Copper press fit plumbing

MickLimk

Just wondering if anyone there has used copper press fittings for installations?

I saw a job recently completed by an Austrian company and it looks very neat indeed. There seem to be a few different brands of these available (Mapress, XPress, ProPress) but I haven't yet seen them in a plumbing supplier here.

The fittings are like solder ring fittings and not at all related to pex type fittings. They also look like they could/should be a similar price to solder ring fittings so considerably cheaper than compression or push fit fittings. Some more info of one brand here: http://www.yorkshirefittings.co.uk/Brochures/1Yorkshire_Fittings_Product_Brochures/3The_Press-fit_Jointing_System.pdf

The questions I have are:
Has anyone used them here?
Are there suppliers in Ireland?
Are the fittings available in Irish sizes?
How does it work out cost-wise, speed of installation etc.?
What kind of price are the press fit tools required to complete the joints?

All info greatly received!

Thanks,
Mick

CJhaughey

I haven't seen the ones that you are talking about.
I have seen a type that is a push fit but in brass.
Unfortunately Irish pipe sizes are unique to Ireland, AFAIK when they metricized the fittings the UK rounded down and Ireland rounded up or vice versa, hence if you buy qualpex here it will have stamped on it 1/2" Irish.
I think the fittings that you are describing are probably very good but not likely to be available at a store near you soon
If I was doing it again, I would use Qualpex pipe with normal compression fittings as opposed to push fit, takes longer but is much more secure.

muffler

Im not sure if this is the right forum for this - could go in a couple of forums but I will leave it for now and see what smashey and Mellor think of it.

MickLimk

CJhaughey wrote: »

I haven't seen the ones that you are talking about.
I have seen a type that is a push fit but in brass.
Unfortunately Irish pipe sizes are unique to Ireland, AFAIK when they metricized the fittings the UK rounded down and Ireland rounded up or vice versa, hence if you buy qualpex here it will have stamped on it 1/2" Irish.
I think the fittings that you are describing are probably very good but not likely to be available at a store near you soon
If I was doing it again, I would use Qualpex pipe with normal compression fittings as opposed to push fit, takes longer but is much more secure.

Know about the Irish sizes alright. Must check the install I saw to see if it was Irish half inch or 15mm that they used. My guess is 15mm. Looks like a great system though, can take high temp too by simply changing the o-ring before installation.

muffler wrote: »

Im not sure if this is the right forum for this - could go in a couple of forums but I will leave it for now and see what smashey and Mellor think of it.

Not sure at all myself but figured that there were possibly more plumbers hanging out in here than anywhere else. Given the potential cost of the tools required, I didn't think there would be many who'd consider this who weren't doing a fair amount of plumbing.

landydef

havent used them but have seen them demonstrated to me,i know of one supplier in ballymount in dublin the contact details of which i dont have to hand
wasn't overly impressed by them to be honest the major disadvantage is that you cant take them apart again once the joint has been made and making a joint in a tight spot might be an issue also, if i was to start using different fittings they would want to have sizable advantages to any other on the market

Pro Plumber

Just a taught I have used several types of fittings over the years both here and in the UK. Speedfit is by far the best fitting on the market and its now available in Irish size I have used 1000's of them over the years and never had any leaks. They are really easy to use and you need no tools.:)

Hope this helps