HeatLink PEX-a User manual
®
Heat Link
PEX-a Potable Water
Press System Installation Guide
2
®
LinkHeat
Table of Contents
About Us 3
Introduction 4
HeatLink® Potable Water System Advantages 4
PEX Tubing Ratings 5
Plastic Pipe Institute (PPI) PEX Tubing Ratings 5
Plenum Rating 6
Product Listings 7
Limitations 8
Limitations on PureLink® PEX Tubing 8
Limitations on HPP Fittings & Multiport Tees 8
Limitations on NL Brass Fittings and SS Sleeves 8
Important Notice! 8
General Repair and Testing 9
Kinked Tubing Repair 9
Pressure Testing 9
Tubing Repair 9
Thawing Frozen Tubing 9
PureLink® Installation Guidelines 10
General Practices 10
Expansion and Contraction 11
PEX Tubing Supports 12
Expansion & Contraction 14
Pressing Instructions 17
Press Tool Reference Guide 18
Press Descriptions 18
" & " Standard Press Tool Instructions 19
" & " Standard Press Tool Calibration 20
Metal Handle Tools 20
Composite Handle Tools 20
1" Standard Press Tool Instructions 21
1" & 1" Standard Press Tool Instructions 22
1", 1", & 1" Standard Press Tool Calibration 23
Using the Go/No-Go Gauge for Standard Press Tools 24
" &
Maintenance 26
Replacement Collars for 11435 3-in-1 Press Tool 29
Slim-line Power Press Tool Instructions 30
Power Press Tool with Pistol Grip Instructions 32
Common Installation Issues 36
PEX Tubing Pressure Drop Graph 37
Piping Methods 38
Demand Load of Fixtures 40
Friction Losses 41
PEX Tubing Water Volume 41
Recirculation 42
Press Tool Calibration Tracking Sheet 43
3
®
LinkHeat
®
LinkHeat
About Us
HeatLink is a multi-system supplier of potable water and radiant hydronic heating/cooling
and snow melt systems that began as a family-owned business servicing a number of
industries, including HVAC.
The company grew to meet the needs of builders, contractors, and architects, and began
designing and installing radiant heating systems in 1985. Since then HeatLink has grown
into an industry leading manufacturer of radiant heating, cooling, and potable water
systems for residential and commercial applications throughout the world.
for living, while our snow melt systems create safer public and private spaces that
reduce liability for property owners, reduce maintenance, and ensure accessibility. Our
well engineered plumbing systems provide peace of mind for property owners through
contractors.
tool-less manifold in 1996. The company began manufacturing PEX-a tubing in 1998, and
now supplies the highest quality PEX-a systems to customers throughout North America,
and parts of Europe and Asia.
HeatLink works with a network of experienced and successful partner agencies to meet the
design, system installation, and training needs of the construction industry, designers, and
architects.
HeatLink was built on a strong family work ethic and value system that remains the
foundation for our continuing growth and industry leadership role.
4
®
LinkHeat
includes general guidelines for the HeatLink® Potable Water Press System.
Please check our website to ensure you have the latest version of this guide.
Installations must follow all applicable local building and plumbing codes and regulations.
The HeatLink® Potable Water Press System features PureLink® Plus PEX-a tubing, high
press sleeve connection technology. The unique HeatLink® PEX-a process is based on
a method developed during the 1970’s and uses organic peroxide to chemically cross-
link the polyethylene during the manufacturing process. The PEX-a process produces a
improved material properties with respect to temperature, pressure, strength and chemical
resistance.
Press sleeve technology has been used for decades worldwide in plumbing applications and
has been used extensively for pneumatic and hydraulic applications.
HeatLink’s superior potable water system carries all necessary approvals for North American
CPVC, and other PEX plumbing systems in use today.
HeatLink® Potable Water Press System Advantages
{{Clean and non-toxic
{{Flexible - easy installations
{{Resists scaling and corrosion
{{
{{Quiet - no water hammer noise
{{Equalized pressure drops, minimize hot or cold surges
{{Can easily be repaired if tubing is kinked
{{Durable/long life
{{Fast installations - no waiting to pressure test
{{
{{Light weight
{{
{{Chlorine resistance
{{UV stabilized for up to 12 months exposure to sunlight
{{Freeze and chemical resistance
{{Low friction losses
{{Domestic Hot Water continuous recirculation approved
Introduction
5
®
LinkHeat
PEX Tubing Ratings
Plastic Pipe Institute (PPI) PEX Tubing Ratings
PPI TR-3 presents the policies and procedures used to develop recommendations of long-
term strength ratings for commercial thermoplastic piping materials or pipe.
The term hydrostatic design basis (HDB) refers to the categorized long-term hydrostatic
strength in the circumferential or hoop direction, for a given set of end use conditions, as
established by ASTM Test Method D 2837, "Standard Test Method for Obtaining Hydrostatic
Design Basis for Thermoplastic Pipe Materials."
The hydrostatic design stress (HDS) is derived from the HDB and is the recommended
maximum hoop stress that can be applied continuously with a high degree of certainty that
failure of the pipe will not occur.
Pressure ratings (PR) are calculated from the dimension ratio of the pipe (DR), the material’s
hydrostatic design basis (HDB), and the overall design factor (DF).
and historical experience, to be a useful indicator of the relative long-term strength of a
thermoplastic material.
HDB and HDS recommended ratings issued by PPI are for conditions equivalent to those
test environment.
Under some conditions, such as pressure cycling, higher temperature, more aggressive
PureLink® Plus PEX-a tubing is listed with a standard grade rating in PPI TR-4 as tested in
accordance with PPI TR-3. PureLink Plus tubing carries the temperature and pressure ratings
shown in the table below.
Temperature PPI - Hydrostatic
Design Basis
PPI - Hydrostatic
Design Stress
Pressure
Rating
73.4°F / 23°C 1,250 psi / 8620 kPa 630 psi / 4340 kPa 160 psi / 1100 kPa
180°F / 82.2°C 800 psi/ 5520 kPa 400 psi / 2760 kPa 100 psi / 690 kPa
200°F / 93.3°C 630 psi / 4340 kPa 315 psi / 2170 kPa 80 psi / 550 kPa
The use of PEX tubing in a potable hot-water plumbing system with an operating temperature
above 140°F (60°C) or system pressure above 80 psig (550 kPaG) or highly aggressive water
HeatLink requires following the guidelines described in Plastics Pipe Institute TN-53, Guide
to Chlorine Resistance Ratings of PEX Pipes and Tubing for Potable Water Applications and
HeatLink INFO 37, Domestic Hot Water Recirculation Systems.
6
®
LinkHeat
Plenum Rating
Standard for Surface Burning Characteristics of Flooring, Floor Covering and Miscellaneous
Materials and Assemblies and ASTM E84, Standard Test Method for Surface Burning
CAN/ULC S102.2 - 2007/2010 (Canada)
Product Size
Flame
Spread
(FS)
Smoke
Development
(SD)
Insulation
Required
Spacing
Requirements
PureLink® Plus < 25 < 50 No Min. 8" (20 cm)
PureLink® Plus < 25 < 50 Yes* None
ASTM E84 (United States)
Product Size Flame
Spread
Smoke
Development
Insulation
Required*
Spacing
Requirements
PureLink® Plus < 25 < 50 No Min. 18" (46 cm)
PureLink® Plus < 25 < 50 Yes* None
7
®
LinkHeat
Product Line Standards Listings
PureLink® Plus PEX-a
tubing
ASTM F876/F877/F2023/F2657
ASTM E84 (with and without insulation)
CSA B137.5
NSF/ANSI-61 and Annex G
NSF/ANSI-14
NSF/ANSI-372
ULC S102.2 (with and without
insulation)
cNSFus-pw
NSF U.P. Code
ICC-ES
PPI TR-4
CSA Potable
ICC-PMG
Warnock Hersey
HeatLink® stainless
steel press sleeves
ASTM F877
CSA B137.5
NSF/ANSI-14
cNSFus-pw
U.P. Code
HeatLink® F1807
ASTM F1807/F877
CSA B137.5
NSF/ANSI-14
NSF/ANSI-61 and Annex G
NSF/ANSI-372
IAPMO UPC
cNSFus-pw-G
HeatLink® F1807
no lead brass ball
valves
ASME A112.18.1/CSA B125.1
ASTM F1807/F877
CSA B137.5
NSF/ANSI-61 and Annex G
NSF/ANSI-372
CSA
IAPMO UPC
HeatLink® F2159
high performance
ASTM F2159/F877
CSA B137.5
NSF/ANSI-14
NSF/ANSI-61 and Annex G
NSF/ANSI-372
cNSFus-pw
IAPMO UPC
CSA
HeatLink® F2159
HPP Multiport Tees
ASTM F2159/F877
NSF/ANSI-14
NSF/ANSI-61 and Annex G
NSF/ANSI-372
cNSFus-pw-G U.P. Code
HeatLink® F1807
ASTM B88
ASTM F1807
CSA B137.5
NSF/ANSI 61
NSF/ANSI 14
cNSFus-pw
IAPMO UPC
Product Listings
It is the sole responsibility of the installer to verify that the product and installation meets
from other manufacturers, ensure to follow all applicable installation requirements and
8
®
LinkHeat
Limitations
Limitations on PureLink® PEX Tubing
{{Do Not
{{Do Not permanently expose to UV light.
{{Do Not
polyethylene.
{{Do Not use above ratings.
{{Do Not install within 6" (15 cm) of any gas appliance vent piping, or within 12" (30 cm) of
page 10.
{{Do Not solder pipe connections within 16" (40 cm) of any PureLink® tubing in the same
water line.
{{Do Not allow to come into contact with spray foam. (Ensure PEX is sleeved, or use Pipe-
{{Do Not allow contact with low molecular weight petroleum products such as fuels or
solvents or oil based paints.
{{Cannot Be used for LP or Natural Gas.
{{Cannot Be used for an electrical ground.
{{Do Not allow contact with termiticides or pesticides.
{{Do Not
{{Do Not install in contaminated soil.
{{Do Not allow pests, insects, or rodents to come in contact with PEX tubing.
{{Do Not install in contaminated environments.
Limitations on HPP Fittings & Multiport Tees
{{Do Not
{{Do Not use above ratings.
{{Do Not
{{Do Not expose to excessive stress due to PEX expansion/contraction or bending force.
{{Do not
the same water line.
{{Do Not
oil based paints, solvents, or spray foams. See also INFO 24 - Material Properties of
Polysulfone (L2324
{{Do Not allow contact with termiticides or pesticides.
{{Do Not install in contaminated environments.
Limitations on NL Brass Fittings and SS Sleeves
{{Do Not install in corrosive environments (for more information consult the Copper
Development Association or Nickel Institute).
Important Notice!
Like most plastic material, crosslinked polyethylene is subject to ultraviolet (UV) deterioration
9
®
LinkHeat
General Repair and Testing
Kinked Tubing Repair
One of the most important features of PureLink® PEX-a crosslinked tubing is its shape
memory. As such, a kinked area can be repaired using the following procedure:
{{Release system pressure.
{{Straighten portion of tubing being repaired (do not squeeze with pliers).
{{Using a heat gun, heat area to approximately 260°F (125°C), or until tubing appears clear.
(Do Not Use an Open Flame.)
{{Let the tubing cool undisturbed at room temperature.
{{Repair is now complete.
Pressure Testing
{{
{{An appropriate test kit must be connected to the system including a pressure gauge for
monitoring.
{{
followed.
{{Cold water or air may be used for testing. (If allowed by local codes)
{{Test to at least 50 psi above operating pressure, up to 120 psi.
{{HeatLink recommends a test duration of 24 hours.
{{When using leak detection solutions, ensure they are approved for use with PEX and HPP
Tubing Repair
If tubing is damaged during installation it can be repaired using the appropriate sized
protect assembly from concrete; HPP couplings are recommended for concrete repairs.
Thawing Frozen Tubing
PureLink® PEX-a tubing can withstand freeze-thaw cycles better than most other products
available for plumbing today. While not freeze proof, PureLink® tubing is resistant to freeze
damage.
Should tubing become blocked due to freezing, HeatLink recommends thawing by using
hot water, hot towels or gently heating with a heat gun.
Do Not Use an Open Flame!
10
®
LinkHeat
6"
(15 cm)
6"
(15 cm)
18"
(46 cm)
PEXPEX
18"
(46 cm)
6"
(15 cm)
6"
(15 cm)
PureLink® Installation Guidelines
General Practices
{{Install PureLink® PEX at least 12" vertically, or 6"
horizontally away from heat sources such as recessed light
{{For UL1598 approved Type IC thermally protected
luminaires, clearance can be reduced to 1". Ensure the
luminaire is fully enclosed so that no UV emissions reach
the PEX.
Metal Drop Ear
Bend Support
Plastic Drop Ear
Bend Support
{{When installing HPP
Not use other sealants.
Do Not Overtighten!
{{Use bend supports for
90° turns. Use drop
ear bend supports or
copper stub-outs for
90° turns when exiting
walls.
Stub Out
Elbows
12" Minimum
Vertical
Distance
6" Minimum
Horizontal
Distance
{{PEX may be used to connect directly to Power Direct Vent Water Heaters, Electric Water
Heaters, or Tankless Water Heaters. Tubing must be kept at least 6" away from the
exhaust vent.
{{For S636 plastic or Type B double wall vent piping that clearance can be reduced to 1".
more than the temperature limit stated on the vent pipe system.
{{
before transitioning to PureLink® on both inlet and outlet.
11
®
LinkHeat
{{
{{Use protective sleeves or grommets when penetrating a hollow masonry wall or metal
studs.
{{Protect the tubing with a nail plate if it is within 2" (5 cm) of the edges of a stud, plate, or
nailing surface.
{{Tubing bundles must be protected by heavy gauge protective sheathing at the area of
abrasion.
{{If PureLink® PEX is notched or cut, the damaged section must be cut out.
{{HeatLink approves the burial of PureLink® Plus PEX-a tubing in concrete.
{{
PEX tubing in or under a slab.
{{When entering or exiting a concrete slab the PEX tubing should always be protected by a
conduit elbow (86000 series) or a tubing sleeve.
{{
environments. However, HeatLink Stainless Steel Sleeves must be wrapped with heat or
cold shrink for burial.
{{The use of hard binding wires or tape for tying PEX tubing to rebar or wire mesh in not
allowable, only soft breakable wire ties or plastic tie-straps should be used.
Wall
Stud
PEX ½"
Hole ~1"
Nail
Plate
Metal
Wall Stud
Grommet
Expansion and Contraction
(For further details see page 14)
{{The design and installation of every piping system shall include means to accommodate
its expansion and contraction caused by temperature changes, movement of the soil,
building shrinkage or structural settlement.
{{Small dimension expansion can generally be accommodated with slack and expansion
loops. (For PEX sizes over 1" see page 14).
12
®
LinkHeat
32"
PEX Tubing Supports
HeatLink PEX-a tubing can be supported using the same methods as metallic pipe. HeatLink
recommends using copper tube size (CTS) hangers and supports designed for use with
plastic pipe, e.g., plastic, coated, rubber, or foam lined, etc. Supports shall not compress, cut
or abrade the tubing. Guides should be installed to allow the free movement of the tubing.
Pipe support manufacturers include, but are not limited to:
{{Eaton B-Line
{{HoldRite, Inc.
{{Hydra-Zorb Corp.
{{Pentair (Erico) CADDY
{{Walraven, Inc.
Riser clamp
Mid-story
Guide
Appropriate
Floor Assembly
Appropriate
Firestop Material
Compatible with
HeatLink PEX
Appropriate
Wall Assembly
PEX tubing
{{
and have mid-story guides. Hot water risers should have
{{Horizontal runs should be supported by
guides every 32" (80 cm).
{{Vertical runs should be supported by
between.
J-Clips
13
®
LinkHeat
{{
shown in the diagrams below.
14
®
LinkHeat
On 100ft of 2" PEX with a temperature change of 100°F the expansion is 11 inches
page 15
2" Tubing shown
11" Expansion
Drill shown
for scale
Expansion & Contraction
PEX has a high rate of thermal expansion. The design and installation of every piping system
shall include means to accommodate its expansion and contraction caused by temperature
changes, movement of the soil, building shrinkage or structural settlement.
However, for systems using PEX larger than 1", installation must allow for expansion and
D = C ×
A xed point
A guide
15
®
LinkHeat
Fixed Point F1
(L)Expansion (∆L)
D=Minimum distance to xed point F2
Fixed Point F2
Length of D for 50ft of PEX
(°F)
PEX Size
20 9.9" 11.8" 13.3" 14.8" 16.0" 18.3"
40 14.1" 16.6" 18.9" 20.9" 22.7" 25.9"
60 17.2" 20.4" 23.1" 25.6" 27.8" 31.8"
80 19.9" 23.5" 26.7" 29.5" 32.1" 36.7"
100 22.2" 26.3" 29.8" 33.0" 35.9" 41.0"
120 24.4" 28.8" 32.7" 36.1" 39.3" 44.9"
140 26.3" 31.1" 35.3" 39.0" 42.4" 48.5"
160 28.1" 33.3" 37.8" 41.7" 45.4" 51.9"
180 29.8" 35.3" 40.0" 44.3" 48.1" 55.0"
200 31.5" 37.2" 42.2" 46.7" 50.7" 58.0"
Calculation for a 50 ft run of 1¼" PEX and temperature from 70°F to 150°F:
D = 12 × (1.25" + 0.125") × (50 ft × 1.1"/10°F/100ft × (150°F - 70°F)
D = 12 × 1.375" × (50 ft × 1.1"/10°F/100ft × 80°F)
D = 12 × 1.375" × 4.4"
D = 29.5"
Example 1: A 50ft straight run of 1¼" PEX is anchored at one end, and an elbow is installed
at the other end. It is a DHW supply pipe with an operating temperature of 150°F, but was
L
D
16
®
LinkHeat
Fixed Point F1
(1⁄2∆L)
L1
L2
Fixed Point F2
(L)
(
1
⁄
2
∆L)
L1
Length of L1 & L2 for 50ft of PEX
PEX Size
20 L1 4.0" 4.7" 5.3" 5.9" 6.4" 7.3"
L2 2.0" 2.4" 2.7" 3.0" 3.2" 3.7"
40 L1 5.6" 6.7" 7.6" 8.3" 9.1" 10.4"
L2 2.8" 3.3" 3.8" 4.2" 4.5" 5.2"
60 L1 6.9" 8.2" 9.2" 10.2" 11.1" 12.7"
L2 3.4" 4.1" 4.6" 5.1" 5.6" 6.4"
80 L1 8.0" 9.4" 10.7" 11.8" 12.8" 14.7"
L2 4.0" 4.7" 5.3" 5.9" 6.4" 7.3"
100 L1 8.9" 10.5" 11.9" 13.2" 14.3" 16.4"
L2 4.4" 5.3" 6.0" 6.6" 7.2" 8.2"
120 L1 9.7" 11.5" 13.1" 14.5" 15.7" 18.0"
L2 4.9" 5.8" 6.5" 7.2" 7.9" 9.0"
140 L1 10.5" 12.5" 14.1" 15.6" 17.0" 19.4"
L2 5.3" 6.2" 7.1" 7.8" 8.5" 9.7"
160 L1 11.3" 13.3" 15.1" 16.7" 18.2" 20.8"
L2 5.6" 6.7" 7.6" 8.3" 9.1" 10.4"
180 L1 11.9" 14.1" 16.0" 17.7" 19.3" 22.0"
L2 6.0" 7.1" 8.0" 8.9" 9.6" 11.0"
200 L1 12.6" 14.9" 16.9" 18.7" 20.3" 23.2"
L2 6.3" 7.4" 8.4" 9.3" 10.1" 11.6"
Example 2: There is a 100ft straight run of 2" PEX tubing on a tray in a ceiling space for
will work best.
D)
is divided into three sections.
D = C ×
D = 12 ×
D = 58"
L1 = 23.2"
L2 = 11.6"
17
®
LinkHeat
LinkPure
®
Link Plus
LinkPure
®
Link Plus
LinkPure
®
Link Plus
LinkPure
®
Link Plus
LinkPure
®
Link Plus
LinkPure
®
Link Plus
Pressing Instructions
Tool Size Page
Standard Press Tool
19
1" 21
22
25
27
Slim-line Power Press Tool 30
Pistol Grip Power Press Tool 32
2" 33
2. Cut the PEX tubing to length, ensuring
a square cut - an irregular cut may
result in a failed connection. For
larger diameter PEX an ABS cutter is
3. Slide the stainless steel
sleeve over the tubing until
it is properly seated.
4. Push the tubing
and sleeve onto
the fitting or
multiport tee until
it bottoms out on
the shoulder.
5. Use the sight hole in the sleeve to verify proper seating of PEX tubing.
6. Make press as per tool instructions (see table below).
1. Inspect all components for debris, obstructions, and/or damage prior to installation.
18
®
LinkHeat
Tool
Description
Part
Number
Press
Description
Calibration
Check
11305 Single Stage As Necessary
11322 Single Stage As Necessary
1" Standard Press Tool 11328 Single Stage As Necessary
11335 2 Position As Necessary
11341 2 Position As Necessary
11433 Single Stage As Necessary
11434 Single Stage As Necessary
11435 Multi Stage Every Press
Slim-line Power Press Tool 11500 Auto Auto
Pistol Grip Power Press Tool 11600
Auto
Single Stage Press:
squeeze of the handles is needed to complete the press.
2 Position Press:
second position, and the second position press is completed with one squeeze of the
handles.
Multi-Stage Press:
press completed with multiple squeezes of the handles (see page 27 for details),
without moving the jaws.
Press Descriptions
Press Tool Reference Guide
following pages.
19
®
LinkHeat
LinkPure
®
Link Plus
LinkPure
®
Link Plus
LinkPure
®
Link Plus
LinkPure
®
Link Plus
(11322 shown)
Single Stage Press; 11305 & 11322.
{{Regularly check tool jaws and sleeve
for any abnormalities that could be an
{{If the Stainless Steel Sleeve is damaged or
{{The stainless steel press sleeve must
be completely pressed only one time. If
pressed more than once it is necessary to
{{Never reuse stainless steel press sleeves.
1.
2.
over the pressed sleeve.
3. A properly positioned tool results in an accurate press: inspect the connection to
ensure the tubing is still seated in the sleeve (only PEX is visible in the sight hole), and
that the press has been properly formed onto the sleeve. An improperly positioned
tool may result in a poor press and a damaged fitting.
Sight
Hole
Improperly
positioned jaws
PEX
improperly
seated in
sleeve
Example Presses
Pinched sleeve; tool may be out
20
®
LinkHeat
All HeatLink Press Tools are precalibrated by the manufacturer, and do not normally require
an initial calibration. However, all press tools wear with use, and it is recommended that
press tools be recalibrated as necessary.
A calibration demonstration video is available for metal handle tools or for composite
handle tools on the HeatLink website.
1.
2. Measure Dimension X using reference dots on composite handle tools, or outside
of handles on metal tools (as noted on diagrams below) and compare against
on the handle (this sticker supersedes the information in this manual).
3.
4.
clockwise to decrease the handle preload.
5.
hole.
6.
7. Make 3 test presses, testing each with a Go/No-Go Gauge to ensure the tool is not
damaged or worn. Worn tools can often be refurbished with new pins and clips HL Part
.
8. Recalibrate as needed.
Rotate counter
clockwise to
increase Preload
Rotate counter
clockwise to
increase Preload
11322
Shown
Stk # Size Dimension X
11305
11322
Eccentric
Adjustment Pin
#6-32 Lock Screw
(2 mm hex key)
Stk # Size Dimension X
11305
11322
Metal Handle Tools Composite Handle Tools
DIMENSION XDIMENSION X
Handle PreloadHandle Preload
Table of contents
Other HeatLink Water System manuals
