Hep2o plumbing questions

[Tomska]

OK, I think I've got most of my hose & connections worked out for my plumbing - 25 metres of 15mm hose, 4 T-junctions and 4 right-angles. Gary's site appears to have "tap connectors", so 4 of those for the sink & basin taps, and some sort of connection for the water pump.

 

I have a few questions I'm not sure about:

 

1) I guess an ordinary mixer shower will have standard tap fittings?

 

2) Assuming a Morco 61e water heater is fitted, does anyone know the connections needed to connect 15mm Hep20 to the cold in and hot out?

 

3) Presumably all you need to do to make an end of Hep20 ready to clip into a joint is a support sleeve stuck in the end?

 

4) Anything obvious I'm missing?

 

Any advice appreciated. Then I can go & buy the lot.

 

Many thanks.

[RobinJ]

I have a few questions I'm not sure about:

 

1) I guess an ordinary mixer shower will have standard tap fittings?

 

2) Assuming a Morco 61e water heater is fitted, does anyone know the connections needed to connect 15mm Hep20 to the cold in and hot out?

Far as I remember they are all standard Hep2O BSP connectors (as in tap, but can't recall whether they are 1/2" or 3/4") - changed a lot of mine to twist/push fit (as I got fed up of the Hep2O washers digging in the pipe when they froze!)

[The Drunken Duck]

Have you thought of using ' Speedfit'? We've found it to be far easier to use than Hep20 and the piping is double walled. Therefore presumably is more efficient as a hot water pipe. We've used it on 3 boats now and had no problems.

 

Morco connections are 15mm

[MoominPapa]

2) Assuming a Morco 61e water heater is fitted, does anyone know the connections needed to connect 15mm Hep20 to the cold in and hot out?

Check the instructions for the Morco: some boilers specify that the first half-metre or so of pipe connecting to the boiler must be copper, and it's possible that the Morco is similar. Certainly our Morco (which I didn't fit) has copper connections despite the rest of the boat being done in plastic.

 

I have instructions but they're on the boat and not immediately accessible. Let me know if you need a copy.

 

MP.

[Dylan]

Rightly or wrongly I used flexible tap connectors both into and out of the Morco on the last boat. They went onto speedfit pipe with compression fittings. Always cut plastic pipe with a proper cutter, hacksaws srew up the fittings. The cutters are woth every penny just for convenience.

[denboy]

hep2o is a night mare if you don't get it dead right as you cant get it apart again speed fit is much more user friendly

Ps had one hep fitting on the boat and guess what it came apart and wrecked a brand new bamboo wood floor hate the stuff

Oh and if you haven't got the proper cutter secaters ?? do it just fine as well

[Ex- Member]

We've used John Guest Speedfit brilliant fittings easy to use and never had a problem, use the 15mm and 22mm pipe inserts with them on all connections and they'll never fail. They all hand tighten and they also disconnect easily if you make a mistake with a fitting. Our central heating system has not been used for 2 years, all done in speed fit to the boiler, the pressure has remained @ 1 bar for the whole 2 years.

 

Dylan's right too, use The propper plastic pipe cutters, They cut dead square and ensure a perfect cut. Less than a fiver and invaluable. They'll also cut other plastic pipe/tube and rubber hoses too

[alan_fincher]

The first foot or so below our Morco is in copper, before it switches to Hep2O.

 

We didn't plumb it, but presumably whoever did, was following some instruction. (Instructions on boat, but will try and remember to check on my next visit).

 

Personally I find Hep2O just fine, easy to use, and have had no leaks or failures (yet!).

 

If I used something else my reasons would be cost, rather than functionality - Hep2O is bloody expensive compared to some other systems.

 

You mention "mixer valve" on the shower.

 

Do you mean just a manual mixer, or are you planning a themostatic mixer ? If the latter, some people have previously suggested that a Morco and a thermostatic valve don't coexist well. It's worth searching for previous posts, if you are planning this...

 

Alan

[blackrose]

Have you thought of using ' Speedfit'? We've found it to be far easier to use than Hep20 and the piping is double walled. Therefore presumably is more efficient as a hot water pipe. We've used it on 3 boats now and had no problems.

 

I prefer Speedfit enawll. It's a lot easier than Hep to take joints apart when you realise you've done something wrong.

 

You can always use the grey Hep pipe with speedfit fittings and the white speedfit pipe with Hep joints if you need to - it's interchangeable.

Edited May 8, 2008 by blackrose

[Ex- Member]

I prefer Speedfit enawll. It's a lot easier than Hep to take joints apart when you realise you've done something wrong.

 

You can always use the grey Hep pipe with speedfit fittings and the white speedfit pipe with Hep joints if you need to - it's interchangeable.

 

We ordered all the speedfit stuff from Screwfix, by far the cheapest at the time we bought in 2005, plumbase and other plumbing outlets were asking silly money for speedfit, not sure what they're like now?

 

Also I liked the JG white pipe as there are continuous markings making sure you cut the pipe so it fully inserts into the fitting. Not essential but handy and saved marking the pipe every time you needed to cut it.

 

JG Speedfit P-EX Barrier Pipe

 

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/97877/Plumbi...Pipe-30m-x-15mm

[floater]

My experience with hep20 is good. Also the fittings are serviceable. A bit of silicone grease around the rubber washer and you can buy new grabs from wholesalers. Should last years.

 

Don't use with chrome though as they won't grip

Edited May 8, 2008 by floater

[Keeping Up]

My experience with hep20 is good. Also the fittings are serviceable. A bit of silicone grease around the rubber washer and you can buy new grabs from wholesalers. Should last years.

 

Don't use with chrome though as they won't grip

I'll second that. I keep a stock of spare grab rings on the boat

[Tomska]

Brilliant, thanks all. Didn't even know about Speedfit, but I'll look into that now. Screwfix is handy for me too, so that could be favourite.

 

Alan - yeah, just a manual mixer. Should be fine, I think.

 

Thanks again.

[wotnot]

I've used a lot of Speedfit pipe and fittings without problem.

 

If you do have to go to copper for connection to the boiler, a standard compression fitting can be used as an alternative to link the plastic and copper pipe - but you MUST use an insert or the olive may distort the plastic.

Edited May 9, 2008 by wotnot

[RLWP]

I'll second that. I keep a stock of spare grab rings on the boat

 

And if you are really economic (stingy?) like me, you can cut a pipe off just past the grab rings and push them off!

 

Richard