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[DaveWertz]

Well found my first leak. The picture really dont do any justice but the fitting that connects the pex to the copper is leaking. Is this something I can fix myself without any special tools? I never worked with pex, if it were copper it would be simple. Where would I  have to shut the water off and how do I bleed the air out if I am able to do this myself? I don't want to get air in there as it goes directly into the circulator pump. Want to fix myself but almost at the point of having someone come fix it. Its not a bad leak when pump is running but when the pump stops look out. drips pretty good.

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[RSI]

Pex is a lot easier to work with than copper. It looks like those are compression fittings. Did you try tightening it? You can probably take it apart and see if there and see if there is an o-ring in the fitting that can be replaced.

If it were mine, I would probably replace the fittings with crimp type.

[DaveWertz]

Im about half afraid to take it apart really. I tightened up a little bit but not much. I didn't want to take it apart without knowing if air will get in the pump. I know when I take this off it is going to puke water all over so Im not sure if I should shut everything down for a little to take it off and replace. As far as crimp type, do they require a type of "special tool"?

[Scott7m]

Yes they require tools


Tighten that sucker up, air in that pump ain't gonna matter...  Its an open system it will push out no problem


Tighten it up, if that don't work take it apart and put dome grease or Vaseline on the oring and tighten it back  until the day you wanna switch them all over

[DaveWertz]

Good stuff. I wasn't sure if air would hurt or not. Summer time I will switch all of them over and but the nessacery tools but kinda hard right now since it is still running. So basically crimp fittings are the way to go from what your all telling me. Is this a 1 size fit all tools and crimpes. Guess I need to start to shop around for this stuff.

[Scott7m]

Most will do 3/8-1" pipes, stainless steel rings

[DaveWertz]

I found the stainless rings 25pc at Lowes for $7-$12 depending on size. And the multi crimp tool for $89.

[tawilson1152]

There are two styles of rings. It sounds like you have the tool and rings matched up ok, but wanted to make sure. I didn't first time out.
Is it possible that is a flare fitting in the pic?

[Bondo]

There are two styles of rings. It sounds like you have the tool and rings matched up ok, but wanted to make sure. I didn't first time out.
Is it possible that is a flare fitting in the pic?

Ayuh,....   I don't think that any sorta plastic tubin' can be flared....

Those are, I believe, plastic furrel fittings....

'n I've never seen 'em used on pex before,....

Leaks are probably the reason...

[RSI]

I found the stainless rings 25pc at Lowes for $7-$12 depending on size. And the multi crimp tool for $89.

If they are stainless clamps you need a tool like this http://www.lowes.com/pd_153553-61002-69PTKG1096_0__?productId=3572372&Ntt=pex+cinch&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dpex%2Bcinch&facetInfo=
Your pex is probably 1". Measure the outside diameter to make sure. It will always match copper outside diameter so if you have 1" it will measure 1-1/8" outside.

The 1" clamps are $5.86 for 5 clamps on the lowes site. That is pretty high. If you need any, I can get you a much better deal on them.

The other option is to use the copper crimp rings. They use a different tool but the same barb fittings.

[jcc273]

The fittings you have on there currently look like the Qest compression fittings.  I hate those things.  If you want the exact same part then the only place i have had luck finding them is online or at Mobile Home Suppliers.  A bunch of that Qest crap was used in mobile homes so the suppliers always have big inventories of them.

I have had one rupture this year already.  I bought several of them in case it happens again and am planning on switching out all of them during the summer.  to switch it out i simply had to shut off my valves so water wouldn't flow out then replace then bleed the air back out of the system.

Good luck! : )

[dolphin13]

You could repair w/ ''sharkbite'' fitting.They are sold at my local Lowes its a pushlock fitting,you simply push pex or copper into the fitting and it locks like a air push lock fitting.Ther pricey but very good quality and work great.

[d conover]

Those fittings you have are the absolute worst fittings I have ever worked with.  The heat causes them to loosen up and leak. I threw a whole box of them away last week.
Scott is right just tighten them up for now and replace later.  He is also right air won't be a problem.

When I had our H2 put in 12 years ago that is what they used. I gradually replaced all of them with copper crimp rings. very easy to do.

When we built our new house I used wirsbo except for a few fittings where I used the cinch rings.
Cinch rings only use one tool for all sizes.  Crimp rings use a different tool for each size, can get kind of expensive.

[jcc273]

Those fittings you have are the absolute worst fittings I have ever worked with.  The heat causes them to loosen up and leak.

Agreed, I had them all over my house along with a bunch of polybutylene piping.  I have been replacing all of it with PVC, almost there just a few more left in the OWB heating lines and a couple lines running to the kitchen.  They literally just explode and crack when they get to hot, it is horrible to wake up at 5AM to a flooded bathroom : /  thank god it was first story on a slab.  Until i get them all replaced though i have a stockpile on hand for quick replacement.

[dwneast77]

I bought the Kobalt kit from Lowes last year.
 http://www.lowes.com/pd_197103-87088-KH0015K_0__?productId=3088275&Ntt=pex+multi&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dpex%2Bmulti&facetInfo=

Great buy I thought.  Works great!!  Just as good as the one I borrowed from my local guy here which cost him around $300 a few years earlier.  I can buy the crimp rings locally (nearest Lowe's is 2 hr drive).   Depending on the size, I got 10 - 1" rings for $6.49 the other day.  3/4" rings cost around $8 or $8.99 for 25 pack and about the same for 1/2".