Straightening Pex tubing

[AlanB]

So I am doing my shop air with PEX. Have worked with the 1/2" stuff and found it extremely friendly but wanted to go to 3/4" on the air for more feed.

So I picked up the coil and started to unroll it and oh, my gosh this is the stiffest stuff I have ever seen. Brought it down in the basement hoping a little warmth may help but it is still unreasonably stiff to straighten out.

I am thinking some form of box with a small heater in front of it, or a hair dryer to get some pliability into this stuff.

Anyone else have some suggestions as to how to get it to lay flat or straight?

Thanks.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Is it aqua pex or the Watts style pex with the crimps? Aqua pex will work easily with heat to straighten out. The Watts style pex is something that you just need to fight and as you unroll it against a wall or rafters you need to anchor it very often to hold it straight. Depending on your lengths between disconnects you can buy some pex in straight lengths.

 

[AlanB]

Is it aqua pex or the Watts style pex with the crimps? Aqua pex will work easily with heat to straighten out. The Watts style pex is something that you just need to fight and as you unroll it against a wall or rafters you need to anchor it very often to hold it straight. Depending on your lengths between disconnects you can buy some pex in straight lengths.

I think it would be aqua Pex. It is the water line style pex, or standard pex, made by Sharkbite, that Home Depot is now carrying.

I tried a small piece with hair dryer and it seems to work, think a hotbox and a small heater are in the future. Probably have to wait till tomorrow, SWMBO will convince me of the error of my ways if I work too much on Christmas.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Aqua pex is clear and uses collars and an expansion tool instead of crimps for attaching to fittings. If the pex is warm it will be easier to with, I just don't know how that pex will react to extreme heat so you might want to check with the manufacturers website first.

 

[kennyd]

Is this rated for air pressure use?

 

[wdchyd]

Is this rated for air pressure use?

I was wondering the same.....is it safe ?......(I use type L copper)

 

[CurlyDave]

Is this rated for air pressure use?

I don't know if PEX is rated for air pressure use, but it is certainly rated for leak testing with air pressure, and page 39 of this presentation http://www.plasticpipe.org/pdf/pex_pipes_for_plumbing.pdf claims that it is both ductile and does not throw shards when it bursts.

I would still prefer metal or rubber lines, but PEX seems to be a reasonable candidate for use with air pressure.

If I had the option, I would go with the genuine Aqua PEX (Wirsbo Uponor) material instead of what they sell at Home Depot.

I have heated the white (uncolored) material with a heat gun until it turns clear and rubbery, which should remove the residual curvature, but this would be tedious for any reasonable length of 3/4" material.

 

[hr3]

What about hot water?? Take it to your basement hook it up to your water heater let the water run down your floor drain.. ??? Be careful when using plastics with compressors.. A friend of mine used plastic airlines,, "that were made for air" but after a few years the oil from the compressor broke down the glue.. :confused2:

 

[Robert_in_NY]

What about hot water?? Take it to your basement hook it up to your water heater let the water run down your floor drain.. ??? Be careful when using plastics with compressors.. A friend of mine used plastic airlines,, "that were made for air" but after a few years the oil from the compressor broke down the glue.. :confused2:

Pex systems does not use any glue. They use plastic collars that you expand and slide over the fitting to compress down (Aqua pex), crimps (Watts Pex) and push in connectors (Sharkbite). Those are the three I have experience with and know about.

 

[studor]

The hot water and heat gun both work -- so does unrolling it in a warm room and weighting the ends. Like everything, too much of a good thing can be bad and watch for overheating. Based on no actual facts , I think the PEX should hold up as well as copper or better for air