.
There just wasn't enough pipe for me to solder in any new fittings so I had to remove way more than I would have liked. I cut out so much of the prep work but it payed off when it came to putting it in.
I do not use pro press valves. I will only use threaded ball valves..so i or anyone after me can replace or repair easily atound the valve. A mixture of soldering and propress is perfect in my opinion.
That would have been a great idea, if I have to replace it again I will change the valves to threaded. Actually if I need to have it repaired again I'm just going to call a plumber!
@@Maven401I’m just curious, trying to visualize the setup and how a threaded valve is easier to remove if needed when you have to unscrew both male threads attached to the rest of the pipe, I’m DIY and trying to figuring out optimal setup
I added washing machine braided stainless lines to each side of my home whole water filter. I made a steel ring that the filter unit goes into at the ceiling level to hold it. When I want to change a filter with the braided flexible lines I can bring it to the basement floor making it easier to loosen the filter canister.. The unit has been it place 10 years w/o problems.
I got a 1" stupid expensive threaded NPT BV laying around. I think i might convert it form water heater. That would be a nice hole for all that crap to dump out of.
I have never been a fan of press fittings and when I saw them I can see why! All those dents and marks on the fittings look so untidy compared with soldered fittings - and they leaked! If they had originally been soldered the leaking joints could have been undone, cleaned and remade. Much less work than making the whole pipe section again!! I did sympathise with you when you melted the plastic fitting!
It wouldn't be a project at camp if something didn't go wrong. Pro press has its place and if the tool wasn't so expensive I would probably have one to make quick repairs but I might start doing more repairs with pex as it is much more forgiving in freezing temps.
I’m in Calif Coast and Sierra Mountains. I never had any trouble with propress and Pex A …. Pex A is good in extreme temps cause of expansion abilities. I use Vega brand….
pro tip, if you arent going to support the verticals make sure youre heating the pipe a tad so that it expands with teh fitting, i usually just use spare copper pipe to support
I got a question for all y'all plumbers: if he is using the blue pipe dope (which correct me if I'm wrong acts as a sealer for the threads), y does he need to use plumbers tape? Correct me if I'm wrong, isn't using plumbers tape kinda like the equivalent to using a precut gasket for a car's oil pan vs. Pipe dope would be like using liquid gasket maker, right?Using both would b a little overkill?
Yes the blue pipe dope is a sealer, it might be over kill but I was told by a plumber that the tape is more of a threat lubricant so it threads on easier. I’d rather use both even if it’s a bit of an over kill but I don’t have a leak than just use one and have a leak.
True. I guess Like the saying goes better safe than sorry. I couldn't imagine how frustrating it would be to diagnose it if it did leak again since naturally u'd rule this out from being a possibility.
the leak is probably from tightening too much on the initial install, you have to be careful when mechanical fittings are that close to threaded joints because they can cause warps if theyre wrenched in too hard.
I still have the pipe so maybe I should cut it open and see if I notice anything obvious as to he cause. Wish they had used threaded ball valves which would have made a much easier repair for me.
@@LifeofaCampRanger yep crimping is actually a science, its meant to form a uniform seat all the way around the pipe/fitting, and if its warped even just a little bit its going to drip cuz of an uneven seal. it looks like he wrenched that bad boy all the way in there which is almost never necessary in plumbing. most guys live by one turn past hand tight, i live by something like that
@@LifeofaCampRanger you can justify it only if you do service plumbing for a living, I am planning on buying one pretty soon I have a PEX one and I still do my copper repairs with sweat
Same I have a $7k pro press , but prefer solder on big jobs, unless I have a small window of time I need to finish or I’m being lazy I pull out the pro press, If theirs a leak on pro press some times you have to replace a lot of fitting like this situation, not the same on solder you can head it up and remove old pipe
I do not do service plumbing just small repairs around a summer camp so definitely not worth it. I’d rather spend that kind of money on tools or equipment that I would use regularly.
That’s partly what I did the repair my self and I didn’t call a plumber because the only thing they seem to use is pro press. If I have another leak there I want to be able to just replace the fitting that is leaking and not most of the fittings.
You're either using too much flux or over heating the fittings and letting the flux run, use minimum flux and control your heat. You're on your way to doing great things. Sincerely, Muhambi
Because that would have been to easy and I don't like the easy way lol. Honestly I was to focused on copying what was there so it would fit in the same space to think about modifying it to be a simpler install. Next time I will take longer to figure out the install and not just copy what was already there.
The original instal was done by a “licensed plumber” but they went out of business so that’s not surprising. I have definitely gain some knowledge from people’s comments so in the future if I have to make repairs I hopefully won’t repeat any of my mistakes.
Improperly crimped fitting. Looked like there wasn't enough room on that valve for a good crimp. Viega always suggests crimping brass fittings twice. Brass is harder than the copper. With as many fittings that weren't pressed right either the make up wasn't right or the battery was low and or the press needs to be repaired.
It definitely be could be a simpler set up but I was on a time crunch so I copied what was already there. I might go back and replace it with pex one day.
Whoever the amateur who did this propress job, he beat up the copper pipe and the propress clampings beyond belief. Never seen so many dents and deformations on the pipe and damaged fittings. Based on how it badly it looked, it is surprising you didn’t have a lot more leaks.
I’m no plumber but at the 1:20 mark, seeing that monstrosity of propress system no wonder it leaked. Fewer is better. Clean up your angles. Damn! 😂 To add. I love propress for what I’ve used it for so far. But jeez, that set up gives propress a bad name.
If I had the time to rebuild the whole thing I would have but I was in a rush so the easier thing for me was to just copy the disaster that was already there. I don't hate prepress the tool is just to expensive for non plumbers and if its done improperly it sucks to fix.
I’ve never had that many problems with it, and I use it regularly ( almost daily in commercial applications). If it’s the Viega brand contact them and send them the fittings that leaked and they will investigate.
There were only two leaks one on each of the ball valves, I think they were caused by a freeze up from a few years back but I'm not sure why they took so long to show up. I had to replace so many fitting due to the lack of space to add solder fittings.
Ok so im with you 100% Pro-press sucks and it's garage. What's the reason for using press again. You should have installed a bypass for the filter. Also you used alot of unnecessary fitting to put everything together.
I didn't use propress again I soldered everything new that I put in. That would have been a good idea but unfortunately I was to focused on replacing what was there exactly the way it was originally installed I didn't think about improving it.
Too many joints. Fill up the pipe with dry sand and compress. Close with a wood plug in the ends. Anneal where you want to bend, and bend. Or, use prisol, soft pipe, but use sand.
I am not a plumber. I am curious though. Was switching it over to PEX not an option? At least the new one has metal threads. Great work though!!!! Looks amazing!
Pex in that size is a lot harder to find, that’s 1&1/4 pipe. None of the big box stores carry it so I have to go to supply houses to get it. I also would have to buy a clamping tool which I don’t have. It looks like I almost know what I’m doing lol.
We use pro press all the time and works flawlessly every time. But it can fail if you don’t install it correctly with pro press it’s not just slide the fitting on and press you have to clean the pipe with sand paper deburr the pipe and mark the fittings to make sure the pipe is inserted all the way and the fittings didn’t shift before pressing.
@@Leep18200 I don't know if it was installed correctly or not but the contractor that installed it went out of business a few years ago. We also had a freeze up in the building 4 years ago so that probably had something to do with it but I don't know why it took so long to show up. If I had money in my budget I would use propress but I don't do enough plumbing to justify it.
You failed propress job is due entirely to your using them wrong. Propress has limitations and that being tight spaces. You can't use propress on tight twisty pipe trains.
It’s not surprising that I had to repair it with in 5 years. The plumbing company that did the install went out of business which doesn’t surprise me after all the issues I’ve had.
@LifeofaCampRanger ah, makes sense, can never leave things entirely to someone else, or company. I learned that lesson the hard way with medical industry, it has failed me more than once with lifelong consequences.
Well I can tell you right now whoever installed the pro press didn't prep any of the pipe that's exactly why it leaked. I see it all the time. Lazy plumbers or new generation plumber who take to many short cuts.
It can because if a soldered fitting was leaking you can heat it up and and replace it while re using the pipe but with pro press you can’t re sure the pipe or easily remove the broken fitting.
@@LifeofaCampRanger I get it you can sweat fittings off, but just soldering with runny lines even a small drip makes it very difficult. Both have advantages
Whatever that is coming out of the floor looks to have some kind of rubber adapter on it. (2 spiral band clamps securing it) You screw on a sweat fitting with tape and dope THEN you're going to apply the heat needed for 1 1/4 copper? Quit now guy...you have not a clue what you are doing. I don't like Pro press either but for a different reason. Plumbing isn't your thing clearly.
The pipe coming out of the ground is polyurethane water line which at that thickness can take the heat without leaking. Im going to keep plumbing to get better at it, I may not be great at plumbing but I did a better job fixing what the "plumber" did. If we don't try to better ourself whats the point.
If I had the tool I would use it but I don’t do enough plumbing to justify the cost plus when things break the amount of copper that has to be replace is excessive!
You will if you're in an enclosed tight space in a commercial building surrounded by very flammable insulation and all your overhead pipe has a branch shut-off more than 50ft away.
Nope those are water lines I’m replacing. If it was a gas line I wouldn’t touch it due to the state laws and I would have a certified gas fitter do it.
I admire his effort despite knowing little about plumbing, but I would be embarrassed to make such an atrocious video and posting it for the world to see. Most video’s of this type are made to educate a DIY individual on how to correctly fix or install something. Perhaps the video should have been named “How Not To Fix A Plumbing Problem”
Dude, that's an abortion. TERRIBLE sweating on the copper, and 1" pro press joint less than an inch apart?. Yeah seems like the problem is the plumber and not the tools or equipment.
I don’t hate pro-press I’m just fixing what a “plumber” did. They are not longer in business. I should have rebuilt the whole thing but I just copies what was there unfortunately.
Didn't watch video.but yes, press Fittings suck. I will not use them, I will not use them in a box with a fox, I do not like them, sam I am. I would rather use sharkbite. Sweating copper has been a very well-known and used process and is proven. Just because someone sucks at sweating.
Pro press has its place just like shark bits, if the tool didn't cost so much I would use it for repairs instead of shark bits or soldering because it's quicker and most of my plumbing repairs are in 3 season buildings. But when it's used improperly like it was it its a nightmare!
For not being a plumber I’m impressed!
Thank you.
Guy must have got a propress from Santa and lost his mind testing it. How many fittings and weird angles are there in 2 sq feet 😂
He must have found them in his truck from another job and figured I can get rid of these. Lol I should have rebuilt the whole thing with fewer fittings but unfortunately I didn’t.
Guy must have had an extra 28 fittings he wanted to get rid of dang. Imagine that invoice
It wouldn't surprise me if that's what they did, I have had a number of fixes in that building and the company that did the work is no longer in business.
@@LifeofaCampRangerprogress was meant to be for a quick repair people are building complete systems with it are going broke
The issue that I see is that he won't be able to remove the filter from the air handler
That's nothing! Seen that worse in iron!
As a plumber I would never be willing to use it ,looks expensive in fittings and tool and also hard to repair ,it does have its plus side but for what I need I would rather spaced the time and save the money on fittings
That’s some dr Seuss sh!t there! Lol
propress doesnt suck that workmanship sucks
I don’t hat pro press if I did more pluming I would get the tool. If they had just used threaded ball valves it would have been an easy repair. I also should have used threaded ball valves but I can heat mine off. It’s no wonder the plumbing company that did the work is out of business.
I’ve never seen a pro press fitting leak
yup me 2 neen mastr plumber 35yrs
@@JamesBrown-db9pk I've had 2, both 3/4 Nibco. Never a Viega or Apollo
I’ve had one leak in a chase wall. Inch and a 1/4 return riser in a chase. On a coupling. Had to re-drain 4 stories down and sweat couplings in. Was repairing pitted type L, so it very well could have been the copper.
Two of us did a water heater, and a third guy rolled up. All that was left was crimping the circ pump. So he did it, and every fitting he touched leaked. It wasn’t the last time either.
Pro press fittings need to be spaced twice the pipe diameter.
They need to be sanded with empty cloth and reamed.
The less fittings you use, the less pressure you lose, the less points of connection you have for leaks.
Sweating or pressing, build it, and press or sweat it all together at once.
Great points, wish I had thought through my repair a bit more so I didn’t use extra fitting but I’ll remember it for next time.
Technically they don’t need to be sanded… spacing is definitely important though. There’s a vid of a guy that presses a coupling without the o-rings in…. It didn’t leak, until he started beating on it😂 if the pipes not dirty, I don’t sand em..
@@ShortBusEnduro according to Viega, they do need to be cleaned and the recommended way is emery cloth. The fittings worked by crimping a washer onto the outer diameter of the connecting pipe. That washer even though it's already pre-lubricated with food grade silicone by the factory, will not make a proper seal to a dirty surface. I think that's pretty common sense but the information is readily available online
@@Don_Von_De_LaNoochSo… you don’t plumb as a job? Good luck sanding fittings or keeping them clean in a crawl. If your pipes are dirty enough for the need of sanding… you might want to reconsider pressing it to begin with. Never-mind the change of o.d. With the sanding of certain dirty pipes.
Propress has been installed in at least tens of thousands or maybe hundreds of thousands or millions of buildings for years now. If you use quality name-brand fittings and quality pipe and you clean/debur your pipe, align everything properly, and install with a quality tool, it doesn’t leak.
I am not a plumber, but I have seen plumbers install copper plumbing in entire houses with propress, and I haven’t seen the stuff leak. I had to remodel part of my home after a natural disaster (long story). I saw the crew use propress on the copper plumbing, and it has held up.
I DIY small plumbing jobs myself, and I solder copper fittings for simple runs. I would generally prefer soldering (if done by myself or a plumber who solders cleanly) over propress where there’s good access and when it’s ok to leave water off for an extended period of time. For certain tight spots or fixes that need to be done quickly in certain cases, I think propress would make sense.
If I had to connect brass valves, I would probably use threaded or solder fittings at the valves and then propress copper-to-copper connections a few inches from the valves if I were going to connect brass valves to existing plumbing with propress.
But that’s just my opinion as a non-plumber guy who does various kinds of DIY construction and has seen pros do various kinda of plumbing.
I think part of the contributing factor to the leak is we had a freeze up in the building about 5 years ago but why it took that long for a leak to develop is beyond me.
If I did more plumbing repairs and I could justify the cost to my boss I would buy the propress tool and use that for all of the plumbing repairs.
There are press fittings in other locations and they have had no issues but the problem I had was probably more to do with all of the fittings were pressed so to replace just the ball valves I had to remove so many fittings and pipe and put in new fittings and pipe.
I should have rebuilt it better but I wasn't thinking about making it a better design I was just trying to get water back on ready for the next group.
@@LifeofaCampRangerI convinced the owner of the buildings I look after to buy me the press tool. It paid for itself within a few years in labor savings. It's 100% worth the cost.
@@okgroomer1966 I really only make a few copper repairs a year, this was an unusual repair for me. Maybe in a year or two I will try and put it in my budget but for now I need other tools more.
@@LifeofaCampRanger ya if you would hardly use it it is unnecessary. I look after 53 apartments so am constantly doing HW tanks and such.
Your not being a plumber, your comment is accurate , sharkbite is the same , installed by a quality individual and follow their guidelines it will not leak, if they were crap they would not me manufacturing and allowed
Did you consider PEX? Seems like some of the flexibility it offers could have helped with all the weird angles.
I don't have a 1" press tool for pex so that wasn't an option but I probably would have spent the same amount to get the tool as I did on copper fittings.
@@LifeofaCampRanger PEX + Sharkbite makes life soooo easy. I was hesitant on Sharkbite's for a while when they were new and hadn't proven how long they last, but I know folks who used them on projects from 20+ years ago without issue. I still won't use them anywhere that I can't access without having to cut drywall, but seems like they would be great for this project.
@@LifeofaCampRangerthe amount you spent on 1" copper press fittings, you could have rented or bought a manual pex expander.
That’s is probably true, I’m definitely looking into pex tools for future repairs.
Expanding pex? Lame. Be a man and do it right 😂
its not just the plastic, never solder to close to any threaded connection unless you're using teflon tape. the pipe dope just melts out of the threads when heated.
I will keep that in mind, thanks for the tip!
Not only that, if possible use a wet rag around fitting you dont want getting realy hot!
Thanks for showing even a professional makes mistakes, and overcomes them even if you loose money on this job….
I didn't do the original install and the "Plumber" that did the original work went out of business shortly after they finished this job. I'm just a guy that had to fix it on a time crunch.
I’m a home owner and love Propress. I’ve done a couple of projects which involved installing whole house water filter, PRV, external bibbs and replacing a bunch of gate valves with ball valves. No issues at all. Super easy and clean, I don’t have to worry about fire and fumes. I just rent the tool when I need it.
I don't hate propress but repairing poorly installed things by "professionals". I never thought to rent the tool, next time I'm at the rental place I will see what there price is.
@@LifeofaCampRanger it’s $150/day in a Sunbelt near me. They allow you to rent for a whole weekend from Friday noon to Monday 9am for one day rate.
@jambatvee3803 that’s good to know thanks for the info!
All those joint, connectors and fittings is crazy. Couple of elbows and three pieces of flexible 3/4" copper and you'd be done. I've had flex copper on water tank inlets for a dozen years without issue.
I'm curious. Why did you run the waterline up higher than the filter, then back down instead of just putting in a 90 at the height of the filter intake and then a horizontal piece into the filter?
I like to make things more complicated than they need to be. lol I unfortunately copied what the "plumber" did originally instead of rebuilding it completely like I should have.
dang, that is a lot of pro press fittings everywhere in the beginning but in the aftermath, it looks good. The prep work must have taken the most time.
There just wasn't enough pipe for me to solder in any new fittings so I had to remove way more than I would have liked. I cut out so much of the prep work but it payed off when it came to putting it in.
I do not use pro press valves. I will only use threaded ball valves..so i or anyone after me can replace or repair easily atound the valve.
A mixture of soldering and propress is perfect in my opinion.
That would have been a great idea, if I have to replace it again I will change the valves to threaded. Actually if I need to have it repaired again I'm just going to call a plumber!
Threaded compression fitting ball valves?
@@goldistocks609 who said compression?
I like female threaded valves. So you can do future work easily.
@@Maven401I’m just curious, trying to visualize the setup and how a threaded valve is easier to remove if needed when you have to unscrew both male threads attached to the rest of the pipe, I’m DIY and trying to figuring out optimal setup
why do you have so many fitting lol?
Unfortunately I was copying what was already there and not re building it from scratch like I should have.
Do you have enough room to change the water filter?
Yes I do.
I added washing machine braided stainless lines to each side of my home whole water filter. I made a steel ring that the filter unit goes into at the ceiling level to hold it. When I want to change a filter with the braided flexible lines I can bring it to the basement floor making it easier to loosen the filter canister.. The unit has been it place 10 years w/o problems.
That would have saved me a lot of time and effort but I will remember that for the next time I have a repair like this.
Nicely done! 👌
Thanks!
I got a 1" stupid expensive threaded NPT BV laying around. I think i might convert it form water heater. That would be a nice hole for all that crap to dump out of.
its a good practice to wrap a wet rag on areas that can't take heat
I will have to remember that for next time, that probably would have saved me a trip to the supply house.
What is all that copper attached to at the concrete?
That is black polyurethane water line.
I have never been a fan of press fittings and when I saw them I can see why! All those dents and marks on the fittings look so untidy compared with soldered fittings - and they leaked! If they had originally been soldered the leaking joints could have been undone, cleaned and remade. Much less work than making the whole pipe section again!! I did sympathise with you when you melted the plastic fitting!
It wouldn't be a project at camp if something didn't go wrong. Pro press has its place and if the tool wasn't so expensive I would probably have one to make quick repairs but I might start doing more repairs with pex as it is much more forgiving in freezing temps.
I’m in Calif Coast and Sierra Mountains. I never had any trouble with propress and Pex A …. Pex A is good in extreme temps cause of expansion abilities. I use Vega brand….
I am looking at switching to pex for the repairs that I do around here because it will be faster and easier to work with.
pro tip, if you arent going to support the verticals make sure youre heating the pipe a tad so that it expands with teh fitting, i usually just use spare copper pipe to support
Thanks for the tip, I will remember that for next time!
We are using propress only and had only a few times problem. İt works perfect if you do it right...
That’s the key there is if you use it right. I like propress and if the tool wasn’t so expensive I’d buy one.
I got a question for all y'all plumbers: if he is using the blue pipe dope (which correct me if I'm wrong acts as a sealer for the threads), y does he need to use plumbers tape? Correct me if I'm wrong, isn't using plumbers tape kinda like the equivalent to using a precut gasket for a car's oil pan vs. Pipe dope would be like using liquid gasket maker, right?Using both would b a little overkill?
Yes the blue pipe dope is a sealer, it might be over kill but I was told by a plumber that the tape is more of a threat lubricant so it threads on easier. I’d rather use both even if it’s a bit of an over kill but I don’t have a leak than just use one and have a leak.
True. I guess Like the saying goes better safe than sorry. I couldn't imagine how frustrating it would be to diagnose it if it did leak again since naturally u'd rule this out from being a possibility.
Same guy that installed all that... also puts his cruise control on, then falls asleep in the trailer thinking that how it works.
I have seen pro-press fittings leak like that, at the base of the fitting, it was because the pipe wasn’t reamed.
That wouldn’t surprise me if they weren’t.
the leak is probably from tightening too much on the initial install, you have to be careful when mechanical fittings are that close to threaded joints because they can cause warps if theyre wrenched in too hard.
I still have the pipe so maybe I should cut it open and see if I notice anything obvious as to he cause. Wish they had used threaded ball valves which would have made a much easier repair for me.
@@LifeofaCampRanger yep crimping is actually a science, its meant to form a uniform seat all the way around the pipe/fitting, and if its warped even just a little bit its going to drip cuz of an uneven seal. it looks like he wrenched that bad boy all the way in there which is almost never necessary in plumbing. most guys live by one turn past hand tight, i live by something like that
I like pro press, but prefer to solder, I just like knowing I did it right; and copper gives me that peace of mind.
If I could justify the cost of the tool I would use propress for a lot of my repairs but for how much plumbing I actually do it is not worth it.
@@LifeofaCampRanger you can justify it only if you do service plumbing for a living, I am planning on buying one pretty soon I have a PEX one and I still do my copper repairs with sweat
Same I have a $7k pro press , but prefer solder on big jobs, unless I have a small window of time I need to finish or I’m being lazy I pull out the pro press,
If theirs a leak on pro press some times you have to replace a lot of fitting like this situation, not the same on solder you can head it up and remove old pipe
I do not do service plumbing just small repairs around a summer camp so definitely not worth it. I’d rather spend that kind of money on tools or equipment that I would use regularly.
That’s partly what I did the repair my self and I didn’t call a plumber because the only thing they seem to use is pro press. If I have another leak there I want to be able to just replace the fitting that is leaking and not most of the fittings.
PEX A saves a ton of time money and bs in this situation.
You're either using too much flux or over heating the fittings and letting the flux run, use minimum flux and control your heat. You're on your way to doing great things. Sincerely, Muhambi
I’m sure I over heated them since I don’t solder very often. I should practice every so often to get better at it. Thanks for the advice!
@@LifeofaCampRangerjust enough heat to make the weld... no need to overkill. It takes like 10-20 seconds to complete 1 whole weld.
@@LifeofaCampRangeri wouldn't place the entire flame on the pipe either (more surface area, no need).
Thanks for the advice.
@@LifeofaCampRanger get after it brother. What don't kill us, only makes us stronger lol 100%
Why wouldn’t you use a 90/st 90 off of the poly coming out of the floor? You wouldn’t have those janky angles.
Because that would have been to easy and I don't like the easy way lol. Honestly I was to focused on copying what was there so it would fit in the same space to think about modifying it to be a simpler install. Next time I will take longer to figure out the install and not just copy what was already there.
Was thinking the same thing. That’s the difference between a plumber and a handy man.
The original instal was done by a “licensed plumber” but they went out of business so that’s not surprising. I have definitely gain some knowledge from people’s comments so in the future if I have to make repairs I hopefully won’t repeat any of my mistakes.
Improperly crimped fitting. Looked like there wasn't enough room on that valve for a good crimp. Viega always suggests crimping brass fittings twice. Brass is harder than the copper. With as many fittings that weren't pressed right either the make up wasn't right or the battery was low and or the press needs to be repaired.
That’s very interesting, both ball valves had pin hole leaks. I will have to check if they are Viega fittings or another brand.
Where does Viega state to crimp twice? I can't find it on their website and I'm curious to read up on any other suggestions I'm missing.
thats right 2 times on brass lot oftheres young punks dont no that
PROPRESS WAS FIRST INTRODUCED DOWN SOUTH AND IT FAILED MISERABLY. NOW HERE UP IN NEW YORK CITY WE GOT "PROPRESS BUTCHERS" EVERYWHERE.
I think if used wisely it's not bad but used in this way and it becomes a nightmare for repairs.
Seems like the shape is more complicated than it needs to be
It definitely be could be a simpler set up but I was on a time crunch so I copied what was already there. I might go back and replace it with pex one day.
Whoever the amateur who did this propress job, he beat up the copper pipe and the propress clampings beyond belief. Never seen so many dents and deformations on the pipe and damaged fittings. Based on how it badly it looked, it is surprising you didn’t have a lot more leaks.
That 100% would have been a 10-minute horizontal install for any of my Techs.
I have no doubt but I couldn't get a plumber out in time before the building was going to be in use.
I’m no plumber but at the 1:20 mark, seeing that monstrosity of propress system no wonder it leaked.
Fewer is better. Clean up your angles. Damn! 😂
To add. I love propress for what I’ve used it for so far. But jeez, that set up gives propress a bad name.
If I had the time to rebuild the whole thing I would have but I was in a rush so the easier thing for me was to just copy the disaster that was already there. I don't hate prepress the tool is just to expensive for non plumbers and if its done improperly it sucks to fix.
Where do I begin .... ?!
I’ve never had that many problems with it, and I use it regularly ( almost daily in commercial applications). If it’s the Viega brand contact them and send them the fittings that leaked and they will investigate.
There were only two leaks one on each of the ball valves, I think they were caused by a freeze up from a few years back but I'm not sure why they took so long to show up. I had to replace so many fitting due to the lack of space to add solder fittings.
only sux wen u not noin wat 2 do been propress 12yrs or more never had a leak on my stuff
Poorly installed seems to be the general consensus, I also had a freeze up in that building a few years ago and that may have contributed to the leak.
Mr plumber lol nice job buddy.
Thanks
Ok so im with you 100% Pro-press sucks and it's garage. What's the reason for using press again. You should have installed a bypass for the filter. Also you used alot of unnecessary fitting to put everything together.
I didn't use propress again I soldered everything new that I put in. That would have been a good idea but unfortunately I was to focused on replacing what was there exactly the way it was originally installed I didn't think about improving it.
yup a rookie numnuts
sorry still cant see the point of press fit end feed no problem usually just curing a problem that doesn't exist
Too many joints. Fill up the pipe with dry sand and compress. Close with a wood plug in the ends. Anneal where you want to bend, and bend. Or, use prisol, soft pipe, but use sand.
Thanks for the tip, I hope to never have to replace it but if I do I will re do it with a lot fewer joints.
Looks like a frustrated sculptor went to plumbing school.
Ever heard of PEX expansion?
Wow! What a nibco nightmare!
I am not a plumber. I am curious though. Was switching it over to PEX not an option? At least the new one has metal threads. Great work though!!!! Looks amazing!
Pex in that size is a lot harder to find, that’s 1&1/4 pipe. None of the big box stores carry it so I have to go to supply houses to get it. I also would have to buy a clamping tool which I don’t have. It looks like I almost know what I’m doing lol.
@@LifeofaCampRanger You know more than I. Still looked good!
@@Michael2022 I'm winging it most of the time haha if it had been smaller pipe I probably would have switched to pex.
We use pro press all the time and works flawlessly every time. But it can fail if you don’t install it correctly with pro press it’s not just slide the fitting on and press you have to clean the pipe with sand paper deburr the pipe and mark the fittings to make sure the pipe is inserted all the way and the fittings didn’t shift before pressing.
@@Leep18200 I don't know if it was installed correctly or not but the contractor that installed it went out of business a few years ago. We also had a freeze up in the building 4 years ago so that probably had something to do with it but I don't know why it took so long to show up. If I had money in my budget I would use propress but I don't do enough plumbing to justify it.
Should have used stainless steel pipe so will not leak due to chemical corrosion.
At 6:23 you are soldering too close to that propress fitting.
Unfortunately I didn't have a choice with that fitting, so far it hasn't started leaking so I hope I'm good.
At least it is exposed so you can easily monitor it for signs of leakage, which it sounds like you are doing.
@@joeb2480 I check it every couple of week and it's still holding water.
You failed propress job is due entirely to your using them wrong. Propress has limitations and that being tight spaces. You can't use propress on tight twisty pipe trains.
It’s not surprising that I had to repair it with in 5 years. The plumbing company that did the install went out of business which doesn’t surprise me after all the issues I’ve had.
@LifeofaCampRanger ah, makes sense, can never leave things entirely to someone else, or company. I learned that lesson the hard way with medical industry, it has failed me more than once with lifelong consequences.
Well I can tell you right now whoever installed the pro press didn't prep any of the pipe that's exactly why it leaked. I see it all the time. Lazy plumbers or new generation plumber who take to many short cuts.
What kind of mess is that
Bro you could have bought a couple 1” SS flex connections and been done.
That would have made it a lot quicker and way fewer fittings.
First year plumbing school, pg 1
Thou shall not install any line straight or level.
That is some horrible looking water line
I love pro press 🎉
I don’t hate it just in this situation it wasn’t the best, but that was the plumber more than the fittings.
50 fittings for 3 feet of pipe wow.
The "plumber" that installed it originally is no longer in business, I know surprising.
At least it’ll last longer .
I hope so!
The initial install was begging for leaks - wow.
The more I learn about pro press the less surprised I am that it leaked.
I would have replaced that abomination with Pex A. Way faster than copper.
People keep saying to use pex so I am looking to use that in the future for plumbing repairs.
It can't suck more than soldering to fix a leak.
It can because if a soldered fitting was leaking you can heat it up and and replace it while re using the pipe but with pro press you can’t re sure the pipe or easily remove the broken fitting.
@@LifeofaCampRanger I get it you can sweat fittings off, but just soldering with runny lines even a small drip makes it very difficult. Both have advantages
Please, if you don't know a thing just hire someone do it for you.😅
Some times hiring some one isn’t an option, it’s also forces my to try things and hopefully learn from the mistakes I make.
Is this a joke!!!😂😂😂😂😂😂
What the f#ck? Why not just solder?
I dooubt it was the tool.
I can say for certain it was the “plumber” not the tool.
Whatever that is coming out of the floor looks to have some kind of rubber adapter on it. (2 spiral band clamps securing it) You screw on a sweat fitting with tape and dope THEN you're going to apply the heat needed for 1 1/4 copper? Quit now guy...you have not a clue what you are doing. I don't like Pro press either but for a different reason. Plumbing isn't your thing clearly.
The pipe coming out of the ground is polyurethane water line which at that thickness can take the heat without leaking. Im going to keep plumbing to get better at it, I may not be great at plumbing but I did a better job fixing what the "plumber" did. If we don't try to better ourself whats the point.
😮
Rookie
Sure am. Trying to get better at plumbing.
Someone dosent know how to pro press. I’ve only seen a couple leaks in 12 years
Ugliest connection I've ever seen. Pex can be a better option in this situation.
I plan to use pex in the future.
I have never used pro press or mega and never will, period.
If I had the tool I would use it but I don’t do enough plumbing to justify the cost plus when things break the amount of copper that has to be replace is excessive!
You will if you're in an enclosed tight space in a commercial building surrounded by very flammable insulation and all your overhead pipe has a branch shut-off more than 50ft away.
yup me too
That is one ugly piece of copper plumbing.
Yup
So you sweat gas fittings..... odd....
Nope those are water lines I’m replacing. If it was a gas line I wouldn’t touch it due to the state laws and I would have a certified gas fitter do it.
I admire his effort despite knowing little about plumbing, but I would be embarrassed to make such an atrocious video and posting it for the world to see. Most video’s of this type are made to educate a DIY individual on how to correctly fix or install something. Perhaps the video should have been named “How Not To Fix A Plumbing Problem”
Dude, that's an abortion. TERRIBLE sweating on the copper, and 1" pro press joint less than an inch apart?. Yeah seems like the problem is the plumber and not the tools or equipment.
I don’t hate pro-press I’m just fixing what a “plumber” did. They are not longer in business. I should have rebuilt the whole thing but I just copies what was there unfortunately.
WTF
Didn't watch video.but yes, press Fittings suck. I will not use them, I will not use them in a box with a fox, I do not like them, sam I am.
I would rather use sharkbite.
Sweating copper has been a very well-known and used process and is proven. Just because someone sucks at sweating.
Pro press has its place just like shark bits, if the tool didn't cost so much I would use it for repairs instead of shark bits or soldering because it's quicker and most of my plumbing repairs are in 3 season buildings. But when it's used improperly like it was it its a nightmare!
looks like a shit show
Sure is.
Butchered
Sometimes "plumbers" should be hired.
WTF.... WHY TO MANY FITINGS
It appears that you need to learn how to press properly. Your presses look bad