GatorBite Fittings!!!
Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 10:24 am
Just thought I'd share my experience with GatorBite fittings on a recent project. We live in a Crestline ranch style modular home that utilizes all PEX plumbing, brass fittings, metal valves, etc. Nothing cheap in other words. Recently I wanted to flush our water heater and noticed right away both gate valves at the water heater had the gates lock up and both stems broke while I attempted to do this. Didn't cause any leaks, just wouldn't open or close anymore, problem was both were stuck about 90% shut. BTW, I open/close all plumbing valves a few times yearly to help minimize this sort of problem.
The way the water heater is plumbed would normally require me to cut the PEX, go buy the necessary fittings/copper flex pipe/etc. and a PEX crimper to install new valves the way they were initially installed. While considering this I happen to walk by the GatorBite fitting section at Lowe's and noticed they had 3/4 ball valves with the GatorBite ends. I ended up buying 2 of them and the release tool in case I had to take them off for some reason. I also bought a pipe cutter that really made short work of cutting the old valves out of the PEX/copper flex piping a breeze. After I did the sizing/cutting I simply pushed each GatorBite valve in place and that was it.
I was a bit hesitant at first, but now believe these things are a great investment and a real time saver. I used these for the hot/cold side and we have a working pressure of 60psi and these fittings show NO signs of ever leaking. And if the valves ever wear out I can simply replace the valve itself and continue to use the same GatorBite fittings already in place. Later!
The way the water heater is plumbed would normally require me to cut the PEX, go buy the necessary fittings/copper flex pipe/etc. and a PEX crimper to install new valves the way they were initially installed. While considering this I happen to walk by the GatorBite fitting section at Lowe's and noticed they had 3/4 ball valves with the GatorBite ends. I ended up buying 2 of them and the release tool in case I had to take them off for some reason. I also bought a pipe cutter that really made short work of cutting the old valves out of the PEX/copper flex piping a breeze. After I did the sizing/cutting I simply pushed each GatorBite valve in place and that was it.
I was a bit hesitant at first, but now believe these things are a great investment and a real time saver. I used these for the hot/cold side and we have a working pressure of 60psi and these fittings show NO signs of ever leaking. And if the valves ever wear out I can simply replace the valve itself and continue to use the same GatorBite fittings already in place. Later!