DIY Hydronic Floor Heating

[pachai]

Thanks. I have the next experiment in mind -
and I am working on figuring out a better heat source,
and hooking up a pump and tstat.

My recent experiments provide me some experience
with the technologies for joining PEX pipes
(or just hardware) .

There was a discussion here about this, and good
advice to invest in a Cinch tool, that makes
joining pipes a CINCH. (For unjoining, I still
need to get a nipping tool :-).

On one of my visits to HD, looking for
a quick disconnect method for PEX,
one HDer taught me how to use the
SharkBite Push-Fit system. Connectors
are expensive, but easily removable,
moreso than the Cinch clamps.

So I bought just a handful 1/2 and 3/4.
The 1/2" ones work like a champ.
The 3/4" ones - I have yet to get
both sides of a connector to accept pipe
at the same time!

I'm not asking "Is it me or is it him?" -
but does anyone know what *I* am
doing would cause this?

The HD associate showed me that
these cool things fit on various kinds
of pipes, making them a great fast way
to transition (in my view), eg, to copper.
But I have tried a few flavors of 3/4"
that I have in the house, and been
confounded!

I tried with some of the 3/4" PEX
that the plumbers used, and with
some that I bought in 10' length
from HD, which is thicker.
Same results. Tried another SB
connector, same result.

I resorted to Cinch clamps for these
connections, because the clock is
ticking, and they only cost 50 cents/clamp,
but it would be nice to be able to use
the SB system for these few connections
that need to change during testing.
Removing cinch clamps with an angle iron
is noisy at night, and the Bolt Cutter is awkward :-)

Thanks
Seth