PEX certification?

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SewerRatz

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cut back and remove about 2" of the outer shield
cut trac-pipe to length using care not to distort or damage the pipe
Put big nut on, righ way around please
Put 2 1/2 clips on first ring of pipe
Tighten fitting

Congratulations, here's your card

DUH

Oh to get our card we had to take a 20 question test. Half was True False other half was mutiple choice.
 

hj

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pipe

quote; To even be able to buy the pipe and fittings you need to have a certified installers card. Then when an inspector shows up he wants to see the card as well. If you do not have the card for him he will make you tear out everything and either make you hire a certified installer or you can find a place to get certified.

I do not see any problem. If you have to be certified to buy the stuff, then you should already have the card to show to the inspector.
 

Seaofnames

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Some good discussion about this topic.

I'd think that if the pipe is certified and can hold the test pressure then it shouldnt really matter what course someone had.

If they want certification for installation, they should make it mandatory to buy the same materials as well. There will always be competition out there though.
 

MN-E

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The more I'm learning here, there's one change I'd lobby for: seems that there ought to be a standard across the boards for all PEX manufacturers in how their products are installed.

If you're working with PVC or copper, you just have to know the principles of how to do the job... the current differences between PEX manufacturers seems messed up to me. I realize it's all pretty much the same idea, but it sure would make it easier if I could get certified as knowing how to install PEX in general rather than different certification between the different manufacturers.
 

MN-E

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Whatever state or city you are from has just become my hero.

I can respect the sentiment & the logic, but they're sure not making it easy for me to follow the rules...


Another question for the Professionals here, out of curiosity:
If you guys need to do non-plumbing work on your own homes, do you hire professionals (i.e., carpenters or electricians) every time, or do you tackle it yourselves?
 

Cwhyu2

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The more I'm learning here, there's one change I'd lobby for: seems that there ought to be a standard across the boards for all PEX manufacturers in how their products are installed.

If you're working with PVC or copper, you just have to know the principles of how to do the job... the current differences between PEX manufacturers seems messed up to me. I realize it's all pretty much the same idea, but it sure would make it easier if I could get certified as knowing how to install PEX in general rather than different certification between the different manufacturers.
Man I agree with that,in the goob old days we did not have to worry,
about the water lines,it was all copper or galvinized.
 

jmengel

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MN-E-

Based on your handle, I am guessing that you are from MN. I am in the same boat in Minneapolis. Talking with the inspector, need to be certified to do PEX. I have become certified through a class offered at me--nards for free. There was a signup sheet hanging in the plumbing isle. They do not sell wirsbo, they sell durapex/nibco/souix chief. So I am certified in Nibco. The class was a joke, it could have been 5 minutes if I would have stopped asking questions. Not even a hands-on fitting crimp. Just a little unstructured shooting the breeze and my card was signed.

After hanging around here and seeing the current problems with the durapex/nibco tubing I am planning on installing Wirsbo and using my Nibco card. If there is an issue with the inspector on not being Wirsbo trained I will cross that bridge when I get to it.

Good luck. I will let you know how it turns out for me.

-Jon
 
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MN-E

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Jon, thanks for the input! I'm hoisting a Grain Belt Premium in your honor right now!
Yeah, I'm in Minneapolis too... I'll have to check Maynard's & see what I can find.

I am planning on installing Wirsbo and using my Nibco card. If there is an issue with the inspector on not being Wirsbo trained I will cross that bridge when I get to it.

To anyone who might know, the comment above brings up the question that's currently boggling my mind... how much (if at all) are the manufacturers compatible?!?

If PEX tubing all has to meet ASTM specs, why is it not compatible? Does a Nibco crimp ring have different "Go/No-Go" measurements than a Wirsbo crimp ring? If you use Zurn piping with Sioux Chief fittings and crimp rings, will it fail? If I use a "generic" tool like the Pex Pocket-Crimper it's supposed to work with all manufacturers... doesn't that mean that a Zurn tool will be compatible with all of them too?

Sorry, I'm just rambling at this point. Not that I want to test fate with a bunch of different brands, I'm just bothered because I don't have a grasp on all of the rules & how or why they get written the way they do.
 

99k

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Jon, thanks for the input! I'm hoisting a Grain Belt Premium in your honor right now!
Yeah, I'm in Minneapolis too... I'll have to check Maynard's & see what I can find.



To anyone who might know, the comment above brings up the question that's currently boggling my mind... how much (if at all) are the manufacturers compatible?!?

If PEX tubing all has to meet ASTM specs, why is it not compatible? Does a Nibco crimp ring have different "Go/No-Go" measurements than a Wirsbo crimp ring? If you use Zurn piping with Sioux Chief fittings and crimp rings, will it fail? If I use a "generic" tool like the Pex Pocket-Crimper it's supposed to work with all manufacturers... doesn't that mean that a Zurn tool will be compatible with all of them too?

Sorry, I'm just rambling at this point. Not that I want to test fate with a bunch of different brands, I'm just bothered because I don't have a grasp on all of the rules & how or why they get written the way they do.

Perhaps this is why they want you to take a class ...
 
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