Sharbites for Hvac

[mobiledynamics]

I thought I saw it all....not in the trades .Not they got sharkbite esque - came across sharkbite styles for refrigerant lines.

Is the torch really dead for new comers.....aka, I started a thread where my HVAC repair guy (oldie) was telling me all the installers *new kids*, company outfitted them and all jobs are done via press

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Not happening for this HVAC guy just yet. I've seen too many failures and leaks. I'll wait for it to get perfected. I'm fine with Propress, Megapress and Sharkbites for hydronic and water lines.

Tommy

 

[Milton Shaw]

In many cities you have to get a burn permit and have a fire watcher while you are brazing a/c lines. That's why the propress for HVAC came about. It's expensive to get setup for but a lot cheaper than the extra expense for brazing in those cities. NYC is one, that from what I understand, has to have a permit for just about anything you have done there.

 

[BD1]

They have shark bite fittings that are rated for 400 to 500 PSI for refrigeration ??
Dam, I would never trust that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[nadogail]

I have switched to Shark Bites for all the water heater replacements in my properties. Shark Bites have never caused a fire.

 

[Wrench97]

Trucks started using PTC fittings on air brake lines over 20 years ago, quick to assemble PITA to get apart sometimes and leak after about 8-10 years, I don't sharkbites or most other o ring fittings being any different.

 

[Raisedonadeere]

I have done several ac rebuilds on cars over the years. Several brands use o rings on a flanged tube slipped into a larger tube with clips to keep them from separating. They work fine. On the autos I have diagnosed, the leaks are the compressor seal, rubber hoses primarily at the swedge or one of the coils.

I have always puzzled over how we got to nitrogen flow while brazing when there are all sorts of quick connect fittings that work. I think most of the trouble is the challenge of getting a connection that does not require vacuum purge. That is a bigger hill to climb. Give me a lineset that connects like a 1985 BMW and I will happily go with it and do a vacuum purge. Even low skill people do not need the ultimate prepurged line type connection.

 

[ArcReactorKC]

Trucks started using PTC fittings on air brake lines over 20 years ago, quick to assemble PITA to get apart sometimes and leak after about 8-10 years, I don't sharkbites or most other o ring fittings being any different.

I don't disagree entirely, but airbrake lines have lots of movement. I think the constant jostling and such contributes a lot to the failures. I have an airbrake line running compressed air from one shop to another thats been there over 20 years and it doesn't leak. It also doesn't move.

 

[Wrench97]

I don't disagree entirely, but airbrake lines have lots of movement. I think the constant jostling and such contributes a lot to the failures. I have an airbrake line running compressed air from one shop to another thats been there over 20 years and it doesn't leak. It also doesn't move.

I agree, but A/C units vibrate. hot water lines expand and contract it's not much but over time the line and oring wear.

 

[Jackfre]

When I was in the contracting business 40 yrs ago, I was one of those “leading edge” guys who embraced all the new stuff. It took me a while to figure out that one of the reasons I wasn’t home for dinner was that I was doing field trials for all these manuf who rushed stuff to market. I’m with Tommy.

 

[Jim greengo]

I'll keep my turbo torch and staybrite 8.

 

[mygarageone]

When I was in the contracting business 40 yrs ago, I was one of those “leading edge” guys who embraced all the new stuff. It took me a while to figure out that one of the reasons I wasn’t home for dinner was that I was doing field trials for all these manuf who rushed stuff to market. I’m with Tommy.

I did that with the new Hi Eff boilers when they first came out .
First it was the Pulse boilers and then it was Glowcore boilers and I dropped out of that game for yrs . It cost me thousands of dollars because I was I got sucked in and they used installers for there testing.

 

[allinon72]

I understand the apprehension to PTC fittings, but if you're still shitting on press fittings, you might be a curmudgeon.

 

[csp]

I have switched to Shark Bites for all the water heater replacements in my properties. Shark Bites have never caused a fire.

Your water heater lines aren't under anywhere near the pressure a refrigerant line is.

 

[johnnyradiant]

I have switched to Shark Bites for all the water heater replacements in my properties. Shark Bites have never caused a fire.

My understanding, going back too many years now, was that was the whole inspiration for sharkbites - too many cindered properties getting plumbing refits and torch work insurance was going through the roof.

 

[Jim greengo]

My understanding, going back too many years now, was that was the whole inspiration for sharkbites - too many cindered properties getting plumbing refits and torch work insurance was going through the roof.

I've never had a fire in all my years in the trades,but I have had to cut open walls to replace leaking shark bites with sweated on fittings before when they leaked.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I've never had a fire in all my years in the trades,but I have had to cut open walls to replace leaking shark bites with sweated on fittings before when they leaked.

I guess you're not one of the plumbers that worked at Avalon in Edgewater...

Tommy

 

[Jim greengo]

Not me!