Flex PVC and Barbed Fittings - All Leaking

[zeetwoeight]

Hi all,

Today I finished plumbing in my AGP with a combination of rigid PVC (main runs to and from pool) with white sch40 Flex PVC between the equipment using barbed connectors and ring clamps - all provided by a local pool supply shop. After getting the water level up, I discovered that all my flex PVC + barb fittings are leaking!!! I tightened down the clamps with a ratchet as tight as I could without running the risk of cracking the fittings. Considering this is the way the pool shop recommended connecting everything, I'm not too happy. Am I doing something wrong? Was I supposed to wrap the barbed fittings with tape or something else? With the $$$ I've spent on plumbing, I don't want to replace it all and I figured the clamping method would make it nice and easy to do disconnects for winter shutdowns. I've read good and bad here regarding the use of flex. Some hate it, others use it all the time.

Any suggestions, input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

FlexPVC is designed to be glued in standard PVC slip fittings. FlexPVC is not designed to be used with barbed fitting. The barbed fittings are for black poly pipe.

 

[Pv2]

You could try two clamps for each fitting if you don't feel like using the glue in fittings, but I think they are pretty close to the same amount of money. I have used clamps with that stuff before, my experience is you will ruin the clamp before anything cracks but it could happen, I suppose.