After one of the old [Bartol Acorn] 90 deg joints failed on a bit of pipework in the garage, I’ve decided to replace them all (it’s only plastic in the garage so not a biggy).
I see that screwfix do Speedfit and Hep2O which seems considerably more expensive – are the Hep2O fittings considerably better?

Also, can I re-use the existing pipework or should I renew that also?

I redid my whole central heating and water with Speedfit and it’s been fine for the last 6 months. Other parts were formerly Hep2O and they were fine also.

As it’s another type of plastic pipe you cannot mix and match, I’d just get a run of Speedfit from Screwfix or Toolstation (former has more options but latter is cheaper).

Did the fitting fail or was it not properly fitted in the first place? I’ve always found jg speedfit to be very good. Hear a few people swear by hep2o though.

I had a speedfit fail only once wgen I’d not pushed it fully home so the barbs weren’t gripping correctly. So my own fault.

Did the fitting fail or was it not properly fitted in the first place?

Well the pipe had simply pulled out of the 90deg fitting, but as this house is 100 miles from me I’d rather it didn’t happen again while we weren’t there (or at all).
Original installation was probably done in 1979 and it seems Bartol Acorn was the predecessor of hep20

Speedfit and Hep2o are much of a muchness. Speedfit is easier to demount should you need to. Did parents bathroom with Speedfit 5yr ago and it’s been fine.

I have had one speedfit fail. It was a joint a plumber did and I discovered he used a 2nd hand fitting. It split around the outer locking nut (the one you screw down) and allowed mains pressure water to spray out while we were away over Christmas 👿 I am guessing someone had used a wrench on the lock ring at some point and damaged it when I looked at the marks on it.

Toolstation is a bit cheaper but as above Screwfix have some more options and I think they do bags of 10 which can work out cheaper. I use the inserts with the rubber o-rings on them and have the proper pipe cutter

If you don’t want the fittings to fail, for peace of mind I would use copper.

If you don’t want the fittings to fail, for peace of mind I would use copper.

Any leakage problems I had with my central heating were (wait for it)…

…copper to copper.

If you don’t want the fittings to fail do it properly. If you don’t want them to leak use the appropriate insert or miles of PTFE tape.

Speedfit have a complete guide on their website including minimum fixing distances, bend radii and such. And yes, use superseal inserts for speedfit to speedfit joins (normal inserts are reinforced and should be used for joining to brass fixings)

What squirellking said.

Being a curmudgeon doesnt stop the leaks im afraid.

I had 2 leaks in my new self installed heating system, replumbed downstairs in jg speedfit as i notice the previous owner had put it together without inserts.

Both leaks in the finished system were pinholes upstairs in the copper pipework the previous owner fitted. On the solder joints copper to copper, he had never noticed them cause they didnt leak very badly more of a mist and his system was a tanked system. I noticed the loss as i fitted a pressured closed system so was topping up constantly.

Some uv reactive die and a uv light showed them up. I cut them out and fitted compression joints in their place.

Morel of the story , all work fine but if incompetence installs them you will end up with a leak.

Another tip is use this stuff: http://www.screwfix.com/p/fernox-water-hawk-400g/21548

when making compression joints and threaded joints – eg radiator valves.

Also make sure you use the same make pipe as your fittings for a perfect fit.

I use the JG PEX pipe, if you need long lengths then buy the coil but for short lengths the straight sections are best as the coil can be a complete PITA to straighten out. Keep a hair drier/head gun handy to help straighten it out and use plenty of pipe clips to support the pipe before fitting if possible to prevent any bending stresses on the joint.

I made all the main joints at the flat in the old airing cupboard. It had 2 overflow pipes down into the drains (tank and header tank) so I created a water tight basin at the bottom of the cupboard with the false floor and back wall protecting all the plumbing and left the overflow drains down through the floor open so should any leaks occur in future the water should be contained and flow down the overflow pipes.

I’ve never seen any questions regarding copper pipe joints leaking, but have seems plenty of questions regarding plastic joints.
I carry out property repairs on a daily basis, and have repaired numerous failed plastic pipe joints, they are mostly badly assembled in the first place, but I would stick with copper, there is less chance of failure in my experience.

I’ve never seen any questions regarding copper pipe joints leaking, but have seems plenty of questions regarding plastic joints

That’s because people who don’t know what they doing don’t solder their own copper joints.

Whereas everyone seems to think plastic pipe is like Lego and anyone can be a plumber.

Both plastic and copper will fail if put together badly.

As it’s another type of plastic pipe you cannot mix and match

Yes you can.

You just need to use the right insert for the fitting.

PTFE

Where are you using PTFE tape on JG or Hep2o fittings ?

As it’s another type of plastic pipe you cannot mix and match

Yes you can.

You just need to use the right insert for the fitting.

PTFE

Where are you using PTFE tape on JG or Hep2o fittings ?

1) Find the paragraph in the manufacturers instructions that says this*. Compare a piece of Speedfit and Hep20, notice the difference? JG specifically advise using a brass fitting to join two different types of plastic pipe.

2) I’m not, I was using it on the rad fittings. My point was regarding all fittings regardless of material.

*the difference between a successful and unsuccessful warranty / insurance claim

I use the JG PEX pipe, if you need long lengths then buy the coil but for short lengths the straight sections are best as the coil can be a complete PITA to straighten out

If you can find it and need a coil look for JG Layflat pipe. Same stuff just isn’t like trying to tame a nest of vipers.

That’s PB isn’t it? My mistake was probably going for the cross linked PEX (harder, potentially longer lasting). I remember there used to be problems with PB pipes but believe that has been resolved.

22mm PEX coil I used for my main central heating circuit was a complete ball ache!

Just checked the stock we have. Yes it is PB not PEX but it’s barrier pipe not the standard non-barrier stuff.

1) Find the paragraph in the manufacturers instructions that says this*. Compare a piece of Speedfit and Hep20, notice the difference? JG specifically advise using a brass fitting to join two different types of plastic pipe.

I’ve never read the manufacturers instructions, Just speaking from experience of actually being a plumber, and what I was trained to do. (I’ve never needed to do a warranty claim either)

It’s not what what you would choose to do, but if you need to do it, won’t leak or fail providing you use the correct insert for the fitting.

The problem with the different makes is the diameter can be ever so slightly different. A brass compression fitting has an olive which digs in to the plastic (as you well know) so can overcome the slight difference that push fit fittings cannot.

They may work fine and never fail, but the manufacturers have to cover themselves and say not to mix and match.

Exactly, the fittings are designed to work to a tolerance, when they are misused this is when plastic goes wrong.

Who taught you to mix and match fittings incidentally? Or was it a case of see what works but not actually bother reading the instructions?

Started plumbing in 1989, training at work and in college for 4 years.

I was taught “how” to mix when needed. Not that it should be done as a matter of course.

It’s fine, and it works. but just like all other fittings, if you do it wrong it will leak.

Hmm, as you say if you know how to do it then fair do’s. In this context though its probably inadvisable…

I always thought it was to make you use “their” system and use the fear of non warranty as a back up.Are they made to different standards then?

I always thought it was to make you use “their” system and use the fear of non warranty as a back up.

It is really.

In this instance, Bartol Acorn pipe is pretty old, and needs inserts to suit the pipe wall thickness as Hep inserts are too big.

Hepworth still supply the inserts though, so there is no need to replace all the pipework if you don’t want to. Once you have the inserts, any 15mm fittings will work, although if you have to buy fittings anyway rather than just replacing one that you already have, I’d use Hep personally.

Exactly. 🙂