Gator Bite Fittings, Feed Back Please

tzzzz216

I'm still not sure if i want to repair any of the pex piping or install it for that matter and I'm starting to get alot of repair calls for it , I've always used copper and still love it !!The quest fittings feel and look cheap to use , on the other hand they've come out with the gator bite fittings which is brass for pex, cpvc & copper pipe for the fittings for repairs and joining the different materials , has anyone had good or bad news using thses fittings. ( Gator Bites) Thanks in advance.


Try to send these jobs overseas !!

Ron The Plumber

Do they calls them Shark Bites also? If so there code approved here, I'd use a coupling from copper only if I could not get solder to take do to water problems.

jdrew6788

yea ive never heard of gator bites....but what you explained sounds liek a shark bite, and no no problems so far. they are a life saver

tzzzz216

You guys are right !!! They are called shark bites my mistake.

Ron The Plumber

There quick and fast to install but they sure are pricy, 1/2" tee was about $14 at the big box store, might be cheaper at my supplier.

planoguy12

They both exist. One "Gator Bites" is sold at Lowe's. The "Shark Bites" are sold at Home Depot and others. I have been using for a few months and so far so good. Has anyone ever heard of any negatives?

22rifle

Gatorbites are Sharkbites sold under a different name for Lowes.

Stop shopping at Lowes and deal with a real supply house if possible.

Proud Plumber

Gator bite, shark bite are the same and called tec tite at ferguson. I like them in the correct use. I think they are a great repair fitting when water is coming in on you. I also keep a tec tite rig set up when I do a freeze and repair. Tec tite is available up to 2" now. I find it comforting when I am doing a freeze/repair to know I have a set up I can quickly install is if the freeze plug were to let go. I also did a quick 1/2 repair on the fly once with a 1/2 tec tite.

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Bill

"I'd rather die while I'm living then live while I'm dead".... Jimmy Buffett

nhmaster3015

Here's Shark Bite Mania

I will only use them for testing and a quick repair that I intend to come back and fix the right way. In my opinion these are just another product that had it not been for lobbiest money would have been canned by the code review board the second they opened the box.

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Proud Plumber

OMG!!!! that is funny. The worlds most expensive plumbing. I wish I had gotten a picture of it, I saw a shower not long ago completely piped in Pex and these crap plastic sharkbite type fittings. It was classic DIY work.

__________________
Bill

"I'd rather die while I'm living then live while I'm dead".... Jimmy Buffett

nhmaster3015

The excuse was that it was still a lot less expensive than hiring a plumber would have been.

JamesNLA

There is a handyman hack that is always in my supply house, he buys these things by the case load. He told my buddy at the counter that he refuses to solder anymore because he has a lot of complaints about leaks. With the bites he has no more leaks. Apparently he tells home owners that soldering is for guys that like to overcharge and this is the replacement. He attempted to ask me questions about tankless installs a few weeks back, I laughed at him and called him a criminal. He has since stayed out of my way. I have a feeling all the all the WAMU bankers will start buying these and call themselves plumbers.

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Grumpyplumber

SNC

I bought the copper ones to fix a leaking Myson radiator. The piping comes out of the wall very tight and Im afraid the torch heat will burn out the pipe joint compound. Seems to be where it is dripping.
First time Ive seen these things.

Ray D.

Been using Gator Bite fittings for water leak repairs. Will solder when valves hold. Have had great success with the fittings.

Jayrek

Yep shark bites get used when the customer, (usually a penny pinching landlord) wants a pipe fixed or capped. I tell them what plumbers I use, give them the two guys that I use phone #'s, I get a call back about how the plumbers want too much.(Yeah being professional, licenced and standing by their work should be done for pennies in their opinion!) "Can you do it for like $100?" They get 45 mins of my time and a sharkbite with no warranty.

protechplumbing

hey TZ, what kind of leaks are you getting on the pex pipe?

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KnifeGun

If you plan on reparing or installing PE-X - I reccomend SharkBite fittings and not GatorBite. Gatorbite is a knock off of the SharkBite fitting and does not come with the PE-X Stiffenor whcih is required for push fit fittings / PE-X applications. SharkBite has the PE-X Stiffenor pre-installed.



Hakuna Matata!

KnifeGun

SharkBite fittings have a 25 year warranty if installed properely

Hakuna Matata!