philmac water fittings

vanderbadger · 13-12-2010 12:33PM #1

I find these a godsend normally when dealing with water pipes around the farm but have noticed during the frost in the last 2 winters thats their T fittngs seem to be weak, at least 4 T piece fittings all inside a shed have gone over the last 2 winters, they seem to develope a pin hole right at the 90 degree angle under the T, it seems like ice accumalates there but they always seem to go inthe same spot, anyone else notice this or did I just get a bad batch, I saw similar Irish fittings at the ploughing called gripmax but our local coop stock the philmac ones

5live · 13-12-2010 03:59PM

Cant sat i noticed that with the philmac fittings but i am in the process of changing over to the new fittings as they free better in the frost due to no restriction in the bore i found out this year

rliston · 13-12-2010 08:39PM

Its happened with a few in the sheds here as well, I originally put it down to old fittings but 2 were only put in during the summer

Muckit · 13-12-2010 10:16PM

Yes I've found this in one of the tees I used overground outside.

I much prefer them to the copper fittings.

It does seem now though that they are susceptable to frost damage when exposed:rolleyes: Ah well...

Bitten & Hisses · 13-12-2010 10:54PM

One of mine (a 1/2" tee) has just developed a pinhole. Like Vanderbadger, it developed the pinhole right at the tee-piece. This is a fitting which was installed in 2007 and is the first one which has failed.

vanderbadger · 14-12-2010 11:12AM

ya they are fierce handy but bloody expensive, its a bit crap about T going though

Joey the lips · 14-12-2010 11:19AM

The agent in ireland for Philmac fittings is based in cork. For the life of me i cannot think of his company name(Prob philmac) but his brother runs company in sync with him called EPH Controls. The sales lad for philmac i think his name is barry.

I would ring eph and get the barrys number and talk to him about this problem. He takes pride in his job so he would be interested.

I was a distributor for philmac which is why i am letting you know..

Thanks

cjpm · 14-12-2010 12:36PM

Joey the lips wrote: »

The agent in ireland for Philmac fittings is based in cork. For the life of me i cannot think of his company name

South Coast Sales.

I've installed a load of these over the years. Both over and under the ground. I hope to god they don't start leaking now!! I'd be very pissed off, they are an expensive fitting.

dar31 · 14-12-2010 02:47PM

have been using these for a long time now, and find them very good. only had one elbow that developed a pin hole leak. at time i had problems with some of the taps, but generally if i sent back the leaking tap they would replace it for a new one.
if people are having trouble with they id contact south coast sales, esp if it is more than a once off incident, they are a very professional outfit.

snowman707 · 14-12-2010 08:53PM

if you have fittings that get frost damaged or similar, no need to throw away, a pea size amount of EP-200 Epoxy putty will repair it

thetiredfarmer · 15-12-2010 09:24PM

I agree that the "T" fittings are definitly not up to the job during winter,but has anyone noticed the Taps/gate valves are really below par when they have been used on a regular basis.They start by leaking at the screw that holds on the twist handle and then basically refuse to stop the flow of water no matter which way they are twisted.At €17-€20 each they should be a whole better.

milkprofit · 15-12-2010 09:32PM

South coast sales 021 4346143 agents for philmac
great co
new philmac good but expensive
Have not had problems in 10 years but never had frost like this

kboc · 15-12-2010 10:01PM

i used these, very handy. easiest fittings i've used

http://www.plasson.co.uk

vanderbadger · 15-12-2010 10:41PM

kboc wrote: »

i used these, very handy. easiest fittings i've used

http://www.plasson.co.uk

just bought one of these the other day, havent fitted it yet though, 26 euro for a 1\2" regular guage tap fitting..crazy money

kboc · 15-12-2010 10:44PM

vanderbadger wrote: »

just bought one of these the other day, havent fitted it yet though, 26 euro for a 1\2" regular guage tap fitting..crazy money

still Rip Off Ireland so. Bought these in the North, far cheaper than that. I bought some of those taps aswell, £13 i think. T joints, 90's etc £2 or £3.

vanderbadger · 15-12-2010 10:49PM

kboc wrote: »

still Rip Off Ireland so. Bought these in the North, far cheaper than that. I bought some of those taps aswell, £13 i think. T joints, 90's etc £2 or £3.

ya its annoying alright, no recession when it comes to buying stuff like that! still i cant face messing with those copper fittings, nothing worse than putting in a new copper fitting, tightening everything up, turn back and the water and drip drip :rolleyes:

BeeDI · 15-12-2010 11:05PM

Copper fittings on half inch heavy gauge hydrodare seldom if ever leak unless you are particularly mechanically challenged. Now the half normal guage ****e should never be let in the gate of any farm. Copper fittings on it are a disaster.

barryoc1 · 16-12-2010 03:18PM

I had the same problem with 2 tees in a shed leaking after the frost thawed. And about a week between one and then the other. And they were the Philmac ones.

milkprofit · 30-12-2010 10:00PM

Wher did you buy them Have they an e mail adress

vanderbadger · 31-12-2010 11:22AM

lads just to update this, i mailed philmac at the time, they passed the mail onto the rep from cork mentioned earlier who contacted me, he is to put a more local rep onot me in the new year so will let ye know if anything comes of it, lost a few more tees in the last freeeze also

milkprofit · 01-01-2011 03:45PM

can you send e mail adress or no where bought cheaper

vanderbadger · 11-04-2011 06:52PM

just to update, rep was passing the other evening so met him, showed me the new type philmac fittings without inserts and gave me a few to replace the old leaking ones. nice to get a response so happy out

Muckit · 11-04-2011 08:54PM

vanderbadger wrote: »

just to update, rep was passing the other evening so met him, showed me the new type philmac fittings without inserts and gave me a few to replace the old leaking ones. nice to get a response so happy out

No inserts...hmmm.... sounds much simpler.

I've a good few old ones, but would be interested to see new ones

aidanki · 11-04-2011 10:01PM

kboc wrote: »

still Rip Off Ireland so. Bought these in the North, far cheaper than that. I bought some of those taps aswell, £13 i think. T joints, 90's etc £2 or £3.

how do you get them apart if they are simply push in?

can you reuse them like you can the other philimac plastic ones

aidanki · 11-04-2011 10:27PM

this is an ideal purchase to be made online, small and light so no excessive shipping cost and size shouldn't be an issue as all pipes are the same size

anyone got any links?

X1R · 12-04-2011 12:26PM

http://www.philmac.com.au/Product/Product/ProductRange.aspx?r=44

These fittings are a god send.
They changed them because at every fitting on the old system the pipe size was being reduced and effecting the flow rate.
They have just raised their prices to as a result of the price of oil, but they are still the best fitting out there.
STAY AWAY FROM GRIPMAX !!!!!!!
JC

AtillaTheHun · 12-04-2011 12:41PM

any opinions on weather the new type philmac's will be leaky?
seems like you'd want to be very accurate about cutting the pipe straight and the lay of the pipe would want to be true to intended fittings angle.

I'am probably too suspicious.
I liked the reliablity of the old types
but i do like the fact that you don't have to turn the water off to do a repair with the new types.:)

vanderbadger · 12-04-2011 12:46PM

the thing with the new fittings apparently is that you have to squeeze them up whereas the old ones you could get away with tightening by hand

keep going · 12-04-2011 09:28PM

also they dont like old pipe any little scratch and they will leak great for flow rates though

dar31 · 12-04-2011 10:05PM

keep going wrote: »

also they dont like old pipe any little scratch and they will leak great for flow rates though

ya pipes really do need to be clean, takes a little getting used to, but they are handier in the end.

red inserts for the old ones are getting harder to get, some places have them hid behind the counter. make sure you have enough for what fittings you have in stock.

bob charles · 12-04-2011 10:20PM

using the new fittings for the last few years up to 50mm pipe and up to 3 bar and not having issues as yet

philmac water fittings

Comments