Anyone familiar with Pex tube and connectors?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Note PEX is tubing so 3/4 pex is only equal to 1/2 pipe for the internal diameter.
Bill D.

I forgot to mention that's one of the big PEX A advantages, the fittings are the same internal diameter as the hose (well really close). All other types of Pex connections require fittings with a much smaller internal passage than the hose.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Ok so I’m thinking of going with the Dewalt(20 volt) expansion tool because it looks like their kit comes with three heads and the Milwaukee(18 volt) doesn’t seem to come with any. Also I’ve had pretty good luck with their cordless stuff in the past, not much experience with Milwaukee cordless. Feel free to persuade me otherwise or maybe there’s another manufacturer I should look at?

My only other question would be concerning the stub outs. I would prefer something more rigid than the pex to hold escutcheon plates and shut off valves. Is there a way to get the pex held nice and straight coming out of the walls without being overly sloppy ? Walls will be tile over dura-rock if that matters.

I’m thankful for the comments so far, much thanks

I use the Milwaukee expander a lot, nearly daily. It's a good tool, but the battery is puny. I have to swap three times to do a house. No biggie, but I'm always muttering about it. You can get a bigger M12 battery than what comes with it. A 20v Dewalt would have a lot more "go" though. The Dewalt wasn't on the market yet when I bought my Milwaukee, or I'd have probably went that way to so the batteries matched the rest of my tools.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

One more, this is to you home run guys. I have switched to the Uponor Logic system for nearly everything for a couple reasons. Anyone else use that?

First it uses WAY less parts, second because of a really bad Manaport that I have to deal with periodically. Dang thing just won't quit leaking and valves are already malfunctioning. It's a year old, installed by someone else, but I won't ever use one again.

[Mark Bolton]

One more, this is to you home run guys. I have switched to the Uponor Logic system for nearly everything for a couple reasons. Anyone else use that?

First it uses WAY less parts, second because of a really bad Manaport that I have to deal with periodically. Dang thing just won't quit leaking and valves are already malfunctioning. It's a year old, installed by someone else, but I won't ever use one again.

I saw a video on that system a while back. Havent done a house in a long time (no longer in the biz). It seems completely counter to what the european model of PEX was but I can understand it. My like for the home run system is 2 connections per run and thats it, drastically less water consumption (there will be wars fought over water one day), and massive hot water heating cost reduction by not having large high volume mains that need to be purged or circulated to feed distant small demand fixtures. I also enjoyed only having to worry about pretty much two sizes of tubing and fittings, predominantly one size, 1/2" that I could buy in large quantities for less money.

Branch mains were the norm for my entire early years in the trade but once I made the switch it was night and day. I agree the manifolds can be sketchy and nerve wracking. Was lucky to never have an issue with one. Any house we did with the homerun the customers ooh and ahh over the ability to kill any single run for maintenance, no wondering which valve does what.

My only dislike for the system is I have long had a dislike for plastic for all the reasons we are dealing with now on the planet, and a constant concern about chlorinated water supplies and people with wells dumping bleach in their well periodically. PEX rated at 4PPM is often right at the threshold of a heavily chlorinated rural or city water supply.

[Stephen Tashiro]

I liked the idea of no connections hidden in a wall somewhere inaccessible.

I like that idea too, but what is to be done where the PEX must conect to a fixture? Do you let the end of the PEX exit the wall and put a PEX compatible angle stop valve on it?

On the one hand, I worry about plastic pipe being damaged by people banging against it with mops. On the other hand, if it did leak, I supposed it would easy to detect and fix.