[goblism]

Long time lurker here, finally registered!
I have been working on a basement remodel in my house. Everything is plumbed with uponor past the initial copper.

I plan on using the sharkbite pex pipe and regular copper crimp connectors.
I am plumbing a bathroom and a wet bar.
Here is a picture of where I plan on attaching to.

Now for my big question, what would everyone suggest for tapping into this. Should I sweat a T into the copper and add a valve (for the softened cold, softened hot, regular cold) or should I just put a T into the current uponor and add a valve onto that new line?

I would tap into the currently ran pipes but I want to be able to shut off the water to the basement if a problem should ever arise (Doubtful, but if it does I am sure I will be glad I spent the extra $10-15 on valves)

Thanks everyone, appreciate all the information everyone provides here!

 

[Daniel Holzman]

I am just a bit confused. You (or was it someone else?) already plumbed essentially the entire house using Uponor (Wirsbo) expansion fittings. Why don't you plumb the basement using expansion fittings as well? Your post states you are going to use "sharkbite PEX pipe". When I have used sharkbite fittings, they were sold as fittings only, I have never seen PEX pipe manufactured by the sharkbite company. I used the sharkbites where I needed a quick disconnect.

The other thing I didn't quite get is why you are planning to use copper crimp rings if you re using sharkbite fittings. The sharkbites I have used did not need copper crimp rings.

As for where to connect, you could add a T either onto the copper or the PEX. But that looks like 1/2 inch copper and PEX, which may be too small diameter to support both the basement and the rest of the house.

 

[goblism]

I am just a bit confused. You (or was it someone else?) already plumbed essentially the entire house using Uponor (Wirsbo) expansion fittings. Why don't you plumb the basement using expansion fittings as well? Your post states you are going to use "sharkbite PEX pipe". When I have used sharkbite fittings, they were sold as fittings only, I have never seen PEX pipe manufactured by the sharkbite company. I used the sharkbites where I needed a quick disconnect.

The other thing I didn't quite get is why you are planning to use copper crimp rings if you re using sharkbite fittings. The sharkbites I have used did not need copper crimp rings.

As for where to connect, you could add a T either onto the copper or the PEX. But that looks like 1/2 inch copper and PEX, which may be too small diameter to support both the basement and the rest of the house.

Sharkbite is a brand pex tubing, it is sold at home improvement stores, I don't plan on using the sharkbite connectors that don't require a crimp. I don't have a uponor tool nor do I plan to purchase one. My main level is all uponor plumbing but my basement currently has no plumbing for the bathroom or wet bar.

I am just wondering if I would be better off splicing off of the 3/4" pex (the unsoftened water is 1/2") or splicing off of the 3/4" copper.
My biggest concern with splicing into the pex is that uponor currently does not warrant crimp connections, only the uponor expansion connectors. The bonus to the pex is that it is a lot simplier to put a T into but voids the warranty

 

[Daniel Holzman]

OK, that makes sense, someone else did the upstairs plumbing using Wirsbo tubing and fittings. As I understand it, Uponor will only warranty work done with their fittings, and possibly their pipe also, but that should not be a problem for you since you are not going to be using Uponor fittings or pipe. Whoever makes your fittings and pipe are going to warranty your product. So if you cut into the Wirsbo PEX to install a T, I don't see why that would affect the warranty for the work above the T.

So far as I understand it, all PEX potable water tubing is identically sized, based on an ASTM standard. There are at least three different ways to make the tubing, but the sizing is standard. And it is certainly easy to install a T in PEX, definitely faster than installing a T in copper, so go for it.