Piping Radiators with Kitec or PEX

zibob

Piping hot water Cast Iron Radiators with Kitec or Heat Pex using reverse return two pipe method. Any field problems caused by insert type crimp tee's, we have always used copper, looking for some one with field experience to see if worth trying or stick with copper.
Thanks Zibob

Unknown

We just moved

5 rads in a church we replaced the boiler in . We used Slant-Fin pex and their copper to pex adapters with the brass O ring seal . Worked like a champ . We forgot to make up a fitting and left it hand tight . It held at 50 psi air pressure for the test . The adapters are handy to use as unions if the rad needs to be moved somewhat . All in all it probably saved us a full day's worth of work and alot of dough compared to using all copper . We also use Uponor and the pex on top of pex seal and they make an excellent product too .

Joe_76

I switched from the Kitec K-1 to the K-2 crimp fittings have not had a problem yet. They seem to do as well as the K-1 fittings. About a quarter of the price too.

Unknown

composit vs pex

ZiBob,

Been supplying pex for radiators for years. Thank god that we can buy/sell 100 foot rolls of 3/4 and 1 inch pex.

Some considerations:

1. I love the ss cinch clamps for PEX. Quick and can be made in a wall. One tool fitts all sizes.
2. mechanical compression fittings are nice, can;t be buried and ARE expensive.
3. Pex expands.... a lot (10x ore then copper). Make allowance for it.
4. Composite pipe (pex-al-p and al-pex) expands very close to that of copper.
5. Bend supports for pex to maintain a 90 degree angle, use them.
6. Both are MUCH less expensive then copper.

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