Slip Lock Fittings VS Press Fittings

The 700 series slip lock fittings, a high pressure quick-connect coupler made by Relab, is widely used in various indoor and outdoor applications such as humidification, cooling, dust suppression, deodorization, disinfection, landscaping, etc. You can complete the docking and installation of fittings and tubes within 3 seconds, which greatly reduces the installation cost and saves a lot of time.

Compared with threaded compression fittings, set-screw fittings and press fittings, slip lock fittings have obvious advantages, which can save 50% labor cost and 60% installation time for the project. Next, I will convince you with facts. We are going to compare the advantages and disadvantages of slip lock fittings and press fittings in misting systems. Mainly from the production process, procurement costs, supporting equipment, installation methods, replacement and maintenance costs to compare.

Production Process

Slip lock fittings are made of rod-shaped material, processed by CNC lathe. While the press fittings are hollow round tubes extruded by the mold. For mist nozzle connector, press fittings still need to be lathe processed threaded joint and extruded fittings welded together, and then polished before the finished product.

Purchasing Costs

Applied to the misting system of the press fittings are mainly 304/316 stainless steel material, because of its unique processing technology, can only choose good ductility of stainless steel material. While the slip lock fittings can choose brass and stainless steel material, they have more selectivity. The purchasing cost of slip lock fittings plated nickel is not more than 2.2 dollars a piece in Relab. But the stainless steel press fittings are surely more than this price, and it will be higher than the slip lock fittings with the same material.

Supporting Equipment

If you are using a press fitting for the first time, you may need to purchase an electric press tool with a press mold that matches the size of the tube. Press fitting also has requirements on the thickness of the pipe, you may not be able to use thicker pipe, and you must use expensive seamless steel pipe, welded pipe is not recommended, because in the process of pressing, welded pipe is prone to noiselessly crack, and the installation will leak after completion. While slip lock fittings do not pick tubing, you can use PE, nylon, copper, and stainless steel tubing. For the thickness of metal pipe, it can be 0.7mm, 0.8mm, 1.0mm. The key is that you can choose cheap welded pipe, which can greatly reduce your project cost. Relab usually supplies 0.7mm 304 stainless steel tubing with prefabricated slots to fit our 700 series slip lock fittings.

Installation

Slip lock fittings simply require the pipe to be inserted into the fitting and then secured in the installation position. It can be installed on the ground or lifted at high altitude without special tools. On the other hand, press fittings need to be installed on the ground with the help of electric press tools to compress the tube and fittings tightly before lifting, which is very difficult to operate on the high altitude platform.

Service Life

If you have watched the installation process of a press fitting, you will definitely think it will last longer. I asked you why, because you said it has been pressed by power tools and the pressure must be more than 50 kilograms. But after my analysis, your idea will surely be changed. Actually, both the press fitting and the slip lock fitting are sealed by an internal seal. The service life is determined by the sealing ring, and the sealing ring inside the slip lock fittings can be replaced, but the press fittings themselves are disposable and cannot be reused after removal. The slip lock fittings produced by Relab use double sealing rings, and the products have been tested by 105 bar/1500 pis pressure without leakage, and we can provide customers with components of sealing ring and lock ring to facilitate the extension of product life.

Replacement and Maintenance

For both press fittings and slip lock fittings, rubber seals are both used, such as NBR(Nitrile Rubber), EPDM(Ethylenepropylene Rubber), FKM(fluorine Rubber). We now assume that the same material of sealing ring, the two fittings have the same use life, but the press fittings can not be replaced, you can only cut off the tube, and then re-install a new one; while the slip lock fittings are able to replace the internal sealing ring to extend the service time. And when you want to replace a new slip lock fitting, also just pull out the fittings, and then replace with a new one can be.

The above is a comparison of the two fittings on misting systems with their limitations. Press fittings are probably better suited for larger pipe diameters, whereas misting systems for the most part use 3/8” (9.52mm), 10mm or 12mm fittings. Most of the press fittings use 12mm OD tubing for the misting system. If you need to know more about our products and installation, please contact us.