Eigenvector wrote:
"Joey" wrote in message
...

Eigenvector wrote:


Hopefully this hasn't been discussed too many times and is in the right
group, but here goes....

I'm slowly replacing the 50 year old galvanized pipes in my house with
PEX, seems like a much easier task and the materials are cheaper. That
said, one problem that I'm running into is that there is SO MANY kinds of
PEX on the market. My question is of compatibility - is, for instance,
Zurn PEX tubing compabitible with non Zurn fittings? Is PEX tube PEX
tube, or does it really matter?

To be honest, I find the Zurn stuff to be just fine, but its impossible
to find locally and I can't seem to locate an online dealer - not to
mention the lack of fittings.

Is this a problem because PEX is new, or because I'm not a contractor and
just not experienced enough?

PEX is really not that new here. I know that some Lowe's and HD now sell
PEX. It comes in blue, white, red, etc. It takes a special tool to crimp
the rings, that is the expensive part. There is also a GO-NO-GO guage to
make sure the crimp rings are crimped correctly. Make sure you don't get
the polybuterine or irrigation tubing as it's not the same. The fittings
for 1/2 PEX are standard regardless of manufacturer. Also the 3/4 and up
are the same. Just make sure it's PEX.

J


Well I have the tools for the Zurn stuff, honestly I find the crimper tool
to be a major PIA to use, but that's mostly because the tubing doesn't fit
very snugly on the fittings and so it slides around as you try to manuver
that crimper head into proper position. You're right about it being
expensive, yikes! That said, I mistakenly got some Qest fittings (hand
tighten compression fitting style) and no matter how tight I made the
connection I couldn't keep the tubing from coming out - one of the reasons
why I went for the Zurn fittings and one of the reasons why I thought the
fittings were specific to the tubing.


Hi,
B4 you slide the tubing onto fitting, dip the fitting in the water. Much
easy this way.