I know you’re all familiar with black plastic supply pipe (polybutyl?) (the kind that slides on to barbed fittings and then tightened with hose clamps). I’ve always had a devil of a time getting that stuff on or off.
I have some of this stuff attached to the well pump and bladder tank on the house I’m remodeling. I want to install a whole house water filter in series with the supply line and I’ve got to splice it into that same aggravating pipe that I just mentioned above. It’ll be a small miracle if I can do it without turning this simple project into a larger and more costly one.
Do any of you know of some tips or tricks for removing or installing black plastic pipe from a fitting…especially when it’s got some age on it?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
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Replies
Off- Hook blade in a utility knife.
On- Warm water on the hose and a little dish soap on the fitting.
Matt
A little heat applied gently with either a torch or heat gun. Just be careful, you can over do it.
Yeah, I've never actually done it with a large-diameter pipe, but I've heard that heat (boiling water, eg) is the trick to getting the barbs together. Also helps to have a couple of football players to push the pieces together.
When getting them off I've resorted to either cutting or prying.
I kinda wonder if some of the pros don't have some sort of press for doing this stuff.
If there's room just cut it off. It helps to lubricate it when putting one in and I use a rubber hammer to persuade it.
The pipe is polyethylene, polybutylene was the cra,p that got the class action lawsuit against it.
I would take out the barbed adapters & pipe, then replace with a pex configuration.
They make several different types of compression adapters for pex as well as sharkbite fittings.
“The Hand of providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more than wicked, that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.” —George Washington
I think he is talking about 1 1/4 or better supply lines, and if not, ... I go through the same thing a half dozen times a year putting and taking out water systems down at the lake, always used the pull and wiggle method .. thinking about trying unions next year ..
Well he didn't give a size, 1" & 3/4" are pretty common, so that's what I was going with-------- you know that whole assumption thing--- ;-)
“The Hand of providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more than wicked, that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.” —George Washington
He said it was between the well pump and pressure (bladder) tank.
& 1" is quite common for that.
1" pipe 100' long at 50 to 70 psi will handle 39 fixture units, most houses with 2.5 baths run about 25 ftu's
“The Hand of providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more than wicked, that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.” —George Washington
I've only ever seen 1-1/4 and 1-1/2 in my experience here. I guess because my wells were located farther than that from the tank. I hope he installs a shut off on both sides of the new filter...
Yep , and better yet install unions too. Far easier to deal with then pulling pipe apart every time something needs dealing with."Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
Edited 10/2/2007 12:26 am by dovetail97128
Distance & pressure make a huge difference in the size required.
& pex does come in larger sizes BTW.
http://www.uponor-usa.com/index.php?id=122&pid=32
“The Hand of providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more than wicked, that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.” —George Washington
Yabbut, no one can afford that. <G>
propane torch heat gently around the entire fitting...will slip on and off like it were greased with butta.
When re-installing onto the fitting, tighten the clamps (2 stainless per each end of the brass fitting) when the pipe is still soft, don't over do it...and you'll get a great seal.
I'll second that, and add red brass fittings are the best, nylon fittings are ok if you have access to change them. I don't like to use nylon threaded fittings when you change from plactic pipe to metal pipe or pump castings.
You wouldn't happen to have an online source for the red brass fittings would you.
Jim
I get red brass from the local plumbing supply houses, never looked online.
Maybe some one else will have a link.
I have a real cheap B&D heat gun that's perfect for this, but a hair dryer would work as well. It's pretty easy to do damage with a propane torch, but i use that if electricity isn't available. Keep it moving!
Torch works great. Just quickly wave the flame around the pipe a few times (hold tip of flame about 6" away from the pipe). Try to heat it evenly all around. As it warms and softens, you'll notice that it turns from dull black to shiney rather quickly. After about five seconds or so of warming, it should be soft enough to pull away from the barbed fitting with hardly any effort. Reheat to make repairs. When properly heated, it will be uncomfortable to touch so wear gloves. If you heat it for to long it can burn or melt through. Just start slow, if the parts don't come apart easily, just reheat for another couple of seconds.
Thanks for all the great feedback. I'm working with 3/4" pipe (sorry I forgot to mention that) and I do plan to install a bypass circuit along with the filter.
New knowledge is priceless.
Used knowledge is even more valuable.