PEX Crimp rings or Clamps?

Corley5 · December 10, 2018, 09:49:57 PM

I buried heat line to my shop and sugar house last week. It's 1" PEX. I've used PEX-AL-PEX for my previous heating projects. I did use some PEX for potable water in the house and have the crimp ring tool for 1/2" and 3/4". I was looking at tools and rings for 1" and saw the clamps and the tools for them. The tools for the clamps are cheaper but the clamps are more than the rings. Which do you prefer?

nopoint · December 10, 2018, 10:03:51 PM

Personally I use the crimp rings but have never used the other type so don't know any better. They might be a bit of a benefit in a tight space. Also I don't think you can use crimp on fittings of either type on alumina pex, but I'm no plumber just a guy too cheap to hire a professional

barbender · December 10, 2018, 10:11:08 PM

I've only used the clamps on all my pex projects including 1". I've never had one leak. The exception would be the 1 1/4" main feeds from my boiler, which rhe dealer really pushed. Pex-al-pex. I'm not real big on that stuff, at least not in that application. To top it off, the approved pex-al-pex compression fittings leak👎

Magicman · December 10, 2018, 10:15:34 PM

All of my plumbing is DIY and all that I have ever used were the crimp rings. I have never had a leak nor failure.

scsmith42 · December 10, 2018, 10:27:15 PM

Around here professional plumbers will only use crimp rings and not the clamps. I think that they feel that the rings provide a superior connection.

Southside · December 10, 2018, 11:34:26 PM

I have only used rings and never had a problem.

E Yoder · December 11, 2018, 05:46:21 AM

I've used rings on many installs for 12+ years with only a couple of leaks due to pipe deformity, and hundreds of clamps with zero issues. Both are very very reliable. I wouldn't be afraid of either.

petefrom bearswamp · December 11, 2018, 08:52:44 AM

I dont have the vast experience that mr Yoder has, but had to move my CB a few years ago and had to cut the crimp rings off.
Re assembled with clamps and automotive heater hose.
Had a slight leak until I drained and dis assembled this fall to change the water.
Now it doesnt leak, a miracle IMO

alan gage · December 11, 2018, 09:56:45 AM

I'm no professional. I've plumbed two houses with pex as well as some small jobs at other houses. My dad has rentals and has done a fair amount of it too. We both use the clamps. Biggest reason for going that direction initially was that the same tool works with all the clamp sizes. At the time the clamp tool seemed more fool-proof as well since it wouldn't release until it was fully clamped.

The first batch of clamps I ordered online about 10 years ago were of poor quality. The metal would stretch and about 25% failed while tightening. Always made me worry about the other 75% breaking later but never had that happen. I've since made sure I order my clamps from a good supplier with a name brand stamped right on the clamp. Haven't had a failure since.

I do think the crimps make for a cleaner looking install. It took a lot of elbows and tees to re-plumb the house I'm living in now and the clamps make it look a little more messy than the crimps would.

Alan

hedgerow · December 11, 2018, 10:11:29 AM

Quote from: Corley5 on December 10, 2018, 09:49:57 PM
I buried heat line to my shop and sugar house last week. It's 1" PEX. I've used PEX-AL-PEX for my previous heating projects. I did use some PEX for potable water in the house and have the crimp ring tool for 1/2" and 3/4". I was looking at tools and rings for 1" and saw the clamps and the tools for them. The tools for the clamps are cheaper but the clamps are more than the rings. Which do you prefer?

I would use the fittings and fastening type that the brand of pipe you installed called for. I under stand with OWB we are not running a lot of pressure so you can probably get by using a different style. I have a friend of a friend that bought a old farm house that had been remodeled by a DIY person and it had passed an inspection by the county and the guy didn't use the same brand pex as the fittings and rings. A few years after they moved in they started having leaks I ended up replacing all of it. Around here the type A is taking over and meets code even in the city. On my Garn when I installed it 10 years ago I spray foamed in the trench and used Viega brand pipe and bought there tool and have always used there rings. Have had zero issues.

Gearbox · December 11, 2018, 09:51:08 PM

I used copper rings and they worked but would take no side load . Next I used stainless pinch clamps and have had zero leaks since . The pinch clamp tool is small and is easy to work with . Cheap to.

ButchC · December 12, 2018, 08:45:29 AM

When I tooled up for PEX there were no pinch clamps. I had had zero issues with the rings and my first connections are 14 years old. In tight places the crimp ring tools can have access issues. I had to purchase one of the smaller tools you pinch with channels locks or vise grips to complete my last job. If you do a LOT of plumbing the crimp rings are the most economical way to do it but I think if I had to start over today I'd go with pinch clamps, one tool to purchase and easier access to the connection.

petefrom bearswamp · December 12, 2018, 08:52:18 AM

I also tried shark bites with poor results.

Corley5 · December 12, 2018, 09:25:20 AM

I used the brass ferule style fittings with all the PEX-AL-PEX with very good results the exception being for the 1 1/4" line. Those will leak with temperature change and require retightening. There are or were crimp fittings available for P-A-P but required a power tool as I remember.
The copper rings we used for the potable in the house have been good. No issues and I have the tool for the smaller rings. The rings are cheaper than the clamps. The one hand operation of the tool for the clamps is appealing but the clamps cost more. I don't have many 1" connections to make.
Maybe I'll just flip a coin ;D :D :D

Thanks guys 8) 8) 8)

Corley5 · December 12, 2018, 09:27:50 AM

Rehau is the brand of PEX I've got.

maple flats · December 12, 2018, 07:55:12 PM

I used to be an OWB dealer, we always used the crimp rings. Did installs on over 300 OWB units and zero failures on the crimp rings. We used 3/4" and 1".
Now in maple tubing I use the pinch clamps but I use 2 on each joint, with the pinch point not lined up with the first one. Also never had a leak there, but my tubing is under vacuum not pressure, but a tiny vacuum leak can make a huge problem in maple production.

Don_Papenburg · December 13, 2018, 10:28:53 PM

I use the Kytec style fittings . the tube goes over a inner pipe with an Oring and the brass ferrel outside the tube is snugged up . This gets done with wrenches that you have . Myoldest job is 19years and counting no leaks .