cgreenfield Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Hello everyone, just wondering if anyone who has pex incorporated into there display has experienced the pex discoloring? I heard somewhere that it discolors and becomes brittle in UV light and just wanted to hear some other peoples experience with it because we are integrating pex in our display.-Thanks, Chris- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plumber Plays with Lights Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Yes that is ture. I don t have any pex in my display but I use it at work. I have heard of uv rated pex. It may not be clear pex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I have used pex for years..no discoloration... but we don't get sunlight in Seattle after October either... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Farmer Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I have 8 PEX leaping lights going on year 3 now, no discoloration. It is still very flexible too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-Paul Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I was lazy last year and put my strips and plex in the back yard (south side of house). Was out there for the better part of the summer. Then all last year in the display for about 45 days. Still flexible and no change in color. I bought the 10' straight sections from Home Depot. So, I cant comment on what others might get from different sources. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph A Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 One year at this point with pex. enclosed my CCR's for the Arches and no discoloration at all. These set outside over the year and in a semi shaded area and no problems. I used 3/4 inch pex to enclose the ribbons, but if I had it to do over I would use 1 inch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denny Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Have had a 100 foot roll lying in the direct Arizona sun for two years, no discoloration from the sun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I've had most of 200 feet in the Los Angeles sun with no I'll effects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Grunts Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 As you can see, everyone has about the same response about pex. and i hope it helps, a little info on pex, the discoloration and brittleness that they report about are from people that use it for the purpose that it was intended forhowever they took it to the extreme with it. for ex, over pressure limits will cause it to stretch causing it to split or just small cracks, also with the stretching causes the colors to fade. kinda like a balloon, if you stretch a dark blue balloon it becomes lighter in color, the same with the pex. hope you see where im getting at. So for what you intend to use it for, i see no problem with using pex. only advice i can give is when using clear pex, i would make sure that i sealed off both ends of the tube so that moisture does not get in. any kind of moisture will cause oxidation ( a film ) on the inside over time. Hope this helps Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denny Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 If you want straight pieces, don't buy the coiled pex, you will never get it straight. (That's why I have a 100 foot coil laying in my back yard for two years.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgreenfield Posted November 28, 2014 Author Share Posted November 28, 2014 Thank you everyone for the replies. Sounds like most of you are using them for leaping arches with CCRs inside them, I should have mentioned that we are actually using ours for snowflakes and 2D mini Trees with Dumb RGB Nodes stuck in holes drilled into the back. This makes it more difficult to keep moisture out because of the holes for the nodes. Hopefully I will get around to posting pictures of the snowflakes and trees at some point in the near future.-Chris- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 If you want straight pieces, don't buy the coiled pex, you will never get it straight. (That's why I have a 100 foot coil laying in my back yard for two years.) Amen to that one! I have a bunch of 12 foot pieces I was going to use for my pixel tree, but could not get straightened out. Might use some for some rings next year... I am using PEX for arches, but using CCPs drilled into the back side. The bottom is open as it sits over the rebar in the ground that the arches are mounted to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 Most larger plumbing stores have 20' lengths Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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