If you do mailorder at pexconnection.com or similar, you can get colored PEX. This way you can use red for hot, blue for cold, and white for supply. Looks prettier and helps keep things straight.
I also suggest considering 3/8 inch PEX tubing as the fittings for this go to half inch IPT which is what is needed for faucets, water heaters, and nearly everything else. The downside is the reduced flow capacity but the runs are short and you don't want a whole lot of volume in RV applications, anyway??
The big deal with PEX (or any pipe for that matter) is to avoid fittings. I run straight from the sink to a manifold on the rear. There is usually enough room behind or below cabinets to avoid any need for sharp corners and you can also keep a good slope all the way back to the manifold making drainage easy. You can bend PEX to something like ten diameters (verify, please, before use!) so a 3/8 tubing can have a corner radius of only 4 inches or so.
If you are worried about originality. Leave the copper in place parallel to the PEX but just don't use it.
The other big argument is crimp vs Quest or Flair-it. A decent crimper can be had for $60 or so. Space limitations can be a problem with them (except the cheaper ones look an awful lot like the flairing tool you use for the copper tubing in your LP system). I haven't had any problems with the Quest fittings and if you avoid unnecessary elbows and reducers, you won't need that many of them.
What a pain in the a#@ that was! I replaced the 5/8" line from the front tank to the access door behind the fridge. There were 2 splits in the copper that were patched with heater core hose. It was somewhere in the middle of that run that I decided I'm only repairing what's nessisarry for now. Plumbing is not something I do alot of so PEX is looking better all the time now. I like the idea of leaving the copper and not using it too. Once I had the repair finished, I turned on the water, ARGH ! I had a serious leak under the battery platform. I found another split in the 5/8" copper that runs to the water heater. Because of the extreme tightness in the area of the leak as well as my novice soldering skills, I patched this one with a piece of the heater core hose that I had from the first repair. At this point I couldnt believe that I was seriously going to attempt to replace all the copper. Again I turned the water back on, this time the brass thingy under the sink, I guess it's some kind of filter, was gushing water all over the cabin and floor. This one was easy, theres an o ring that I had to tight. I tested all of the lines with the water hook up and all of my repairs worked! I then thought I'd check and test the 12V water system. All of the gauges on the control panel work. It took awhile to get all of the air out of the lines but it started pumping water like a champ. That's when I noticed that it got quite in the cabin, my pump quit working! It clicks when I turn it on but doesn't run, I guess I'll have to get a new one. I inspected the water heater and know that it needs replaced. The tank inside looks OK but the controls accessed through the exterior panel are corroded badly.
Recap of the day - All of the water lines are in good shape and dont leak, I need a new water pump and a new water heater. I'm going to take the belly off under the bathroom. There was water dripping under there, I dont know if my black tank is leaking or if it's from the water that gushed out from the brass dohingy all over the cabin floor. I'd much rather be working with wood!
t it started pumping water like a champ. That's when I noticed that it got quite in the cabin, my pump quit working! 68 Safari
Scott, Ok...You probably know this but, the water pump works on demand. That means if the pump is up to pressure it shuts off until there is a loss of pressure (turning on the faucet)and the pump kicks on again. Hope i'm not to far off base.
__________________
Lee
The more I learn the less I know!!
1973 F-250 4X4 390
1965 Chevy Suburban 454 AIR 6030 WBCCI 4258
What a pain in the a#@ that was! I replaced the 5/8" line from the front tank to the access door behind the fridge. There were 2 splits in the copper that were patched with heater core hose. It was somewhere in the middle of that run that I decided I'm only repairing what's nessisarry for now. Plumbing is not something I do alot of so PEX is looking better all the time now. I like the idea of leaving the copper and not using it too. Once I had the repair finished, I turned on the water, ARGH ! I had a serious leak under the battery platform. I found another split in the 5/8" copper that runs to the water heater. Because of the extreme tightness in the area of the leak as well as my novice soldering skills, I patched this one with a piece of the heater core hose that I had from the first repair. At this point I couldnt believe that I was seriously going to attempt to replace all the copper. Again I turned the water back on, this time the brass thingy under the sink, I guess it's some kind of filter, was gushing water all over the cabin and floor. This one was easy, theres an o ring that I had to tight. I tested all of the lines with the water hook up and all of my repairs worked! I then thought I'd check and test the 12V water system. All of the gauges on the control panel work. It took awhile to get all of the air out of the lines but it started pumping water like a champ. That's when I noticed that it got quite in the cabin, my pump quit working! It clicks when I turn it on but doesn't run, I guess I'll have to get a new one. I inspected the water heater and know that it needs replaced. The tank inside looks OK but the controls accessed through the exterior panel are corroded badly.
Recap of the day - All of the water lines are in good shape and dont leak, I need a new water pump and a new water heater. I'm going to take the belly off under the bathroom. There was water dripping under there, I dont know if my black tank is leaking or if it's from the water that gushed out from the brass dohingy all over the cabin floor. I'd much rather be working with wood!
Thanks, Scott
68 Safari
This is why I just give up and replace it all in one shot with PEX.
Once you get done repairing all of the leaks it would be less time to just do it all with new material.
I am glad that you got rid of that 5/8" stuff. That is a pain in the butt to mess with. Considering that it is not like replumbing an entire house, you will be glad you did it.
Good luck with the next task!
I wasn't positive, but I thought that's how it worked. I ran the water from the spigot at the sink untill there was no pressure and no water coming out. That's when I hit the switch again, it just makes a click sound and doesn't run. Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll hit it tomorrow and it will be working.
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