Can we blow off these PEX fittings? Sharkbite vs Viega vs Uponor

[@kalebdouglas159]

Project farm where you at?

[@adamdimaggio2237]

#ProjectFarm

[@wadesmith9483]

Exactly!!!!!!!! He’d show these felching nerdy chode monkeys what’s really going on. Hey build boys, catcha shark bite to an eye!

[@Milio510]

We def need #projectFarm to do this testing

[@Wolfpak765]

Agreed. This video shows no psi or freeze failures. It’s freaking useless

[@alexgriffin6785]

​@@Wolfpak765project farm really did set the standard for tests

[@johannesduplessis7848]

Would have been a great comparison if we knew the failure pressures were. I should have known it wouldn't be very good when they couldn't get the threaded connections to not leak.

[@sevbait]

I cannot believe that they didnt show the most relevant part. Also I would have liked to have seen it with just air pressure.

[@throttlebottle5906]

the one thing you did manage to show is how to not seal threaded fittings :)

[@MrDavidelliottjr]

@Jeremy Hess yes definitely. Every one of there's leaked. Lol

[@eddieball1924]

@Jeremy Hess throw the tape out and use a good grade thread

[@eddieball1924]

Sealant

[@bobgarrish]

You can seal well into the ksi range with Teflon tape and NPT fittings. They screwed something up...my bet is either loose fittings or they screwed a non-tapered thread and a tapered thread together. It happens reasonably often with people who aren't familiar with fittings.

[@throttlebottle5906]

@@eddieball1924 I take it you don't do daily plumbing and deal with all the rough threaded brass and copper with uneven ridges and sharp flashing. it very often just shreds tape as you tighten and displaces sealants, unless you use a high grade thread locking type (often used on air and hydraulics). most all casting or machines parts are done at too high of "speeds" which makes for poor threads. I've been cussing about them for years and now half the time cast brass fittings are porous and will leak water in the middle of the tee or elbow. (made in indonesia, lead restrictions, etc.) best bet is tape applied tightly into the threads and dope overtop to help lubricate further and keep the tape from tearing or being rolled out. (no tape on hydraulics!!! it's a killer)

[@lisab3396]

Hang on a minute...... You're trying to test burst pressure of plumbing pipe and fittings with a hydraulic pump that has start increments of around >250 PSI??? So really you don't have any idea just what pressure your test pressure is on those tubes and fittings. You "NEED" a 0 to 1000 PSI gauge for any accuracy and or idea of failure points!

[@mrl22222]

I used the push to connect in a summer cottage, which would be de-pressurized when nobody was there, After less than a year we noticed some of the fittings would leak a bit until the pipe expanded back into the o-ring. There was a definite groove in the PEX (B) for the o-ring. The hot side was worse off then the cold. I shortened the lines up and went another year, but it happened again and a couple of them took minutes to re-seat. it was only an o-ring issue, the lines never walked back, I eventually opened up the areas where all the fittings were and all of them had evidence of small leaks at start up. Went to crimp-on's and haven't had an issue since.

[@wallacegrommet9343]

Push on fittings just don’t inspire long term confidence

[@tonyhemingway7980]

@@wallacegrommet9343 I have some, plastic, push on fittings going to a shower that have been there for, about 12 years, on cpvc 1/2in pipe and they have never leaked.

[@Nepomuc]

without any pressure result, this is hardly a test.

[@twiztedclown]

Regular house is not meant to be anymore than 150 psi so this entire test becomes useless for anything other than looking for impractical results. You wouldn't use pex for high pressure lines

[@lifeisgood070]

@@twiztedclown it’s not useless, water hammer or other things could create temporary high pressure zones. The numbers would be good to know. My house is 100psi, i have to get a pressure regulator installed, hopefully this summer. My friends is 110psi and he blew his water heater. But yes pressure varies. My parents at at elevation relative to a pumping station in PA and their pressure is 30-35psi. They had to install a $600 pump and pressure regulator to bring it back up to 70.

[@twiztedclown]

@@lifeisgood070 great you still have all numbers at less than their rated legal pressure values. A line blowing can often be poor quality materials.

[@floppydoohickey]

Imagine a 2000 psi lazy gauge. It could have been so good.

[@Realism91]

​@@twiztedclownSome people plumb air compressor garage setups with PEX it's good info for them, wrong channel but at least this info is available.

[@Rob87]

Definitely need a gauge with a 1000 psi range. Off the manifold go check valve>bleeder valve>gauge. It will lock in the pressure the test pipe fails at and then allow you to reset the gauge👍

[@ConnorNolanTech]

When the pipe bursts, and you call that a loss for the fitting, which didn't fail, your test is bad.

[@ubitdust]

Exactly - if the pipe burst, then the fitting worked better. The other ones probably leaked.

[@DerrickFishes]

The pipes themselves are different too

[@bradhazzard3428]

Testing as they did each pipe held the pressure. Continuing with the same materials after a failure, it weakens the next results.

[@mikeharris8365]

I don't think they had that first shark bite fitting installed properly, so this video is a waste of our time

[@jboutdoors7019]

Gotta test this with 120 degree fluid in the pipes, and a gauge that’s useful.

[@TrogdorBurnin8or]

I agree, thermal testing required. 50 for cold water distribution, 140 is for hot water distribution lines, and 180 for hydronic/boiler lines. Properties of plastics can change dramatically with temperature.

[@MotecM]

I'd also like to see a lower resolution gauge used in conjunction to a hot and cold test!

[@InfernosReaper]

@Khent Shoon It's nowhere near as dangerous as you think it is, but I do agree that better safety precautions would be good

[@jacobframe8769]

@Khent Shoon this is a test with water (incompressable fluid) which is pretty safe. If this was compressed air I would agree with you completely.

[@timfalardeau9753]

Comment Bump... 120 degs and a gauge...

[@mangham2011]

I prefer to test each one at a time.

[@Gundarlf]

Please do this test again and make the pipes the same length. And maybe one test for one at a time as well. Each time it fails in this test the longer pipe is failing first

[@thomasjensen5237]

U

[@petermichael8921]

@@Gundarlf Pascals principle, sir.

[@blkmacster]

Thanks for the effort, and spending your time money to do this for us.

[@dennyk1024]

The only way that some guys will ever be satisfied with Shark Bite is with 400 degree oil in the pipes ...with a detonated explosion while hold 4000 psi. The Union plumbers fought these fittings tooth and nail when they arrived. Now when I go to the local HD....the lots full of plumbers buying Shark Bite. They also fought PVC drains and wanted to stay with Cast Iron drains. Technology moves on.....

[@Radnally]

Used crimp rings and sharkbite for the past 5 years. All are still holding well.

[@keystonecarpenter3002]

Ive have pex as air lines in my cabinet shop for 12 years now, not one issue. I can cut into and modify as needed, recently I ran 3/4" to my build tables all the way to the splitter so I can run two pneumatic sanders at the same time.

[@demarques1911]

I was skeptical to use Pex.. but I'm giving it a try this weekend... it is Pex A pipe tho

[@johnh.2340]

​@demarques1911 How did the Pex A go? Did it work smoothly and was everything good to go?

[@okieburd]

Could be interesting but completely worthless without a pressure gauge to know at what point these fail.

[@dainiusbagdonas4347]

Ghuuuyyyyyhhhhuuuųųū

[@bradley3549]

A ton of room for improvement but I wouldn't say it's worthless. It's okay as a comparative analysis.

[@Mattstafford2009]

(see the next video)

[@mikeparker5008]

They ALL went WAY up above any water supply system pressure before failure.....so.....does it matter at all?

[@jimh712]

Not really We know the press on sharkbite fitting failed The rest of the pipes failed way past the working pressure. But the fittings held.... So in the real world of plumbing. This test shows the press on sharkbite is less desirable..

[@donweathersbee3199]

Put a “bleed off” valve at the top of all that piping, fill all the piping completely with water, bleed off the air by cracking the valve at the top, before pumping, and you’ll have a “true hydro” test. By getting rid of all the air from your system, your gage will have true readings and not bounce back and forth with the trapped air. Since all the fittings were dripping water during your test, I’m not sure how you compressed any water or built any pressure. Thanks.

[@NW-dl3bb]

Air is compressible WATER is NOT

[@marclancaster8781]

I enjoyed this. It's reassuring to see the crimp rings hold. We all expected the Sharkbite to fail. Not a real accurate test, but I like that they did that. I don't have the tools or means to do this myself.

[@mrdfoster1220]

Thanks for taking the time and showing us your experiments. Definitely gave me something better to do then watch tv. Keep experimenting and I'll keep watching.

[@yt650]

A thought would be for the future, put a hydraulic ball valve between your manifold and your test hose or fitting. When it fails simply shut the ball valve off and continue with your test

[@fredfrond6148]

YT what’s a hydraulic ball valve. I thought a ball valve was just a ball valve. But a ball valve with a high pressure rating is a great idea.

[@Panhead49EL]

Wouldn't help here because the pressure drops to "zero" when a pipe bursts. There is no pressure left to save.

[@fredfrond6148]

Panhead49EL but you would not have to undo the fitting. You would just have to shut the valve. You would need a higher rig because of the ball valve handle taking up space.

[@yt650]

Panhead49EL . The idea is not to save pressure but to eliminate the work of removing the fitting/failed tube. No need to plug the space.

[@yt650]

Fred Frond . I sell hydraulic ball valves, steel of course with bust pressures to 20,000 psi. easily working at 5,000 psi, something they will never achieve. I doubt anything they test will not exceed a few thousand psi including copper tube.

[@NNITRED]

One big take away - You guys disproved the myth that stainless steel cinch clamps are weaker than copper rings or expansion. Withstanding 500 PSI without a flinch put that bs to bed for me. THANK YOU!

[@finkalo]

so all ive learned from this is that all these fittings are good an would never fail from normal water pressure lol

[@jakeblanton6853]

Another thing you should have learned is that you don't want these two guys to be doing your plumbing... :)

[@terryerickson1403]

@@Icantfindanavailablehandle bullshit. Hot water does not have higher pressure in a pipe dummy. It has lower pressure as it has to typically go through two water treatment devices, a water heater and a water softener. Color of the pipe doesn't matter. That's paint. The pipes are all made to handle the same psi. The rest here is about how well each form of connection works.

[@johnalvitre3154]

I understand what people are saying.... making this a rigid test and shortening pipe, etc. But look at reality... The pipe is the fail and was able to handle hundreds of pounds... in other words... it should not fail in a residential setting. That fact is why I am a happy user of PEX and considering adding PEX-AL-PEX to my radiators as I re-pipe all this old systems from the furnace. Great info. guys and it confirms my thoughts... PEX is the way to go.

[@teel6060]

This vid needs to be 75% shorter.

[@noily8974]

Like. Therandom channel

[@dj6769]

Way tooo much theatrics I was drawn here for the scientific data and fast forwarded through the jocularity...

[@bill4123]

I saw this comment and immediately switched the playback speed to 2x.

[@doxx2427]

@@bill4123 i saw this comment and immediately copied you

[@marioalvarado3284]

@@bill4123 I stopped 👍

[@MaximGhost]

Love it! What started as a pressure test of fittings ended up being a pressure test of PEX tubing instead.

[@StoneysWorkshop]

I use sharkbite push to connect on copper. No issues- they are on equipement installations in a visible area. 4 years in no issues

[@jameslund221]

Just goes to show me that the shark bite end stop is going to work fine. As long as I don’t have these guys do any of my thread fittings. lol.

[@nickkropat8857]

I would be much more interested to see how this test does with shock-pressure versus static pressure. As you said, a house water system will never get near to the psi you were bursting pipes with, but a sudden pressure spike can knock things loose, like hitting a rusty bolt to free it. Recently, several neighbors and myself had cpvc fittings in our homes fail because of a pressure spiked caused by nearby water main construction. I doubt the total pressure was over 120psi for more than a second but it was enough to cause a lot of damage.

[@nutter4butter]

cpvc sucks ass that’s why

[@123Goldhunter11]

Good to know that all the fittings are adequate. Even sharkbite will hold over 100 psi. Private wells are rarely above 60 psi. I prefer the metal crimps.

[@TimeSurfer206]

I actually like the Uponor expansion fittings, because the fitting has the same ID (Inner Diameter) as the tube itself. Thus, no flow restrictions like the barbed connectors.

[@brianharrigan8821]

1. Household temperature and pressure is the only relevant factor! 2. Do we need theater, or realism?? 3. All these do a fine job as designed !! 4. Please produce some " needed" tests. Thanks Matt !

[@jongretty]

It's like seeing how fast a car will go without a speedometer lol

[@brybino]

I’d definitely love to see a test where the pressure of failure was recorded.

[@WillAmparo]

And a non-leaky connection.

[@ACommenterOnYouTube]

What does it matter what pressure it fails under.. As he clearly stated, NO HOME has that much pressure so the fittings WON'T fail in your home unless they are installed WRONG ...

[@WillAmparo]

You Tube would be great info to know. Maybe for another applications

[@brybino]

Hahaha I just said I would love to know. Also, he posted a video today of exactly that. 😂

[@ACommenterOnYouTube]

well i think its completely irrelevant considering that NO home has that much pressure. City water is ~35 psi and well pump homes are slightly higher but not over 60 psi ... So why even bother knowing its pressure point failure if the pressure will NEVER EVER get that high ... I'd be more concerned about the health affects of PEX usage over 30 yrs ...

[@johnflaim9573]

CAN YOU DO WATER FREEZE TEST ON PEX TUBING TO SEE HOW IT WILL HOLD UP WITH FREEZING PIPES

[@EitriBrokkr]

I'd like to see a test rig running at maybe 75psi something reasonable, at a high flow rate, slamming a valve open and close, slamming the fittings with pipehammer repeatedly

[@wandameadows5736]

No fittings are made to be slammed with pipehammers.

[@EitriBrokkr]

@@wandameadows5736 but it happens, all the time

[@johnstuart3851]

True, however, there is something wrong with the design, construction or operating conditions with plumbing experiencing damaging water hammer. @@EitriBrokkr

[@EitriBrokkr]

@@johnstuart3851 what does that have to do with anything? Most professional plumbers are inept morons. Let's not even get into some handyman or homeowners.

[@casemcdonald2152]

Even though this was kinda useless from a real world application, I learned a lot about the real world performance of the different PEX, and the fittings. I was worried about the crimps, and the benefits of the PEX types, but I now know that all fittings are adequate, and the PEX itself will hold up better than necessary. Great testing.

[@ravinkrishnan3183]

Is PEX Better than flowguard/CPVC??

[@kencrane6420]

4 Words (Data Logging Pressure Transducer). Also elevate temperature to 120ish F.

[@atodaso1668]

Pex B and crimping for the win.

[@jameshopkins1260]

This would have been a very informative video had you used proper test procedures and included the test values. What where you thinking.

[@Russel4973]

I agree. Looks like you boys where just having fun. No real data.

[@weatheredgoodswoodshop]

What I was thinking.

[@s2krookie]

so this only proves, that all the old solder plumbers that absolutely hate this new method of plumbing, just hate it because its different and new. Because, there will never be a house over 200psi or even a 150 to really cause failure like this. And also proves that whenever you do see fittings that leak arent because of the type of fitting but improper installation.

[@lifestories1446]

The shark bite cap didn't fail. The joint at the bottom failed

[@AdamKover]

It was shark byte too, so same difference.

[@Spawny500]

@@AdamKover threaded

[@nikolaibreckenridge2287]

@@Spawny500 Threaded to the manifold, sharkbite to the pipe, which is where it failed.

[@jp003456]

This guy is lucky he still have nuts. I have seen a person literally decapitated by a preasure plate that flew off a pipeline at less than 1000 psi. I have a tremendous amount of respect for stuff under pressure.

[@kaoseqtools3730]

Aside from the slide on Sharkbite, this test has nothing to do with which brand of fitting can withstand the most pressure. It's misleading to rank the fitting based on this test.

[@rbnhd1976]

Everything there would easily handle double the normal operating pressure of a home water system. Which should be the takeaway from this video. It doesn't take an elaborate laboratory to show that any of these systems should be adequate for residential use. I would like to see tests with hot water, with faucet temps and radiant underfloor temps.

[@rbnhd1976]

I just noticed your name, you don't have blinker fluid in stock do you? 😂

[@kaosTV4me4562]

@@rbnhd1976 Plenty...LOL. I agree, and understand the test's purpose - only disputing the results as stated. So state that pexA may rupture before pexB instead of fitting "x" withstood the most pressure.

[@Smedleydog1]

@@rbnhd1976 it would be interesting to see how well the push on fittings fair over repeated cycling of a valve in the system at 120-160 degrees. I'm kind of leary of the thing walking off.

[@francis5944]

its not misleading information in this video... the PSI in a typical home will not exceed 60psi. All the parts tested failed at a minimum of 100 to 500psi, way over the limit. So this means; that you can use any of the fittings in your home, regardless of which fittings withstood the most pressure.

[@azelshort4177]

For starters, I believe you have the shark bite setup for failure being straight off the end like it is. The end should be used for equalization, should it not? I also believe it would fail first as well. Good video, very interesting.

[@Ron-g2h]

not to mention he pushed on the release of the sharkbite

[@disillusioned070]

Standing inside garage: Lets do a video on pressure testing water connections!! First connection blows: Um?? Maybe we should do this outside...

[@sssmithforever4]

I should also stabilize the pipe with my ungloved hand. What could go wrong?

[@Mezuzah87]

Morons...

[@JtotheRizzo]

There's an inherent flaw in PEX-B (crimp or cinch type). The fitting themselves. If you are connecting a 1/2" copper to 1/2" PEX-B, you WILL have a reduction in water pressure. The PEX fittings that go inside the PEX-B tubing has a smaller opening - almost by half - of the PEX tube. Even more noticable when you are connecting 1/2" copper to 1/2" PEX. If you are transitioning 1/2" copper, use a 3/4" PEX tubing with 1/2" copper X 3/4" PEX fitting. You must upsize your PEX to ensure you have equal water pressure throughout all piping/tubing.

[@jenniferl9603]

J Thank you for the information about the 1/2 inch pipes. I was going to do 1/2in to 1/2in for a small bathroom repair I must do.

[@duweydang]

Why no gauge on the manifold? You can swap gauges that would highlight the pressure of failures depending on the test.

[@cryptocollector2967]

Good call i really wanted to know the exact psi of the failures

[@FishFind3000]

Crypto Collector same. This only shows that one broke before another but not that they might be failing at just a few psi diff so the differences could be negligible.

[@JordanSmithBuilds]

Stay tuned!!! More to come with exact PSI

[@apex007]

@@JordanSmithBuilds and hopefully no leaks?

[@BrianBriCurInTheOC]

apex Too much Teflon Tape will cause pipe leaks!!!

[@blazeice111]

Here's something interesting to think about: would you rather have a pipe burst somewhere randomly, or have a fitting that withstands slightly less pressure that is accessible burst?

[@stevem1081]

Even though rare, if I was truly wanting to do something about it, I would get something like used on an air compressor, a pop-off valve where the pressure can be set.

[@cynthiaayers7696]

@@stevem1081 I don't think you answered the question. Because the guy doesn't know how to ask a question correctly. And you couldn't figure out what he really meant. Not picking on you, just saying. Would you rather have the pipe burst or the fitting burst. I say it depends on accessibility. PS. Unless I'm totally misunderstanding his question myself. And if that's the case, sorry I spoke up and I've more to learn. ✌

[@PhotonHerald]

Merry Christmas! Thing is, sure, it shows that most of the problems will be pipewall failure, not connector failures. But what it ACTUALLY is showing that at those pressures, it's going to drive water out through the threading connections. You're getting fairly significant dripping under high pressure. But if you're at a lower pressure (which you are, with 75 psi being the ultimate upper end with most being between 25-50 psi), you're pretty much good regardless of what you use. Just make sure to tape your threaded connections well.

[@GRIZYBAER]

Showing performance of the fittings vs static high pressures would be very helpful

[@gungadinn]

My experience has shown that the big box store foreign made copper fittings need to be de-burred prior to the application of Teflon tape. The threading of the box store copper is extremely rough, requiring three or four wraps of Teflon tape to get a satisfactory seal most of the time. If you de-burr the male copper thread with a wire wheel, only two wraps of tape will seal the connection.

[@danbeeson9564]

House Water systems should be kept around 60 to 80psi but pressure regulators wear out and no one notices it for a long time. Other systems they have no thermal expansion tank on the hot water heater. Either of those water systems can reach 120 to 180psi depending on where you live. You need pipes that can handle that.

[@98dizzard]

Dan Beeson yeah my house supply is 120psi, and only the kitchen and hot tank runs off a pressure reducer.

[@phoenix11861]

@@98dizzard I live in Nevada, They pressure regulate prior to the house water line... Max pressure overall is under75 PSI to the house connect.

[@scottbishop2532]

This basically shows that all but the push on fittings are adequate however, I prefer the ring connector with crimp tool and pex B because it is more durable and the fitting can actually be turned inside the pipe with no leaks down the road for repairs. The pex B is flexible enough to snake all over a house, well enough to justify using just B, and it is reasonably priced to use brass fittings for a solid application that will last many many years. I have re-plumbed whole construction jobs with just B and brass. Also any helper can run pex (haha).. (with a couple minutes of instruction)

[@lwready]

It appeared that the pipe failed at the joint before the Sharkbite. You can see the fitting ON THE PIPE as it heads into orbit!

[@kevinc6805]

It was still a sharkbite fitting the pipe shot out of

[@DonTruman]

The most significant useful lesson I see here is the leaking from both crimp connectors at pretty low PSI. Presuming they were crimped according to specs (e.g. using the Go No-Go gauge) then that's a bad sign. Then even after they were "fixed" they both leaked before the pipe failures. I say that favors the clamp style. Please redo test, using a more scientific method. E.g.: 1. 1000 psi gauge. 2. Observe gauge the whole way and record failure point. 3. Perform 5 tests. For each one use 5 of the *same* connector-conduit combos, each one connected with its own ball valve. Pump up pressure to failure. Close off valve to failed pipe-connector. Continue until all 5 are destroyed. Then repeat for each of the 5 configurations. That helps for seeing if there are variations in how they are assembled, and reduces the chances of a defect in any one component causing failure, thus throwing off the results for the entire product. 4. Chart the 5 results, showing the range of failures at pressures. That then gives a better sense of how each performs.

[@dustinstorey6779]

After seeing this I would think the more accurate test would need to be done individually to eliminate any pressure difference at the manifold. Also in order to give the Pex A and everything else an actual real world situation would need to go much slower. So pressurize to a particular psi, leave it for an hour or some extended time and then come back add more pressure and continue. One thing it would do is give the pex A more time to expand naturally but also we would see if time + pressure would affects the connections.

[@JordanSmithBuilds]

Stay tuned!!! More to come...

[@MrDmadness]

there are no differences in pressure in the manifold, they are using liquid for the test, which means the pressure is equal in all areas since liquids are non compressible. I can tell by your ideas that you are not a plumber... respectfully intended... the time think is not a real world scenario at all, pressures can rapidly change in a plumbing system depending on demand and age of components. if you really want to see pex tested then get a tour of Q.c. at any factory making pex or upinor. time and pressure do not effect it, pressure and temperature does.

[@timkins9155]

Wow, awesome test, guys. Thanks for doing it and uploading it. Now we feel better about Sharkbites!

[@NathanDeger]

Never put your hands on something you're pressurizing to yield... Shaking hands with danger!

[@BlueRidgeDave]

I wonder if the order was reversed would the Pex-a blow before one of the others.. seems like they blew bottom up every time.. except for the sharkbite fitting on top..

[@troyb.4101]

Totally impressed with all the last four types of fittings! 500 psi! Is awesome. I'm thinking the one that failed second is the way to go in cold weather as it wouls expand when the water was frozen!

[@robertlee4172]

I bought Sharkbite fittings, but never used them. Now I know better. Thanks for the heads up.

[@lifeofabachelor8547]

id like to see a comparison between pex and copper as well as other types of pipes used for water. black pipe etc when it comes to pressure. i think the shark bite quick connect is a good quick connect but not a long term in wall system.

[@seephor]

Hard copper pipe can handle 1000+ PSI if I were to guess since the max working pressure is around 700 PSI

[@lifeofabachelor8547]

@@seephor id like to see a comparison between pex and copper

[@dennismadigan2023]

I have had the push pex in wall for years. No problems. Push pex can handle normal water pressure and above.

[@lifeofabachelor8547]

@@dennismadigan2023 i am building a new house in the spring and have yet to decide what type of piping i will use somany pros and cons of all types

[@dennismadigan2023]

@@lifeofabachelor8547 for easy repair work I like the push pex. Push, push and done. To do a whole house it could get expensive. Pex with the crimp bands seem to be the way to go for a whole house project. One good thing with the push on is they can be taken off and reused which means they also can eliminate the need for a union in some areas.

[@diverbob8]

Uponor told me that in their testing, they have not seen pressure failures below ~220 PSI and that is with hot water. I have run 80 - 120 PSI Compressed Air through 3/4" Pex A to trash pumps that bang back and forth at very high rates. We have been doing this for 4 years with Zero Pex A failures. We also pump a caustic soap (pH >13) through clear 1/2" Pex A. This has been done for 4 years, again with no pipe failures, but the caustic has killed some brass fittings. I have recently found the plastic versions of these fitting and they will begin use soon.

[@ericbrown8545]

Would like to know whether or not there is difference in the pex pipe it's self... In other words the difference between plumbing supply pipe vs regular home improvement stores

[@JordanSmithBuilds]

The "winner" was big box store Shark Bite brand PEX. Stay tuned for a follow up video where we show the exact PSI to failure for the different PEX pipes!

[@dennismeyers2008]

From someone who worked in the factory, PEX is all the same.

[@Realism91]

Great info for people using pex to plumb a AIR compressor system, there's so many people who believe it's dangerous but my compressor only goes to 135 tank pressure.

[@1806StoneHouse]

I’m feeling good about using the crimp rings.. they held just as good as the others.

[@BrianBriCurInTheOC]

The Uponor is better because the fitting is larger- more flow

[@jopshua4703]

All the methods work great when done properly. I decided on pex-a because the tendency of pex is to always return to its normal state, therefore the expansion method will constantly try to squeeze down on the fitting while pex-b will be fighting back to expand against a crimped connection. But I had to buy a $400 DeWalt expander tool while crimp ring tools are under $100.

[@MARKE911]

My first house I used the copper crimp rings for a pier & beam remodel very small house and was so nervous about using them. I haven’t had a single issue or problem yet... every house there after I went with Uponor and continue. Not one single issue. I just feel more comfortable. The only thing I can take away from this is as long as they are installed correctly and properly tested I don’t think you will have issues with either. The 1st house has been issue free since 2009 I still inspect it every time I go to the house (rental). I don’t think I’ll be free from worry until I no longer own the house.

[@guytech7310]

Steel Crimp rings could corrode and fail eventually. Personally I chose Uponor. No flow loss, Pex is easier to bend and you can heat with a hot air gun to remove pipe kinks.

[@chungniem9494]

No issues with crimp rings.. been doing this for 8+ years

[@alberthoogendoorn2396]

I tested my system at 120 Psi before placing the concrete in the floor.i left it for 4 days and the pressure stays pretty well on 120 pros depending at the sunshine on those different days.never lost any pressure.so thumbs up for pet and the crimp fittings.

[@audislowroad]

Two recommendations for next test. Obviously a lower psi gauge with a high speed camera pointed at it. Secondly, I'd love to see Evopex fittings by Sharkbite also tested!

[@davidmuth4571]

I am a plumber, but my first encounter with pex was a failed sharkbite push to connect. I chose to use an expansion tool with the fittings and pressure rings.

[@shopart1488]

I put a shark bite cap on a 1/2 “ type L copper pipe which was inaccessible with a torch when they first became available. With normal water pressure @ 65# it’s still holding today. Great product!!

[@OutlawMonstersPerson]

Home Depot in Portland, Oregon, is offering Uponor PEX A and PEX B. They also offer SharkBite. I have been plumbing with Uponor PEX A for years. I have never had it fail. I can not say that for the SharkBite push on fittings.

[@jacklabloom635]

I have installed Shark bite 1/4 water valves on 1/2 inch copper pipe that are accessible under cabinets, etc. The manufacturing claims Shark Bite press on valves can withstand up to 200 psi. My well pump is limited to 62 psi. The well pump tank is limited to 100 psi. I hope the Shark Bite hold up long term. My only concern is the rubber seals breaking down over time due to chlorinated water. I assume that would present itself as a slow leak under one of the bathroom cabinets or the kitchen sink cabinet. At that point, I will replace all 1/4 turn valves with whatever the best product is available at that time. I have a total of sixteen Shark Bite valves in my house at a cost of $10.00 each. By doing my own plumbing, I saved over a thousand dollars. The original valves were the compression fit type that required two wrenches to tighten. The pipe compression connections lasted 34 years, but the rubber seals inside the old multi-turn shutoff valves deteriorated and clogged the toilet lines. The Shark Bite valves use ball valves. I can replace a Shark Bite valve and in five minutes. Before using the Shark Bite valves, I asked a plumber his opinion. He told me not to use that type pipe fitting inside walls, but they were fine for easily accessible locations. So I used soldered connections for my new shower and bathtub valves. I watch your videos to learn about new building materials, products, and construction techniques. Thank you for the testing and information. DIY guys like myself need to see what products professionals use and how professionals build.

[@jacklabloom635]

Hulk Smash , how much temperature fluctuation will cause a problem? High vs low temperature?

[@appleztooranges]

I love Sharkbite. Now I trust them even more. Thanks guys

[@GMAC240]

Fail... "we're gonna pressure test this... let me wiggle and bend the pipe around the fitting..."

[@eilertb1310]

Two comments to this because you asked. 1. The Shark Bite Push2connect doesn’t require any special tools. The others require a $50-$500 investment. 2. You need a need a guage that reads between 50-1000 for more precise readings and multiple fittings or multiple tests as fitting quality could impact outcomes. Great idea though and thanks for doing it.

[@Eye58Farms]

Surprised at the Uponor! One of the reasons to use it is resistance to burst when exposed to freezing.

[@thebigdoghimself]

That ability to expand at low pressure hurt it at high pressure. I was also very surprised to see it blow so early in the test.

[@wallacegrommet9343]

This test has no real world value. Iponor pex A assembles quicker, is the most flexible, and will withstand any pressure typically found in residential service

[@wallacegrommet9343]

Whoa, that is off the charts! My pressure reducer just failed from a scoured out threaded plug for the inlet screen. Took 22 years to happen. Of course the damn reducer was in the crawlspace so the leak went undetected for a month. Good thing I coincidentally opened up the crawl hatch in a closet floor to begin a a bathroom renovation and heard the hissing of a water leak. Yes, my water bill was sky high. What kind of [plumber puts a component like that in a place were it goes unnoticed and is very hard to access? I can’t believe this house passed plumbing inspection.

[@j.rayredden1528]

In residential use, all of these fitting, when correctly installed, are good. If they withstand 200 psi with 120 degree water for an hour, they will hold the 60 psi in most home systems. Indefinitely, I should think.

[@DK-vx5co]

Hey guys. Can you do a test with warm (hot) water and a bend, like we might do in a house (to avoid adding couplings)? I'd plan to adopt this as my standard install. Great test. Seems they all work under "normal" conditions, with their individual advantages (swelling for freeze, recover from bends, etc.) . Thanx

[@warlok9]

HUGE WIN FOR SHARKBITE!!! On that pressure gauge, each tiny line represents 500 psi. We can clearly see the needle BARELY start to move when ALL of their threaded pressure fittings begin to fail. These guys are home builders and professionals and we assume they installed these threaded fittings as they would on any of their jobs (valves, tub spouts, drop ear stub outs, etc). They ALL failed before the Sharkbite fittings did, yet these are all connections plumbers use inside walls on a daily basis all while claiming they would never use a Sharkbite inside a wall. They keep going and the needle is clearly moving just past the first mark which would be at least around 600psi. (It could actually be much higher as they continue pumping after that but the camera has cut away). Then the Sharkbite shoots off... At what we can assume is AT LEAST over 600 PSI!! That's incredible!!! Id also like to point out that the test was skewed against the sharkbites to begin with. Notice that all the other fitting types are connected to the manifold via threaded brass fittings (which ALL end up leaking allowing pressure to escape) and the Sharkbite pipe is connected to the manifold with another Sharkbite fitting, which should be noted NONE of the Sharkbite fittings leaked, so the Sharkbite length of pipe received the full extent of the pressure applied, unlike the other ones which all had leaky threaded fittings that for whatever reason they left leaking the extent of the whole test... Probably because it was impossible to stop them from leaking at pressures nearing 400-500 psi. Then we go on and what's all the different pex pipes and fittings fail one by one at around the same pressure we saw the Sharkbite fail. Again, the Sharkbite most likely failed first because it was the only pipe not connected by a leaking threaded fitting to the pressurized manifold, AND it was at the end of the manifold length which also receives the greatest pressure first.

[@pacohenmd]

One major flaw in the design of this experiment. You have different length pipes. The longer the pipe, the more the pressure will seek that pipe off of the manifold according to the law of LaPlace. Uponor was longest, then viega. Hence, the order of rupture.

[@mrfrenzy.]

You are mixing apples and oranges. The pressure is the same in all connected pipes as long as you have no flow. Laplace covers tension, not pressure and it only applies to pipe diameter not length.

[@pacohenmd]

mrfrenzy that is true, so long as there is no manifold to distribute the pressure. The pipes are acting as balloons off of the manifold, not as actual pipes. Therefore, the wall tension across the manifold is equal, but the tension across the pipes are not. If the pipes were equal length, then the diameter from the wall of the manifold to the cap ie the pipe length makes a difference. That makes the wall tension higher at an equal pressure.

[@JordanSmithBuilds]

All of the PEX pipes are cut to 12". The brass fittings are different on a couple and they are tightened to different degrees, but the PEX tubes are the same.

[@pacohenmd]

Jordan Smith but that’s the problem. The distance from the cap to the back wall of the manifold is the length at play, not the length of the pex itself. That diameter creates the difference in wall tension.

[@JordanSmithBuilds]

@@pacohenmd hmmmm... I'll have to think about that, not sure I agree, but I'll have to dig out my statics book to see if I missed it forgot something. We redid the test with a single pipe each time and a 1000 PSI gauge. It would be simple enough to set up the test with the same brand of tubing, but at varying lengths. If what your saying holds true, wouldn't it mean the longest pipe would always fail first?

[@functionalvanconversion4284]

Awesome test! Good to know, I use shark bite pipe with copper rings and brass fittings as I purchased the crimpers 8 years ago. I have been kicking myself for not having an upenor expander for my van conversion, but after watching this it seems durable. I also have had some upenor done on a couple projects and its held up well.

[@johnsee7269]

Uponor

[@jaywest4102]

Would be interesting to see this test again with the pipe bent at 90* to see if that makes the pipe weaker.

[@brickleyb]

Love this video, fun and educational

[@FixthisCD]

Need to test individually and record pressures, have Jordan tig weld those connections for no leaks.

[@TheMetalButcher]

Or use a proper thread sealant. Pipe fittings easily hold 2000psi on hydraulic systems.

[@TheMetalButcher]

@Mark OnTheBlueRidge Rector Seal ftw

[@TONY-nl6yv]

I’m so glad I saw this vid thank you . I’m Plumbling out a new bathroom from scratch. I never trusted them shark bites push ons for that reason . I regular home won’t have that much pressure but I’m sure they work just fine but I would never use them . Unless for emergency I shit of main in home water still coming out so my back up is a shark bite push on ball valve. I’m going forward on pex with stainless steel crimped . Not the copper ring . Love to see a vid on with crimp is Better 👍

[@ES-AT]

This test seems to be a multiple failure: 1. Shark byte at top was already moving prior to test; under-inserted? 2. No proper gauge to measure pressure; 3. Even threaded connection was not properly done. Not convinced, sorry, guys...

[@overthehedge0155]

Holy dangerous. Your bodies are way to close that hydraulic pressure with the intentions of bursting.

[@craigwilliamson9041]

I have a shark bite fitting at 240 pounds running from a 2inch water line reduced to 1/2 with shark bite fitting its been on for 5 months now at my farm no leaks and no movement at all the work great for me

[@Jgriffin0808081]

Id love to see copper and solder included with the pex

[@eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-s3p]

was thinking the SAME thing

[@gscott5778]

Other than the push on Sharkbite the only failures were of the pex pipe not the fittings. So it would be safe to assume that other than the push-on shark bite everything else is more than adequate for ANY home use. I've heard of (Experienced) a county water system hitting homes with 125 to 130 psi water that caused several home supply fittings to fail so all the pex fitting will probably survive any home use.

[@shawnd567]

You should put the 1/2 pex into a 3/4 pex pipe for more pipe strength and see if the fittings will blow off!

[@idontwantachannelimjustcom7745]

@PracticalTech it would be like taking a balloon and wrapping it in duck tape so it doesnt pop. Testing 1/2 with a 3/4 sleeve increases wall thickness and strains the connectors on the 1/2 instead of the pipe.

[@shawnd567]

@PracticalTech You're failing to understand what I described. You put the 1/2 pipe in a 3/4 pipe which fit quite nicely. That way it potentially increases the burst strength and allows the testing of higher pressures on the fittings themselves

[@dustinabc]

Also, since this is a test of the fittings, the length of pipe being used should be minimized. And the same length for all of them.

[@MrDmadness]

fun fact, a 1/2" expansion ring for wirsbo ( upanor ) is actually a chunk of 3/4 pipe. and a 3/4 expansion ring is a chunk of 1"

[@MrDmadness]

@PracticalTech that is because they are factory cut and then lightly pressed into a reversed funnel, so you are correct, they are slightly modified. they are literally one size larger pipe though, you can see this at their factory.. Dont do this unless in a pinch however, upanor will not warranty something done in this fashion.

[@mozarkoutdooradventures3630]

My take away is that most of the products survived 400-500 psig short term pressurization. That in itself represents a good performance for the intended product service. Tests of this nature are often performed during routine manufacturing as QA checks. The end cap that failed should have been inspected carefully for manufacturing, handling or installation damage or defects. Service in the field has shown they work for intended service. Therefore, there is a cause for this low pressure failure. Of course, I would like to know why it failed. Thanks for the garage testing guys.

[@shawnd567]

Also be great to compare crimped copper joints vs a solder joint.

[@catlover1986]

+Lord Ba'al (ironically named). While I don't know if they can solder, I do know that their stuff was leaking under pressure a full order of magnitude higher than water line pressure. Like putting 200,000 watts through a normal homes breaker box...

[@catlover1986]

@@saulgoodman2018 All pressure fittings leak under extraordinary pressure. Hundreds of PSI isn't the same as 50 PSI.

[@Dan-qk4ns]

I've seen tests where 1/2" copper type L explodes around a max of 1,600 psi

[@workisfun...2438]

@@saulgoodman2018 I believe he was meaning testing between copper pipe with solderd fittings, vs copper pipe with ProPress fittings. I use ProPess and would really like to see that comparison.

[@98dizzard]

Their pressure gauge barely got off 0. Maybe 300psi as he said in the video for failure of the pipe. My house supply is at 120psi, their pipes were leaking well before that.

[@ke4rit]

The previous owner of my mobile home had to re-plum the place due to the faulty PEX pipe of the late 1990's. He used Sharkbite press-on connections for the various shut-off valves. I don't know the exact time-frame but believe it to be about 10 years ago. So far, I haven't had any issues with them. I've owned this mobile home for 4 years now. I wished he had used red/blue. Will cause me a problem when it's time to fix stuff.

[@buggsy5]

I hope all the PEX tubing is protected from sunlight, even indirect light through a window, under a mobile home or ventilation openings in foundations. PEX is not UV resistant and will deteriorate.

[@Chooooty]

Just because "pex A" failed first it doesn't mean it is the worst of the 4, "pex A" might actually have more elasticity and hold up better under freezing conditions than the others

[@vincentrobinette1507]

I agree, as long as your working pressure is 1/3 or less of the actual burst pressure. We'll need to see the test redone with a gauge with a lower pressure range, then, the test repeated with the temperature of a water heater. Higher temperatures will surely lower the burst pressure.

[@googleuser6875]

It wasn't b about the pex, it was about the Shark bite slide on fitting.

[@Dave5843-d9m]

In U.K., I first used Acorn PEx in mid 1980s 30 years later they were still working fine. Acorn was renamed Hep2o and later that style was sold to Polypipe. It has a screw on cap with O ring seal and grab ring. Later Hep2o had the grab rings but need a special tool to de mount the fitting. John Guest is another brand but to me they always feel wobbly and their pipes are really stiff.

[@HermesTresmegestus]

Id' be really curious if Jordon could note what PSI it was when the expansion pex tubing burst

[@Timotheus157]

I recently had a slab leak with approx 15 year old copper main. The solution was a PEX main reroute. Sharkbite connectors increase plumbing quality. PEX is lower cost and has a 50 year lifespan beating copper.

[@Gruntled2001]

Guys, I love all'yall, and I certainly appreciate the time and the effort that goes into making even a simple video (I have a channel myself). This one was not simple, and, again, I appreciate the work you put into it, but at the end of the day it would have had more value if you could repeat the experiment at least 5-7 times, and to record what the failure pressure was for each fitting. Otherwise, there is no scientific or statistical significance to these measurements (but lots of entertainment to be sure).

[@KrazyKajun602]

Matt, Like to see a updated video on PEX Pipe quality is needed. Seems to have multiple failures on brands of Uponor and Zurn Pipe where the pipe is failing. Would be nice to include sharkbite pipe as well, not seeing any issues with it failing.

[@rane301]

The concern I've always had with these type of push connectors is that we rely on a rubber O-ring for a seal. That O-ring will dry out and degrade over time and fail. Not to mention that any movement of the pipes will most certainly cause a leak, seen this 100X working on drinking fountains

[@tylerhensley2312]

'propress' fitting have an o-ring in them, non of the options they tested today have orings in them and rely on the inner diameter of the tubing to seal off.

[@NewShockerGuy]

@@tylerhensley2312 I'm new to all the pex type of material so from what you said is that good or bad? I want to get a hot and cold water line pipped into my garage from my laundry room. I think copper would be the best bet but I keep seeing people recommending PEX type material. I'd be fearful that eventually something breaks compared to an actual metal pipe?

[@tylerhensley2312]

@@NewShockerGuy o-rings have a tendency to get old and crack not so good under pressure, the pex tubing material itself is what creates the seal when you crimp the ring. You can't really go wrong with copper if you know how to solder correctly, with that I'm re-plumbing my personal house and using pex, but I'm only doing it because I can color code my hot and cold. I would say pex is perfectly fine if you're using metal fittings stay away from the plastic fittings, also upsize the given diameter if you use pex so if you are planning on using 1/2" copper then plan on 3/4 pex. Pex is really easy, inexpensive and only needs 2 tools, copper costs more, takes multiple fairly expensive tools to use and takes a skill to solder. If you just want to get it done I would say use pex, if you're up for a project do copper.

[@frankiefiggs8332]

The only thing that failed is this video

[@executivesteps]

Exactly. People should stick to what they know how to do. Stupid demo.

[@ihavetwonipples]

Who’s sponsoring this video? “Absolute newbies to plumbing “

[@racang]

Agree, just a couple of boys trying to break stuff, get some pressure gauges.

[@dennismayfield8846]

Speaking As A "Rank'-Amateur, Thanks Again Fellas; Mery Christmas Brothers!! (Your Instant, FUN, Info, Is The Right Stuff, For (Esp.) Those Like Me, Learning Everything From Scratch!!)

[@GENECARP]

This was more about the PEX than the fitting...

[@ronchrapek7020]

I agree if the Pex line splits or blows how is that a fitting fail. More a fail of the two hosts of the video to recognize and acknowledge it

[@kalijasin]

Which proves Pex is fine for residential but definitely Not commercial or industrial.

[@kevinerickson84]

I was thinking the same thing. They should've used the same pex for all.

[@davidreynolds731]

kevinerickson84 you can’t as some Fitting require different pipe

[@lakestatebullies7391]

@@davidreynolds731 wrong pex a can be used with every fitting they used.

[@jandawolf5962]

IBC is 40-60 psi max recommended is 62. Most water appliances are 75 or 120 psi. Shark bits are nice in -60 as they are the first to fail and save the rest of the plumbing

[@dethstormpx4]

Without pressure readings this test is just entertainment .