Push-to-connect fitting removal tool - GIF

Push-to-connect fitting removal tool.

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Previously:

https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...842#post198432
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...137#post191651
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...796#post198264
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...927#post171590
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...021#post140843

I have had bad experiences with "shark bite" couplings leaking. Plumbers do not recommend using these types in walls.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TrickieDickie

I have had bad experiences with "shark bite" couplings leaking. Plumbers do not recommend using these types in walls.

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I've had pretty much good results with these. A few places I have been at they have been in use for 20 years. So do I trust them as I would soldered copper? Nope. But from what I understand they were designed for military use on submarines where speed and ease of installation was important.

There is an automotive version used on trucks, DOT approved and used almost exclusively on all big trucks for the past 30 years. If never disturbed and are not subjected to any movement of the line is secured so it cannot move they will normally last the life of the vehicle if I have to remove or replace an airline, the fitting gets tossed in the trash, because it will never reseal properly or if it does reseal it will soon begin to leak. Whenever possible I replace them with DOT approved brass fittings that use an insert and Ferrel. Most trucks have a transition manifold for passing the airlines through the firewall these as of late are mostly made of plastic with the fittings molded in place. It is a regular occurrence that an airline or a bunch of them need to be removed to work on the truck when this happens if the truck is over 10 years old or runs in extreme heat and cold you might as well inform the customer that unless the manifold is replaced and all of the airlines cut back 1/2" they are going to eventually have a bunch of leaks. The problem is you can't always shorten most airlines that much A new manifold will run between $400.00 and $1200.00 depending on the truck. The fittings are not much of a problem on a truck less than 3 years old because none of them are going to last until they are 10 years old

For the type you are mentioning, I first saw them in China about 12 years ago. I agree with the caveats about how they can last. As long as they are not in a stressed position. But to be fair, a stressed copper soldered connection will fail. And so will many other types of connections like PEX connections. The conditions on a rig are pretty tough when you think about it. So if these can last on a rig I'd be pretty confident in them.

As for reusing, the only ones that I reuse are the pipe end caps to do pressure tests. Water connections are for life. Going to save a few dollars on this is pure idiocy.