[gizzygone]

Excuse me for my stupid question:

I'm adding a hot/cold spigot to the house to replace a failing standard cold spigot. Since I'm plumbing the entire basement as well, I ordered a Spigot with PEX connectors, and I soldered on a ball-valve PEX stop onto the copper water supply.

I have abou 8inches between the spigot and shutoff valve: I already installed the spigot, and siliconed it as well.

Last night I decided to connect the PEX, and being the first time I've ever used it, ran into an issue: the PEX doesn't have enough flex to connect to the fixture to the supply.

Are there any tricks to this? Or do I need to cut the spigot out, and connect that way?

 

[SeniorSitizen]

Not an answer but my inquiring mind needs to know why a stop valve is needed at that location.

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

just soak the piece of pex in super hot water, you can even boil it and it will become like a limp noodle..

 

[gizzygone]

Not an answer but my inquiring mind needs to know why a stop valve is needed at that location.

Maybe I used the wrong term? It's a 1/4 turn shut off valve.

I live where it can freeze, so most spigots have shut offs inside the house... But it's also useful in some instances to keep people from stealing water. (I came home in my old home to find a contractor hooked up to my water supply fixing the cement sidewalks in the neighborhood without permission.... And water isn't cheap over here)

 

[gizzygone]

just soak the piece of pex in super hot water, you can even boil it and it will become like a limp noodle..

Does it affect strength at all? Any issue using the Uponor PEX expansion tool with them hot?

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

Does it affect strength at all? Any issue using the Uponor PEX expansion tool with them hot?

no effect whatsoever, after you have the pex on the fittings you can wait a few minutes till it cools down and then crimp...there are temp ratings printed on the pex tubing..

 

[gizzygone]

no effect whatsoever, after you have the pex on the fittings you can wait a few minutes till it cools down and then crimp...there are temp ratings printed on the pex tubing..

Sounds good. Maybe I'll try a heat gun first? That way I can attach one end, cut to size, then heat the middle to add some pliability.

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

that will work too, just move it around so you dont scorch the pex...

 

[SeniorSitizen]

Using PVC pipe, make a long radius sweep the desired bend and then push the heated pex in the formed PVC sleeve with a little extra length at each end. It will retain it's sleeved shape and be a lot less PITA to work with.

 

[gizzygone]

It's a straight shot, so the PVC wouldn't work. But I think since I only have 8" of length getting enough bend to get onto the nipple is difficult.

I'd rather not try and remove the spigot so I'll go with some heat.

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

you should be able to get that no problem, even if you kink the pex by mistake, just heat it up and it will go back to original shape with no weakening of the pex..

 

[gizzygone]

you should be able to get that no problem, even if you kink the pex by mistake, just heat it up and it will go back to original shape with no weakening of the pex..

I'll give it another go tomorrow night after I pick up a heat gun. Its located between joists and framing, so getting hands in there is tricky, let alone trying to work against the clock (PEX expansion fitting, so you only have a few seconds to work with)

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

I dont like that type of fitting, I use the copper crimp rings..worse case senario use some shark bite fittings