UPONOR ProPEX, The Future of Plumbing (COMPLETE GUIDE) | GOT2LEARN
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- Uponor ProPEX is the future of plumbing, in this video i'll show you everything you need to know to get started with this system, the pros and cons and who exactly it's meant for.
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www.Milwaukeeto... Or Amazon.com:
Milwaukee M12 ProPEX Kit: amzn.to/2DzgPzv
Milwaukee M18 ProPEX Kit: amzn.to/2ZVJrdH
Milwaukee M18 ForceLOGIC Expander: amzn.to/2BPJMqo
Milwaukee PEX Cutters: amzn.to/2Zh3ljX
DISCLAIMER: Got2Learn is NOT responsible for any damage done to a property of which the plumbing wasn't done by a professional, I do not recommend doing your own plumbing if you are unsure about what you are doing, always hire a LICENSED contractor when doing any type of plumbing so you can be covered by insurances if something does happen, these videos are for entertainment purposes only!
I have to say you make the best videos out there you’re complete very accurate and you explain all the small details you don’t skip anything as usual two thumbs up man keep the great work coming
Comment pinned :) Thanks so much IRON!!!!!!!!!
@@Got2Learn These are legit how to videos.
What I also like about Got2Learn is that he goes straight to the point of the video, unlike others that have to tell you their whole fucking life story of plumbing before they tell you what you wanted to know.
Saw someone using a bit on their Milwaukee drill.
Uponor "quickNeasy". Tbh It might be easier with the electric expander tools. But it's not supposed to dismount. You might actually get a leak on a re-expanded PEX-A pipe.
And another thing I don't appreciate is the fact that the threaded pex-A couplings are made out of plastic.
They might be cheaper than brass, but much easier to damage the thread.
Master plumber for 40 years, Started replacing copper tubing in my own home with PEX because of acid water from my well has slowly eaten the copper when I would forget to add calcite to the neutralizer. Love it, easy to install except for one fact. Squirrels and mice can see the water inside the pipe and chew through it in minutes. Woke up to a flooded house. If you live in the woods like me or have random critters joining your family in the winter..this may not be for you.
Yes, mice are a problem, but that's something that needs to get fixed.
@@Got2Learn This one is a squirrel.. He is up above the drop ceiling. Going to have to remove the entire drop ceiling to get him out. lol If you have ever lived in the woods you would find it is not as easy as you think to get rid of these guys. They enjoy radiant heat and air conditioning too.
Only thing to worry about now is leaching of chemicals from pex that mimic estrogen
@@anthonyspadafora1384 Quarter inch wire mesh? I had mice in my 4x4 Bombardier 330 and used aluminum window screening in the air intake thing and that stopped the nesting! Also left lots of rat bait about in a garden shed the rats decided was nice and homey. Does the PEX A not come in Solid Colors? re: "they see the water?" What about running it inside a larger PVC 'conduit?' where it would/might be 'visible' to such critters? Or inside larger diameter EMT pipe?
@@notcharles They don’t “see the water”, they do the same to electrical cable. They’ll chew on anything.
After watching dozens of other videos on Pex A yours was the only one to mention the reason for rotating the expander tool. I didn’t even know that was a thing. Glad I watched this video before doing my project. Thanks!
You are most welcome 🙏
Nice summary. For future, please cover when to use elbows or bends. I used PEX-A for my DIY remodel. Big selling point for all PEX are "home runs" from fixture to manifold, eliminating joints in the walls. My only joints are elbows for the 1" supply (from street to manifold) where I couldn't fit a bend, and a Tee in the kitchen for the sink & dishwasher to share one supply line. Also, maybe cover plastic vs copper joints and manifolds. I went all copper, because a friend told me a plastic manifold failing is catastrophic whereas copper could be mended.
Thank you for talking about the differences between Pex A, B, and C. Nice to know A expands, but B and C you'd want to use crimpers. Also the bore diameter.
I bought a small cottage about 8 years ago with the intent of fixing it up. I had not intended to replace the existing copper piping until I discovered that someone had used Type M copper and that after 50 years the well water was eating through it. I was going to replace it with Type L but a plumber friend suggested ProPEX. I bought one of the Milwaukee M12 expanders and I think I plumbed the entire house (duplex) in about a day and a half. If I had used copper it would have taken 10 times as long. I'm always skeptical about using "new" things until they have had a chance to prove themselves but this one has been around for quite a while now and it does work. Just so much simpler and quicker to work with and it's never leaked.
What type of Pex a did you use? I'm confused if all Pex a any brand will work for cold expansion. Thanks
UPONOR's PEX Pipe warranty is 25 years unless you use non-UPONOR fittings , then it's only 10.
I have been waiting years for some good info on Pex a. I switched to using expansion pex about 4 years ago. I heard about it from a plumber. I told him that I was thinking about trying pex out for my kitchen and bath remodels and he said pex a was the best.
I bought the m12 tool and havent looked back. More and more companies are making pex a pipe and fittings. I am a huge fan of mr. pex and their products.
Thanks for the video.
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You're my fav plumber bro. I bought the m12 version to do 3/4" and it's so much quicker then copper.
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Really, exactly how much faster is it? What, you saved 8 seconds per fitting? LOL And how many call backs are you on now? LOL.
@@rickjames6948 first I think he saved more than 8 sec per fitting also and 8 sec is a a lot also if he had a callback it’s because he did it wrong just like how you can mess of a solder joint which is much easier to mess up
We started using the Rehau system in the mid 2000s....still the best system to date in my opinion. Brass fittings and sleeves...full size bore fittings...absolutely rock solid. Unfortunately the market made it too expensive to continue using it.
Rehau is the way to go
That's good to know about the manual expander. It works fine as long as you remember to rotate it while expanding. As a homeowner who'd only use it occasionally, the cost savings would make doing just a few projects more feasible.
i would highly recommend not using the manual tool. it is large and clunky and so slow as to be almost unusable, especially for a novice. Any repair will likely be in a cramped space where getting the tool in, and rotating it properly will be all but impossible. Even the M12 tool leaves little enough time to set the fitting before it starts to contract.
If buying the tool is out of reach, most decent sized towns will have a plumbing supply house or tool rental place that would rent the tool for a few hours. Now that Home Depot is carrying Pex-A fittings and pipe, as well as selling the M12 Tool (which is sufficient for 98% of residential plumbing), its more accessible than ever.
@@poppybuilt3061 thanks for the tips
You are the ChrisFix of plumbing! Awesome content and explanation.
Thank you so much Dennis, very much appreciated 😉
Your videos were referenced a lot in my plumbing school in Richmond va.
Love hearing that!!!
Thank you.
Hey man what school are you in? I’m working as a plumber in Richmond as well and I want to get into a class
@@ElswickJenelswick abc, but then Richmond tech, better education there. ABC is a joke
Scored my milwaukee 12v pex tool on black friday for 350 with a free pvc cutter. Sold the pvc cutter and the price of the pex tool came to about 260.00 tax included. Purchase of the year.
The colored rings with no stops I would always give the ring a slight expansion before throwing it over so it wouldn't slide. When you're 1 or 2 connections from completing a manifold you really don't want that shit happening. Also on the subject of Milwaukee expanders if you don't actively do above 1" don't buy the M18. It expands slower and it's much heavier.
Excellent video! I now want to re-plumb my entire house!
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My son had his house "re-piped" with PEX a number of years ago (I think about 12 years now). I was surprised on how fast they were. It only took one day, start to finish.
I have PEX in my travel trailer but use a crimp type connector. I have modified the plumbing in the trailer to add shut off valves in critical locations. I was surprised on how easy it was to work in cramped locations. I now carry some piping, fittings and crimping tool with me while on trips.
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Great tutorial and you're right you save on the end cost less time and waste.
Glad it was helpful!
Great video BTW. You have the right voice and "no bullshit" info stream. Informative and concise. Well done !
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Most old school pros still recommend copper for various reasons but PEX is slowly becoming more popular. In older buildings though, it's VERY likely mice and rats will be a problem. Mice/rats love to chew through PEX piping so I'm hoping manufacturers come up with a solution that will solve this problem long term.
Good observation
Wirsbo, or upinor (the product in the video) is NOT pex. Pex is an entirely different, and far less superior product.
Think of wirsbo as the big leagues, pex is about pewee or novice level at your local minor league sports association.
@@DanoFSmith-yc9tg sorry but you're wrong, UPONOR ProPEX is pex. UPONOR says it is pex, so it is pex.
UPONOR is not the only company that makes pex A.
A, B, & C just identify the manufacturing process of pex.
pex A has less of a memory & has the highest flexibility, which are good qualities. pex B has a higher burst pressure than pex A, also a good quality to have.
a mouse or rat will chew thru pex A just as fast as it will thru pex B or C.
no matter what brand or letter you use, its best to use the specified parts, tools & procedures for the pex you are using.
the manufacturer specific tools aren't cheap no matter who it is.
personally i like Viega fostapex and that is what i'll be using to repipe my house.
@@DanoFSmith-yc9tg lol. PROPEX....
You couldn't be more wrong in your statement. It's definitely pex tubing, just like Viega, sharkbite, zurn...
Different types of pex for different applications. I have installed miles and miles of pex, all types without issue. Issues come from plastic fittings getting cracked from stress or mishandling. Or from crimpers not adjusted properly.
Pex can bend easily but one shouldn't make a hard bend that causes stress on a connection, common sense that I see some plumbers lazily resist.
I use copper exactly for this reason. I've had rats and mice chew everything with plastic on it. Wires, irrigation lines, coaxial, forced air ducts, etc. Rats and mice never chewed copper pipes or galvanized forced air ducts, only insulation on them. Almost all my repairs in copper are from improper installs. I would like to use this PEX style product though as it looks very productive and offers many advantages. Great video for sure.
Awesome video, very educational. Love Milwaukee for the reason they have such a dynamic catalog of products. Had the opportunity to work with uponor briefly and see how it was installed.
You should make a 2nd channel dedicated to tool reviews, or your preferable torches and how to use each one or so. You have pretty quality videos all around ,so I would definitely tune in.
Great point! I actually have a video on 5 tools you shouldn't skimp out on, so keep an eye out for that ;)
You had my undivided attention up until you mentioned that milwaukee is involved in this.Many places do not allow PEX and what's more there is always the chance of rodents chewing through those PEX lines and causing a major flood.It's a good option for those that care for it but I personally prefer to stick to copper pipe.God bless you and yours,thanks for the video.
;)
Yes i had some rabbit chew through one of my connections.
Wow...amazing information. You answered all the questions I would have asked.
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The thing you forgot to mention was pro pex with copper fittings for shower lines and other connections . Please do a video on that as well if you can. Thanks brother
I honestly think pro press copper should be kept for boilers and tying off the ends of system but that’s a personal opinion.
You just taught me that I can pull those off too. I thought that shrink on was permanent. So these have it all over crimp on. What I am understanding from this video is that this ProPEX needs specific joiners, made just for ProPEX. Well though right off the bat, and when it gets to it's designation, they will have to go onto hard metal fittings. I see them fit onto metal fittings, so I will have to ask about all that. Still learning.
Really great to use except in the winter with minimal heating. Had a lot of problems with it shrinking back to normal size. Had to use heat guns to cure the issue.
Cool video. Looks very easy. The only problem I've see mice loves plastic.
One thing people don’t mention a lot about pex is pressure balancing. I had to replumb a section of pipe that served 3 bathrooms and a laundry room. I put all the hot and cold lines on a manifold for pex a. Nice thing is even if three showers are used at same time no one notices a big drop in pressure.
There’s no substantial pressure drop if you use pex B on a manifold either. One sixteenth of an inch inside diameter reduction from pex B fittings actually increases pressure. Flow may be a little bit different but only until water gets to the shower head. Shower head nozzles greatly reduce the diameter of holes the water gets to flow through and will always reduce flow accordingly, no matter what flow there is upstream.
Ferguson's version of this is AquaPex and it was only through Ferguson that you could buy this pipe originally. Things change, but this is exactly the same stuff. One caveat I will add is that expanding a joint with water in it, is tricky with the lever expander....especially one inch. The water tends to flush out the food grade grease they give you to lube the expander heads with.
I am sorry while you covered the use of this material well for plumbing systems. You did not cover the cons well at all. There is no perfect material for plumbing. Some cons:
PEX may leach BPA and other toxic chemicals.
PEX is extremely sensitive to any UV light not just sunlight.
PEX can be damaged by chemicals and pests.
PEX can’t be installed in high heat areas.
PEX is semi-permeable, which means liquid can enter the pipe, causing contamination. It’s also not antibacterial.
There are others but people should know copper is not perfect but I still prefer it to PEX.
Thanks
What's considered high heat areas? Like an attic in florida?
@@naro1213 nothing even close to that. The ambient heat recommendations are the same as THHN, so if you can run standard electrical wiring in it, you're fine
@@FLYWHEELPRIME thank you, just repiped my house and got a little bit of worried.
An example of High heat area would have been close to a water heater you would need transition connectors to go from copper to say PEX. PEX in attics with temperature variations you would be more worried about freezing rather than heating. Indeed on colder areas it’s one reason when installing PEX you keep it low away from roofline and don’t use too many fittings for PEX while PEX is quite resistant to freezing the fittings are not. With mild winters in Florida I think you should be okay with that. If you are really worried you could put foam around PEX which would also help with the heat insulation as well.
Damn! I didn’t even know they made Pex this large. I always thought one inch was the largest.
For those wondering about the DeWalt expansion tool that looks like the Milwaukee - it's just as good. Either one will be a fine and reliable choice. I know fanboys on both sides will say the other tool is junk, but fanboy advice is worthless. Both tools excellent. So buy whatever you get the better deal on or whatever battery system you might be using now. EDIT: do NOT use the manual expander for anything. Trust me on this..
Thanks for the info!
Absolutely correct! I even contacted the Uponor rep regarding Uponor certified tool usage after my local plumbing supply told the Milwaukee was the only one certified. The rep stated that only Milwaukee had the expansion tool at the time the tests were being done. He said the Dewalt was every bit as good! And correct! Don't even bother with the manual tool unless you're a doityourselfer and only need to do a few fittings here and there.
Made in china, brands no longer matter. Same as car batteries, people swear Diehard is still the best car battery. Johnson controls make Diehard, Autozone and Wal mart and a few more, batteries. 55$ vs 185$
Milwaukee tools are straight trash, DeWalt isn't much better though.
Milwaukee is trash lol?
Required on all large buildings stuff works great and fast my uncle invested in the tools early on due to being required on the hotel project in downtown youngstown
On DIY projects, plumbing is my arch nemesis - invariably have leaks that require re-do. This is a god-send.
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Awesome! Thanks for uploading this video.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I built my own home with 2 baths I ended up buying the m12 tool and did my whole house with it. Upnoar is way better than that crap pex they sell at home depot. In the end it was still cheaper than hiring a professional
So tell us why it is so much better?
One other option not mentioned. Tool rental. If your project is well planned and ready for connections, then renting the expensive tools may be a much better option. Shark Bite plumbing components don't require flame, chemicals or dry lines while installing.
Thanks for sharing!
As usual, an outstanding presentation
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Thanks for yet another fantastic video!
You are very welcome sir!!!
I’ve got the M12 kit almost brand new for 250$ last week hahaha pretty good buy and the Force logic is heavier than my Dewalt flexvolt sds plus.. it’s a beast
Yes, it's a beast ;)
I am sold on Pex-A, now where can I buy it? I have tried all the local building and hardware stores and none of them carry it. I have the Milwaukee expander and can order Pex-A supplies online, but due to the expense I don't need to buy an excess of everything I may need and I for certain don't need to wait a week for something I am short or forgot. Sadly there is also a smaller selection of Pex-A termination parts or valves. I am still sold on Pex-A as I live in a cold climate and busted pipes are fairly routine as heat tapes fail, power goes out, and on real cold spells, you will find the weak spots. Now if we could just get one of the chain stores to stock Pex-A, I could just buy what I need whenever I have to do a bit of plumbing. Thank you for the video, I always enjoy them.
Usually there is a local plumbing supply store that caries it. As you noted, the big-box stores do not. Otherwise, as you noted, there are online sellers (supplyhouse.com, etc.)
Tool and material cost are unjustified. Costs will come down when patent life expires and anyone can manufacture the tools and materials. Demand also drives cost down as more becomes available. Lower prices now would help market acceptance but for now $500 for an electric drill with an adapter and four bucks for a quarter ounce of plastic are nothing more than price gouging. Get it to market and get that price down. Your business model will still work.
I literally laughed when I saw the 500 dollar price tag for the small tool.... Seriously your absolutely right this will be extremely successful in the market place no need to price gouge. I could easily see this over taking the other options on the market when the price levels out. I know I'd go for it for plumming projects
Dewalt has a tool that goes up to 1 inch. Retails for 250. Home depot is manufacturing pex-a under the Apollo name. Prices have dropped significantly.
Great explanation!
Hey TH-cam! Why the hell am I watching this? - it is cool tho- good video
Thanks Nitro!
I live in Ontario, Canada, and here it is completely impossible to find PEX-A in any of the regular hardware stores. All that is available is PEX-B. To get PEX-A you have to go to a special contractors supply store and buy a 100-foot-long roll of the stuff to install just a foot or two of that pipe to make the connection you need. You can buy a 10-foot length of PEX-B in any Home Depot store, but they don't sell PEX-A in any length. Same thing for Lowes and Rona and Canadian Tire.
You can buy 20 ft sticks aswell at wholesalers. But most wholesalers will not do cash sales anyway right now.
ProPEX in walls with copper stubouts and exposed piping is ideal in my opinion
Yup!!@
Nope I disagree because you have to use open flame inorder to do repairs. That can heat up the ring causing a leak. Also it can fool a plumber to what is in wall.thus other issues like uponor expansion that is not an issue. Alot of guys try installing shock arresters to stop this though there is no way and would cause a faulty charge and the noise will never go away
It seems like there’s a lot of hysteria surrounding plastic beverage containers..... yet none around plastic plumbing.....
Video coming on that very very soon, stay tuned ;)
One thing is people don't strip empty buildings for the copper. They get left alone. Which is good for the owner.
@fire surfer, oh for sure! It’s insane how much work someone will put into robbing a camp or house of copper.
Love it! #Got2Learn can you do a video on up-sizing pipes from say 1" to 1.25 or 1.5" to reduce friction if lots of bends are in the system like in irrigation and up-sizing for valves for the same reason vs using "full port".
4:26 logically a larger opening means better flow. But when you look at a shower mixing valve the holes are really small, like 3/16”. So go figure. But I get that the 1/2” pipe is serving more than one fixture.
i think he means cold expansion gets full diameter flow as the mating surfaces are the same as the original ID.
It is minimal difference really, and most shower heads now days are low flow, a tub spout I'm sure might flow a little faster but I'm sure it's hard to tell, and in a toilet supply line the connection hose to the tank doesn't change. Don't get me wrong, it's a great system I just don't think that flow is any better
Kevr you are correct, a loss in volume not pressure.
I’m a plumber and I know this product very well. It will fail if your home has a recirculating hot water line. Mine has failed in multiple locations. The pipe will split at the connections. They get very small splits and start to leak. I’ve ask uponor about it and they said you can’t use a hot water recirculating line.
Thanks for sharing.
not on water temps over 160, it says in the manufacturers recommended operating temps.
@@jamesdutcher2485 And that's fucking hot! My house is at 130°F any hotter and you start to scold skin.
I worked for a plumber doing them and he said they only last 10 years
I use this 20 years ago and unless you keep a handful of hose clamps handy to crimp them it's absolutely terrible to use you can't turn the water on as soon as you put it together
The futur ? it's the only type of Pex we been using for the last decade.
ed f
It’s been in service in the US for 20 years, it was in Europe for about 20 years before that.
3wrapframe - I was gonna say that. Uponor/Wisboro literally invented PEX.
Tommy TMT from what I recall yes.
Wirsbo is what my Grandpa plumbed his house with almost 20 years ago
I started using PEX when it first came out. A quick tip if your running PEX pipe in the cold weather there is a very good possibility that it is going to leak a little. If it does, just use a hairdryer or heat gun to warm up the fitting area all the way around the joint and line magic, no more leaks! Cold weather doesn’t allow the PEX to fully contract. The heat gun works every time.
1 common mistake people do is they install the pipes in straight lines. The pipe should be as curved as possible to absorb the thermal expansion - no straight lines!
I was always taught to stop the expansion tool on full expansion for about 5 seconds twice before it was completely ready to put the fitting inside. Never got an explanation why to do this but i just always have and will continue to.
I was never shown that, not even from Uponor, pretty sure it's to buy you some time like I said in the video, if it works for you than you shall continue :)
Well if you don't mind wasting your own time for zero purpose, keep doing so. It's quite obvious you expand it right up to the point of no expansion and quickly toss your fitting on after you remove the tool. The fitting either fits or doesn't fit... I could always park from a jobsite 200 feet away if someone taught me so, but I'd eventually figure out I can get the job done sooner with my vehicle closer.
Tradition!! (see fiddler on the roof)
Side note: for cold environments and and touchy fittings that drip, hit it with a heat gun until it’s warm to the touch.
True that
Got2learn..... uponors US headquarters is in Minneapolis. You should visit them and do a video.
Was thinking of it :)
Buy the Mulwaukee m12 used then resale it when your done for the DiY.
Or rent it. My local United rental overnight it from out of town. Only cost $30 for a day rental
Buy then resell makes sense for larger projects that might take a few days to complete. Renting makes great sense for smaller projects, but some areas don't have good availability.
Great video again!
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Great video. Basic and informative. FYI, DeWalt now makes a battery powered expander tool as well. The DeWalt expander works just as well as the Milwaukee and if your already have DeWalt battery powered tools, all you need to purchase is the expander tool only.
It's a lot less expensive that way. Uponor also makes brass connectors that allow you to convert your system from copper pipe to PEX A. You just sweat the brass fitting onto the copper pipe and then connect the PEX A pipe to the other end.
Thank you for that, I have multiple dewalt 20v and ryobi 18v batteries... definitely don't want to get into milwaukee this late into the game
Great infomative comment! Thanks!
Wow, wow. you sure have great videos. If you never watched Chris Fix before, its worth watching. you guys are both amazing. have great content and videos are super clear and to the point. Its quite enjoyable to watch. one thing i don't understand, is how in the world do you have 179 dislikes on your videos when you have top quality stuff explaining everything so clear. But I'm sure those were done by mistake or some others that are actual plumbers and hate the content that shows others how to do stuff as it takes away from their business(aw i feel bad for them. LoL). You are definitely from the best videos I've seen on plumbing, and You Tube. Love your stuff. And of course i hit that subscribe button.
Keep up the great content and always looking out for new videos from you.
You are most welcome, please share if you can, it help s the channel tremendously ✌✌
Amazing the 3 inch pipe system, flow time pressure is somewhat equivalent to power involve in those pipes, a lot of power, doing something like that in plastic that auto cure wow!
Video sponsored by Milwaukee 😂
there is a 20v dewalt pex expender, ya know?
I'm retired but good to know about this stuff. I will probably be copper guy forever tho.
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best video on the subject; very well explained; thanks
but is plastic any good for hot water?
I invite you to watch this video: th-cam.com/video/NEcsCt0lEzg/w-d-xo.html
Anyone know where to purchase fittings for a decent price online? I'm in Arizona. Furgeson Plumbing Supply is where I go.
when are you gonna do a manifold concept ???? for example, i built mine using a expansion PEX type with a distro manifold, every single home run for each and every separate line.. it helps for repairs and isolation if needed. although it forced me to have a larger manifold, it helps in the long run. especially since my utility room is directly below in basement- and the runs are very short. and my longest run is only about 15 feet... your experience in mapping the right manifold would be awesome!! residential 4 person family. 2 bath
It requires a lot more pipe to do it this way, but yeah, in the long run for repairs it makes it easier for sure.
@@Got2Learn we r truly hoping u do a video on manifold pro and cons
Yes, will do one day for sure :)
How about longevity with service lines that carry over 200psi buried in the ground. 🤷♂️
SOme people dont know u can bury pex with no issue. However I prefer crimp fittings over sharkbite. Tho SHarkbite isnt rate for ug
I may be missing something, but I am having a hard time seeing why I might change from crimp pex to this method. Crimp is so easy and relatively cheap, especially the tools. Thank you for the video though!
IMO, expansion joints are easier to make.
@@Got2Learn you think so, or just preference?
I honestly find it a lot easier because there's no depth gauging for the rings and the tool is smaller than PEX pliers and it also requires less space. I worked a lot with both, and I prefer PEX-a for this reason.
@@Got2Learn thank you for your reply! I can see that. Sometimes getting the crimpers in a space is a challenge. I know there are power tool options too though.
I replaced all the 1/2" copper in my house about five years ago with 3/4" PEX-b, cinch rings (not crimps) and brass fittings. I didn't know the PEX-a system existed. I did recognise that 1/2" PEX-b fittings were considerably smaller in diameter than 1/2" copper pipe, and so went with 3/4" fittings and pipe to make up some of the difference. But, the great advantage of PEX-a of any diameter is that the bore diameter of a fitting is virtually the same as the bore diameter of the pipe it fits in. This is possible in PEX-a because the tube is stretched over the outside of the fitting, instead of the fitting's being inserted into the tube without compensating in some way for the reduction in tube bore diameter.
Since I was replacing an existing system with very limited access to floor joists and other routing paths, I pretty much had to do a main line run along the original path (no option for a manifold). This meant lots of joints and fittings, mostly tees and elbows. While I am sure the measurable pressure at the end faucets is close to, if not the same as, the pressure at the pressure reducing valve outlet, the flow rate at the end is certainly lower than faucets farther up the line because of the number of "in series" fittings. I would not have created this problem if I had been aware of the PEX-a system.
This is touched on briefly in the otherwise excellent video, but could possibly be elaborated on with an edit or two.
zurn pex B is expandable and pex A can be crimped. occasionally youll get an uponor fitting with a small imperfection, litttle plastic tails that can cause failures/leaks (1 every 10000 or so), so just check your fittings Pex B zurn stuff has a rounded head and its alright, but i have a lot more experience with uponor. apollo makes pex A fittings, but i have yet to try them
Thanks James!
JEEEZE that force logic too seems a bit crazy big if you ask me lol
Personally I used a lot Uponor,from floor heating to pipe in pipe pex system,alupex as well.
I really thought it was the best system,until I haven’t started to use Sanipex in late 2017.
But still Uponor is my no.2 to go in plumbing.
Say what.? You used Uponor until sanipex which you "haven't" started to use, and is now your number one and Uponor is now number two..?
I also find if I don't use stuff, it has a lot less tendency to fail. :)
Great video. I just purchased a home with uponor plumbing that is at least 10 years old. Will I be able to change some valves and retrench the old line with new rings?
How long before the uponor line is no longer workable?
Sure, you can change some valves and reuse the same pipe, just make sure it's not dried out/cracked or anything, you can do this even if the pipe is 20 years old.
This is great, if you live where it's above freezing year round. Pex is forgiving with frost, but the rings are not. When water freezes and expands inside of pex the ring can slip and cause a slow leak. As we know, slow leaks can go undetected for days.
Upinor pex is sooooo expensive fittings,tools it would add up fast i use cpvc it’s cheap and easy to use. Nice video
CPVC becomes brittle and cracks easily after about 10 years.. Also, you have to wait for glue to cure before pressurizing.
please please don't tell me you are using Aquarise ? worst crap ever.
Aquarise is CPVC and is very brittle, try not to use that stuff.
Jessy Bwoy86 I use Genova cpvc never had problems
@@jacksplumbingvideos7147 Charlotte FlowGuard Gold is what everybody use around here and pretty much only CPVC available. They all become brittle. Worse if it is hot side. And any deep scratches can develop pin hole leaks years later.
The prices of the tools are way inflated it's only like 60 or $70 to make the most expensive one i mean really it's no different than any other ryobi except for expanding part... Talk about trying to rip people off for specialty tools
The time the tool saves over the manual expansion will easily have it paying for itself very quickly. Imagine being In a trade where tools are everything and then complaining about the price of a tool. Take up an office job seems to be more up your alley
Not sure where you buy your tools but I paid $300 for the m12 kit. I think Dewalt is coming out with one so that should force some competition in the market.
This seems like a great new addition to plumbing for the DIY guy. However, I'm VERY curious about the life expectancy of the plastic. Especially the union pieces as they are obviously harder than the line. We all know plastic dries out and cracks over time. More flexibility generally means longer life, but.... how long before I have to open walls and ceilings to repair or replace ??? I have NEVER had to think about the copper once it's done.
There's an installation method with PEX where you minimize or completely eliminate fittings in the wall. Straight runs to each fixture from a manifold system or a run to each area where there is a sub manifold. You can feasibly plumb an entire home with no hidden fittings.
As for the actual life expectancy, PEX has been in use globally for quite a long time. The US was just behind on adoption. There's plenty of long-term usage and lifespan information out there.
PEX is crosslinked polyethylene. Not plastic as you know it. It does not "dry" out,
Copper is subject to chemical interactions with water, pex is not.
Plastic lasts forever that’s why recycling is so important, as far as installing it in your house it’s very durable and will last longer than most alternatives
@@mjs3188 I had electrolysis in my last house and could not find the source of electricity. Due to the age of the house, I would get at least 3 pin hole leaks a year in copper, I replaced all leaky pipes with Pex
The future?! I’ve been using Uponor pro pex for 15 years.
Lol, I’ve been using this for over a decade now.
As a homeowner who will do many plumbing jobs over 10+ years buy the auto tool
👌
Work every day with wisbor and I have both the m12 and m18 tools makes work way easier and faster !
Uponor bought this system from Velta, which had over time acquired the Wirsbo firm and it’s original expansion joint plastic pipe system. Wirsbo are the originators of this very system. The 90° fittings should be avoided whenever possible, if you want to keep your flow up snuff. For this system there are curve braces on the shelf. The advantage of PEX it’s molecular memory, which can also be a disadvantage when installations aren’t properly braced, or fitted for expansion and contraction.
Great videos. How about a video sizing water supply system for a residence, using this PEX A? I assume you understand pressure/volume/velocity, and how each impacts sizing? Preventing/minimizing water hammer, etc. Thanks
No water hammer with this stuff... And size Pex A like you would copper. No mystery...
Are used to write books about electronica security systems and first generation electronica troubleshooting and I know it’s very important to put things in the correct order you are absolutely master full of doing it whether it’s how you think or you really take time to figure that out but again props tremendous job I love your videos
Thanks a million brother, really appreciate it!!! 🙂🙂🙂
I’m using pex b might consider pex a I’m in the m12 line might order the m13 one tool only I have a lot of batteries great video
This is bot a new sistem we work wih it from more than 20 years here in spain france ánd around europe, is wonder sistem fast instalation
I once nicked the barb on a 3” male adapter. I was cutting off the ring with a sawzall because pex is pretty tough stuff and the rings are about 1/2” or more thick. Anyway, that was a $200 fitting down the drain. I mean in the grand scheme of the job it didn’t hurt as much but still be very careful. Heat gun or torch with a razor knife is the best approach. You can still nick plastic fittings with a knife. But if you use heat it softens it so you have more control.
The force logic can do more than just expand Pex-A pipes.....
What do you mean?
Tell me more about it😏
Make sure you up size when using pex.
The I.d. on a 3/4 fitting is less than 5/8ths. And so on.
Not the Pex A, it is not the same as Pex B
Just a note: a smaller diameter tube or adapter does not lower pressure, just flow.
Curious, if you run 1" pipe to the shower will the greater flow feel like mo pressure?
Unfortunately, you are partially incorrect. A smaller diameter increases pressure drop (and decreases flow) according to the Darcy-weisbach and Bernoulli equations and thereby results in a smaller pressure after the pipe/fitting. Please check any fluid mechanics textbook. I would recommend Crane technical paper 410 (the most used fluid flow book in industry). From a professional engineer with a master's degree in chemical engineering who routinely sizes pipes and pumps.
Well Ozzy what do you have to say about those fluid dynamic responses from Ryan?
I personally prefer copper but I'm old school and was brought up before pex was popular I do like the uponor pex it is the only way to run pex
This is absolutely my favorite brand of PEX to work with.
Radiant, plumbing, and ground source heat pumps. It is amazingly effective and I have run it to pressures up to 150 psi for home ro systems.
😉😉😉
When I was searching for Type A on Amazon (11/11/2020), it appeared that there were many brands/suppliers and few of the product descriptions clearly stated TYPE A PEX. Are their Go To Brands / Manufacturers one might rely upon? Does Lowes or Home Depot, for instance) carry/sell the pipe and fittings?
I was told by an Uponor rep that they have never had a failure under 220 PSI.
What do you think about the class action lawsuit related to cracking of Uponor's red and blue tubing?
@@bmfitzgerald3 not to worried about it, I don't use colored PEX. Always thought that was gimmicky.
Thank you for this video. It is clear and easy to follow. Can you tell me, does this system require any special type of fitting/value? Do they connect the same as elbows and joints?
Uphonor type A, yes.
Thank you for your response. I still don't understand how Uponor ProPEX works with threaded fittings. Do you need an adaptor of some sort?
@@dougmesler6476 yes, threaded to uphonor.
Got2Learn, I work in the plumbing aisle of a Home Depot. I've learned a lot from your channel and recommend your videos all the time. I have a special folder in TH-cam for plumbing and 95% of the videos in there are yours.
The most common problem customers have when talking to me are the drain lines from sinks (kitchen and bath). The sinks nowadays mostly have 1-1/4" down stubs. The customers have to get from that to either 1-1/2" or 2" main drain line into the wall - along with incorporating a p-trap in there. About the only thing we have for them is the compression joint with a compression ring sized for 1-1/4" or 1-1/2" (separate rings, one for each size). This seems kinda cheap and unreliable. Any suggestions for a better way to do this?
Actually those are the correct fittings to use, they are called "waste connect" fittings, they work very well :)
Thanks. They seem a little "chincy" or cheap to me. But if that's the proper way to do the job, so be it. I'm just making sure I recommend the right thing to customers.
You also have the various pvc "trap adapters" to make a straight transition from the trap fittings to the drainpipe, which have a one-piece compression joint and require glue on the other end (I work at Lowes). These seem more solid than the thinner plastic repair pipes with just a compression ring. Yes, some plumbers hate those cheap repair fittings, but they make life easier for the many homeowners who are not plumbers, and don't want to pay for one.
Yes Kevin, I thought of those over with the abs fittings. I don't like to take customers down that road of using abs. Most customers would be overwhelmed with all the glueing and cutting involved. Most just want to install that sink they bought as quickly and easily as possible. Good thought tho.
Being outlawed here. Breaking down and getting pinholes. Within two years
Why?
Still cheaper than sharkbite
Thanks. This makes me happy to stick with copper and crimp pex
Or you could just use sharkbite fittings
Or you could just do the job right sharkbites allow the pipebto spin and twist there so expensive compared to pex fitting a plumber can do the same job for the same price and lower material cost then a handy man making less profit because higher material cost and inferior jobs.Sharkbite jobs are done by guys hanging ouy getting work at home depot
@@Allintn22 oh, I see. Thanks for the info.
Crazy that the opening clip of the construction guys happened to be of my husband when he was on a (steam/pipefitter) crew building the San Francisco Exploratorium at Pier 15. Where did that clip come from and how did you get it? He sure didn't know anything about being in a TH-cam video. 😯
Wow that's pretty sick, I got it off of a website that hands off video stock, don't remember which one though.
@Got2Learn he's the guy front and center. That's so wild! That's was back in 2013. Pretty cool!!
Internet is a big place hehe!
Indeed!! Lol... Thanks for posting it and for responding to my comments! Have a great week!
@@MsPatriot likewise 😇
Why wasent cpvc brought up? Seems to be the cheapest option and super easy/quick
As a professional in the trade my humble opinion is sea PVC is such an inferior product that’s probably why it’s cheap and becomes brittle overtime with heat cycles if I’m changing out a water shut off valve under the sink or behind a toilet, they are so easy to break off without much pressure being applied at all and it normally breaks off at the elbow in the wall, whenever we work on bathrooms and kitchens with CPBC we try and take out as much as possible and go back with uponor It’s just as quick if not quicker no chemicals no glue just quick and easy, and I can do a 50 foot run without any joints in it try doing that with CPVC. Like I said just my humble opinion, and if you go with a Dewalt expanding tool they’re only $200 as a bare tool.
@@MrKThomas1976 I'd agree with you. I've replaced some old ass cpvc under trailers in my plumbing days. It is atleast worth mentioning in a video like this.
Cpvc turns brittle in 10 years,any plumber in the trade for over 20 years always say copper is the best.time tested and copper don't leach into the drinking water
I wouldn't plumb a doghouse with CPVC
CPVC is not a reliable platform. It’s been known to fall apart