Leaking Plum Pex Joints (RTI)

Radiant Wizard

Radiant Wizard

Leaking RTI Plum Pex Joints

I have a customer who installed RTI Plum Pex and 90 percent of the joints are all leaking and causing all the fittings to be covered in a blue/green buildup. The installation is 100 percent correct, all the cuts are square and the clamps are installed properly. Now, I know that there have been problems down south. I'd like to hear if anyone else out there is haveing problems along the same lines and what you did to resolve them.

Dave H_2

Water quality

Chris-

Sounds like a water quality issue rather than a manufacturing issue with Plumb-PEX. The water sounds very corrosive and is more likely associated to a well water system that is not being treated. The brass fittings may be corroding therefore creating the weeping.
I am not sure of the problems you are referring to down south, what happened there?

It sounds like the best resolve for this project is to have the water tested and treated accordingly. The other option available is to not use any metal fittings and change them to plastic.

If the water has already affected the copper system that was in place, it will affect the brass fittings also. Make the entire system all plastic or treat the water.

Hope this helps.

Dave H.

Mad Dog

That! is why I am so skeptical about

all these new technologies...experimentation is great, but you can't make money with a 90% leaker rate. I'll stick with good ol' copper. Mad dog

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Dave H_2

This project

does not have a 90% leaker rate, actually it is less than 30%. Not that this is OK, mind you. The connections are sound as Chris mentioned, the fittings are being affected by the aggressive water, as is the existing copper system.

It is not a problem with the system, the previous copper system has been riddled with pinholes and is under going repairs.

More information about the water quality is what's next.

Radiant Wizard

Water Quality

Yes there is well water. The copper that is exisisting has been in for 20 years and is in great condition. If I was to tell you the Ph was 6.8 what would be the anwser then. While the water would be a little acidic you wouldn't be able to convice me that the water is the cause of the problem. I really think that the joint itself started weeping from the get go and as the build-up started to increase around the joint it in turn progressivley made the problem worse.

Mad Dog

The initial post said

90% of the joint's are leaking. Mad Dog

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George_10

water issues

It has been my experience that when there is a problem with connection details or components or tubing, the first thing that comes into question are water chemistries. There is alot of information available about the effects of low pH or high pH on specific metals and components. Oxygen diffusion as well as water hardness can cause all sorts of problems too. Having your intial fill water tested and then using and maintaining a quality water treatment program that fits the specific needs of the system will help prolong and protect the system. It also offers a great "insurance plan" in the event that water chemistry becomes an issue, and it usually does!

Scott

Steve Ebels

Chris

I would send a sample of that water in for testing. My gut feeling is that something is attacking the fittings. This is about all it could be other than the wrong or incorrectly crimped rings. I ran into a job once where a guy had used regular pex crimp fittings on 1/2" Kitec. There is 1mm difference in the I.D. They leaked like a sieve also. Is the tubing in question RTI also? Our wholesale side has sold reams of RTI tube and never had a problem. I use it nearly exclusively on our jobs also.