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another copper press fitting peeve: street female adapters

archibald tuttle
archibald tuttle Member Posts: 1,134
in THE MAIN WALL

these fittings are pretty damn close to standard CC style with the exception that they have slightly longer copper spigot. I have already used the solder style successfully in several 'pinches' (literal and figurative). as a practical matter having street adapters means you can quickly make a branch or run adapter tee out of a standard press tee.

but those sold under the rubric of street adapaters for press cost like 3 times as much as the copper fittings. what the hell is with that! in 3/4 inch the length of my solder style street fitting spigots (at least the ones I currently have in my bin) inserts into the press tee about 1/32 over 3/4 of an inch whereas the fitting depth for most 3/4" press is maybe 1/32 less than 1" so the solder apdapters are about 3/16" short. hasn't stopped me from using them when i'm jammed up, they still reach inside the seal. now i haven't had 'em in service for that long to say they are bombproof forever.

only other advantage i've seen with the style sold for press use is that they offer 3/4" street x 1/2" female in the fitting selection made directedly for copper press use and that is a handy size. easy to bush to 1/4 for gauge or for direct vacuum breaker install, etc. don't know why that fitting doesn't even seem to be available in sweat.

other stories from the field? am i whining too much lately. does this dress make me look fat, etc. (I just got the LOL merit badge so i'm going for a doulbe)

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

Comments

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 18,802

    That's why I like my torch.

    What I was told is that Viega and Victaulic base there pricing on the time savings of press versus copper and grooved versus welded.

    So they price a welded job and then price it with Vic. The pipe is the same. Then they price there fittings so the press or Vic job is slightly cheaper. Overpricing there fittings so you don't save all the labor you should save.

    I probably made that clear as mud.

  • Alan (California Radiant) Forbes
    Alan (California Radiant) Forbes Member Posts: 4,581

    Any unusual fitting will cost you more. $9.45 for a 3/4" Propress slip coupling vs. $4.08 for a Propress coupling with a stop. Removing that dimple is expensive!

    And $10.43 for a Propress cap. I'm loading up on Sharkbite.

    8.33 lbs./gal. x 60 min./hr. x 20°ΔT = 10,000 BTU's/hour

    Two btu per sq ft for degree difference for a slab
    Lyle {pheloa} Carter
  • archibald tuttle
    archibald tuttle Member Posts: 1,134

    @EBEBRATT-Ed if i got a lot of close dry work, im with you on the torch.but anything wet im on the press bandwagon.

    and the monoply On convenience is up. albeit there still appears to be an oligopoly qhen it comes to some unusual fittings.

    kind of why i asked if anyone else has been cheating in st. solder adapters or knows of anyone making them qith even a slightly more extended spigot.

  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 25,913

    How do the other brands price the "unique" press fittings? Nibco, Muller, Bluefin?

    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • Big Ed_4
    Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 3,300

    Agree , Propress is great on repairs and saving time. A insulation crew would still use the torch for savings .

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 25,913

    For commercial repairs I think the hot work permit process is driving service people to press options.

    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
    pecmsg
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 18,802
    edited 2:30AM

    Yeah, when I was working 7 years ago, we were renovating some schools in the Boston area. After we got the job, we were informed that for any hot work (welding or sweating copper) we had to call the FD and they would send over a fire watch for which we had the privilege of paying them 1.5 x there normal rate.

    The guy sat outside in his PU truck and read porno mags all day. We were in a concrete boiler room you couldn't start a fire in there with anything.

    We had welding to do because it was steam and all the pipe was 4" and up. The copper was mostly PP even though I hate it. The fan coil unit connections you could not PP as it was too tight to get the gun in there and had to be soldered in place.

    They make an electric soldering Iron gizmo that did 1/2" & 3/4" tubing and no flame, so we used that which worked well.

    We hired them for fire watch sometimes, so it looked like we were complying but sometimes we didn't bother.

    We also worked in one of the Town Halls and I almost got caught. I was walking down the hall with a "B" tank and the fire chief was coming the other way but he didn't say anything LOL.

    I am sure the VIC and Press MFGs watch the labor rates and as they rise they raise their prices.

    But @archibald tuttle to answer your question we used sweat "street adapters" with PP all the time

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