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Author Topic: Dummy way to flex/bend PEX for easy connections  (Read 5438 times)

braveblaster

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Dummy way to flex/bend PEX for easy connections
« on: January 18, 2019, 04:59:08 PM »

Ok, working to connect my underground REHAU PEX pipes to the stove pumps, issue is these PEX pipes are very rigid --- any inputs on how to bend/flex the PEX coming off of the ground for connection to the stove pumps?

Thanks
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juddspaintballs

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Re: Dummy way to flex/bend PEX for easy connections
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2019, 05:43:12 PM »

Heater/radiator hose from Napa is how I did it.  It's held up 4 years so far and doesn't seem to be degrading yet.  I'm sure there's silicone hose that can be had as well, but I think that's pretty pricey. 
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braveblaster

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Re: Dummy way to flex/bend PEX for easy connections
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2019, 05:50:08 PM »

Heater/radiator hose from Napa is how I did it.  It's held up 4 years so far and doesn't seem to be degrading yet.  I'm sure there's silicone hose that can be had as well, but I think that's pretty pricey.

Could you please explain?
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mlappin

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Re: Dummy way to flex/bend PEX for easy connections
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2019, 10:00:32 PM »

I don’t mean to be a smartass, but another thing that helps tremendously is to do it in August when its 90 instead of 9.

Unions can also be your friend. Assemble everything, cut the pex to fit over the adapter already screwed into the union, take the union apart, slide into pex and crimp, then man handle the union back into place. A hair dryer or heat gun also helps.

What also works well is if you have a variable setting heat gun. I have one actually meant for welding rubber roofs. Set it at 190F and place in the end of the pex and let it run awhile.

Finished a job last month that used 1 1/4” pex. Brought the roll in and sat it on the register closest to the furnace for several days, From their into the already preheated pickup cab, got to the job and left the truck run. Was still a rotten SOB to fight. A cousins husband owed me several favors so he was helping. He was unrolling it and it got away from him and smacked em right in the jewels, couldn’t tell if he was gonna cry or puke, so at least was some entertainment on the job. That was the outer layer on the roll, the inner one was ten times worse. If a person was a good catholic I’d suggest heading to confession before even starting the job as your gonna utter several sins before done.



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juddspaintballs

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Re: Dummy way to flex/bend PEX for easy connections
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2019, 07:09:56 AM »

Heater/radiator hose from Napa is how I did it.  It's held up 4 years so far and doesn't seem to be degrading yet.  I'm sure there's silicone hose that can be had as well, but I think that's pretty pricey.

Could you please explain?


It sounds like you have a stub of PEX sticking up from the ground already.  If that's the case, then put a barbed fitting on it and connect rubber or silicone flexible heater hose to it and do the same on the pump flange.  The rubber hose bends easily and holds up well. 


Here is mine

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hoardac

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Re: Dummy way to flex/bend PEX for easy connections
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2019, 07:45:04 AM »

Mine is done just like juddspaintballs said with heater hose. Works great you heat up the end a little slide it over the fitting and a clamp to hold it. Just like his picture shows it saved plenty of time and aggravation.
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slimjim

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Re: Dummy way to flex/bend PEX for easy connections
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2019, 12:36:42 PM »

Gee, I could have sworn that I hooked up your boiler that way didn’t I?
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juddspaintballs

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Re: Dummy way to flex/bend PEX for easy connections
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2019, 01:26:07 PM »

Gee, I could have sworn that I hooked up your boiler that way didn’t I?


???
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slimjim

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Re: Dummy way to flex/bend PEX for easy connections
« Reply #8 on: January 19, 2019, 01:35:33 PM »

Yup, I think I told you about that when I dropped off your pipe didn’t I?
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braveblaster

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Re: Dummy way to flex/bend PEX for easy connections
« Reply #9 on: January 19, 2019, 01:41:05 PM »

Heater/radiator hose from Napa is how I did it.  It's held up 4 years so far and doesn't seem to be degrading yet.  I'm sure there's silicone hose that can be had as well, but I think that's pretty pricey.

Could you please explain?


It sounds like you have a stub of PEX sticking up from the ground already.  If that's the case, then put a barbed fitting on it and connect rubber or silicone flexible heater hose to it and do the same on the pump flange.  The rubber hose bends easily and holds up well. 


Here is mine

Excellent!

Yes I do.

I thought about it after your first reply.

Stopped at the store and purchased the hoses and supplies, this morning went to work and got everything hooked up, although, I didn't use your installation nor the hoses and supplies I purchased.

I ended up skinning/peeling the rubber coating and foam insulation off of the REHAU, that allowed me to be able to flex/manhandle the PEX, cut it to length and hook it straight to the pumps flanges.

Pumps are running, everything is hooked up and will fire this thing tomorrow after I check for leaks under the crawling space.

Great replies and thanks all for the help.

« Last Edit: January 19, 2019, 02:27:01 PM by braveblaster »
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juddspaintballs

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Re: Dummy way to flex/bend PEX for easy connections
« Reply #10 on: January 19, 2019, 01:44:03 PM »

You probably did tell me that when you dropped off my pipe.  It's a good idea.  If you didn't give me the idea when you were here, I'm sure I got it off of this forum.  Just passing it along.
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braveblaster

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Re: Dummy way to flex/bend PEX for easy connections
« Reply #11 on: January 19, 2019, 02:17:01 PM »

How do I add pictures, as attachments?
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boilerman

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Re: Dummy way to flex/bend PEX for easy connections
« Reply #12 on: January 19, 2019, 05:38:41 PM »

I've always mounted my Taco pumps with the head/motor mounted vertcally per instructions with good longevity results.  Never with the head of the pump pointed up or down. The picture appears to show the grunnfos with the head pointed up at the 12:00 position or am I looking at it wrong? Maybe that is correct for a grunnfos pump? I know a Taco won't last long mounted that way.
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shepherd boy

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Re: Dummy way to flex/bend PEX for easy connections
« Reply #13 on: January 19, 2019, 06:26:49 PM »

You mean head of pump horizontal? you are right, they should not be up or down.
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wreckit87

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Re: Dummy way to flex/bend PEX for easy connections
« Reply #14 on: January 19, 2019, 07:36:16 PM »

Shaft needs to be horizontal. That Grundfos is in wrong
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