The reason I don't use flexis...

[Guest123]

.....I've seen too many of them burst especially the cheap imported ones to place any confidence in them at all. One was on the counter in PTS today being returned as it had burst and had a quarter inch gash down the middle of it. I've seen perfectly installed ones with no kinks, twists or strains of any kinds burst for no apparent reason. At the end of the day they are basically a rubber hose covered in braid.

I now only use copper and having come through and used the Speedfit renaissance, I have a sense of pride with my work with copper and work completed with my bending machine. I can bend an offset very quickly and know that it won't burst either.

I'm not in any way making a dig at those who use flexis and plastic plumbing, for everyone is entitled to have their own preference, but in my opinion copper and soldered fittings or Kuterlite compression fittings will outlast any plastic installation and look far more professional.

 

[WaterTight]

My opinion is copper is best and that flexi's and plastic present a comparatively increased risk of leaks. But I don't know what that risk actually is and I don't think anyone here does either, personal experience or not.

I also think people are inclined to defend their usage because they want to use them. We should treat those opinions we hold which we happen to want to hold with the greatest suspicion.

And so, given the fact I'm not skilled enough to use copper everywhere, and given the fact I do a lot of jobbing work where the clock ticks fast and you spend half your time under a sink or squeezed somewhere inaccessible, I use flexi's often and plastic ocassionally and work on the hope (not assumption) that the risk is small enough that I'd have to be pretty unlucky.

But the truth is it is a niggling worry and if I were skilled enough to be able to use copper everywhere in a timely fashion I'd use it everywhere.

So perhaps the answer is practise for homework.

 

[Guest123]

Best, can we start a CSR forum.....Copper Safe Register!

 

[Guest123]

Good post Watertight. May I suggest that you bend a supply of usable offsets suitable for a number of applications and keep these in your van as I do. Most wash basins can use a 60mm offset and if you bend a few right angles as well and some crossovers, you will have a ready made supply that will do for most jobs. You'll feel more satisfied with your work too. Use any medium size cuttings left over from jobs, it saves a lot of time and if you make these up in your spare time, it can actually become an enjoyable "chore" as well as good practice.

Solder/pre-compress any tap adaptors before connecting to the basin and you'll soon be flying through using copper as your preference.

 

[Whn1]

Flexis are very useful sometimes, especially when piping up those awkward gas hobs..

 

[PlumbBobBob]

good tips there system3

 

[Guest123]

Flexis are very useful sometimes, especially when piping up those awkward gas hobs..

LOL, that was so funny. The Polish guide to gas cooker installations?

 

[Best]

Best, can we start a CSR forum.....Copper Safe Register!

Lol! - Might as well add to the list of stupid, money taking things that we can register with! :smile:

 

[kirkgas]

ive just seen the newer posts, yes there is more possibility that the tap will move if it is on flexis, but the tap should be tightened enough in the first place.... it doesnt matter about what connection is beneath it

you can only tighten a plastic jam nut so much,
plastic jam nut + hot water + flexi + hep2o= "hiya, remember me, you fitted my bath, well theres water coming through the living room ceiling"
we used to keep brass jam nuts from 3/4" ballcocks and swap the inside one for plastic so we had brass for the taps, and thats with tap adaptors and copper

 

[MP plumb]

System3: i know where ur all comin from, but i just dont trust fibre washers... sooo many times ive come across a copper tap connector with a broken fibre washer, or LS-X, or mastic all over it, or its been cross threaded...
a great example to use a flexi is when u have to replace an old tap with a new one and the new tap has a longer thread than the old, so you have the option of cutting the copper back and putting a new valve(which so often isnt there) on and a flexi because there isnt space to solder a copper pipe on with out burning the wall or the bath.
and often, the pipe has already been bent to suit the old so ur already struggling to find a long enough lenght of copper that you can connect to.

 

[mfgs]

I used to use alot of plastic pipe a flexi's when I worked for a firm and they supplied us with materials for a job, and sometimes it will just save you alot of time to use it. Now I am self employed I use copper 99% of the time, but flexi's and plastic can get you out of trouble at times. I have managed to feed plastic through under fully tiled rooms by lifting a board in the rooms either side etc, same for expensive wood flooring. This would not have been possible with just copper.

 

[kirkgas]

Copper pipe adds to the strength of the tap, so helps prevent it turning. Plastic or flexis do nothing.

what would you rather change, the inside bath tap that is onto copper with FI adaptor and red stag, or a hep20 pipe and flexi (ok we know what is easier to change, but the flexi has only been in for a few months and the red stag for 30yrs thats the difference)

 

[MP plumb]

i dont think Whn1 knows what were talkina bout...
but im fighting my corner... im listening to what ur all sayin.... but id love to see u try getting into the tight spaces ive had (jokes aside) to and try soldering a pipe or not use a flexi...

 

[dancinplumba]

nope, im still not convinced, u lot r too old skol. nout wrong with flexis. ok, they may not last potentially as long as copper but they are so so useful in areas where you cant reach, or pre- pipe taps, etc.

dancinplumba and I will marry one day, ur all invited, but instead of throwing conffetti, you have to throw plumbers mait at us (yer, its sticky and messy but i think plumba n i will love it), and our rings will be made of hardened LS-X, so it fits our fingers perfectly.... oh, and my dress will be made of thousands of taps of PTFE tape

perfect, just perfect
what a dream boat!

OOOOooo he says (knees wobbling ) never more a truer sight of lovliness......

 

[mfgs]

i dont think Whn1 knows what were talkina bout...
but im fighting my corner... im listening to what ur all sayin.... but id love to see u try getting into the tight spaces ive had (jokes aside) to and try soldering a pipe or not use a flexi...

Why do you think you get in tighter spaces than the rest of us lol???

 

[dancinplumba]

and i think we havve a DJ for the after....hes on ere