Sharkbite fittings

[Ed Pawlowski]

I never heard of them until a couple of years ago on this newsgroup. Fantastic, they are.

When my house was build, the baseboard heating tubing had to take a bend at the shower stall. The plumber put in a bellows type of flex unit and after a few years it started to leak. I replaced it and it was a PITA because of the location, difficult to sweat the joints. A few years later, it leaked again.

This time, I drilled a hole in the base of the shower enclosure and ran a length of PEX to the other side, connecting under the stairs of a split entry stair. Very low head space. Again, all was well for a few years and the couplings leaked. Tightened them and all was well or another year. This time the drip would not stop.

I bought a couple of Sharkbite couplings for 3/4" tubing. Cut a new length of PEX as it had to be slightly longer. In the bathroom, it was just snap/snap, then crawled through the closet and under the stairs, snap/snap and I was done. Wish I knew about these 20 years ago when all the trouble started.

While they are much more expensive than regular couplings, they have a place where they save a lot of time and trouble.

[Smarty]

A perfect opportunity for me to say "Thank You" for all the excellent ideas, suggestions, and help I have received on this newsgroup.

Having done all sorts of 'do it yourself' projects for nearly 60 years, it is always tempting to believe that past experience and time tested techniques are the right way to solve a new problem. On many occasions, I have learned from others here and on other newsgroups that there are often better, newer and different ways to approach and solve problems which I would have never, ever thought of.

Again, Thank You all.

Smarty

[DerbyDad03]

re: "No reuse, like Sharkbites"

I'm not sure how to interpret that phrase. Are you saying that Sharkbites are not reusable or did you mean that the new PVC fittings are not reusable, *unlike* Sharkbites, which are?

[Bob_Villa]

The only encounter with these was an Invacare Whirlpool where they leaked. The connections were 3/8(on poly-eth)and may have been due to vibration or high-pressure...but I'm NOT going to use them because of it.

[jamesgang]

astic, they are. When my house was build, the baseboard heating tubing had to take a bend at the shower stall. The plumber put in a bellows type of fl ex unit and after a few years it started to leak. I replaced it and it was a PITA because of the location, difficult to sweat the joints. A few years later, it leaked again. This time, I drilled a hole in the base of the show er enclosure and ran a length of PEX to the other side, connecting under th e stairs of a split entry stair. Very low head space. Again, all was well f or a few years and the couplings leaked. Tightened them and all was well or another year. This time the drip would not stop. I bought a couple of Shar kbite couplings for 3/4" tubing. Cut a new length of PEX as it had to be sl ightly longer. In the bathroom, it was just snap/snap, then crawled through the closet and under the stairs, snap/snap and I was done. Wish I knew abo ut these 20 years ago when all the trouble started. While they are much mor e expensive than regular couplings, they have a place where they save a lot of time and trouble.

I used a few for a transition from cpvc to pex and they are pretty handy. The price prohibits me from using them unless the situation really calls fo r it. I can see how may homeowners would choose them for copper as you nee d to know what you are doing to sweat copper and you have to get all the wa ter out.

[Red]

Those are made by Rain Bird and are not intended to be used again. However I have found a way to release the teeth from the pipe and get a second or third use. They're good for yard sprinkler use but using them with drip irrigation for a vegetable garden requires removing the whole thing to re-till the soil next year.

[recyclebinned]

You can also use C X MIP adapters and a brass 90 elbow. I?m not sure how the price would compare with Sharkbite but it would probably last a lot longer.

[Robert]

Are you certain that it does not work with PVC..???... I know that there are different versions of SB for different pipes, and I don't recall that PVC was not included.....

[Ed Pawlowski]

connections were 3/8(on poly-eth)and may have been due to vibration or high-pressure...but I'm NOT going to use them because of it.

They are not certified for PE tubing. Don't let your error stop you from using them in the correct application.

[Bob_Villa]

The connections were 3/8(on poly-eth)and may have been due to vibration or high-pressure...but I'm NOT going to use them because of it.

How is it my error when it came from the factory? Maybe it is the right kind of tubing for the application and it failed. If I run-into something I feel is a short-cut method...I don't use it.

[Ed Pawlowski]

The connections were 3/8(on poly-eth)and may have been due to vibration or high-pressure...but I'm NOT going to use them because of it.

tubing for the application and it failed.

OK, then it is THEIR error, not yours. That does not mean the fitting is bad, the tubing is not certified for use with them.

[DerbyDad03]

What's your definition of a short cut method?

Isn't a PVC toilet flange a shortcut when compared to lead and oakum?

Some of us call those kinds of things new technology.

[Bob_Villa]

That's easy...how long have PVC toilet flanges been in use? If something fails for you a couple times...do you use it again? Possibly, they don't scale well...certain sizes may be more reliable.

[DerbyDad03]

Do you have stats for failures rates on Sharkbites? All I ever hear is good reviews. What has failed for you "a couple of times"?

[Bob_Villa]

Already stated.

[DerbyDad03]

Oh, that's right. They failed in an application for which they are not certified. Already stated.

If a guy tries to cross a pond on a four wheeler and sinks like a stone, would you swear off four wheelers also?