PEX Crimping question

[Newfie]

Hi...new to working with PEX and am putting in a new bathroom. I need to add some T's to the 3/4 inch lines and run 1/2 inch lines to sink, toilet shower etc. I have noticed some fittings sold comes with the black and gold copper crimp rings. (I know gold is used for Polybutylene and black is used for PEX). I have also noticed you can buy the single ear Stainless Steel Clamps.

My questions relates to the clamping/crimping system used. Which is better and are their recommendations for use of copper vs stainless rings?

The crimping tool for the copper rings is much more expensive than the crimper for the single ear stainless rings...any idea why?

Thanks!

[avid_hiker]

Im pretty sure the code varies from state to state.....so check your local codes.

[Karl S]

Is this what you mean by a single ear clamp:

We are a hardware store in Alaska and sell a lot of these. This company makes both of the clamps you describe and say that they work equally well. Our experience says that they are correct.

The tool for stainless rings is smaller than the one for the copper rings. That's why it is cheaper. Because it is smaller, it is much easier to use in confined spaces.

[Newfie]

Thanks...this is exactly what I am referring too. I am going to go with the Single Ear Stainless...they seem must easier to use, I have heard they provide a better seal and the tool is smaller and can fit in tight spaces.

Thanks again.

[Eigenvector]

I've seen the steel rings, You aren't referring to the Zurn crimp rings that replaced the old black copper rings? If you are I'm leary of those from the standpoint that iron on brass may promote corrosion and/or weakening of the joint over time through dissimilar metal corrosion. I can't say if that's a concern though, I've never seen them in action.

[lp13-30]

I have never worked with PEX. It is slowly catching on here and is being used in some new houses, but I have no idea of the percentage using it vs copper. I have been curious about it for some time. I worked on soda systems for about 20 years and the lines, fittings, etc appear similar, though they were only 1/4" and 3/8" ID, and very rarely a couple of

1/2". The fittings were all stainless though. They used a crimp ring that looks like the ones shown, which semed to work fine. Of course none of it was hot--just room temperature and cold. The syrup was under less pressure than most household water lines, but the carbonated water was more. Anyone in here familiar with soda systems (and PEX) who can tell me about the differences/similarities of the two? Thanks Larry

[Dave Martindale]

The Home Depot here sells two PB/PEX fittings, a straight coupler and a tee. The tee lets you cut a PB line and add a PEX line. The coupler lets you convert from PB to PEX. Everything else is PEX-only. The PB/PEX fittings come with the crimp rings, but for other PEX fittings you need to buy your own rings.

The copper crimping tool is a large heavy precision device. It's also adjustable so you can keep the crimped diameter within specs as the tool wears. There is a 0.015 inch range of acceptable crimp diameters. It's expensive to buy, but HD rents them for CDN$8 for 4 hours and CDN$11 per day.

The stainless ring tool is smaller and lighter. It only has to grab an "ear" on the ring and crimp that. I don't know much else about it.

If you're going to be doing mixed PB/PEX work, you need the copper crimper for the PB copper rings anyway. They are a different thickness from the PEX copper rings, so I don't think you can use the stainless rings for PB fittings. That, combined with the fact that HD doesn't rent the stainless crimping tool, made the choice easy for me.

Dave