Wirsbo connection about to pop apart ?

Dave Carpentier

I cant remember how long those unions are, but that doesnt look like a secure connection to me.
I dont have the expander tool that we originally used, and Im not sure it's worth buying one just to clean splice in a new pipe section.
What would be best to use, some kind of crimp rings ?

Larry Weingarten

Hi, Random thoughts… What is the static water pressure? Is there any sort of backflow preventer or check valve that might be helping create pressure spikes? I think there is still fairly good insertion of the fitting into the tube, so maybe just putting hose clamps on the PEX rings will give you the necessary security.

Yours, Larry

EdTheHeaterMan

Was it installed that way? Have you actually observed the gap growing? I remember working for a few years at a Supply House that sold these fittings for Wirsbo tubing.
they were reusable.

I have been told the SharkBite couplings will work. But I, as a professional, would never do such a thing!
Believe that and I have a bridge for sale in NY city

Jamie Hall

As I look at that, I can't help but wonder if there is a substantial temperature change in that piping, and if as it cools it tends to pull the coupling apart -- just a little with each cycle. It wouldn't be able to push back together. Is the pipe free to move with temperature changes?

hot_rod

May have been like that from day one. Uponor fittings have one gripper ring, whereas Rehau has 3 ridges that the tube shrinks onto. I’d keep an eye on it if it doesn’t grow it is probably fine.

Dave Carpentier

Was it like that for 20 years ? Im thinking my buddy would have redone it.. but mind you there was vodka during install too. Those pipes are sort of out of normal view beside the boiler. The only old pic I found so far is just a low res scan that I downloaded from my website after I lost a hard drive that contained a lot of photos. [Back up your important computer stuff people !] On that low res image, it looks like that one might indeed be a bit darker in the middle, maybe that's the fitting revealing itself ?

My memory is a tad rusty, but I thought they were plastic barbed sorta fittings where you expand the pipe with ring and slide it on. I could try shining a very bright light behind the pipe to see if I can make out the fitting length internally.
The pressure should be just nominal system pressure.. 12 psi or so. That's return side so maybe a bit of pressure wave as the zone valve closes just after it ?

Is it my imagination, or can you see the deformation in the ring caused by the fittings "barb" ?
On the good connectors, the bump is in the middle. On that one, the bump is still within the ring length, just closer to the end.

mattmia2

It is in there most of the way. it probably just got moved a little before it shrunk back down.

ChrisJ

Someone I know is running the same fittings and PEX at 140f @ 100 psi.

I highly doubt yours moved.

Your buddy didn't get it all the way on in time for whatever reason.  I'm guessing the vodka.

GGross

looks like that was like that from install, the pipe seems to have slipped past the stop on the ring. If you do need to fix that connection find someone who will lend you the tool, if not Uponor pipe has the ratings for crimp fittings as well so you can crimp that in if you need to.

HomerJSmith

The Wirsbo fitting gripper ring is substantial. I don't think it's pulling apart. It was as stated "that way from the beginning". Try pulling a Wirsbo pex tube apart from the fitting, good luck with that.

mattmia2

HomerJSmith said:

The Wirsbo fitting gripper ring is substantial. I don't think it's pulling apart. It was as stated "that way from the beginning". Try pulling a Wirsbo pex tube apart from the fitting, good luck with that.

Try cutting it off. it is a good 5 minute surgical procedure.