# Brass pex tee failure



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

Last night's emergency had a leak in a basement ceiling. This 1" pex tee had a hairline crack and a pinhole in the crease. H/O just bought the house a month ago. So not sure how old and not sure if it's red or yellow brass. 

Repair was make with plastic fittings


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

The cheap brass PEX fittings suck. I will use only Wirsbo or Sioux Chef fittings.


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## AKdaplumba (Jan 12, 2010)

what is red brass? I've never heard of such a thing.


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## alberteh (Feb 26, 2012)

has more copper than regular yellow brass.

looks reddish


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## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

I use wirsbo as well. Can you get regular pex fittings in red brass? Not sure I'd want to pay for those though.


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## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

Got some copper fittings from Sioux C.


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

Got a lot of copper PB fittings here pushing 30 years service life that is in good working order. I'd be surprised if the crappy imported brass PEX fittings most plumbers here use now last that long. I've already made some repairs on homes less than 10 years old. I've also done repairs on those Oetiker cinch rings. I don't use those.


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## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

We don't have the copper pex fittings up here anymore....


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## iantheplumber (Sep 8, 2013)

had the same issue with a few different fittings from nibco a few years ago...

the final word that came from nibco was that there was not enough zinc in the brass alloy.. 

i completely lost faith in pex after that job... 

had to cut out a few thousand fittings in finished ceilings...


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## iantheplumber (Sep 8, 2013)

chinese brass is junk...


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## AKdaplumba (Jan 12, 2010)

iantheplumber said:


> chinese brass is junk...


Thats why its a PITA to solder.


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## iantheplumber (Sep 8, 2013)

the sad thing is that people just keep buying products that are junk and they keep installing them...


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## PlungerJockey (Feb 19, 2010)

I have not had a brass fitting failure yet. I noticed on one of the packages they did not recommend brass fittings for systems that have chlorine in them. Our water has a lot of chlorine, so I changed to the plastic poly-alloy fittings. No problems so far.


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## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

I have had numerous brass pex fittings go...I am primarily wirsbo ( poly) for that reason....

I have had 2 1" brass check valves installed on a pressure system completely sever... Gone to stainless check valves. If my supplier stocked stainless nipples, I'd use those instead of brass.


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

When I cut out older PEX fittings weither they where leaking or if it is just a remodel I sometimes use my PEX ring cutter to remove the PEX off the old fitting to see how well it has aged. On copper crimp fittings(I'd think Cinch Clamps would do the same) the first burb on the fitting is worn out. Basicaly seems that the water pressure is allways hitting the first burb and it cause it to pit and break off. Some of the fitting the first burb is almost completely smooth. I going to stink with Wirsbo here on out.


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