tubing comes apart

[woodshillmaple]

We are having a terrible time this year with either our lateral lines coming apart at connectors or plug caps popping off of our mainline connectors. Just about everyday we have to walk the lines to fix at least one spot. It is pretty new tubing, used only 3 seasons. We don't have the line stretched too tightly so that can't be it. It is a fairly steep slope that the mainline runs down and the top gets sun to thaw out sooner than the bottom. Could it be that with the top melting and beginning to run sooner is putting enough pressure on to force them apart/off? I know normally you need to cut the stuff off if you wanted to separate them. Any ideas would be appreciated.

[H. Walker]

How did you intall the tubing on the fittings? If the tubing was heated it will distort the tubing memory and it will never grip the fitting properly. You will have to cut the distorted end of the tubing off and reinstall with a tubing tool.

[woodshillmaple]

We did use hot water to make the tubing more pliable when we put the lines together. Thanks for the info. Still not sure why the caps keep coming off though since those were never heated, just pushed on all the way.

[maple flats]

With mainline I used to have a few problems with clamps not holding and an occasional fitting coming apart. This year I tried crimp rings with a crimp tool, both available at Lowe's and have had none fail yet. These rings slide on and a simple end nipper shaped plier with blunt edges crimps it. After the $16 or $17 tool price the rings are real cheap compared with screw tightening hose clamps and can be loostened with a twist of a screw driver if you need to remove. However they can not be reused. Also, as others mentioned do not ever heat them to insert, it alters the size of the tubing enough to fail holding. If you must to insert just slightly warm one side by holding the tube in hot water at a flat angle and only have 1/2 in the water. Best with no heat.