Plumbing tools

Thinking about my summer project of redoing the AA and basement plumbing.

We've got acidic water and the copper pipes have really taken a beating. Most fittings are starting to ooze a little junk and most valves have the tell tale signs as well.

So I'm wondering if this would be a good investment or just me trying to compensate for something lacking elsewhere and me wanting to be the guy with the cool tools.


http://www.rothenbergertools.us/071_Rot ... _Tool.html


That tool would be used to attach these: http://www.elkhartproducts.com/xPress/xPress.cfm


I've seen this very tool and fittings used when they replaced the boiler at the Masonic Lodge. Really slick and quick as hell. No real need to pressure test or worry about soldered joints leaking.


Any thoughts ??? I tried to see if anyone rents the tool, but didn't see it listed locally. So I just may have to buy it myself.




Rick

My nephew who hooked up my boiler used one,I think he said 1500 psi. He did say the fittings were expensive,but saved lots of time from sweating the fittings.WOW,didn't know they were that expensive.Could you look online somewhere for a used one or buy it,use it, then sell it and recover some money,unless your going into the plumbing biz

Rick - 10 years ago I hired a plumber to pipe my coal boiler to the oil boiler. I had never seen propress fittings at that time and was alittle concerned when that's what he showed up with. I had spec'd 1 1/4" copper but had not been specific about the type of fittings. They have a rubber O ring and I was concerned with them failing. Well 10 years later I have had no problems. (knocking on wood) I have since spoken with many plumbers who tell me these things are great.

My concern is that I remember plumbers also saying polybutylene plumbing supply piping and CSST gas lines were also great. They both turned out to be turds. Hopefully propress fittings are the real deal. They are very pricey compared with standard fittings. Might want to price it both ways.

I just saw that the fittings have a 50 year warranty. That's impressive. I guess they are the real deal.

Rick 386 wrote:Thinking about my summer project of redoing the AA and basement plumbing.

We've got acidic water and the copper pipes have really taken a beating. Most fittings are starting to ooze a little junk and most valves have the tell tale signs as well.
Rick

I've got acidic well water too, ph=5.7. Finding a good low maintenance solution is not easy. I've tried. In the end I changed all my pipes to PVC or CPVP. This ended the acid etching of the copper. I use plumbing fixtures that are plastic or ceramic on the inside. Any place I really need metal I use stainless steel ordered from an industrial supply house. For example, toilet tank mounting bolts that are submerged in the water closet. I use schedule 40 stainless steel pipe fittings where necessary. My indirect hot water heater has a stainless steel tank.

You can use copper in your hydronic heating system, just neutralize the boiler water to ph =7.0

Terry,

When they did the Masonic Temple, they had 1 fitting leak. The manufacturer had them cut it out and send it to them. It was just dripping slightly. Maybe 1 drop every 1/2 hour or less. After they got it back, they cut it open to see why it had failed.......................................it had no "O" ring inside !!!! The crimp sealed it that well that there was that small leak.


I don't mind sweating all the new work, but man this tool is so slick. And the time savings are phenominal. I know the fittings are pricey, but so is my time....





Rick

I am still a threaded black iron pipe sort of a guy
but - after undue pressure to drag myself into this century

I did recently begin to use red and blue pex - after spending the night in a house of ill repute

hey Stinger, sorry to hear your reputes are ill.... its going aroung. or comming around

i too started the red and blue pex... pretty fun stuff... i wont use the plastic elbows or connectors tho... dont trust em

I did a job at a catholic school a few years ago and used pro-press fittings to tie it to the main for the speed. That way I didn't have to worry about water drips when trying to solder. Only had the water off for a few mins. vs. hours if I would have had to drain every drop. Bought the fittings at Ferguson Supply and rented the press from them for the day. It was well worth it. Quick and easy.

Poconoeagle wrote:hey Stinger, sorry to hear your reputes are ill.... its going aroung. or comming around

i too started the red and blue pex... pretty fun stuff... i wont use the plastic elbows or connectors tho... dont trust em

I am using the plastic fittings where ever possible - just using the hard ones where I need a real stub out or tie into insisting copper

I figure the tube is plastic - so why shouldn't the fitting get the same trust

After converting 3-4 houses completely using brass l's and tees. And then using the white plastic t in my own shower re doo

I felt there was sloppier fit with the plastic....and it dripped!!! maybe the black ones fit tighter?

I cut it out and went brass....

R.ick, those fittings are wonderful for emergency repairs in a commercial application, or for someone in the business that stands to save a lot of time. For a single boiler repipe, I would just use threaded pipe and/or copper with sweat connections. As Yanche said, once the system is running adjust the water pH until it is 7-8.

Pex Pex Pex... I cant say enough about the versatility, durability and the resale value. This is tough choice since we all seem to have differing opinions here but unless you do this stuff for a living your crazy to even think about spending $2K on tools (thats insane... give me the 2k and ill come sweat the whole damb system for ya )

I used them because I couldn't afford to have the water shut off to long. In a new installation, I would have rather soldered the joints, I trust that more than I do a O-ring. That being said "Ferguson Enterprises" rents the tool.

I met a commercial plumber over the weekend. I asked him about propress and he told me a story about it. He said they had a job where they could not shut off a 4" supply main. So they propressed a 4" valve onto it and then slowly closed it. Pretty amazing I thought.

dcrane wrote:Pex Pex Pex... I cant say enough about the versatility, durability and the resale value. This is tough choice since we all seem to have differing opinions here but unless you do this stuff for a living your crazy to even think about spending $2K on tools (thats insane... give me the 2k and ill come sweat the whole damb system for ya )

I've got a lot of tools that I paid a lot of money to buy. Don't use them every day but when I need it, I got it. Sorta like the wife.


I'm looking into the speed aspect of this job. I'm sorta like the rooster in this place. The only male on the property with 4 females I have to deal with. God forbid if they don't have water when they turn on the spigot. Our 1 well supplies 3 houses. I cannot have it down for too long. Now the coal boiler repair/replace/redo will not have that great of an impact since I can just switch over to oil.

And thanks plumb_r for the tip about Ferguson. I have a couple of them within 10 miles of me. I'll be checking into them. Renting a tool for the weekend may be a distinct possibility.


To be continued..............................





Rick