PEX tubing is becoming more and more the go to material for plumbing contractors when designing plumbing systems. This is because of the benefits this material has when it comes to the water flowing in it, its resistance to extreme weather conditions and its price accessibility. PEX tubing is easy to install because of its flexibility. It also prevents the water in it to be contaminated to a higher degree compared to other materials used in these systems.
Uponor has designed an innovative connection mechanism for their PEX tubing that relies on expansion and compression of the PEX material. It is necessary to expand the end of the tube and immediately connect with the desired connector. The material then starts returning to its original size but since it is now fitted with the connector, the material will press and seal by itself, providing a safe and secure connection.
There are specialized tools designed to expand the end of the PEX tubes or fittings to carry on with this process. Milwaukee Tool has designed these tools to easily achieve this and they are commonly referred to as ProPEX Expansion Tools. These power tools apply power to the ProPEX head which has the shape of a cone. The tip of the cone needs to be introduced into the end of the tube. The machine then uses its power and opens the cone shaped head inside the pipe, making it expand so the connecting tube can be placed inside.
There are a few Milwaukee Expansion Tools available in the market today:
- M18 Force Logic Press Tool
- M12 Fuel ProPEX Expander with Rapid Seal Expander Heads
- M18 Force Logic ProPEX Expansion Tool (2”-3”)
- M18 ProPEX Expansion Tool (¼”-1”)
- M12 ProPEX Expansion Tool (⅜”-1”)
There are also additional ProPEX heads that can be attached to each of these tools so the contractor can work with multiple pipe diameters with the same tool. Each one of them is designed to apply different amounts of power and are to be used to a specific range of pipe diameters. Make sure to get the one that will work with the plumbing system you are working on.
These tools can be easily acquired in any plumbing supply store in your city so make sure to reach out to them and get yourself this essential piece of equipment. PEX installations are all around now so you need to be prepared and equipped to be able to offer this service to whoever and wherever the system is needed.