# What is the best PEX out there???



## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

I have always used the WIRSBO brand of pex pipe
and found it to be very good.. You can freeze the stuff solild and it wont break...

*The only drawback is the expence of the tools*....

From my supply house about 4 years ago I got an
electric battery operated expander... they were on sale at the time and got it for about 
$400. with 3 heads..... list was 1200  

Also have the neumatic air perssure one too....
That was another $800 bucks....and this tool has broken down on me:furious: 

Tuesday morning the helper opens the side door to the van and the the Electric battery expander had shifted in the truck and falls out to the ground. right as he opens the door.........

yes.... it landed perfectly on the edje of the handle and broke the
 handle and battery carrage right off the g..damn thing...
It was basically my fault for not secureing the thing better the night before.......


Now I got to decide wether to shell out 700 bucks 
for another stupid electric expander or experiment with some other brands .....

anyone out there willing to give me an education
on what other brands are better than Wirsbo?


I would rather carry a crimper any day if I could find
something I can trust to work for 35 years...






.


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## Everflow (Feb 1, 2010)

I'm a big fan of the Sioux Chief system (used to be Rehau). Been using it for a few years now and have never had any of it fail. But it has the same problem as the Wirsbo the tools are a little pricey.


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## Shuanvon (Aug 5, 2009)

Don't change a thing man, I think wirsbo has it going on. I researched several of them before we got in the PEX game. I will not use anything with a crimp ring(to much like polybutylene):furious:. Call me crazy but that junk scares me.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

Shuanvon said:


> Don't change a thing man, I think wirsbo has it going on. I researched several of them before we got in the PEX game. I will not use anything with a crimp ring(to much like polybutylene):furious:. Call me crazy but that junk scares me.


The crimp rings work very well so dont be afraid of them. I speaking to what I know and thats the copper crimp ring system. We started using poly after the copper fittings and copper rings first came out in the 80's. We waited because we didn't like those plastic fittings they used at first. Some of the poly we installed back then is still in service and hasn't had any problems but some has like most people has experienced. I still have the same crimp tools back from the 80's and they work fine are still are in spec.....I think i adjusted them twice. Crimps work good if you pay attention to what your doing and each crimp does not need to be checked with the go/no go gauge. Its proved itself to me as being a good alternative to copper and way better than cpvc.


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## Everflow (Feb 1, 2010)

Most of you most likely know this but the Wirsbo and Rehau pipe are the same thing you can use whichever fitting system you want to on the pex.

Shuanvon I'm with you on the crimp, that stuff is going to give pex a bad name overtime.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

Everflow said:


> Most of you most likely know this but the Wirsbo and Rehau pipe are the same thing you can use whichever fitting system you want to on the pex.
> 
> Shuanvon I'm with you on the crimp, that stuff is going to give pex a bad name overtime.


 Well i'm waiting...its almost been 20 years now:laughing:


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## Everflow (Feb 1, 2010)

You might have a long wait sense your doing it right:thumbup:

You know as well as I do there are people out there NOT doing it right.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

Everflow said:


> You might have a long wait sense your doing it right:thumbup:
> 
> You know as well as I do there are people out there NOT doing it right.


 If it makes you feel betta I do use rehau:thumbup: But I hear they are gone now.....I had about 1,000' of each size 1/2"-1" but the 1/2 and 3/4 are beginnning to run low,so I will be using somthing different soon enough.


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## Everflow (Feb 1, 2010)

Just buy the Uponor pipe and keep going. I have seen the new Sioux Chief fittings been using them for the last few months now.


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## Nevada Plumber (Jan 3, 2009)

I think Wirsbo ProPEX is a really good system. I will use that when I plumb a new house. It is awkward for service work however, so I use the Viega crimp ring system. Just make sure the tool is calibrated correctly, and you won't have any problems.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

OK. You're crazy 



Shuanvon said:


> Don't change a thing man, I think wirsbo has it going on. I researched several of them before we got in the PEX game. I will not use anything with a crimp ring(to much like polybutylene):furious:. Call me crazy but that junk scares me.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*thanks for the replies*

my helper thinks he has glued the tool back
together with some hi tech composite glues....
we wait and see.... I am in the clear for now...
no more big re-pipes to do.

something else that chaps my ass about 
Wirsbo that I did not realize till I priced some
brass fittings today..... 

A 3/4 brass wirsbo ball valve stop
is actually a few bucks more than a 3/4 sharkbite
ball valve stop... their brass is way overpriced

3/4 sharkbite stops for 7.50 each....wirsbo stops about 10.50 each...
I just about **** a brick right at the counter......


so I bought 2 3/4 sharkbites , and installed them on 
my wirsbo re-pipe job this afternoon instead of getting 
out the expander tools, all I did was cut the pipe and snap them on... .



as I have about 2 trash cans full of the black plastic fittings ,
 I have not priced out the brass stuff in years...


but I consider it high-way robbery.


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## AKdaplumba (Jan 12, 2010)

wirsbo is too labor intensive. Or are you allowed to crimp wirsbo instead of using the expander method?


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

AKdaplumba said:


> wirsbo is too labor intensive. Or are you allowed to crimp wirsbo instead of using the expander method?


Pex is pex you can crimp all you want till your eyes fall out.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*no you are not*



AKdaplumba said:


> wirsbo is too labor intensive. Or are you allowed to crimp wirsbo instead of using the expander method?


 
they had some ss crimp rings for a while but dis-continued them cause people were getting teh rings all mixed up with other brands....


their was a re-call on the SS crimp clamps and now you are only supposed to use the plastic expander rings...

it is all basically slop to me..
I just choose wirsbo cause its the best slop ..

the reason this job was done in pex is becasue it is in a very nasty neighborhoon and the copper would have been stolen off the job probably twice already...


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

I've crimped it before on water softener installs in new homes that were done in wirsbo/upunor. Still holding (knock on wood)



Master Mark said:


> they had some ss crimp rings for a while but dis-continued them cause people were getting teh rings all mixed up with other brands....
> 
> 
> their was a re-call on the SS crimp clamps and now you are only supposed to use the plastic expander rings...
> ...


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## Miguel (Aug 10, 2009)

I've used copper crimps for about twenty years now. Never could get into the Wirsbo method. Too awkward and cumbersome, and in our climate 10 months of the year you'd have to heat each fitting before it actually took.
So far I've had two crimp rings fail during test and both were workman error. That's in twenty years of use.
I can still waterpipe a building faster in copper than I can with Wirsbo.
And since Uponor is doing away with the brightly colored exp. rings (they're all gonna be white with red, blue or black writing on them. :001_huh I see no advantage to using it. OH! The fittings are full bore. They've got that!


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

Miguel said:


> I've used copper crimps for about twenty years now. Never could get into the Wirsbo method. Too awkward and cumbersome, and in our climate 10 months of the year you'd have to heat each fitting before it actually took.
> So far I've had two crimp rings fail during test and both were workman error. That's in twenty years of use.
> I can still waterpipe a building faster in copper than I can with Wirsbo.
> And since Uponor is doing away with the brightly colored exp. rings (they're all gonna be white with red, blue or black writing on them. :001_huh I see no advantage to using it. OH! The fittings are full bore. They've got that!


 You know,I was thinking the same about plumbing in copper vs the expanded. With the right torch and a good apprentice I can run the shiot out of copper.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Wirsbo is getting be about the same price as copper too all things considered.


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## rickmccarthy (Jul 20, 2009)

I am with UPONOR all the way I used to use a brand called KITEC about 15 years ago they were crimp and compression allthough the compression were pulled for high lead content. I will only use Wiresbo now for one simple reason. Memory, all material has it. IF you crimp something it spends the rest of its life trying to get back to its original shape making it loose when you expand something it spends the rest of its life trying to reach its original shape making it tighter. I have absolutely nothing to back this up just my .02 Although I have heard good things about nibbco pex and fittings they are crimp but have a comparable warrenty at 25 years.


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## M5Plumb (Oct 2, 2008)

I'm sure you are all familiar with the RTI rings right??? I have used those with the WIRSBO with great results, just wish the tool stood up to more than it does. 
As to the Souix Chief, (Rehau knock off), can someone post a link? I like that rehau stuff for undergound, it really can't be beat there.


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## Everflow (Feb 1, 2010)

M5Plumb said:


> I'm sure you are all familiar with the RTI rings right??? I have used those with the WIRSBO with great results, just wish the tool stood up to more than it does.
> As to the Souix Chief, (Rehau knock off), can someone post a link? I like that rehau stuff for undergound, it really can't be beat there.


From what I understand Rehau is not making the fittings anymore. Souix Chief is. Something about the water in Nevada eating the yellow brass, Rehau did not want the liability so sold the manufacturing of the fittings to Souix Chief.

Anyway that is what I'm hearing.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

I love how all of a sudden, yellow brass is not an acceptable material now because of the water in 1 city in 1 state. So i guess yellow brass nipples are out of the question to huh? Or have the lawyers not learned of them yet?



Everflow said:


> From what I understand Rehau is not making the fittings anymore. Souix Chief is. Something about the water in Nevada eating the yellow brass, Rehau did not want the liability so sold the manufacturing of the fittings to Souix Chief.
> 
> Anyway that is what I'm hearing.


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