Plastic compression plumbing fittings

[Jonboy_t]

What a useless bunch of crap!

I don't consider myself a DIY 'expert' by any means, but I've done up a couple of houses pretty successfully and have never really had any problems that I can't fix to a decent standard. Until now.......

I'm doing my garage up and have put a sink in there (neighbours old kitchen one). I've run water from the kitchen in there and every single fitting that I've used is absolutely perfect, except these fekking plastic 'twist in-pull out' ones, they are all leaking, every bloody one of them.

I've got screw tight fittings on certain joints, they are absolutely perfect, but on these push in joints, there is water seeping out from the connections. I've had it all apart again, used a pipe cutter to cut them dead straight, cleaned all the burr off the edges, yet still they leak! They are all in as far as they will go and I've pulled them back out so they are as in/tight as they can be, still leaks.

Is there anything that I could be doing differently to stop these leaking? Would PTFE tape help? Should the cuts be a little less straight? A bucket under the fittings for the rest of time?!!

[skeeterm5]

Have you fitted the plastic pipe insert into the ends of each pipe where it fits into the push fitting?

S

[Simpo Two]

I think the make/design has a lot to do with it.

I've had poor results with the screw-up type but the push/pull ones (with the darker grey collar you press in to release) work well for me and will even accommodate a (very slight) angle.

But I always use copper pipe, if you use plastic then you need the widgets as said.

[Jazoli]

skeeterm5 said:

Have you fitted the plastic pipe insert into the ends of each pipe where it fits into the push fitting?

S

I was just about to ask the same, I use these all the time and have no issues at all really

Edit, just read your post again and it sounds like you are using copper, it could be a duff bunch of fittings, JG (John Guest) are generally very reliable, and/or Hep20, I don't use any other brands.

Edited by Jazoli on Friday 4th March 20:20

[S70JPS]

You need an insert in the end of each pipe.
Also ther is an 'o' ring in the connector that can become dislodged. look down the connector and you will see it if it is disloged. Flick it back in with a screwdriver.
I have just put 500M of this stuff in my house and only come across the problems above

[Spudler]

As above.
Also, are you totally sure they're pushed in all the way? some makes need an extra push even when they feel they're all the way.
Shouldn't be able to pull them out once there pushed in

[Jonboy_t]

skeeterm5 said:

Have you fitted the plastic pipe insert into the ends of each pipe where it fits into the push fitting?

S

I haven't mate, no. I don't think I saw any inserts and I read the instructions too.

I've just reread my first post and not sure I described the fittings properly, I know there are a few types so I've take some photo's to show what they are.

This one is leakign slightly, but I think that's because it is difficult to reach and I just need to spend some time getting into it:



These are the ones that are causing the issues at the moment:



ETA - The coupler in the second picture is only there accidentally! It's coming out tomorrow when I take it all apart again! Long story......

Edited by Jonboy_t on Friday 4th March 20:46

[Simpo Two]

Mmm, that's the kind I don't like either.

[ColinM50]

You've got to use the insert otherwise err well it'll leak won't it?

Pic 2 here

http://hep2o.wavin.com/Hep2o/Jointing.html

[Jonboy_t]

ColinM50 said:

You've got to use the insert otherwise err well it'll leak won't it?

Pic 2 here

http://hep2o.wavin.com/Hep2o/Jointing.html

I think I'll give them a go then!! To be fair, there's only 3 joints that are giving me hassle at the moment, so I may as well just spending the £3 odd on new 'proper' fittings!! But at least I'll learn!

[Piersman2]

Possibly a case of RTFM?

I don't like plastic pipes and generally have tried to avoid using plastic pushfits on the house I've been doing up over the last year. I much prefer copper, soldered fittings.

But on my last house I did use some plastic piping and it definitely needed inserts... and I never had a single leak anywhere.

So I suggest it's a trip back to the shop in the morning for the OP to collect some inserts

[Jonboy_t]

Piersman2 said:

Possibly a case of RTFM?

I don't like plastic pipes and generally have tried to avoid using plastic pushfits on the house I've been doing up over the last year. I much prefer copper, soldered fittings.

But on my last house I did use some plastic piping and it definitely needed inserts... and I never had a single leak anywhere.

So I suggest it's a trip back to the shop in the morning for the OP to collect some inserts

Think you're right mate! I try to use copper wherever possible, it's just simpler and better, but there was already plastic piping in parts, so I thought I'd go for continuity....

(what does RTFM mean??!)

[Piersman2]

Jonboy_t said:

Think you're right mate! I try to use copper wherever possible, it's just simpler and better, but there was already plastic piping in parts, so I thought I'd go for continuity....

(what does RTFM mean??!)

Read the fking manual!

[Jonboy_t]

Piersman2 said:

Jonboy_t said:

Think you're right mate! I try to use copper wherever possible, it's just simpler and better, but there was already plastic piping in parts, so I thought I'd go for continuity....

(what does RTFM mean??!)

Read the fking manual!

Ha ha!! In most cases with me it definitely would be, but I got so frustrated that I resorted to reading the instructions!

[Simpo Two]

Actually you'd think that if you went to a decent shop to buy plastic pipe and push-fit fittings, they'd say you needed inserts as well. Well my lot would.

[Jonboy_t]

Simpo Two said:

Actually you'd think that if you went to a decent shop to buy plastic pipe and push-fit fittings, they'd say you needed inserts as well. Well my lot would.

B&Q.......

Think you have to be turned down for a job in McDonalds to qualify there sometimes!

[Paul Drawmer]

Plastic pipe will need the inserts.

The other point mentioned above is to make sure the pipe is pushed fully home in the fitting. When I'm using push fits, I measure the depth that the pipe has to go into the fitting to be all the way in. I then mark the pipe with a pencil line at the appropriate distance from the end. This line then becomes a visible check that each joint is pushed fully home.

[Gingerbread Man]

Jonboy_t said:

B&Q.......

Think you have to be turned down for a job in McDonalds to qualify there sometimes!

Did some work for a friend the other day. They'd used push fit from b&q with no inserts as well, so you're not alone!

Some manufactures have marks every inch or so on the pipe which dictate the insertion depth. This way you'll know it's in fully.
With inserts the joints shouldn't leak, it's easy stuff to use on the whole.

[Simpo Two]

Jonboy_t said:

B&Q.......

I always get my plumbing bits from a specialist plumbing place. Not only are they far cheaper than B&Q etc but the advice they give and questions they can answer makes a vast difference. You can even go in there with a photo on the back of a digital camera and say - 'this is the problem, what bits do I need please?' They should really have a sign out saying 'Numpties welcome'!

[dave_s13]

Just be grateful you've not used it to plumb in a shower, tiled over it all and then realised you didn't use inserts. I nearly did this had it not been for the chap at plumb base!

You're not the 1st :-)