Dunbar Plumbing Forums - Northern Kentucky's 1st DIY Plumbing Forum
PLUMBING ANSWERS - SPECIFIC TO FIXTURE => Fittings | Valves | Specialty Fittings and Valves => Topic started by: DUNBAR PLUMBING on January 19, 2010, 12:15:50 PM
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These fittings are becoming a common product even in new construction. !!! I'll post pictures later on but I've seen new construction where they are being used for connections entering the home that transition poly pipe to copper, along with main shutoff valves at water heaters.
My concern at the water heater would be the heating of the O-rings over time, causing them to leak. That literally is all that keeps them from leaking, and the connections via spider clips keep the connection together...even though they can spin almost like a loose socket when installed.
At Home Depot they sell a braided flexible connection that allows for a compression 3/4" to a water heater dielectric nipple to 3/4" copper, cpvc or pex with a sharkbite crimped right into the end of the braided hose.
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When they came out I used them quite a bit. Then I realized I was just being lazy and they are pricey. Now I use them for P.B. repairs. Or in a place that I don't want to use a torch because of a fire hazard. Even now I will use a compretion fitting instead of a shark bite most times. Dang I wish I invented them
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You know, as much as they work very well at being resourceful and easy to use, I still avoid them.
I have an email that came in yesterday that if I didn't lose the job for not responding, I have a situation where a tub/shower faucet is leaking into a 1st floor ceiling and it's going to be CPVC on this one. Probably a male adapter leaking at the threads going into the valve itself.
On this application I'm going to be forced to use those sharkbites. I absolutely will not make a glued connection on CPVC in a home where I know they will want the water back on immediately. I simply do not trust a solvent weld connection being put in a pressure situation so quickly.
I'll definitely take pictures of that job. Probably will do it sunday if they are willing to wait for me. Email came in to me at 11:30, didn't respond till 3am the next day. Dammit! :sign0104:
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I have had sharkbites leak because of a side load. only a drip nothing major. They are great for gray poly fixes. If there is such a thing as a great fix for gray poly. :sign0137:
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I have had sharkbites leak because of a side load. only a drip nothing major. They are great for gray poly fixes. If there is such a thing as a great fix for gray poly. :sign0137:
Actually I don't think there's anything better for gray poly than a sharkbite, as long as the outside of the piping is cylindrical/round where the fitting locks into position correctly.
I have a terrible job to do tomorrow involving CPVC, going to have to switch to copper to resolve the issue and a sharkbite enters the equation of joining dissimilar materials.