I had a plumber demonstrate the durable nature of pex by bending a scrap back and forth several times then heating it with a lighter, saying it “remembers” and “this will be the strongest spot in the line”.
Ok, what about heating the end with a heat gun then popping it on the fitting. Yes? No? Voids the warranty? I’ve got a heat gun.
I’m thinking there should be a Chinese guy right now chucking a bolt in his cordless drill and “scratching head” how one could make one for 9.49. The 375$(whatever) looks a little steep to me.
Replies
You could do it that way.
Kinda like the landscapers putting insert fittings into poly with a bon fire.
You wanna race------ you with heat gun, me with expander------ I'll do it for paychecks
Fonzie - Heating it will NOT work.
My reasoning...
Kinking and bashing the PEX and then heating it to restore it to like-new condition is quite a dramatic way to illustrate the resilience of the plastic. When you kink the tube you introduce stress at room temperature which cannot be relieved at room temperature. Because of its inherent elasticity it will return some in time, but not ALL the way. Heating the tube to the plastic deformation point (until it turns clear, and no more) softens the plastic and relieves the remaining stress. If it is allowed to, it will return to its original manufactured dimensions.
If you were to heat it, then place it over a barbed (such as Wirsbo Quick'n'Easy) fitting it would be prevented from returning to its original "remembered" state. It now has a new "remembered" state -a larger diameter. The elasticity required to exert pressure on the barbed fitting to make a leak-proof connection has been removed.
Stretching it, such as by an expander, has to be done at room temperature, and it does take quite a few minutes (20?, 30?) before the elasticity of the PEX closes back tightly enough around the fitting to make a pressure-proof seal.
Having said all that, I think Wirsbo would be the people to ask on the final word on this topic. Or conduct your own tests.
Yah - I think it's only a matter of time before you see Chinese made expanders. That's one reason why they charge so much for them now. They have to charge a lot initially and make their money before the competition arrives. Might be some patent infringement, but that doesn't seem to stop the grey market. And a relatively low-volume tool takes longer to take advantage of economies of scale.
Regards - Brian.
Heck - come to think of it, maybe the ones they're selling now are made in China. Has anyone out there that has one checked?
- Brian.
markls8,Thanks for explaining that Brian. I wouldn't try such a thing in somebody's house - research is expensive. I didn't understand how the "memory" thing worked. Nor did I "buy" the idea that the stuff had "healed" after repeated kinking. It is a pretty good illustration of how tough the stuff is. The new "reverse osmosis" purifying system (with the loosely or incompetently controlled ph) has turned copper to junk in this area. The pex is "flying" everywhere. The main obstacle for the DIY is the expensive expander. Of course, I think everybody ought to have a little oil refiner in their back yard too (just make what you can use). Fz
For $100 you could get a crimper at Lowes.
Different tool. That is for the Quest pex system with crimp rings. The expander is for the Wirsbo style system. Much faster and one of the main benefits with pex is the speed in which it can be installed. That is what makes it the economic item it is. DanT
Oh. :-)
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
Go to eMachineShop (http://www.emachineshop.com) and download the software. Its a simple CAD program, and its free. Draft the tool, choose the material(s), have the program validate your drawings and quote you a price for the one-off unit and each additional unit.
If somebody wants to do a whole house full of Pex themselves, you can buy the Wirsbo expander with 2 heads (1/2" & 3/4") at any good plumbing supply house for $250 or so.
If that's all you want to use it for, sell it on E-Bay. They pay new prices for used tools there.
no heat for the fittings... BUT i've been study'n the expander wirsbo head and i think i can make one that A. goes on a cordless drill or B. adapts to and air pop rivit gun... I have no question i can make one... I'll prob end up with $20 or $500 in it and i'll be the onle one that can operate it... so it'll be just like the rest of my equipment...
p
Though I haven't looked in the last year you used to be able to find them occasionally on ebay. Might give that a try. DanT