Pipes, valves & fittings
Conex Bänninger’s push range
Fitting the bill T
he breadth of the fittings market has expanded considerably over the last decade, with an array of solutions
from press, push, compression, brazing and solder vying for their share of the market. All businesses are striving for brand
loyalty. Heating engineers are as savvy as any other consumers when it comes to aligning themselves to particular products or brands. Ultimately, if the product is good, simple to fit and high quality then it goes a long way to establishing this trust. For certain product categories, developing brand trust can be harder to achieve, and fittings can be a particularly challenging product group. Push and press fittings are gaining greater market share year-on-year over traditional methods, as are the range of material choices favoured by installers, such as copper, brass, carbon steel and plastic. There is also a greater need to use
product specific fittings to certain applications, particularly when installing in sensitive environments or where flames are prohibited. As a result, installers are increasingly arming themselves with a varied, high quality fittings toolkit, with the likes of threaded, compression and oyster being added into the mix of products. Whilst push and press are gaining an
increasing share of the fittings market due to their convenience and speed of installation, certain products naturally lend themselves to particular jobs more than others, particularly where health and safety considerations come into play. The requirement to carry a hot works
licence is limiting the appeal of brazing and solder fittings and is partly responsible for
20 August 2017
the rise in flame-free solutions like press- fit, push-fit and compression. Press and push also come into their own
where space is an issue, as working with a flame in a confined environment is simply ill-advised. However, for more commercial jobs, press-fit joints are able to withstand higher pressures, but preference may come down to whether a fitting is demountable. Push fittings are the only option in this instance. Where tooling is concerned, it’s fair to say that the most cost effective solution on the market is push fit, which requires no specialist tools for correct fitting. Ease of installation doesn’t automatically equate to popularity though, and many installers prefer compression and press fit variants. For assembly, compression fittings only
require a set of tube cutters, a deburring tool and two flat-faced spanners – items which are always in the toolkit. Alongside press and push fit solutions, compression fittings are advantageous for retrofit plumbing jobs, where space is limited, or where the use of heat must be avoided. With flame fittings on the wane, it’s only
natural that the market would witness a rise in new, time efficient cold solutions. Oyster fittings, for example Conex Banninger’s >B< Oyster range, are one such solution. Designed for use with a variety of systems including drinking water and central heating systems, oyster fittings help create a breakable joint without the cost of a union. The standout benefit of oyster fittings is that they are quick, clean, economical and can dramatically reduce installation time. Assembly is straightforward, with stop
Dan Wild, Conex Bänninger’s UK business unit director
Conex Bänninger’s Oyster fittings
Dan Wild, Conex Bänninger’s UK business unit director offers advice for heating engineers on how to build a versatile fittings toolkit for a range of jobs, whilst highlighting the rise in popularity of flame-free options
point marks made on the tubes (to dimple), without the use of specific tools other than a pair of oyster pliers and a standard open ended or adjustable spanner. Oyster fittings are reusable and suitable for multiple applications including drinking water, rainwater and heating systems. They are compatible with copper tube to EN1057 in hard, half hard and soft temper, and stainless steel to EN10312 series 1 and 2. Working in tight spaces, which is often
the case for many engineers can limit product choice and preferences. There may also be a risk that a joint cannot be securely made if an installer is unable to rotate the blowtorch all the way around the fitting. In this instance, push-fit or compression fittings may be the only options, as adequate space will be needed when using another solution. A more traditional option is compression
fittings, one of the most popular flame-free fitting types on the market. The simple screw system provides a
strong, leak free and durable joint and is quick to assemble. With compression fittings comes flexibility too, as there are options available in yellow brass, dezincification resistant (DZR) brass, dezincification immune red brass or chrome plated in accordance with BS EN 248. Quality compression fittings are also
compatible with copper, low carbon steel, stainless steel and many types of plastic pipe including crossed linked polyethylene (PE-X), medium density polyethylene (MDPE) and polybutylene (PB) with size compatible outside diameters. Versatility is a major consideration when choosing the right fitting. It is always worth
www.heatingandventilating.net
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
