PEX for air lines?

[jaybee]

PVC for shop air has been covered multiple times, but what about the new PEX (PolyEthylene-Crosslinked) flexible line that's now being used for a lot of plumbing?  Reportedly it doesn't shatter like PVC & is even considered safe to pressure-test with air, and it is rated to 200psi.

[Leon]

It seems that stuff would be good, I would think in a failure mode it would stretch then pop instead of the fracturing that PVC would do.  How's the cost factor?

[UGLY OLDS]

Isn't part of the black iron pipe theory for air lines to " cool" the compressed air, making it easier to condense & remove the condensation  :?:  My other concern , & I'm sure Vance will agree, if you are unfortunate enough to be near an air line when it lets go, iron shows up on an x-ray or MRI... I don't think plastic does...  

[tomslik]

PVC for shop air has been covered multiple times, but what about the new PEX (PolyEthylene-Crosslinked) flexible line that's now being used for a lot of plumbing?  Reportedly it doesn't shatter like PVC & is even considered safe to pressure-test with air, and it is rated to 200psi.

i wouldn't run it with a 2 stage compressor......most of those run 175 psi....

[40]

No idea how it will work for air but in a couple of weeks,I'll be able to tell you how I like it for plumbing water lines. The plumber on my current work project was complaining about the hour drive to the jobsite and wasn't showing up when needed so I fired him and decided to plumb the house myself as we had a delay in getting building material and had a few open days.Got all of the waste lines ran and will begin the water lines after I get the rafters cut and the roof installed.There seem to be several variations....The stuff I think I'll use expands with a special tool and then "shrinks back" over the fitting.I also see another type that uses a band applied with a special tool.I haven't purchased the tools or material yet....I understand the tubing itself is relatively inexpensive but the fittings are high.I also understand the cost of the tools needed is around $500/$600.Anyone have a suggestion as where to buy the tools or materials other than my local supply house?

[1FATGMC]

No idea how it will.................I also understand the cost of the tools needed is around $500/$600.Anyone have a suggestion as where to buy the tools or materials other than my local supply house?

Wow for $500/$600 I could plumb a whole hose with the supply lines and waste lines using pvc, cpvc and abs.  I've built 3 of my houses and plumbed all that way.  No special tools.  Easy and quick to do and I've never had a plumbing problem.

Are you using a system that works off of a manifold with the very small lines to conserve hot water cooling and waste in the lines??  My houses haven't been of the type with hot water demands on opposite ends of the house and everywhere in between.  I try and design them with a central water heater and short runs to the bath, kitchen and shop.

c ya,

Sum

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Not sure if this is the same material used for a short time in metro Phx for interior plumbing of houses (mid-1980's) ..... it was soon out-lawed .

Many houses were retro fitted with copper under a recall /  rebate program.  A fellow business owner next to me when my shop was in Tempe AZ (1998)  ... he found out his house had the pipes when some let loose.

[40]

The average bid on a 2500 sq ft,3 bath house with a basement rough-in is around $8,500/$9,000 to plumb in my area....add another $3,000 to do it in copper.....not counting the utility hookups or septic system.I am just finishing up the drain/waste lines and have spent about $1,000 on materials.With fixtures,I'll be somewhere around $5,000 in material costs.I plan on using two manifolds....one on each end of the home to service that area.....I will use the manifolds with shutoffs instead of the individual shutoffs at each fixture supply.All of the PEX lines will run continuously from the manifold to the fixture with no connections concealed in the wall.The plumbers have been using this product in our area for some time with good results.....this will be my first experience working with it or using it for anything other than in-floor heat.

[jaybee]

PEX is not the same material that was widely used in the 1980s and replaced later because of its tendency to break off at the crimp rings.  It's been used for a long time in Europe and has proven itself there.  As Daryl mentioned it was initially used here mostly for infloor radiant heat.  Sounds like pretty good stuff.  It doesn't radiate heat as readily as iron or copper so that's a downside for air, but if it fails it splits out like an air hose instead of shattering like PVC.  With the high cost of copper it saves money in materials but especially in installation labor since it doesn't have to be cut and fit as much.  A handyman site told me I could get the needed tools for $150.00.  That would consist of a crimper, go/no go guage to check for adequate crimp, a tool to cut off the crimp rings if necessary, and a cutter for the plastic pipe.  Even at that price I'll probably be better resigning myself to time spent cutting, fitting, and soldering.  That's a lot of money in specialized tools to recoup when I already have everything I need for copper and rarely do plumbing.

[40]

"A handyman site told me I could get the needed tools for $150.00. "......That sounds about right for the crimp style......I think I'm going to use the style that has a tool to "stretch it",slide the fitting in(quickly),and it returns to its original form.That set-up with the different sizes of heads needed and the cutting tools is about $500 I'm told.It provides a tremendously tight fit that can only be removed by cutting it off.As far as I can tell,this system is sold only through plumbing wholesale houses and not the big box stores.....they sell the style with the crimping band.They also make a phnuematic version of that expansion tool that is really big $$$!

[jaybee]

Daryle, from what my research tells me I think you and your customers are going to be real happy with the results.  With the cost of copper getting prohibitive plastic is the other choice and this looks strongly like a better way to do plastic both because of installation cost and due to the availability of the manifold distribution system.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

PEX is not the same material that was widely used in the 1980s and replaced later because of its tendency to break off at the crimp rings.  It's been used for a long time in Europe and has proven itself there.  

kool , i know the stuff now... I watch this old house...

[Mikej]

The cost for the tools that stretch the pipe are more than $500 from what I have seen. If you find some for that let me know. We still use copper but was going to change. The price went down and now its up again. Copper lines for A/C's have doubled. You should still use shut offs at the sinks and stools. The way I have seen the plastic pipe run looks like crap. Still like the copper. Do not like the cpvc pipe. It becomes very brittle after water has run through it. Time will tell on the PEX.

[Dave]

Ok ......... Enuff ......... Black pipe and be done with it...... Safe Cheaper than copper (why you would want copper for hi pressure air lines is beyond me) Sorry but all that s^&T Scares me  and im back from the dead....... Ive done em all and im going black......
Dave

[Roger]

Jaybee, I just completed the instillation of my compressor lines and used the PEX product. I started to use black iron or copper, but after checking the price of copper today and the labor of cutting and threading the black iron, used the PEX. It is great to work with and this new stuff is rated at 250# psi. It still will not burst but will bulge out. The price was a lot cheaper and  very easy to install. I rented the tools from tool rental place here in town.  Still saved a lot of $.
Roger