[AT] Pressure drop?

[Francis Robinson]

--On Wednesday, January 30, 2008 2:19 PM -0500 charlie hill 
<chill8 at suddenlink.net> wrote:

> Gene PEX fittings have been re-designed.  I guess the old mechanical
> fittings are still around but the new way involves using a tool that
> stretches the pipe.  Then it is slid over the fitting.  The PEX shrinks
> back  to it original size and supposedly won't come off.
>
> Charlie
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Gene Waugh Elgin, Illinois USA" <gwaugh at wowway.com>
> To: "Antique tractor email discussion group"
> <at at lists.antique-tractor.com> Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 2:00 PM
> Subject: Re: [AT] Pressure drop?
>
>
>> What has interested me the most in this thread is the use of
>> PEX--farmer, someone asked what fittings you will be using?  I think
>> they make barbed fittings that use a compressed band to hold them
>> together, and perhaps they have a threaded compression sort, as was used
>> with the old Quest.  (Qest?, memory is failing) piping, which turned out
>> to burn many, many people.  Biggest problem was the fittings, especially
>> aluminum compression rings for the crimped fittings.  Especially on the
>> hot side, the aluminum would work-harden and eventually let go.  There
>> were also rings of a copper alloy, and I don't think they were nearly
>> the problem.  Sploosh!  We would test it hydraulically to about 160 psi.
>>
>> Using PEX for air doesn't bother me anywhere near as much as PVC---at
>> least you won't have shards flying around, just a big ol whipping snake
>> perhaps!  Again, I am curious as to the fittings used.  Unless you
>> simply have the 1/2" lying around and want to use it, I sure think I
>> would go with at least 3/4" for such a long run.  Personal opinion.
>>
>>
>> /Gene
>> Gene Waugh
>> Elgin, Illinois USA/


*******************************************************


	Hi Gene:

	Comparing the old Qest (Polybutylene) to PEX is about like comparing my 
body to a super model...   ;-)
	I never used any Qest because I didn't like the look, feel or price of it 
back when it first came out. PEX systems (cross linked polyethylene) on the 
other hand have been used extensively in both regular plumbing, industrial 
plumbing of all sorts of stuff (some of it pretty nasty) and hydronic 
heating systems both in or under wood floors and in poured concrete and mud 
bed systems. Under wood floors they make an aluminum panel that has a 
little trough made in the center to hold the pipe and you screw the panel 
up against the floor to hold the pipe and spread the heat. It is a whole 
new ball game and so far I have not found any real disadvantages to it (I'm 
sure there are some). There is one... I paid over a hundred bucks for the 
crimping tool for 1/2" and 3/4".   :-)    The kind I'm using I bought at 
Menards and almost the identical stuff is at Lowes. There are minor 
variations between brands but I think almost everything will cross over. A 
few things will not. Scott has bought all of his at Lowes but is borrowing 
my crimping tool. He is re-plumbing his house and plumbing the new 
addition. He is using red for all hot water lines and blue for all cold 
water lines. He also has a batch of white but I'll be danged if I can 
recall right now what he is using it for. You use a heavy crimp on ring 
then check each one with a "go - no go" gauge for the system we are using.
	As far as it becoming a whipping snake if that concerns you then you 
shouldn't use an air hose...   ;-)   ;-)
	I'm using 1/2" because it is cheap, I have it and I know it will carry 
more air than my smaller air hose.   :-)
	I will be feeding from the farm shop to the wood shop and will be running 
it directly to a 20 gallon tank. The tank will act as a buffer and also 
have a good check valve at the inlet so it (hopefully) will always have air 
in it for quick little jobs even when the compressor is off. Eventually I 
hope to have the farm shop compressor in a heated environment so it can be 
on all of the time. At this time I have to shut it down in very cold 
weather for fear of it not starting due to being so stiff (I have the same 
problem myself).   :-)    I already have a small compressor in the wood 
shop that will run a nail gun/stapler if I need it.

BTW, here is a link to a good PEX information page that shows the various 
connection methods available and cross compatibility:
<http://www.pexinfo.com/>



--
"farmer"


Francis Robinson
Central Indiana, USA
Robinson at svs.net