My tame CORGI guy was extolling the virtues of using Flexy connectors
when connecting baths & sinks - i.e. connect them to the appliance
first - fit appliance then connect up the flex pipe with ease.

I have always done this the hard way with copper(or Hep20) pipe -
anybody any views on these - do they last ? are they durable etc.


Rick

p.s. this is the same CORGI guy who on commissioning my boiler looked
for a gas leak with his cigarette lighter .... and when the small puff
of blue flame appeared stated – see that's how it's done !

the only problems are on thin stainles steel sinks,they do not give any
rigidity to the installtion.the way that hard copper does,the same goes for
acryic baths with victorian type bath mixer.

On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 16:49:34 +0000 (UTC), "Alex"
wrote:

the only problems are on thin stainles steel sinks,they do not give any
rigidity to the installtion.

Yup second that. I had a very cheap b+q stainless sink with such a
flexi pipe arrangement and the taps moved alot

C

I have always done this the hard way with copper(or Hep20) pipe -
anybody any views on these - do they last ? are they durable etc.

They're fine, but ugly, and sometimes (but rarely) suffer from noise issues
on mains pressure systems. I had to replace a flexible hose I used on my
(cold mains) bath tap with copper, as it caused the entire system to buzz
like crazy at random for a couple of minutes at a time. A water hammer
arrester might have cured it, but I couldn't find a supplier and had the
copper already.

Christian.

On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 16:56:02 -0000, "Christian McArdle"
wrote:

I have always done this the hard way with copper(or Hep20) pipe -
anybody any views on these - do they last ? are they durable etc.

They're fine, but ugly, and sometimes (but rarely) suffer from noise issues
on mains pressure systems. I had to replace a flexible hose I used on my
(cold mains) bath tap with copper, as it caused the entire system to buzz
like crazy at random for a couple of minutes at a time. A water hammer
arrester might have cured it, but I couldn't find a supplier and had the
copper already.

Christian.

BES have shock arresters for future reference....


..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

BES have shock arresters for future reference....

Yeah. I spotted them a few months back. The plumbing merchants didn't have a
clue what I was asking for, by name or description.

Christian.

On 16 Mar 2004 08:45:05 -0800, (Rick) wrote:

My tame CORGI guy was extolling the virtues of using Flexy connectors
when connecting baths & sinks - i.e. connect them to the appliance
first - fit appliance then connect up the flex pipe with ease.

I have always done this the hard way with copper(or Hep20) pipe -
anybody any views on these - do they last ? are they durable etc.

I use flexies all the time now - much easier to install than cutting
copper (or plastic) to the required length! Though I have to say that
the latter is probably a skill that you pick up.

These things are a huge bonus for bath taps where you have limited
room in the tap area. Focus DIY in Bracknell sell some long versions
of these flexies (nylon covered) which means you can bring the
connections to the 22mm supply pipes away from the bath to somewhere
easy to grapple with. I think those long flexies are something like
18in in length.

The only issue to be careful of from my experience is that the flexy
must not kink, and when tightening up you have to ensure that there is
no twist stress placed on the flexy.

PoP

---
If you need to contact me please submit your comments
via the web form at http://www.anyoldtripe.co.uk. I'll
probably still ignore you but at least I'll get the
message.....

PoP wrote:
On 16 Mar 2004 08:45:05 -0800, (Rick) wrote:

My tame CORGI guy was extolling the virtues of using Flexy connectors
when connecting baths & sinks - i.e. connect them to the appliance
first - fit appliance then connect up the flex pipe with ease.

I have always done this the hard way with copper(or Hep20) pipe -
anybody any views on these - do they last ? are they durable etc.

I use flexies all the time now - much easier to install than cutting
copper (or plastic) to the required length! Though I have to say that
the latter is probably a skill that you pick up.

These things are a huge bonus for bath taps where you have limited
room in the tap area. Focus DIY in Bracknell sell some long versions
of these flexies (nylon covered) which means you can bring the
connections to the 22mm supply pipes away from the bath to somewhere
easy to grapple with. I think those long flexies are something like
18in in length.

The only issue to be careful of from my experience is that the flexy
must not kink, and when tightening up you have to ensure that there is
no twist stress placed on the flexy.

PoP
They can limit flow, especially noticeable with gravity fed systems on the
first floor.

On Wed, 17 Mar 2004 13:01:28 -0000, "BillV"
wrote:

They can limit flow, especially noticeable with gravity fed systems on the
first floor.

True - I had overlooked to mention that.

PoP

---
If you need to contact me please submit your comments
via the web form at http://www.anyoldtripe.co.uk. I'll
probably still ignore you but at least I'll get the
message.....

(Rick) wrote:

Hello Rick

R| My tame CORGI guy was extolling the virtues of using Flexy
R| connectors when connecting baths & sinks - i.e. connect them
R| to the appliance first - fit appliance then connect up the
R| flex pipe with ease.

They're ok. I prefer pushfit though. Can just push the pipe in once
the thing's fixed. Plastic or copper cupro if it's on show. Cupro's a
******* to release though.

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK
uk.d-i-y FAQ: http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/

On Wed, 17 Mar 2004 22:37:40 GMT, (Simon
Avery) wrote:

They're ok. I prefer pushfit though. Can just push the pipe in once
the thing's fixed. Plastic or copper cupro if it's on show. Cupro's a
******* to release though.

Don't laugh. For the first time ever I used pushfit last week. I've
always been a copper man myself, and this new fangled plasticy stuff
didn't appeal to me. I felt it couldn't possibly be capable of
replacing copper - not the plastic piping, but the joints - how could
a push fitting possibly be strong enough and secure enough to not
cause flooding?

It has to be said that I'm still not a plastic convert, but at least
I've broken the ice, and from here on will be less inclined to ignore
pushfit.

Just trying to get to grips with the various different types of
pushfit fittings now!

PoP

---
If you need to contact me please submit your comments
via the web form at http://www.anyoldtripe.co.uk. I'll
probably still ignore you but at least I'll get the
message.....

PoP wrote:

Hello PoP

P| It has to be said that I'm still not a plastic convert, but
P| at least I've broken the ice, and from here on will be less
P| inclined to ignore pushfit.

I think it's wizzy!

Seriously. Solder just annoys the hell outta me and is a fire risk.
Compression is Ok, but tends to leak. Pushfit just, well, works.

I've replumbed pretty much my whole house this year (was only going to
do the bathroom, but took the opportunity to replace various crap bits
whilst I was there). Most of it now in speedfit fittings and pipe. The
pipe especially is a major plus for running under the floor. Five
minutes to lay pipe from one end of the house to the other, with two
boards up. Ace!

I had one plastic joint that weeped because I hadn't pushed the pipe
in far enough. One existing end-feed solder fitting broke when I
nudged the pipe because it hadn't been soldered cleanly, and numerous
compressions leaked.

Some folks mutter about the cost of plastic fittings, but I don't
think it's much more expensive considering that with the plastic pipe
you need far, far fewer fittings on a typical install. Much faster
too. Snip with secateurs (they work great for 15 and 22mm, you don't
need the special cutters), insert liner, push into fitting - perfect
joint in under 5 seconds every time. A really good DIY product.

That said, some of the plastic fittings aren't as good as Speedfit or
Hep20, I don't know if I'd trust them as much.

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK
uk.d-i-y FAQ: http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/

Some folks mutter about the cost of plastic fittings, but I don't
think it's much more expensive considering that with the plastic pipe
you need far, far fewer fittings on a typical install.

The push fits are very expensive, though. I ended up using cheap bulk packs
of 22mm straight compressions on plastic pipe after I used up my supply.

Christian.

"Simon Avery" wrote in message
...
PoP wrote:

Hello PoP

P| It has to be said that I'm still not a plastic convert, but
P| at least I've broken the ice, and from here on will be less
P| inclined to ignore pushfit.

I think it's wizzy!

Seriously. Solder just annoys the hell outta me and is a fire risk.
Compression is Ok, but tends to leak. Pushfit just, well, works.

I've replumbed pretty much my whole house this year (was only going to
do the bathroom, but took the opportunity to replace various crap bits
whilst I was there). Most of it now in speedfit fittings and pipe. The
pipe especially is a major plus for running under the floor. Five
minutes to lay pipe from one end of the house to the other, with two
boards up. Ace!

So this pipe is unlagged and laying on the bottom of a floor void?

I had one plastic joint that weeped because I hadn't pushed the pipe
in far enough. One existing end-feed solder fitting broke when I
nudged the pipe because it hadn't been soldered cleanly, and numerous
compressions leaked.

That is because you can't do soldered joints and used cheap compression
joints.

Some folks mutter about the cost of plastic fittings, but I don't
think it's much more expensive considering that with the plastic pipe
you need far, far fewer fittings on a typical install. Much faster
too.

Well when you have the pipe laying on the bottom of a floor void.

Snip with secateurs (they work great for 15 and 22mm, you don't
need the special cutters), insert liner, push into fitting - perfect
joint in under 5 seconds every time. A really good DIY product.

That said, some of the plastic fittings aren't as good as Speedfit or
Hep20, I don't know if I'd trust them as much.

Speedfit are way down the list of fittings, as they are all plastic with
plastic inserts. Marley equator and Osma Gold are better.

This sort of piping is banned in the USA because of catastrophic failures.

http://www.polybutylene.com/poly.html

PoP wrote .
(Simon Avery) wrote:

They're ok. I prefer pushfit though. Can just push the pipe in once
the thing's fixed. Plastic or copper cupro if it's on show. Cupro's a
******* to release though.

Don't laugh. For the first time ever I used pushfit last week.

Yup, me too, I decided I couldn't ignore it anymore so I broke the ice
with a bit of pushfit on copper pipes behind the new kitchen units. At
least if one lets go it's fairly easy to get at to replace rather than
being under a floorboard somewhere.

... I felt it couldn't possibly be capable of replacing copper - not the
plastic piping, but the joints - how could a push fitting possibly be strong
enough and secure enough to not cause flooding?

I clipped the runs to the wall in the usual way, making sure the
elbows couldn't flex. Not using poly pipe just yet ....

It has to be said that I'm still not a plastic convert, but at least
I've broken the ice, and from here on will be less inclined to ignore
pushfit.

Indeed, i'm just dipping a toe too by trying out the joints. Kitchen
is still dry, so i'm not going to demonise pushfit just yet ...

Cheers,

Paul.

"Zymurgy" wrote in message
om...
PoP wrote .
(Simon Avery) wrote:

They're ok. I prefer pushfit though. Can just push the pipe in once
the thing's fixed. Plastic or copper cupro if it's on show. Cupro's a
******* to release though.

Don't laugh. For the first time ever I used pushfit last week.

Yup, me too, I decided I couldn't ignore it anymore so I broke the ice
with a bit of pushfit on copper pipes behind the new kitchen units. At
least if one lets go it's fairly easy to get at to replace rather than
being under a floorboard somewhere.

... I felt it couldn't possibly be capable of replacing copper - not the
plastic piping, but the joints - how could a push fitting possibly be
strong
enough and secure enough to not cause flooding?

I clipped the runs to the wall in the usual way, making sure the
elbows couldn't flex. Not using poly pipe just yet ....

It has to be said that I'm still not a plastic convert, but at least
I've broken the ice, and from here on will be less inclined to ignore
pushfit.

Indeed, i'm just dipping a toe too by trying out the joints. Kitchen
is still dry, so i'm not going to demonise pushfit just yet ...

This sort of piping is banned in the USA because of catastrophic failures.

http://www.polybutylene.com/poly.html

This sort of piping is banned in the USA because of catastrophic failures.
http://www.polybutylene.com/poly.html

No, that's polybutylene. That is a totally different plastic, normally
terminated with crimp fittings. It is completely different from what we use,
which is polyethylene with pushfit or compression jointing. They call our
polyethylene/MDPE pipe PEX over there. It is widely used, but not as widely
as over here. They still use the crimp fittings, though.

Christian.

IMM wrote in message ...
This sort of piping is banned in the USA because of catastrophic failures.

http://www.polybutylene.com/poly.html



I'd be very wary of plastic piping. I've found that all my 100mm grey,
external waste pipe connecting joints which are exposed to sunlight have
broken up after 20 years exposure and will have to be replaced. My external
brown polyethylene(?) waste pipe used as sleeving for the shed supply has
also deteriorated badly over 25 years and needs replacing. I suspect that to
ensure long term reliability a much greater wall thickness will be required
than is currently used.
Just an opinion.

Regards
Capitol