Have bought two coils of polyplumb barrier pipe, 22mm & 15mm, they gave me inserts of black plastic. I have purchased conex brass compression fittings as I think it is a stronger joint. Are the plastic inserts correct to use with the conex fittings and your opinions on what I am using would be gratefully received. It is being used on normal hot and cold supplies within the house. Many thanks for any replies Peter
Have bought two coils of polyplumb barrier pipe, 22mm & 15mm, they gave me inserts of black plastic. I have purchased conex brass compression fittings as I think it is a stronger joint. Are the plastic inserts correct to use with the conex fittings and your opinions on what I am using would be gratefully received. It is being used on normal hot and cold supplies within the house. Many thanks for any replies Peter The last time I looked at Polyplumb the inserts were stainless steel. Have they gone over to plastic? You can use Conex compression on plastic pipes, however I would rather have a steel insert using compression joints. Just wrap the olive heavily with PTFE tape and tighten up. That is all they need for a good joint. Visit the Polyplumb web site. I think they have a downloadable user manual.
One other point about compression fittings on plasic pipe, use copper olives as they squash onto the pipe with less force. Martin
Thankyou Water systems & Martin, I actually went to a supplier today and asked for polyplumb barrier stainless inserts and they said they only do the plastic now. Martin, I also read your suggestion on using copper olives so I bought some today. Thanks again Peter
Try a hep insert I often mix and match them never had a problem yet Only ever use pipe inserts from the pipe makers. The internal bores are different. This could cause big problems.
Hep and Polyplumb are both polybutylene and both the same thickness. PEX is thinner wall. If you follow Conex's instructions on using their connectors with plastic pipe you do them up by "finger tight plus number of turns" (~1!) and not torque. I see no problem using brass olives - either metal is much harder than the plastic so they both dig in satisfactorily. Conex don't recommend tape round the olive but I believe it's Hep who do, and it makes sense to me.
Hep and Polyplumb are both polybutylene and both the same thickness. Not according to Hepworth they are not. <u>Don't mix pipe inserts.</u> You can to a degree mix the fittings, bit then agaion the makers state tolerances are different from maker to maker in the external diameter, even though they are supposed to be all the same external size.
Really appreiate your imput guy's, I think I can take all the advice given. I feel steel inserts would have been more secure but since I have now got the polyplumb plastic, I just as well use them. I have worked with steam up to 6-7 bar over the years and sometimes had to put a bit of ptfe around the outside of the olive when it did not seal but it was rare. My mains only goes to a max of around 5 bar 1/2" supply at the moment. Thanks again guy's Peter
Sorry to latch on here and don't want to be negative, but my experience of using compression fittings with Hep2O it is fine with 15mm, but I have had problems with 22mm, very slow weeping joints etc. I had to use loads of PTFE to get it to seal. Maybe things are better now, but I prefer to use the pushfit to join to copper then use a compression fitting. (I'm not a proper plumber though....)
Sorry to latch on here and don't want to be negative, but my experience of using compression fittings with Hep2O it is fine with 15mm, but I have had problems with 22mm, very slow weeping joints etc. I had to use loads of PTFE to get it to seal. Maybe things are better now, but I prefer to use the pushfit to join to copper then use a compression fitting. (I'm not a proper plumber though....) ...but a very asute observation.
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