Alternatives to Plumbing Unions?

[crokett™]

I have my pool pump and chlorine generated connected to the pool plumbing with PVC unions. I pull the chlorine generator and store it under cover in the winter. Both at the old house and at this house last year when I installed it and again this year I had to fuss with the unions to not get leaks. Tonight I noticed a pretty good leak at one of the glued joints on the union. Either it's worked loose or I did something when I was tightening it this year. So, I will have to replace it, which means cutting it off, a coupler and then another union. I'm wondering about alternatives that might be cheaper and would be easier to get right every year. No-hub or perhaps Ferncos? That's just a hose clamp. Flexible hose and barbed fittings?

[Phil Thien]

What if you cut some not-too-deep grooves in the pvc and used a fernco with hose clamps. I'm thinking the grooves may allow the coupler to sink in a bit and hold tight.

Set a table saw so the blade is just a tiny bit above the table and spin the pipe on the saw using a miter gauge and the fence.

[crokett™]

If I use a Fernco, I'm not sure I'm worried about it not leaking. I also no longer have a tablesaw.
Mostly I want something that's less fussy than the unions. I think I broke this one, or at least weakened the joint so it loosened over time. They don't turn all that easily and I use a pretty big pipe wrench, it's the only thing I have large enough that will fit on them.

[blackhat]

A Fernco will hold a surprising amount of pressure. I would use it in a heartbeat. A wee dab of silicone grease or teflon bearing, non hardening pipe dope on those threads will save grief down the road. Depending on the union, some are easily handled with an oil filter wrench.

[Bob10]

Funny I have blown Fernco's  using a bladder to push through a clog.  I don't think I will try it again, luckily it was in an accessible area without anything that could be damaged

[crokett™]

This is a pool pump, pressure is absolute max 25 PSI and thats with a dirty filter and the vac attachment on there. normal operating is around 15 PSI. I'm going to try the fernco tomorrow night. The pool can sit overnight with the pump off. If it leaks, I'll put a new union on.

[Splinter Puller]

Destructable PEX segments.  Cut the PEX at fall shutdown... Replace it in spring.  All your out are a couple crimp rings.

[EdL]

Destructable PEX segments.  Cut the PEX at fall shutdown... Replace it in spring.  All your out are a couple crimp rings.

This......


FWIW, I always liked sch80 pvc, threaded fittings are available (ie: nipples), the unions use an o-ring to seal, never have had to put a wrench on one to tighten it. Biggest problem is availabilty, supply houses that carry it are few & far between.

That was long before pex, I'm getting converted quickly. So far I'm not a fan of the plastic pex to npt adapters, the threaded side doesn't seal worth a carp, the threads are to small, bottoming out before the taper seals.

Ed

[blackhat]

1 1/2" PEX?  I can do 3" but the machine is pushing $4000. I doubt many homeowners would invest in tooling to go larger than 1".

[crokett™]

Destructable PEX segments.  Cut the PEX at fall shutdown... Replace it in spring.  All your out are a couple crimp rings.

I've not heard of these and couldn't find them in the first 30 seconds of a Google search. Unless this isn't an actual product and by destructible you mean PEX I can just throw away. However, this is 1.5" pipe and from Blackhat's post the equipment to do this seems prohibitively expensive. So I'm going to try the Fernco. As per my usual with plumbing, I'll buy what I need for both Fernco and replacing the union, try the Fernco and if it works return the other stuff.