Anyone used these?
I usually tackle my own plumbing and recently had need to replace a toilet tank stop tap at the wall.
The old one was the sweated to copper pipe variety.
I picked up a replacement at the local HW store and it requires a lot of faith IMO.
All you do is push fit it onto the 1/2" copper pipe sticking out from the wall.
Evidentially it has had varying official approval and is good for up to 120psi pressure.
I am going to keep a Very close eye on it.

SharkBite Max.

 

I use several different types of push on plumbing.
There are "outdoor" types used for irrigation systems.
There are several types for indoor systems.
I have not had a failure.

 

I have not had a failure.

Thanks, this offers a little assurance.
https://www.h2ouse.org/are-sharkbite-plumbing-fittings-a-bad-idea/

 

Not all solder joints hold. (skill) I do think solder joints are better. In some places you just can't heat without causing a fire.

For outdoor pipes the flexible pipe goes over the fitting. As the pressure increases the pipe expands and wants to come off.

I could not find a good cutaway picture. The flex pipe goes inside the fitting not outside. As the pressure increases the pipe gets larger making the seal better. There are several different types of these. I like any system where the pipe goes inside the fitting.

My daughter lives in a house with the first push in fitting ever made. (30 years or more old) We have not had a problem. Those do have a reputation of failure. They were only made for a short time. (almost a prototype)

 

Thanks, this offers a little assurance.
https://www.h2ouse.org/are-sharkbite-plumbing-fittings-a-bad-idea/

Thanks a ton, Max! This article explained well!

 

I haven't used push-to-connect fittings that push-to-connect to copper, but I have used thousands of them on nylon tube that push-to-connect on nylon tube in pneumatic systems and they work great. I don't see why they wouldn't work on copper, it's pretty soft and the teeth should be able to bite in

 

connections are supposed to endure number of events (hot/cold/vibrations). so i do not see SharkBite as convincing. for most of joints i used soldering (naturally) but ...not everywhere.

some places are hard to do, at least without setting things on fire. for those i use compression fittings. they have brass ring/ferrule and can be torqued with a wrench. not to mention, easy to remove if needed...

 

I haven't used push-to-connect fittings that push-to-connect to copper, but I have used thousands of them on nylon tube that push-to-connect on nylon tube in pneumatic systems and they work great. I don't see why they wouldn't work on copper, it's pretty soft and the teeth should be able to bite in

same here... but i have seen pneumatic connections fail. and the last thing i want is failed connection in the wall.

 

I would assume that Home Depot, the largest H.W. and DIY store in NA would be leery of selling them if they were not at all reliable.
At least, that is what I am banking on!!

 

I have an outside water faucet. Where it gets cold in the winter the valve is not outside the house but back about 1 foot inside the house inside a wall. The valves were installed 40 years ago and now are very hard to replace. Starting a fire in the walls is not good. (soldering) I am thinking of using push-to-connect to copper fittings inside the wall. In this area people are adding a loop of flex piping in the wall so the valve can be pulled out and replaced without opening up the wall.

 

One tip in using, I found that you need to push them on initially, as far as they will go, then give them a fairly hard push and you may feel a small click, this seats the clamping arrangement.

 

I would assume that Home Depot, the largest H.W. and DIY store in NA would be leery of selling them if they were not at all reliable.
At least, that is what I am banking on!!

then just go to your nearest Home Depot and test your theory.

simply tell them you installed bunch of those but one has sprung a leak and you want to be compensated for damages. pretty sure they will be happy to give you replacement fitting ($2-3 value) but maybe not several thousands of dollars for resulting water damage and repairs.

https://www.sharkbite.com/us/en/warranty

 

I've had to replace all 3 of my outdoor sillcocks over the last couple years. I've also replaced a water heater. For all these jobs I chose to use the Shark-Bite solution to avoid sweating fittings that are up against rafters in my basement, and for general convenience. In some cases I also used PEX tubing to simplify the fitting process.

Like you, I was skeptical, and they cost more. The plumbing job was way too easy and how could it possibly not drip? The simple answer is: They work. I've had a zero failure rate so far. I'll never go back.

 

good to know... i am exploring options for one of my properties. it is in far north... beautiful place, very remote, 12-14h drive. just love it... but in winter it gets a bit colder... sometimes considerably colder. i was considering PEX tubing in case of everything going bad. ease of installation is the least of my concerns. i'd rather not get there and find a big lake. so far PEX may be a way to go, it appears to be more suitable for cold since it can expand without rapturing. of course will have temperature control with remote monitoring and control but still thinking of a backup plan .... automatic shut off and purge perhaps. have some ideas. may turn them into a product. will see...

 

same here... but i have seen pneumatic connections fail. and the last thing i want is failed connection in the wall.

I've seen them fail too, but in all the cases that come to mind it was because:
1. Someone yanked the guts out of them or
2. It was a failure of the tube and not the fitting (end OD all chewed up, no good surface to bite into or cut jagged with a pocket knife) or
3. The internal biting ring got weakened by frequent removal/insertion (someone using it as QD when it isn't one) - also resulting in the "end all chewed up" scenario above. Or
4. Wrong tube used with wrong fitting. For example people sometimes don't check or think 8mm and 3/8" are interchangeable.

So in summary, almost always user error. I can't think offhand of one that just simply failed on its own with no idiots involved.

 

 

3. The internal biting ring got weakened by frequent removal/insertion .

How do you remove them, anyway??

 

How do you remove them, anyway??

Not sure about this variant for copper but on the tubing ones you would press this ring which expands the biting ring. I assume you can do the same but I'm not familiar with this split crome cover.

 

For sharkBite there is a removal tool. See picture. You will need one for each size of pipe you have. There is some colored plastic sticking out of the copper. This tool pushes on that plastic and releases the pipe. See video in the link at the end of the post.

Here is a video that might play. removal tool

 

For sharkBite there is a removal tool.

Interesting, thanks.
Are the fittings re-usable, do you know?