Help with old plumbing

Benny17441 · Jun 16, 2020

This the new plumbing to repair and replace the old plumbing. They are called Pex pipes and joints. Of course you will need new tools and training. They are not cheaper than the old plumbing but supposed to perform better. It really helps the plumbers work faster and do more jobs at your expense.

jviss · Jun 17, 2020

I wouldn't transition to PEX. The black fittings shown in your pic are "Parker O Ring/Grab Ring Tube Fittings." They are, in my opinion, the absolute best marine plastic plumbing fittings available. They are inexpensive, fast, reliable, can be made and re-made many times, and other than a cutter for the tubing require no tools.

They were used on my 1996 Tartan 3800 with polybutylene tubing. This material has fallen into some disrepute because of failures in home construction. I am doing all my new plumbing with LLDPE tubing. It's food grade, rated for the temp range seen on boats, and cuts easily with a $25 tubing cutting plier.

I have zero leaks of any kind. My boat holds the water pressure for weeks with the power off. I highly recommend these fittings and tubing.

You can get them from U.S. Plastics:
U.S. Plastic Corp. | Plastic Bottles, Tubing & Fittings, Tanks, Buckets, Pipe, Sheet & Labware

jviss · Jun 17, 2020

Fittings:
Parker Fittings

Tubing:
LLDPE White Tubing

The fittings are available in black or white. The tubing is available in white, red, blue, green, and black; so, if you want to color-code your plumbing, you're all set.

Cost is very reasonable. Fittings are a couple of bucks each (typically under $3 each) and tubing is $15 to $22 per 100'. The only other things you'll need is a cutter, $8.55:
Complete Soft Tube Cutter

Fittings are available in pipe threads, too, to transition from brass/bronze to plastic, to connect to pumps, etc.

I bought a variety of fittings, first from making a plan to re-work some goofiness a prior owner had done, then to have spares on hand. I can do anything with my plumbing now, and quickly.

Justin_NSA · Jun 17, 2020

Interesting topic. I was thinking of replacing my 30 year old PB plumbing in the off season. I was going to go with PEX since I've worked with it and have the tools. First thing anyone should do is sketch their system as is, and then plan how it's going to be replaced. I'm my case I'm planning to organize it more, possibly with manifolds, and color code hot and cold lines. I'd like to build in and easier way to winterize the system and bypass the water heater.

jviss · Jun 17, 2020

Justin_NSA said:
I'd like to build in and easier way to winterize the system and bypass the water heater.

Amen to this! That's why I like the Parker fittings for this. I just un-do the fittings to the water heater (by hand), and I have a short piece of LLDPE tubing with fittings stashed nearby that I use to bypass the heater. I drain the heater into the bilge and let the bilge pump remove the water. I disconnect the water tanks form the manifold and let them drain similarly. I drain and shut off my accumulator (via a ball valve). Then I undo the input to the water pump and put another short piece onto the pump and drop it into a gallon of pink. One gallon, more or less, and I can pink the entire system.

It would be a bit nightmarish to do this with Pex. The Parker fittings easily connect and disconnect by hand.

jviss · Jun 17, 2020

By the way, @MightyMike , since we're neighbors in Westport, I'm happy to give you a demo of the Parker plumbing fittings, and show how it's laid out on my boat.

This past weekend I saw you were still on the hard. When are you going in?

jviss · Jun 18, 2020

MightyMike said:
They launched me today in the middle of my plumbing project. It's great to be in the water, even without running water.
Thanks for the kind offer.

You're welcome, let me know if I can help.

I think it's unfortunate you missed my reply before investing in the Pex stuff. As you can tell, I'm a strong proponent of the LLDPE tubing and Parker fittings on boats, and a detractor of Pex in this application. The main reason is that Pex is not meant to be taken apart. You have to cut stuff to take it apart, and it might not be possible to put it back the way it was. The copper rings will tarnish with time. Just not good on boats, in my opinion. The Parker fittings and polyethylene tubing are so easy, and only require one tool, the tubing cutter, are are infinitely undo- and redo-able. This comes in handy for winterizing and recommissioning.

Justin_NSA · Jun 18, 2020

Since the investment has already been made: with the crimp tool kit the crimp rings can be cut without damage to the PEX tubing. If you can use Sharkbites it's even easier.

jviss · Jun 18, 2020

I can let you try out a piece of LLDPE. It's not soft like fish tank tubing, but definitely softer than Pex.

jviss · Jun 19, 2020

@MightyMike I'm going to place an order with US Plastics, if you want anything and want to share shipping costs please let me know ASAP.

jviss · Jun 19, 2020

MightyMike said:
Thanks, jviss. If it's not too late, could you add four 1/2" tube to 1/2" thread couplings two male thread and two female s and two 1/2" tube to 1/2" tube straight connections.
I think I can reuse connections from the tubing I have removed, but having new pieces would be cheap insurance.

To be clear:

1/2" Nom. Tube OD x 1/2" Male NPTF (item 660429) qty. 2
- 1/2" Nom. Tube OD x 1/2" Male NPTF Black Polypropylene Male Connector | U.S. Plastic Corp.
1/2" Nom. Tube OD x 1/2" Female NPTF (item 60442) qty. 2
- 1/2" Nom. Tube OD x 1/2" Female NPTF Black Polypropylene Female Connector | U.S. Plastic Corp.
1/2" Nom. Tube OD x 1/2" Nom. Tube OD (item 60405) qty. 2
- 1/2" Nom. Tube OD x 1/2" Nom. Tube OD Black Polypropylene Union Connector | U.S. Plastic Corp.

Please ack.

capta · Jun 19, 2020

I used the white ones for my watermaker low pressure plumbing. Blue tubing is fresh water and green is salt. My Pearson was built w/the black ones, but I prefer the white as they are just push in/and out so no wrench is needed to tighten and no threads to wear out. In time I'll switch all the black to the white ones on my fresh water system. They come in two (and three) way valves, so I'll be able to turn off each line at the manifold and I won't have to drain the whole system to work on one line.

jviss · Jun 19, 2020

capta said:
I used the white ones for my watermaker low pressure plumbing. Blue tubing is fresh water and green is salt. My Pearson was built w/the black ones, but I prefer the white as they are just push in/and out so no wrench is needed to tighten and no threads to wear out. In time I'll switch all the black to the white ones on my fresh water system. They come in two (and three) way valves, so I'll be able to turn off each line at the manifold and I won't have to drain the whole system to work on one line.

What are those white connectors called, and where do you get them?

BTW, the black ones don't require tools, you make them up hand tight.

jviss · Jun 19, 2020

jviss said:
To be clear:

1/2" Nom. Tube OD x 1/2" Male NPTF (item 660429) qty. 2

1/2" Nom. Tube OD x 1/2" Male NPTF Black Polypropylene Male Connector | U.S. Plastic Corp.

1/2" Nom. Tube OD x 1/2" Female NPTF (item 60442) qty. 2

1/2" Nom. Tube OD x 1/2" Female NPTF Black Polypropylene Female Connector | U.S. Plastic Corp.

1/2" Nom. Tube OD x 1/2" Nom. Tube OD (item 60405) qty. 2

1/2" Nom. Tube OD x 1/2" Nom. Tube OD Black Polypropylene Union Connector | U.S. Plastic Corp.

Please ack.

@MightyMike I placed the order, I'll bring your stuff to Westport when it comes.

Help with old plumbing

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