Pex fittings with Kitec

Tom Giedraitis

Has anyone used "standard" pex crimp fittings with Kitec when K2 crimp fittings are not available?
I'm using it for domestic water piping, not heat piping. I've done a few crimp fittings which seem perfectly fine, but IPEX insists that thier double o-ring fittings be used to maintain warranty.
Any comments?

mark_41

kitec

use the kitec fitting to avoid litication down the road

[Deleted User]

Pex-al-pex different size!

If you are using the PAP pipe, it is a larger size than the cts size straight pex and I guarantee you will have problems mixing product.

Than is unless you are using kitec's straight pex which is cts and does not use the k2 fitting either.

[Deleted User]

Pex-al-pex different size!

If you are using the P-A-P pipe, it is a larger size than the cts size straight pex and I guarantee you will have problems mixing product.

Mark Eatherton1

What these guys said...

Unless you're really in to being sued into oblivion...

There's just enough difference that when all hell breaks loose, neither manufacturer will stand behind you, and you will be there facing reality,,, all alone....broke, insuranceless and penniless...

ME

S Ebels

They are right

They are correct.

The first time we used Kitec (1/2" for plumbing radiators) I freaked out. We were using standard pex fittings to go into the bottom of the Buderus rads and they ALL leaked!!!! Finally found out that 1/2" Kitec is like 17mm ID instead of the standard 16mm or whatever. Buderus had fittings that were the right size.

To this day, that reason is why we use Viega PAP (FoSta Pex)
It uses the same standard fittings as any other pex of the same size.

hr

But I have

used plain pex crimp fittings on various PAP brands for temporary air tests. Then discard the assembly. I find they hold 100 psi air just fine.

I also use plastic barbed test plugs with regular copper crimp rings sometimes, on various PAP tubes. These we cut off and throw out when we set the final manifolds with the correct fitting.

This shows a basic plastic pex plug in Kitec and the correct (o-ring version) and incorrect (basic barbed pex) fitting.

I would highly recommend you use factory approved fittings for all final connections!

We don't like to install the high dollar manifolds at the rough slab pour portion of the job. The concrete apes have ruined more than one manifold on me. The same with the steel erectors on commercial work. I'd rather build a cheap throw away test manifold than replace copper, brass or stainless manifolds

hot rod

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Weezbo

hot rod i have ued this fitting on rehau wirsbo and stadler..

as a cheap header for temp heating..works fine,.

Mark Eatherton1

Yeah butt...

and there ALWAYS a butt in every crowd... Your air test isn't being exposed to continuous expansion and contraction.

Thanks for stating the obvious. It SHOULDN'T be a permenant, or impossible to get back to connection.

Temporary, OK, permenant, NO GO:-)

ME

Weezbo

Ted, so lets go there for a moment..

i tested water and heat systems by pumping up a piece of 1/2 or 3/4 or 1" and stuffing a plug in it and thats it! it holds! marvey no clam no collar ,No "O"..however,am i about to plumb the entire house with out collars or "rings " uh uh no way Hose i t is the same with any new system that i may use ,put the fitting where it will do the least amount of damage ....trust that word ...