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  1. #1
    Seasoned Camper
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    PEX clamp question...

    After reading the spare parts and tool thread, that brings me to a question to ask the audience....

    Seeing the two different PEX clamps, any commentary as to which one is better and why? If they each work well, I would be more inclined to the "ratcheting" one as it would seem to be more suited to tighter areas.

    The plan is a tool, clamps, assorted fittings and 2 sticks of red and blue.
    Jerry & Kelly Powell
    Zebulon, NC
    2020 Solitude 390RK-R :target:

  2. #2
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    I’ve always used the copper rings because they were much cheaper than the cinch type. Now that the cinch type has come down in price, they would be preferred. Two advantages: easier to attach in confined areas and easier to remove with standard tools.
    John & Kathy
    2014 F250 Lariat FX4 6.2L SBCC
    2014 Reflection 303RLS
    SW Indiana

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    Don't forget sharkbite fitting assortment. Also some sleeved ratchet types for the soft pex (it's not pex but I call it that)
    2018 Reflection 150 Series 220RK 5th wheel with 6K axle upgrade. B&W 25K OEM Companion, Steadyfast system, 2022 F350 SRW 6.7 King Ranch 8' bed, Trailer reverse lights, rear spare tire holder, storage tube, sumo springs, Victron MultiPlus 12/120/3000, and Solar

  4. #4
    Seasoned Camper
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    Apollo makes a 1-handed tool for the cinch clamps that works especially well in tight areas. Take a look at the entry for 16-August-2015 at http://www.rvhome.school/Our-RV.html
    2016 Grand Design Momentum 385TH
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  5. #5
    Long Hauler geotex1's Avatar
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    Since we're not full-timing, and I have a vast assortment of tools at home and my home in plumbed in PEX . On the road I choose to carry a pair of Sharkbite unions, elbows, and caps along with some PEX tube. The rationale is that this will allow me to fix an issue sufficiently until I can get to a Home Depot, Lowes, ACE, Menards, etc. on the road if I need something else to band-aid, and then when I get home I can do a permanent repair. In our Solitude, there's not vinyl tube - 100% PEX. If there were, like in my former FR, I carried constant tension, spring band clamps and "tight seal" bolted band clamps - these are the same style of hose clamps used in automotive and not typical worm drive clamps you find at those stores just mentioned.

    As for the question at-hand, the answer is that the compression bands and the cinch-style both work well. However, and what has been lost over the years, is that they were designed to complement what style of insert barb is being used. If using a metal barb, either work great. If using a plastic barb, the compression is the better choice of the two. Truly, at the 40psi pressure limit, it doesn't much matter in your camper. If you're building a home with PEX, the plumbing inspector will likely have firm opinions on the matter.
    Rob & Nikki + Cloverfield
    2020 Grand Design Solitude S-Class 3350RL
    2015 RAM 3500 Longhorn Laramie Crew Cab, Long Bed, 4x4 Dually Cummins/AISIN

    Mountains of Pennsylvania

  6. #6
    Big Traveler boyscout's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ThePowells View Post
    After reading the spare parts and tool thread, that brings me to a question to ask the audience... Seeing the two different PEX clamps, any commentary as to which one is better and why? If they each work well, I would be more inclined to the "ratcheting" one as it would seem to be more suited to tighter areas. The plan is a tool, clamps, assorted fittings and 2 sticks of red and blue.
    As others have said, the rings require a larger tool that can be challenging to use in small spaces. The rings also pretty much require a second tool to remove them efficiently, either a specialized cutting tool or some guys use a Dremel to remove them.**

    So the cinch type probably wins for our purposes. What tool to buy for them?

    This is the one I've been wishing I had. I discovered it just recently and have no experience with it, but the tool claims to both install and remove the cinch rings. That's huge if it works as promoted. The second half of this YouTube video shows it in action.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNslIrWk1-w

    Here's a link to that product:

    https://www.supplyhouse.com/sh/contr...duct_id=PXCLTL

    Without the cutting capability of that tool, an alternative recommended by @Cate&Rob is a small pair of top-cutters like the ones below, which are used to grab the tail end of the wrapped part of the cinch clamp and peel it up to remove it. Be careful - says the guy who learned this the hard way - to get a pair with little or no indentation or fall between the cutting edges since it will make capturing the little end more difficult.

    ** I don't want to leave this post without clarifying the purpose of removing clamps.

    It wasn't until I tried to do it - in high-sixties / low seventies temps - that I learned how nearly-impossible it is to dismantle PEX connections once they have been made. It's not impossible but it takes great strength to pull the connections apart after the cinch ring is removed, and in the cramped spaces of our basements it's often pretty much impossible to apply the force required.

    Consider most PEX work as a "cut it out and replace it" project. After cutting it out, cut off the portion containing the fitting, remove the cinch ring from it, and use tools to remove the scrap of PEX from the fitting so the fitting can be re-used (if it's a brass one worthy of the effort).

    Aside from the relatively-low cost of PEX, another reason for this radical-sounding approach is that PEX should not be re-fitted to a fitting... it's significantly deformed from the previous attachment to a fitting. The consensus seems to be that at least two inches should be removed from the end of a previously-fitted PEX pipe to re-use it. Since those two inches may often lead to difficulty re-assembling parts of an existing system, it will make sense in a lot of cases to just cut out and replace.

    *** (there is no three-asterisk reference tag above, don't go looking for it! :-)) Another piece of gratuitous advice: Where our trailers have PEX, they have the least-expensive Type A PEX which is pretty stiff and not inclined to curving. As a result, our trailers contain many (cheap) plastic elbows and other fittings to negotiate obstacles and paths to the plumbing end points, each of which reduces flow. I learned recently of a Type C PEX which is not only more flexible, but can be "healed" with heat if it gets bent and pinched. I've bought some with the intent of replacing all the trailer's plumbing with it (I planned to replace much of it anyway) and eliminating as many fittings as possible in the process, but I'm still in frozen Canada so haven't started this project yet.
    Mark - 2018 Solitude 310GK - 2017 F-350 diesel SRW short box - Pullrite Superglide hitch

  7. #7
    Seasoned Camper
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    Thanks for the detailed write up.

    Quote Originally Posted by [email protected] View Post
    Apollo makes a 1-handed tool for the cinch clamps that works especially well in tight areas. Take a look at the entry for 16-August-2015 at http://www.rvhome.school/Our-RV.html
    Too bad you had to deal with a lot of things you should not have had to. Thanks for passing on your experiences and sharing your knowledge with all of us.

  8. #8
    Site Sponsor CloseToRetirement's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by boyscout View Post
    As others have said, the rings require a larger tool that can be challenging to use in small spaces. The rings also pretty much require a second tool to remove them efficiently, either a specialized cutting tool or some guys use a Dremel to remove them.**

    So the cinch type probably wins for our purposes. What tool to buy for them?

    This is the one I've been wishing I had. I discovered it just recently and have no experience with it, but the tool claims to both install and remove the cinch rings. That's huge if it works as promoted. The second half of this YouTube video shows it in action.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNslIrWk1-w

    Here's a link to that product:

    https://www.supplyhouse.com/sh/contr...duct_id=PXCLTL

    Without the cutting capability of that tool, an alternative recommended by @Cate&Rob is a small pair of top-cutters like the ones below, which are used to grab the tail end of the wrapped part of the cinch clamp and peel it up to remove it. Be careful - says the guy who learned this the hard way - to get a pair with little or no indentation or fall between the cutting edges since it will make capturing the little end more difficult.

    ** I don't want to leave this post without clarifying the purpose of removing clamps.

    It wasn't until I tried to do it - in high-sixties / low seventies temps - that I learned how nearly-impossible it is to dismantle PEX connections once they have been made. It's not impossible but it takes great strength to pull the connections apart after the cinch ring is removed, and in the cramped spaces of our basements it's often pretty much impossible to apply the force required.

    Consider most PEX work as a "cut it out and replace it" project. After cutting it out, cut off the portion containing the fitting, remove the cinch ring from it, and use tools to remove the scrap of PEX from the fitting so the fitting can be re-used (if it's a brass one worthy of the effort).

    Aside from the relatively-low cost of PEX, another reason for this radical-sounding approach is that PEX should not be re-fitted to a fitting... it's significantly deformed from the previous attachment to a fitting. The consensus seems to be that at least two inches should be removed from the end of a previously-fitted PEX pipe to re-use it. Since those two inches may often lead to difficulty re-assembling parts of an existing system, it will make sense in a lot of cases to just cut out and replace.

    *** (there is no three-asterisk reference tag above, don't go looking for it! :-)) Another piece of gratuitous advice: Where our trailers have PEX, they have the least-expensive Type A PEX which is pretty stiff and not inclined to curving. As a result, our trailers contain many (cheap) plastic elbows and other fittings to negotiate obstacles and paths to the plumbing end points, each of which reduces flow. I learned recently of a Type C PEX which is not only more flexible, but can be "healed" with heat if it gets bent and pinched. I've bought some with the intent of replacing all the trailer's plumbing with it (I planned to replace much of it anyway) and eliminating as many fittings as possible in the process, but I'm still in frozen Canada so haven't started this project yet.
    Here is a good explanation of the different types of Pex. As a note to boyscouts comments, it's Pex A that offers the greatest flexibility, at a cost. Personally I prefer Uponor Pex A over all the other brands. You can use their proprietary clamping system, expensive, or use either the clamp rings or cinch clamps.

    http://blog.supplyhouse.com/the-type...-c-pex-al-pex/

    It's Pex B that most manufacturers use in their coaches, because it's the cheapest of the four. I replaced all the flex hose in my coach and used Pex A because of it's flexibility. https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/show...ak-Replacement

    I also use a cordless Dremel to remove the SS cinch clamps. A quick strike across the top part of the cinch clamp and it opens quickly. There is no damage to the pipe or fitting because of this technique. I use a pair of needle nose to pull the remaining ring from the pipe. To boyscouts note of reusability, I agree, cut the two inches from the end. I have a bucket full of short pieces that I pulled during the re-plumb and re-salvaged the fittings.

    When working in tight spots, pressurizing the fittings (slightly applying some pressure to the cinch clamp before the final cinch) made getting the tool easier for a one-handed finish. Nearly impossible to get my large 6' 4" frame into below. I precut all the fittings and cinched all the fittings except the last four (slightly pre-cinched them) before applying the final pressure using one hand.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Barb, Lyle and the 3 four-legged kids
    2015 Solitude 369RL #3521
    2018 Ford F350 DRW


    “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine

  9. #9
    Site Sponsor
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    Here’s a good chart to tell you what type of fittings work with what type of PEX. https://www.pexuniverse.com/types-of-pex-fittings

    Not all PEX A fittings work with PEX B but most PEX B fittings will work with PEX A. The two types of fittings look very similar and it would be easy enough to buy the wrong style.

    If the darn Uponor PEX A expansion tool (Made by Milwaukee) wasn’t so expensive, I’d would go with that. Easy to use and the expansion compression rings easy to install and remove.
    2022 Imagine XLS 22MLE
    Sold: 2015 27RL
    2016 Ram 3500 Crewcab Cummins SRW

  10. #10
    Big Traveler boyscout's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CloseToRetirement View Post
    Here is a good explanation of the different types of Pex. As a note to boyscouts comments, it's Pex A that offers the greatest flexibility, at a cost. Personally I prefer Uponor Pex A over all the other brands. You can use their proprietary clamping system, expensive, or use either the clamp rings or cinch clamps.

    http://blog.supplyhouse.com/the-type...-c-pex-al-pex/
    Thanks for correcting this. A local plumbing supply sales desk guy spent a generous 6-8 minutes on the phone explaining the differences to me (as I explained them in my previous post) and sold me 25 feet each of red and blue Type C. He told me that in addition to its high flexibility and heat-healing capability Type C had the advantage of being made with lower environmental impact.

    Since he had all types of PEX in stock, and the Type C he sold me was less expensive (only about CDN$14 per 25 feet), I'm going to hope that he was new and under-trained.

    Thanks again @CloseToRetirement... fortunately I haven't installed any of the Type C and will be returning it.
    Mark - 2018 Solitude 310GK - 2017 F-350 diesel SRW short box - Pullrite Superglide hitch

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