3/4" Pex al pex cracking

[hardy steve]

I just noticed about last 2' of pex al pex coming out of ground to pump has cracks and bubbles where it's leaking thru first to layers.Others look fine. Anyway to bandaid til a little warmer weather?Im going to cut out and replace with copper this week when it warms up above freezing . I'm afraid of it bursting.It is the pump feed side too.Thanks

 

[Stihl310]

I just noticed about last 2' of pex al pex coming out of ground to pump has cracks and bubbles where it's leaking thru first to layers.Others look fine. Anyway to bandaid til a little warmer weather?Im going to cut out and replace with copper this week when it warms up above freezing . I'm afraid of it bursting.It is the pump feed side too.Thanks

I've wrapped rubber and clamped with hose clamps before on radiator hoses. Can't see why it wouldn't bandaid your problem for the time being.

See illustration below, something like this.

 

[cantoo]

Any chance of finding Sharkbite fittings in that size?

 

[Big_6]

Shark bite will leak. You need the "AL pex" fittings. They are hard to come by, but a few plumbers can fix it. It is a pressurized pipe. I had one fixed recently with a capped tee. Pulled base molding and 2" brad was through both sides of al pex pipe. Previous owner missed the stud.

 

[tla100]

Sharkbites won't leak. It is all I have on my 1" PEX for my boiler for garage in floor heat.

 

[cantoo]

In my experience Sharkbites can leak but it's usually an installation problem. Need nice clean straight cut and no side pressure on fitting.

 

[MechanicMatt]

The only time I've seen a sharkbite leak was from not cleaning up the cut pex before slipping on the bite.

 

[Stihl310]

Sharkbites won't leak. It is all I have on my 1" PEX for my boiler for garage in floor heat.

Same here, never had a leak on any of them.

 

[cus_deluxe]

Shark bite will leak. You need the pex fittings. They are hard to come by, but a few plumbers can fix it. It is a pressurized pipe. I had one fixed recently with a capped tee.

almost everything about this is wrong.

 

[tla100]

depending on what size PEX it is, we bought a 1/2" and 3/4" crimper, majority of what will be used in most household plumbing. Time saved not having to sweat every joint, plus the cost of copper fittings, you are money ahead. With 1" PEX a crimper is not needed, get a barbed fitting that will fit tight, I mean tight to where you have to heat PEX up some to get fitting in, put a couple of worm gear clamps on and tighten the piss out of them. Have done it hooking supply to outbuildings in a curb where not much room to work. No leaks. We may be farmers but it works. Most plumbers I know don't have 1" crimpers.

I should not say sharkbites won't leak, but have not had any problems yet, knock on wood.

 

[MechanicMatt]

My pops friend is a hvac guy, what is the coated pex that you have to shave off the aluminum before crimping? I like that stuff because you can bend and mold it.

 

[esshup]

I just noticed about last 2' of pex al pex coming out of ground to pump has cracks and bubbles where it's leaking thru first to layers.Others look fine. Anyway to bandaid til a little warmer weather?Im going to cut out and replace with copper this week when it warms up above freezing . I'm afraid of it bursting.It is the pump feed side too.Thanks

I believe this is the best fix. When I was researching PEX tubing to replumb my house, I saw that PEX doesn't have UV inhibitors in it, so anywhere it will get sunlight will degrade it over time.

 

[Wisneaky]

Shark bite will leak. You need the pex fittings. They are hard to come by, but a few plumbers can fix it. It is a pressurized pipe. I had one fixed recently with a capped tee.

I'm not sure where you are from, but by me you can buy pex fittings at any hardware store. Ace Hardware, Menards, Home Depot and pretty much any others.

 

[Poston5]

I'm not sure where you are from, but by me you can buy pex fittings at any hardware store. Ace Hardware, Menards, Home Depot and pretty much any others.

That's correct but he is dealing with pex al pex which has different od/id measurements than regular pex. I doubt your big box stores have those fittings. When I was looking at using pex al pex on my boiler I changed my mind because I couldn't find fittings local.

But to fix it try this...........My uncle shot a nail through his while framing his basement and all he did was wrapped it with electrical tape, and then wrapped a paper towel around it. He checks the paper towel to make sure its always dry. The electrical tape has been working for 8 years. Hard to believe but it works.

 

[Wisneaky]

That's correct but he is dealing with pex al pex which has different od/id measurements than regular pex. I doubt your big box stores have those fittings. When I was looking at using pex al pex on my boiler I changed my mind because I couldn't find fittings local.

But to fix it try this...........My uncle shot a nail through his while framing his basement and all he did was wrapped it with electrical tape, and then wrapped a paper towel around it. He checks the paper towel to make sure its always dry. The electrical tape has been working for 8 years. Hard to believe but it works.

Sorry about that. I didn't know there was a difference.

 

[hardy steve]

Yea the size is different. Thank goodness I could get to to fix. It was delaminated about 4 spots in 2' . That's terrible this pec is only about 2 years old. I'm hopping the underground last longer. Seems like the trouble was in the bend. But is was on 45 deg . Nothing terrible . I had to buy one fitting online then replaced with hard copper and shark bites.

 

[lindnova]

I have never heard of that problem with pex/al/pex. What brand is it?

I have that on my boiler run to the house. 8 years and one fitting leaked, but pipe is good so far. I thought all the problems were in the fittings?

 

[Poston5]

I remember seeing a class action suit on pex al pex failing. It was the orange stuff and the manufacturer was kitec. I actually posted about it in 2013.

http://www.arboristsite.com/communi...door-wood-boilers-and-how-to-insulate.222329/

 

[hardy steve]

That sounds like brand . Unfourtantly I could not find receipts even thru PayPal. It is orange and is 3/4". Bummer

 

[lindnova]

Yep. Kitec is the brand (I have also). All the failures were in the fittings where they corroded.