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Acceptable number of PEX splices?

SteamtoHotWater
SteamtoHotWater Member Posts: 123
in Radiant Heating
So, I'm running under floor, 1/2" PEX between joists. I'm on my third of eight loops, each ≈250 feet. On my first loop I got a bad kink. I cut it out and used a a crimp connector. The second loop was kink free, hooray! I just put a second kink in my third loop. So how many crimp connectors can I put in a 250' loop? I know the ideal answer is, "none." But in practice?

Comments

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 10,924
    Pex A with propex as many as you are willing to pay for. With other fittings that reduce the diameter many could start to be a problem. A half dozen or so aren't likely to be an issue.
    hot_rodAlan (California Radiant) Forbes
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 9,378
    edited October 2023
    If you have PEX A you should be able to remove any kink with a heat gun or hair dryer.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRxhIxg2g94

    Edward Young Retired

    After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

    mattmia2GGross
  • SteamtoHotWater
    SteamtoHotWater Member Posts: 123
    Sorry, should have stated up front, PEX B.
    mattmia2 said:

    Pex A with propex as many as you are willing to pay for. With other fittings that reduce the diameter many could start to be a problem. A half dozen or so aren't likely to be an issue.

    Really? A half dozen? Even I should be able to get under six for a 250' loop.

  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 7,518
    Are you installing the pex yourself?   Its kind of hard to kink it with two guys...Mad Dog 🐕 
    Consulting by Mad Dog & Matt Jr.
  • SteamtoHotWater
    SteamtoHotWater Member Posts: 123
    Mad Dog_2 said:

    Are you installing the pex yourself?

    Yeah, it's just me. The stuff is really frustrating. It's weird how something so rigid can get so tangled.

  • GroundUp
    GroundUp Member Posts: 2,111
    2 inches of diameter reduction for a crimp coupling is not even noticeable in a 250ft loop. Obviously fewer is better, but a few per loop isn't going to hurt anything from a flow perspective. They are potential leak points, however.
    GGross
  • SteamtoHotWater
    SteamtoHotWater Member Posts: 123
    GroundUp said:

    2 inches of diameter reduction for a crimp coupling is not even noticeable in a 250ft loop. Obviously fewer is better, but a few per loop isn't going to hurt anything from a flow perspective.

    This is reassuring.
    GroundUp said:

    They are potential leak points, however.

    This is concerning.
    So far, I've only run loops in the basement joists. A leak there is easily addressable. Perhaps, to avoid the kinks, I'll get some help when I move to the next floor where leaks would be much harder to fix.

  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 9,378
    Are you using a tube un-coiler? Sometimes that is all the help you need. But two guys are better on 1/2" PEX.

    Edward Young Retired

    After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

    kcopp
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 10,924
    If you can warm it up a bit that helps too.
  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 7,518
    I find holding the loops in one arm and keep Flipping it to keep the natural way it wants to  roll out going in the same direction.  Not easy to do yourself but but this works for me.  Mad Dog 🐕 
    Consulting by Mad Dog & Matt Jr.
    GGross
  • Intplm.
    Intplm. Member Posts: 2,195
    I have found that pex is great when it comes to kinking. You do not always have to heat it or "splice" it.

    One thing that you can do is to simply straighten the pipe and let the pex reclaim its memory. That's what's great about pex, it has memory. It will return to its original shape.
    If you don't want to wait for it to return to its original form, you can use a pair of pliers to reform the tubing.
    Mad Dog_2
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 10,924
    Mad Dog_2 said:

    I find holding the loops in one arm and keep Flipping it to keep the natural way it wants to  roll out going in the same direction.  Not easy to do yourself but but this works for me.  Mad Dog 🐕 

    Or at least pick up the coil and unroll it to get a length to work with, don't pull it off the side.
  • GroundUp
    GroundUp Member Posts: 2,111
    Intplm. said:

    I have found that pex is great when it comes to kinking. You do not always have to heat it or "splice" it.

    One thing that you can do is to simply straighten the pipe and let the pex reclaim its memory. That's what's great about pex, it has memory. It will return to its original shape.
    If you don't want to wait for it to return to its original form, you can use a pair of pliers to reform the tubing.

    I've had a kinked piece of 1/2" pex sitting on my shelf for close to 10 years now and it's still kinked. Are you sure?
  • Intplm.
    Intplm. Member Posts: 2,195
    GroundUp said:

    Intplm. said:

    I have found that pex is great when it comes to kinking. You do not always have to heat it or "splice" it.

    One thing that you can do is to simply straighten the pipe and let the pex reclaim its memory. That's what's great about pex, it has memory. It will return to its original shape.
    If you don't want to wait for it to return to its original form, you can use a pair of pliers to reform the tubing.

    I've had a kinked piece of 1/2" pex sitting on my shelf for close to 10 years now and it's still kinked. Are you sure?
    I am sure. So if it doesn't find its memory, something else is afoot. Use the other methods as described previously.

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