DIY plumbing

[Dr. Phil A]

I had to change out a tub shower tap set today and have discovered a handy water line connector. They are called Sharkbites. No muss no fuss no trying to solder upside down. Stuff turns so making things fit is easy. Just push it together and the real cool thing is that they are reusable with a tiny inexpensive tool.

http://www.sharkbite.com/

[vortex.1957]

Yep, they work great, been using them for a couple of years now.

[twofifty]

Be interesting to hear from the AO plumbers if they agree the Sharkbite fittings have a legitimate use?

Am thinking yes, such as renoeing in tight spaces where a torch would be a fire hazard and a pex crimper can't reach the fitting.

[lake side]

I just found them this year. Great product....i'm thinkng about changing my entire shower room/water system at the lake with these things.


LS

[4x4life]

They work good in a pinch, but if they are not properly seated, leaky leaky. Nice little invention for the DIY plumber though.

[CaberTosser]

I've only ever used them as temporary measures before, any one I ever put in was also removed when the full repair was made. Sometimes we can't isolate water in certain buildings without notice, large condo's for instance; in emergency situations we can of course, but its important to minimize disruption. I don't carry them in my truck stock and to be honest I see their use as a sign of either a handyman or a poor tradesman. I don't like trusting a permanent installation to an o-ring.

[twofifty]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

....
I don't like trusting a permanent installation to an o-ring.

It took NASA a long time to figure that out.

[Grizzly Adams]

Do the job, but Hellish expensive which is gonna add up real quick and why bother when there are cheaper ways that work just as well.

Grizz

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Do the job, but Hellish expensive which is gonna add up real quick and why bother when there are cheaper ways that work way better.

Grizz

Fixed it for ya

[cgypal]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

I've only ever used them as temporary measures before, any one I ever put in was also removed when the full repair was made. Sometimes we can't isolate water in certain buildings without notice, large condo's for instance; in emergency situations we can of course, but its important to minimize disruption. I don't carry them in my truck stock and to be honest I see their use as a sign of either a handyman or a poor tradesman. I don't like trusting a permanent installation to an o-ring.

Yup, only as a temp solution or where we can't shut water off. Worked like a charm one night at best western downtown when a recirc line started to leak thur 4 floors worth of suites. Couldn't locate the isolation on one end and the other end was seized open. Quick cut and two shark bite valves and was good to go.

[CeeZee]

I seen these things over at Peavy Mart last week, not the sharkbite brand tho. I have used them and they are for sure an excellent piece for a DIY'er.

[benamen]

I have used these in difficult to reach areas. My cabin was built with a 2ft cantilever and all the water lines were run through the cantilever to the unheated enclosed area below the cantilever. Even with heat tapes on the water lines, they would freeze when the temperatures approached -40.
Decided to get rid of that problem so cut off all the lines between the floor joints in the cantilevered area. On some of the lines, I was able to just reach the lines and have enough room for one of the single hand tube cutters. Not enough access to get a crimper or torch to seal the lines so in went the Sharkbites. Without those fittings, I would have had a major reno on my hands.

[grizz325]

They have there place but as said not for me, the biggest thing to remember is if it does let go most insurance companies will give you the run around.

[Stinky Buffalo]

I usually carry a length of Pex tubing and an assortment of fittings (similar to the Watts fittings - I forget the name) in my trailer.

When I had an older trailer, those fittings were awesome, especially when the original plumbing broke in a tight spot.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by benamen

I have used these in difficult to reach areas. My cabin was built with a 2ft cantilever and all the water lines were run through the cantilever to the unheated enclosed area below the cantilever. Even with heat tapes on the water lines, they would freeze when the temperatures approached -40.
Decided to get rid of that problem so cut off all the lines between the floor joints in the cantilevered area. On some of the lines, I was able to just reach the lines and have enough room for one of the single hand tube cutters. Not enough access to get a crimper or torch to seal the lines so in went the Sharkbites. Without those fittings, I would have had a major reno on my hands.

Used a couple of the valves, cause a homeowner supplied them with a vanity. Total lack of confidence on my part, and I checked them for several days to make sure they weren't leaking. O ring and some plastic fingers. Good part was I could twist them on the pipe for alignment, ironically one of the things that made me doubt them.

Grizz

[bhguy]

good as a temp fix, imo if you have paid a plumber to come in and they use then as the permanent fix, I woudnt pay the bill. solder, or crimp is the difference between a pro and diy.

[recce43]

most airline fittings on heavy duty trucks are fittings like those push on

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by recce43

most airline fittings on heavy duty trucks are fittings like those push on

True, but they're not drywalled in, nor does an air leak cause property damage or mold issues; it just means more compressor wear.

[recce43]

when pex first came out withe there lines and fittings no one trusted them either

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by recce43

when pex first came out withe there lines and fittings no one trusted them either

That was from having been burned by the failure of polybutylene tubing and the class action lawsuit surrounding it, people were kind of gun shy about the new kid in town. PEX had been in use in Europe for some time though, so it had an established track record. The problems I encountered with PB was primarily on tubing made from 1984-1986 when used in domestic hot water lines. It was also frequently misapplied by installing it in slab for floor heating, but was never approved for such use. Polybutylene is permeable by oxygen molecules, so even when no leaks exist in a system there is constant oxygenation of the water and it corrodes any iron present in the system such as the boiler, pumps, iron piping, etc. I just replaced a boiler destroyed by this in December, there was red sludge in the bottom of much of his piping, so I performed a rinse flush followed by a chemical cleaning before putting in the glycol/water mix. Another customer from the AO board here got some corrosion inhibitor put in his system to help slow the effects of this phenomenon. Taking out the domestic water feed in favor of a feed tank & pump after repairing the system leaks will help immensely as well though.

[mudbug]

I have used them when nothing else was available but like Caber and others I don't trust them for long time use at all. They are too expensive as well adn it'll be interesting to see how they hold up over time. I think they won't over the long run

[benamen]

My 2005 snowmobile has similar type fittings for the fuel line that have an o ring and requires a special tool to disassemble. Had a 1990 Topaz with similar fuel fittings. So they are used for flammable materials too.

[Au revoir, Gopher]

Originally Posted by recce43

when pex first came out withe there lines and fittings no one trusted them either

Hell, I still don't trust it. Copper or nothing.

ARG

[Dr. Phil A]

Well it was a tight spot and it would have included a complete bathroom reno that I am not prepared to do right now. I would have had to open the wall up and then Yes Dear would have gotten grand ideas. No leaks this morning and there was no drip drip all nite.

Time will tell and the area that it is in is accessible so if it starts to leak I will know right away.

Cost wise in comparision to the cost of my time it is an actual savings. I know that the solder has jumped in price as well as the copper fittings. Then try to solder upside down.

[twofifty]

To solder CU fittings upside down let the flux draw the lead into the joint. Capillary action is a wonderful thing, if you prep the pipe and joint properly, and know how to apply & control the heat.

Yep, those Sharkbite fittings are expensive and kind of bulky.

[bigfishen]

Originally Posted by Dr. Phil A

Well it was a tight spot and it would have included a complete bathroom reno that I am not prepared to do right now. I would have had to open the wall up and then Yes Dear would have gotten grand ideas. No leaks this morning and there was no drip drip all nite.

Time will tell and the area that it is in is accessible so if it starts to leak I will know right away.

Cost wise in comparision to the cost of my time it is an actual savings. I know that the solder has jumped in price as well as the copper fittings. Then try to solder upside down.

You solder the same way whether it is upside down or not. You might have some solder run down the pipe but regardless it should still solder.

[marauder11]

I am not a fan. Ironically I am a regular user of a product called ProPRess. Was not a huge fan of this system either but, after i had a water main break and the main was not shutting off 100% we used it and i am a believer in certain cases. These ProPress fittings come with a 50 year warranty. The plus side is they do not move once pressed so the piping will be more rigid than using shark bite.

On a side note we did a 4 inch irrigation line in copper and it takes like 10 seconds to do one joint. I have done a few 4 inch solider joints and it took longer than that to put the flux on.

[Rdamours]

I tried to use one in a pinch to put a temp shut off on a line until we could do the dishwasher. If the pex has any gouging then it will leak as you need a good surface to bite to so my opinion changed there. In the end I borrowed a crimping tool and put on a crimp ring.

My hot water tank is hooked up with two of these though so I'm hoping that was a one off bad experience

[bhguy]

Originally Posted by marauder11

I am not a fan. Ironically I am a regular user of a product called ProPRess. Was not a huge fan of this system either but, after i had a water main break and the main was not shutting off 100% we used it and i am a believer in certain cases. These ProPress fittings come with a 50 year warranty. The plus side is they do not move once pressed so the piping will be more rigid than using shark bite.

On a side note we did a 4 inch irrigation line in copper and it takes like 10 seconds to do one joint. I have done a few 4 inch solider joints and it took longer than that to put the flux on.

pro press is great, damn expensive though. we use another system like that b, I believe either victolic or viega...a lot cheaper

[bigfishen]

Propress has seemed to work fine when I have installed, however the tool to do it is quite expensive. Apparently they also make fittings that are rated for natural gas as well, although Im not sure if I would trust that