# pex rings



## plumberpro (Jan 1, 2013)

trying to see what other guys use with pex do you like the solid rings. or the cinch clamps? which do you feel is better when you have to run pex.


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

That is a picture of a "snapped" cinch ring I repaired. Only copper crimp or Wirsbo for me.


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## bcp2012 (Oct 27, 2012)

I use the cinch clamps. Only reason is I don't care for the crimping tool for the solid rings

Sent from my iPhone


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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

I've only ever used crimp so that's all I know. I'd like to get to know that wirsbo though. 

That broken cinch is enough for me to stay away from them.


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## PlumberJ (Dec 12, 2011)

Solid copper rings for me


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## RW Plumbing (Aug 16, 2010)

You can snap those synch rings with a channel locks easily. I use expansion but if I had to choose between those two crimp is my vote.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Will said:


> That is a picture of a "snapped" cinch ring I repaired. Only copper crimp or Wirsbo for me.


:rockon:


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

I use copper crimp rings with type B pex 99.99999% of the time. There are a select few situations where I use Wirsbo/Uponor type A pex with cold expansion rings.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

UN1TED-WE-PLUMB said:


> I've only ever used crimp so that's all I know. I'd like to get to know that wirsbo though.
> 
> That broken cinch is enough for me to stay away from them.


Compared to type B pex.

The bad: High material cost, high labor cost, damn near impossible to work with in tight spaces, very sensitive to chlorine and UV light(even damaged by fluorescent and metal halide lighting).

The good: Completely idiot proof joints, never have to wonder if your crimpers are calibrated, a bit better flow than brass crimp fittings, WAY BETTER flow against plastic crimp fittings(plastic wirsbo/uponor vs plastic crimp), less additives in resin=less leaching into RO water.


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## Plumberman911 (Dec 23, 2012)

I only use copper rings. I don't trust the stainless


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

I used this when I ran some 1" a couple weeks ago http://www.viega.net/5208.htm
worked pretty good .


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## Plumberman911 (Dec 23, 2012)

I that the pex with aluminum
Inside?


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

The 1" I used didn't have any aluminum. The only difference I noticed was the fitting had a stainless steel ring attached at the factory that you crimped . I had to buy a 1" crimping tool that worked great.


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## phishfood (Nov 18, 2012)

No, it isn't. Went to one of their installer demo's/installer classes awhile back.

They do make a PEX with an outer casing made of aluminum, meant for use in long term exposure to UV.


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

Plumberman911 said:


> I only use copper rings. I don't trust the stainless


Are you using the Soiux Chef copper rings?(light colored ring, not the black). If not you should give them a shot. What I use, they grip the pipe better so there easier to crimp in the right position. Think there cheaper too, buy like 5 cents a ring.


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

Will said:


> Are you using the Soiux Chef copper rings?(light colored ring, not the black). If not you should give them a shot. What I use, they grip the pipe better so there easier to crimp in the right position. Think there cheaper too, buy like 5 cents a ring.



I like them better a little tighter, I keep some of the black for poly if I don't have any pex/poly kits with me.


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## Justin Gruver (Apr 9, 2012)

The pex with the aluminum is call Pex-al-Pex. Mostly used for radiant heating. Never worked with it though. I'm guessing you can just crimp the like regular pex


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## RW Plumbing (Aug 16, 2010)

Protech said:


> Compared to type B pex.
> 
> The bad: High material cost, high labor cost, damn near impossible to work with in tight spaces, very sensitive to chlorine and UV light(even damaged by fluorescent and metal halide lighting).
> 
> The good: Completely idiot proof joints, never have to wonder if your crimpers are calibrated, a bit better flow than brass crimp fittings, WAY BETTER flow against plastic crimp fittings(plastic wirsbo/uponor vs plastic crimp), less additives in resin=less leaching into RO water.


The good: faster than crimp with the Milwaukee expander. Labor cost is less. Better to work with in tit spaces.

Seriously, the expansion is much easier to make the joints in tight spaces. That's where wirsbo shines.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

RW Plumbing said:


> The good: faster than crimp with the Milwaukee expander. Labor cost is less. Better to work with in tit spaces.
> 
> Seriously, the expansion is much easier to make the joints in tight spaces. That's where wirsbo shines.


Tell ya what. Make a video of your fastest expansion joint and I'll make one crimping.

Next we do it in a cabinet and reaching into a 6" wall or under a slab.

Every company in my area that uses uponor takes 3 days to repipe a 2bath house. Every company that uses crimp pex does it in 1 day. Coincidence, I think not.


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## Greenguy (Jan 22, 2011)

In northern Nevada they only sell the crimp rings here, I had to special order the copper rings, the rumor I heard is prices are going up to make they compatible with the new California lead free rules.


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## JoshJ (May 10, 2012)

Copper crimp rings for me. Used the cinch a couple times and never liked them. 

One of my wholesalers is promoting a stainless steel crimp ring, very similar to copper that I might take a look at. Advantage of 25 yr warranty if I use their pipe, fittings, and crimp rings.


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

This is the same "snapped" cinch ring. It wasn't that someone forgot to pinch it, it was just snapped. I've seen more leaks on cinch rings than anyone method of connecting PEX. Cinch rings are definitely the worst way to connect PEX.


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## RW Plumbing (Aug 16, 2010)

Protech said:


> Tell ya what. Make a video of your fastest expansion joint and I'll make one crimping.
> 
> Next we do it in a cabinet and reaching into a 6" wall or under a slab.
> 
> Every company in my area that uses uponor takes 3 days to repipe a 2bath house. Every company that uses crimp pex does it in 1 day. Coincidence, I think not.


In the cabinet I would smoke you. The beauty of expansion is you don't HAVE to reach into the cabinet to expand the pipe. Run it long, pull it out expand it, push it back and put the fitting in. Every company in your area must be really really slow then. It takes 8 hours or less to do a 2 bath ranch for me with expansion. There seriously is no time difference. If you factor in using uponor's hybrid branch/ home run system it's faster. The multi-port tees really save time. 

If you use the hand expander, I can imagine it taking way to long. I don't, so there really isn't any time saving using crimp over expansion.


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## antiCon (Jun 15, 2012)

only type A and only Uponor... all other is junk IMHO :thumbup1:


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## jc-htownplumber (Feb 29, 2012)

It takes ME alone about 2 days to repipe a 3.5 bath house with uponor pex with a wirsbo system. I don't like the viega/sharkbyte/vanguard crimp system especially since you have to calibrate the crimp thing after every 100 crimps, this is what the rep told me.


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## bizzybeeplumbin (Jul 19, 2011)

Protech said:


> Tell ya what. Make a video of your fastest expansion joint and I'll make one crimping.
> 
> Next we do it in a cabinet and reaching into a 6" wall or under a slab.
> 
> Every company in my area that uses uponor takes 3 days to repipe a 2bath house. Every company that uses crimp pex does it in 1 day. Coincidence, I think not.




That's perfectly ok, I would take the 3 days over one just because I know the Uponor will have much better water pressure due to the full inner diameter pipe.

The 1/2 crimp fittings are 3/8 id, and the 3/4 are 1/2" it horrible and anyone that tells you that it does not cut down on water pressure/volume must never have worked with copper pipe.

Take 2 days longer and provide the customer a better end result. Now with that being said I am now in the land of crimp crap. Everyone around here says uponor takes an extra step and is to much work.

I use the black rings but agree the copper rings from chief stay in place better. 

Hahahaha! If they think uponor is hard what about running copper?

The art of copper pipe work is over  sad.


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## The bear (Sep 27, 2012)

Protech said:


> Tell ya what. Make a video of your fastest expansion joint and I'll make one crimping.
> 
> Next we do it in a cabinet and reaching into a 6" wall or under a slab.
> 
> Every company in my area that uses uponor takes 3 days to repipe a 2bath house. Every company that uses crimp pex does it in 1 day. Coincidence, I think not.


Not every company


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## Justin Gruver (Apr 9, 2012)

Hands down crimp ring are better then cinch... Yeah it's hard at times getting the crimping too in to tight spots but there is the art of thinking a step ahead of yourself and crimping those hard spots before actually putting the arrangement in place. I do enjoy good plumb copper work though. Those times where you just stand back and apreciate the craftsmanship is the best part if the job. That is in fact the first sign of a good mechanic, taking pride in your work.


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## JDGA80 (Dec 9, 2012)

I read somewhere that the soft copper crimp were susceptible to thermal expansion/contraction and over time could lose their hold. I use cinch always, and yes I have gotten a few that pop when cinching but they came from a batch I got from a cheap supply house. I've never had a viega or Apollo snap.


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

JDGA80 said:


> I read somewhere that the soft copper crimp were susceptible to thermal expansion/contraction and over time could lose their hold. I use cinch always, and yes I have gotten a few that pop when cinching but they came from a batch I got from a cheap supply house. I've never had a viega or Apollo snap.



If that is the case, why doesn't a solder joint blow abart for the same reason. I call malarkey on that. I also have seen PB piping installed in the 80's with copper crimp rings that are holding just fine 25-30 years later.


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## JDGA80 (Dec 9, 2012)

Will said:


> If that is the case, why doesn't a solder joint blow abart for the same reason. I call malarkey on that. I also have seen PB piping installed in the 80's with copper crimp rings that are holding just fine 25-30 years later.


I've seen solder joints pop in large buildings due to expansion but it was something to do with the copper being made stationary and the expansion joints in the building still doing their job. Lol.


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## Abel Plumber (Sep 3, 2011)

Ill only use the cinch rings in an accessible area. Anything inside the wall ill use the crimp rings.


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## wyplumber (Feb 14, 2013)

I have become really impressed with Viega but I will always miss everloc that is If you have a customer that could pay for it over pro pex


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## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

^^^^^ intro please sir^^^^^...... before the lynching


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## SewerRat (Feb 26, 2011)

Ya the sharks last snack was hours ago... and they're hungry again. Sharkbites make many a new PZ member miserable. Don't be a statistic. Post an intro in the introduction section immediately. 

Dorsal fins are cutting this way so hurry.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Responses in blue.



bizzybeeplumbin said:


> That's perfectly ok, I would take the 3 days over one just because I know the Uponor will have much better water pressure due to the full inner diameter pipe.
> 
> No, because for what you are paying to put in the wirsbo, I can install a crimp system that is one pipe size up and have way more flow pressure.
> 
> ...


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## TPWinc (May 30, 2011)

I don't install pex, but when I replace a snapped stainless steel cinch ring I use a copper cinch ring. I think the cinch rings are prone to metal fatigue from expansion and contraction, because 99% of the failures I see are on the hot side near the water heater.


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## johntheplumber (Feb 11, 2013)

I don't always install pex.


But when I do, I prefer Wirsbo.

Stay thirsty my friends.


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## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

^^^^^ This is a strange response^^^^^


I didn't see an intro on your posts


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

scotbyallen28 said:


> Before you choose a system for connecting PEX to fittings, check what&#146;s available at the stores where you like to shop. There are a half-dozen systems out there, but most are available only through specialty plumbing suppliers. If you want to shop at home centers and hardware stores, there are two widely available methods to choose from: copper crimp rings and stainless steel cinch rings. I like the cinch system better because the tool is smaller and one tool can handle four ring sizes (3/8 to 1 in.). But cinch rings aren&#146;t as widely available in my area, so I chose the crimp system instead. Crimp rings require a different tool for each size or a combination tool, and the bigger tools are awkward in tight spots. Still, I&#146;d rather put up with the drawbacks of the crimp system than drive across town to get supplies. You can also shop online. Whatever system you choose, keep an eye on prices: I&#146;ve found that the costs vary a lot from one supplier to another


Another homeimprovement guy


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## JDGA80 (Dec 9, 2012)

Wow, a ton of knowledge has just been dropped on me. My back hurts.


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