# Leaky sharkbite



## rzp 06

found my first leaking sharkbite the other day. It was a 1/2" coupling adapting copper to pex on a hot water line. The copper side was fine but the teeth in the sharkbite cut grooves in the outside wall of the pex allowing it to slide out and leak. I could tell from the grooves in the pex that it had been pushed in all the way and it did have the pex insert in it. The pex was straight and not under any strain. Must have been expansion/contraction the caused it to pull out.
ho said it was done about 2 years ago.. anyone else seen this happen?
it was Bow superpex


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## plbgbiz

I have seen them leak on copper after about 6 months.


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## damnplumber

If the pipe was not deburred or chamfered, it could have scorred the sharkbite causing it to leak. Ask me how I know?


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## Will

I don't mind the O-ring seal, probably last a long, long, long time. What bothers me about the sharkbite type of fittings is that nothing keeps them rotating and the expansion and contraction can't be good for them. Seems like it would prematurely wear out the O-Ring seal. Not sure why anyone would use sharkbite on PEX anyway, not like it's hard to hook up PEX as it is. Even in tight spots.


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## wookie

Have'nt seen them leak yet in the field but if theres going to be any movement of any type they will leak. Just have not run into them. Not a matter of IF but When they leak. Just like the very popular John Guest fittings. Fine when new but get some time on them and a little movement= leak.

I do use hackbites on temporary work.

wookie


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## GREENPLUM

Will said:


> I Not sure why anyone would use sharkbite on PEX anyway, not like it's hard to hook up PEX as it is. Even in tight spots.


 
PEX or Copper to CPVC, 

that would be a reason to use hackbites


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## Qball415

Will said:


> I don't mind the O-ring seal, probably last a long, long, long time. What bothers me about the sharkbite type of fittings is that nothing keeps them rotating and the expansion and contraction can't be good for them. Seems like it would prematurely wear out the O-Ring seal. Not sure why anyone would use sharkbite on PEX anyway, not like it's hard to hook up PEX as it is. Even in tight spots.


If I did run into a situation where I ran into pex. I don't have an expander or crimping tools to do a pex repair and would either refer call out or worst case use a Sharkbite connector. I don't know another product to use as a transition.


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## Widdershins

Qball415 said:


> If I did run into a situation where I ran into pex. I don't have an expander or crimping tools to do a pex repair and would either refer call out or worst case use a Sharkbite connector. I don't know another product to use as a transition.


Considering how pretty much all brands of PEX can be crimped, it might be worth your while to pick up a crimper one of these days.

As for sharkbites -- I'll use them to transition from copper to pex in a crawlspace or for a temporary connection, but I would never bury one inside of a wall or ceiling.


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## Tommy plumber

Widdershins said:


> Considering how pretty much all brands of PEX can be crimped, it might be worth your while to pick up a crimper one of these days.
> 
> As for sharkbites -- I'll use them to transition from copper to pex in a crawlspace or for a temporary connection, but I would never bury one inside of a wall or ceiling.


 






Agreed. They have their place. 

I'll use them sometimes after I remove a W/H. I'll cap the (2) 3/4" lines while I run to go get the replacement W/H.


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## RealCraftsMan

They will fail, please keep using them. In a few years I will make the big bucks fixing all the hack work!


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