I just swapped out most of the copper pipe in my 70+ year old Levit Cape with a single bathroom for Pex-A a few weeks ago. My wife bought me the Milwaukee Propex expander as an early Father's Day present, lol. If I never use it again, it was still extremely worthwhile. I can't imagine using a manual expander in many of the tight spaces I had to squeeze the battery expander into and still be able to crank the thing.
Thanks for the demonstration. It looks like it takes more force than I imagined. However, I only have a few joints, for several thousand dollars difference, I can manage using the manual tool. Thanks again!
Sure thing! The 3/4” connections require a decent amount of force to expand with the tool. If you’re only doing 1/2” connections those are pretty easy!
Thanks the Milwaukee power tool gods cause my pro-pex tool is a life saver, i just re-looped the potable water pipes in a two story 3 bathroom house w/laundry room & 3 hose bibs from polybutylene to pex-a, i would've died if i has roy use this manual expander😂😂😂😂
I clicked on your video because I have to swap out a 1" pipe. Now I'm kinda nervous on whether or not I'll be able to squeeze that tool together. Good video. Smart advice about NOT using a heat gun in the attic!
Pex A... Seems to be such a simple thing to do, but seeing it done makes it so clear. The tip about rotating while expanding is very helpful. Thanks for the demonstration. I am not a pro plumber, I only need to do a section of my house, so the manual tool will do. About $95 in Amazon with 5 die sizes.
@@hanoveroak Great help. Thanks for taking the time to produce it. Quick question for pex A installers: If installed correctly and not damaged by abnormal events... How long have you guys seen it last?
One thing I learned was not to slice the pipe where 2 raised rings exist on the fitting. I slice between the rings and use a screwdriver to split apart the pipe. Mild scoring the raised rings can cause a leak especially when I reuse poly fittings.
After watching a few videos I just keep using PEX B with copper rings. I have the IWISS crimper tool I got off amazon works great. I can see the upsides of PEX-A how fast it is for plumbers using a battery powered expander tool.
It's my understanding that using those fittings will reduce water flow because the inner diameter of the fitting is going to be smaller than the inner diameter of the pipe. If you are starting a whole project from scratch, you can increase the size of the PEX you are using and thus increase the size of those fittings. I'm currently researching all this for a DIY project on an existing system, so I'm deciding between using an expansion method or Shark Bite push fittings.
@@fosty. True have to consider that I was running water from a RO to a refrigerator, and a swamp cooler both had reducers to smaller then 1/2" pex. Also government required flow restrictors are very tiny on faucets. Washing machines don't have restrictors would notice a drop. I also noticed a plastic taste in the water since it's after the RO I thought by avoiding copper because RO water can leech copper it does the same thing with PEX.
@@Mike-01234 Do you still notice the plastic taste? We did the same thing with the refrigerator and ran it for a while until our TDS meter said that the PPM level was looking good. It could also be the refrigerator itself. If it's a bit older who knows what it looks like in there.
Don't think you mentioned it but as much effort and difficult as it is when you're expanding the pex around 3:00 .. anyone who hasn't thought of this, it's even harder when you have an uncut length of PEX pulling the tube out of the tool and nobody to help hold it in. Think I'm gonna go pull a vise off a workbench to hold the pipe in place... for now
I have a friend who converted a PEX crimp tool into a PEX press tool by carefully filing off the end of the tool. Does anyone know of a video of somebody doing this? I asked my friend to share with me how he did it but he's not reliable on replying back in a timely manner.
I just swapped out most of the copper pipe in my 70+ year old Levit Cape with a single bathroom for Pex-A a few weeks ago. My wife bought me the Milwaukee Propex expander as an early Father's Day present, lol. If I never use it again, it was still extremely worthwhile. I can't imagine using a manual expander in many of the tight spaces I had to squeeze the battery expander into and still be able to crank the thing.
Completely agree! I would highly recommend the battery expanders for a project like this. Just wanted to show viewers it can be done without it.
Love your content. Spot on with the way you deliver content. I just purchased based on your video. Thank you so much for the work you do on YT!
Thank you! Really appreciate the kind words and glad to hear the videos have helped you.
Thanks for the demonstration. It looks like it takes more force than I imagined. However, I only have a few joints, for several thousand dollars difference, I can manage using the manual tool.
Thanks again!
Sure thing! The 3/4” connections require a decent amount of force to expand with the tool. If you’re only doing 1/2” connections those are pretty easy!
Great video. Great explanation on how to use the tool. Didn't have much money to buy an expansion drill, this was very economical for now
Thank you! Glad it helped!
Thank you!
Thanks the Milwaukee power tool gods cause my pro-pex tool is a life saver, i just re-looped the potable water pipes in a two story 3 bathroom house w/laundry room & 3 hose bibs from polybutylene to pex-a, i would've died if i has roy use this manual expander😂😂😂😂
I clicked on your video because I have to swap out a 1" pipe. Now I'm kinda nervous on whether or not I'll be able to squeeze that tool together. Good video. Smart advice about NOT using a heat gun in the attic!
Yeah the 1” pipe will be pretty tough to expand! The 1/2” is easy.
Weak, I just manually expanded a 2” water main. I might’ve lost all sensations in my fingers but I did it
Pex A... Seems to be such a simple thing to do, but seeing it done makes it so clear. The tip about rotating while expanding is very helpful. Thanks for the demonstration. I am not a pro plumber, I only need to do a section of my house, so the manual tool will do. About $95 in Amazon with 5 die sizes.
Thanks! Glad it helped.
@@hanoveroak Great help. Thanks for taking the time to produce it. Quick question for pex A installers: If installed correctly and not damaged by abnormal events... How long have you guys seen it last?
Thank you! 😀
Sure - glad it helped!
One thing I learned was not to slice the pipe where 2 raised rings exist on the fitting. I slice between the rings and use a screwdriver to split apart the pipe. Mild scoring the raised rings can cause a leak especially when I reuse poly fittings.
Good tip - thanks!
After watching a few videos I just keep using PEX B with copper rings. I have the IWISS crimper tool I got off amazon works great. I can see the upsides of PEX-A how fast it is for plumbers using a battery powered expander tool.
It's my understanding that using those fittings will reduce water flow because the inner diameter of the fitting is going to be smaller than the inner diameter of the pipe. If you are starting a whole project from scratch, you can increase the size of the PEX you are using and thus increase the size of those fittings.
I'm currently researching all this for a DIY project on an existing system, so I'm deciding between using an expansion method or Shark Bite push fittings.
@@fosty. True have to consider that I was running water from a RO to a refrigerator, and a swamp cooler both had reducers to smaller then 1/2" pex. Also government required flow restrictors are very tiny on faucets. Washing machines don't have restrictors would notice a drop. I also noticed a plastic taste in the water since it's after the RO I thought by avoiding copper because RO water can leech copper it does the same thing with PEX.
@@Mike-01234 Do you still notice the plastic taste? We did the same thing with the refrigerator and ran it for a while until our TDS meter said that the PPM level was looking good.
It could also be the refrigerator itself. If it's a bit older who knows what it looks like in there.
Don't think you mentioned it but as much effort and difficult as it is when you're expanding the pex around 3:00 .. anyone who hasn't thought of this, it's even harder when you have an uncut length of PEX pulling the tube out of the tool and nobody to help hold it in. Think I'm gonna go pull a vise off a workbench to hold the pipe in place... for now
I have a friend who converted a PEX crimp tool into a PEX press tool by carefully filing off the end of the tool. Does anyone know of a video of somebody doing this? I asked my friend to share with me how he did it but he's not reliable on replying back in a timely manner.
I like heating the ring until its becomes transparent then cut off
In most places you will not have room to spin this huge tool and the pipe is secure so no spin there either. I will definitely stick with pex b
There are auto-rotating expanders too, so you don't have to spin the tool.
Pex B is ass