Sharkbite Fittings

TheEplumber

I believe it was in reference to this, but not sure
when to use teflon tape?

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hvac benny

I couldn't help myself, lol. I know we've already got into a debate about dope on flare fittings and unions (which I am opposed to) but when I saw someone admit to using itside the female side of flare fittings and unions, I was appalled.

Ishmael

The question of longevity is a simple one for me:

1) A SB fitting relies on a rubber o-ring to make the seal. That o-ring will fail at some point - probably not "catastrophically", but it'll begin with a little weeping, then develop into a pin hole leak which is exactly what you were trying to fix the first time around.

2) The fewer parts required to make a fitting, the less opportunity there is for it to fail. (Lots of little bits and pieces in a SB). A brass PEX coupling is just one solid piece - nothing to go wrong unless there's some factory defect in it.

3) Quality of the materials. When working with PEX, I prefer brass fittings to EP (engineered plastic) fittings. Expansion connections are also better than any of the others (crimp rings, clamps, SB, compression, press).

That's why I relegate SB to the handyman category. They'll save you some time and get you out of a jam with little to no money invested in tools or training. They're a decent product, but not at all comparable to a proper PEX expansion ("ProPEX") connection.

digitalplumber

This is the kind of informative answer I was looking for, whether pro or con. Guess I should have done a poll instead.

Thanks

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