Best Piping

[Frankieboy]

Will be investing in piping in the next day or so and was wondering which piping to go for???

Local plumber doesnt do Hep2O, just Plumbafit or something like that.

Was wondering if its worth going elsewhere and getting Hep2O

[blackrose]

Will be investing in piping in the next day or so and was wondering which piping to go for???

Local plumber doesnt do Hep2O, just Plumbafit or something like that.

Was wondering if its worth going elsewhere and getting Hep2O

 

Most people use Hep, personally I prefer Speedfit. It's all much of a muchness, I just find Speedfit easier to use. Just go for a decent brand rather than the Screwfix own brand or other cheaper stuff.

[WotEver]

Hep2o has recently been redesigned and I tested a sample - it seems really robust and ridiculously easy to use. It's also guaranteed for 50 years fwiw.

 

Tony

[starman]

Some fittings are easier than others to dismantle and re-fit should you need to (and it happens). For this I found Speedfit the best as a joint could be opened and dismantled for re-use or changing. Hep I found prone to letting the locking ring slide up the pipe a tad making re-jointing impossible.

In the past I haven't found much difference between pipe makes but I bought some cheap Wickes stuff and found it prone to crush rather than cut cleanly - and I was using the proper cutting tool.

Edited May 14, 2011 by starman

[blackrose]

Hep2o has recently been redesigned and I tested a sample - it seems really robust and ridiculously easy to use. It's also guaranteed for 50 years fwiw.

 

Tony

 

Does the new Hep still need a tool to dismantle joints or have they redesigned that?

[Justme]

 

In the past I haven't found much difference between pipe makes but I bought some cheap Wickes stuff and found it prone to crush rather than cut cleanly - and I was using the proper cutting tool.

 

 

I had that problem once. Replacing the cutting tool fixed it. After a few years of domestic use & living in the tool box it had lost its edge & was crushing & not cutting.

[Nickhlx]

I had that problem once. Replacing the cutting tool fixed it. After a few years of domestic use & living in the tool box it had lost its edge & was crushing & not cutting.

 

 

I like Hep2O and Polyplumb - not used the new Hep yet...

 

I find if you rotate the pipe as you start the cut, that helps prevent crushing

 

Nick

[starman]

I had that problem once. Replacing the cutting tool fixed it. After a few years of domestic use & living in the tool box it had lost its edge & was crushing & not cutting.

 

I did - same with the new one!

[Frankieboy]

So far, most of the local places seem to stock polyplumb and am having problems finding Hep20.

Any views on Polyplumb?

Also, what size should I go for? 15mm or 22mm?

I think the tanks a 1/2" outlet so think it would make sense to go for 15mm piping??

[WotEver]

Does the new Hep still need a tool to dismantle joints or have they redesigned that?

A tool - but it's just a compact plastic thing that they (I believe) give away. If they don't supply it free it can't cost more than a few pence.

 

Tony

[blackrose]

A tool - but it's just a compact plastic thing that they (I believe) give away. If they don't supply it free it can't cost more than a few pence.

 

Tony

 

It's not the cost, it's just the fact that you need a tool to dismantle Hep that I don't like. Speedfit joints are perfectly secure - the outer twist ring means they can't come apart by accident, yet it's much simpler to dismantle if you want to without any tools.

[WotEver]

Can't argue with that

[Colin Smith]

I've used Speedfit (not very good IMO), Polyplumb (looked crappy IMO) but have used Hep20 barrier pipe throughout the barge for both heating and the hot/cold water supply. Easy to install but you need to take care and concentrate! You have to be careful that there are no scratches on the pipe ends (where they push into the fittings) or you can get leaks. Having said that, I've put something in the order of 160m of pipework in to the sink, dishwasher, bathroom basin, Shower panel, toilet, calorifier, Mikuni, 5 rads & towel rail etc. and not had one leak!

 

All the main pipework is in 22mm with spurs off in 15mm. If you're fitting heating, use 22mm for all but the rad valve connections and where possible, use the steel pipe bend formers rather than elbows. It reduces the 'drag' in the pipework enabling the pump to move the water around more freely (faster warm-up on the heating) and reduces the number of fittings so save a bit of money.

 

If you hunt on eBay you can pick up bargains or alternatively go to someone like PTS Plumbing, Graham Builders Merchants etc and set up an account - you should get at least 30% off the rrp and most of them will deliver foc.

 

I was brought up with copper tube and solder so I was sceptical of the plastic stuff but having used a lot of it, I wouldn't use anything else now except Hep20.

 

Colin

[starman]

So far, most of the local places seem to stock polyplumb and am having problems finding Hep20.

Any views on Polyplumb?

Also, what size should I go for? 15mm or 22mm?

I think the tanks a 1/2" outlet so think it would make sense to go for 15mm piping??

The cheap Wickes stuff I referred to was actually Polyplumb. Easy to use but personally I like the dismantle-ability of Speedfit joints. I think so long as you cut everything properly, don't forget inserts and push joints together tightly all will be well but I also pressure-tested mine dry to double check. Support the pipe well and don't leave joints under stress. (For that reason I don't like using the coils of pipe which are very hard to straighten properly esp. in 22mm size.)

As others say 15mm piping is fine but 22mm for heating runs though the boiler supplier should specify what's needed too.

[Nickhlx]

I have helped a friend re-plumb his B and B, mainly with Hep and Marley but more recently Polyplumb, and he is not too careful about avoiding scratches etc on the pipes.

 

I have been absolutely amazed at how good all makes of fittings used are at coping with scratches (gouges even) and rarely if ever a leak... even pipes that habe had their sealeing surfaces seriously gouged by the grab rings being dragged off with pliers have not leaked. His system does run at 3 bar, so I guess the higher pressures squeeze the O rings harder into the blemishes than lower pressures we might encounter on a boat

 

However, that's not to say when I do it I avoid any scuffs, fearing the dreaded un-noticed leak and the bilges getting wet

 

Nick

 

 

[blackrose]

I guess it's all down to personal choice. I've used Hep and Speedfit but would stick with the latter. I've never had a problem with leaks from scratches in the ends of pipes.