Glueless Locking PVC Fittings...Thoughts?

Radman73

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I use a couple in my fuge to sump drain lines. I wouldn't trust them under pressure. Been running for about a year and it looks fine for now. Picked them up from Home Depot. Not sure on specific brand.
 

Sleepydoc

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These type of fittings have been out a while.. I have seen them at local plumbing supply places where they say use the above ground and in SUPER LOW or no pressure situations. Lowes and Home Depot also carry these type of fittings but come in a Hefty price tag..

My thinking is if the price were to come down to 1-3 dollar price mentioned above they would be good for some parts in Drain lines . I would never use one in a return or pressure system.. Just like i will NEVER ever use a push fitting in a home under a sink , behind a wall or in a basement. Thou i have made quite a bit of money making repairs where they rupture, Leak and Explode. .. Regardless of what people think these type of fittings i think are going to be coded out of existence by authorities when law suits start forming . Just like the Memory fittings type of pex connectors that started out in the mobile home industry. Existing pex fittings and crimp connections are the way of the future. Mechanical assemblies such as o rings and Compression tension-er always wear out and are more prone to catastrophic failure on a much larger scale then any Sweat joint or pex crimp fitting done properly.

This is from my experience over the last 30 plus years working on the home Remodeling Business Directly with Quality Plumbers .

My Long winded Professional Opinion...

I was wondering if you'd chime in! I think our uses would qualify as pretty low pressure. Even at the return pump outlet the pressure isn't very high compared to water main pressures.

What's your opinion of the Uponor PEX fittings?
 

Erica-Renee

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I was wondering if you'd chime in! I think our uses would qualify as pretty low pressure. Even at the return pump outlet the pressure isn't very high compared to water main pressures.

What's your opinion of the Uponor PEX fittings?
As far as pex goes i think Uponor fittings are the worse to deal with.. That being said none of the plumbing systems is prefect for supply lines and all over time will give you issues. This includes copper..

as far as for our use.I think salt creep will get around the rubber seals and cause them to weaken , sweat and end up rusting the Metal compression ring. But it would likely outlast the time many keep tanks..

Here is a Great link for a idea of each .. but remember this link is sill a Opinion . But good information...

https://www.pexuniverse.com/problems-pex-pipe-and-how-prevent-and-fix-them
 

Sleepydoc

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I was under the impression these were not for pressure. Better for drainage but not supply
I would agree that I'm more comfortable using them under drain pressures than supply pressures, the pic that the OP posted showed a ¾" fitting - that's a supply size, not a drain size, so it would appear that they are intended for household supply-level pressures
 

billwill

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No different than John guest fittings that we all use for our 1/4” tubing on ro/di and calcium reactors and dosing pumps
 

ca1ore

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Standard PVC is so inexpensive and easy to use that I see no reason to use something that would appear to add complexity. My system is so complex already, with so many potential failure points that I'd not want to add any more. Pass. I tend to think in terms of failure probability. If you have 100 things, each with only a 1% probability of failing within a given year, you statistically have a very high probability of a failure every year. I'm trying to reduce not increase complexity (and mostly not succeeding).
 

Sleepydoc

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No different than John guest fittings that we all use for our 1/4” tubing on ro/di and calcium reactors and dosing pumps
Similar design, except the John guest fittings are generally used on low pressure connections. Similar caveats apply, though - really not meant for multiple uses, shouldn't be used in a setting where stress is placed on the fitting. The John Guest fittings also don't have any metal parts.
 

Dom

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I liked it at first... but that was before I noticed metal teeth.

I use regular PVC and coat the ends with petroleum jelly. It makes the pieces easy to put together, creates a nice seal while together and they can be pulled apart with some elbow grease when necessary.
 

Sleepydoc

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I liked it at first... but that was before I noticed metal teeth.

I use regular PVC and coat the ends with petroleum jelly. It makes the pieces easy to put together, creates a nice seal while together and they can be pulled apart with some elbow grease when necessary.
Are you just using solvent fittings as friction fittings?
 

Sleepydoc

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If by that you mean using petroleum jelly instead of PVC primer and PVC glue, than yes.
You’re flirting with a flood by doing that. The only time I would use solvent fittings as slip fittings is in places where I don’t care if the fitting comes apart. If it’s a joint that you might need to separate on occasion, use a threaded fitting. If you need to separate it on a regular basis use a union.
 

Dom

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You’re flirting with a flood by doing that. The only time I would use solvent fittings as slip fittings is in places where I don’t care if the fitting comes apart. If it’s a joint that you might need to separate on occasion, use a threaded fitting. If you need to separate it on a regular basis use a union.

Agreed. To clarify, I don't use this as a method to routinely disconnect and connect. The fittings I put together in this way stay together.
 
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