Pex master list

[ALANSD]

I began to install the Pex today. I found that with the 1/2" faucet adaptors I screwed on the faucets would not go thru the counter holes. So I am going to use flexible supply lines to extend to where I can crimp on the PEX. Seems like a good way to go as there is no room to crimp under the kitchen sink up high.
I did not realize how flexible and strong this pipe is. I bought a few of the curved mount you put over the pipe and ran it from the back up to the galley, curved it right up to the faucet. Thought I 'd bust it but it felxed perfectly.

Just need the supply lines to hook it all together.

[BabyBoomers]

Originally Posted by ALANSD

I ordered a bunch of fittings: tees, couplings,elbows, crimp rings. All from Pex Universe.
Their prices were less than half of what I found at Lowe's. Home Depot had little if anything at the one near my home.
I will buy the tubing at Lowe's or HD, and use a few gator or shark bite or whatever they have fittings for the water heater.
Now i need a crimper. Saw one hand made by a seller on Ebay that looks promising. Lifetime warranty from him also and many sold.
Ready to get started as soon as the weather is a tad warmer..

How old did he look? Or is it your lifetime? Or is it whichever comes first?

[ALANSD]

No matter as I bought one from Pexuniverse.com They had a deal including the no go gauge.

[utee94]

Originally Posted by ALANSD

I did not realize how flexible and strong this pipe is. I bought a few of the curved mount you put over the pipe and ran it from the back up to the galley, curved it right up to the faucet. Thought I 'd bust it but it felxed perfectly.

Just need the supply lines to hook it all together.

You can also heat the PEX up a little bit with a heat gun to help it curve or make corners, or to straighten it out if it's curling on you too much.

[SpaceEgg]

Originally Posted by wahoonc

If using Sharkbite or similar fittings, make sure the ends are clean (no burrs) and SQUARE, otherwise you will have problems.

Aaron

This was good advice I should have heeded. Must have skimmed right over it when browsing this post.

For those using Sharkbite, here's a few pictures showing how an non-square cut with burrs looks on a fitting, compared to a square cut.

The Sharkbite is expensive, but forgiving. For those like me that didn't already know, a little plastic piece is held in place within the Sharkbite fitting that slips into the PEX pipe. If you shove the PEX pipe into the Sharkbite all the way (3/4"-ish) then the PEX pipe is held in place and the little plastic piece acts similar to an O-ring - preventing the water from escaping around the PEX pipe. If the cut is not square, then water can leak around the O-ring type little plastic piece. (this is high-level plumbing industry lingo, I know)

In the photos below, the little plastic piece popped out (still attached to PEX pipe) when I remove the PEX pipe to repair the cut, but it just pops right back into the Sharkbite fitting, no worries.

No leaks anymore! PEX is fantastic. Just wanted to add to the thread.

[ALANSD]

I ended up going crimped as the sharkbites were very pricey for us.
What surprised me was what a b*** it was to get out the bathroom faucet and shower lines. I dropped the cut off saw in the shower and cut through just below my kneee last weekend. Yikes... luckily it was short and deep but no muscle damage. Scary stuff.

[miscwires]

Hi there

I'm just getting started on refitting my 1965 safari. I was hoping to be able to leave most of the pipework in place but (common problem) I need to replace a small piece of floor at the back end which is impossible to get at with all the copper pipework on top. As it's all got to come out Im going to replace with plastic pipe.
Does anyone have a diagram/sketch of their pipework layout I could look at?

thanks

[ALANSD]

i got a lot of the crimping done today,it was like tinker toys, pretty easy to do and kinda fun. Just need some fitting to attach the shower 1/2" to the pex. It has a different fitting than the sinks.

[ALANSD]

this is the fitting that goes into the toilet supply, also looks like what is on the back of the shower lines in too. What is it called? I am guessing its 1/2". I need this to mater up to my 1/2 pex.

Thanks. "the plumbing idiot"
ask me about guitars, or sumpin'

[Chuck]

1/2" fpt x 1/2" flare fitting.

Flare fittings are used for gas plumbing...but there were/are a lot of them used in the water pipes in airstreams of the era. not sure why...maybe because they work well with the soft copper pipe (bendable). (?).

anyway, you should be able to find 1/2" threaded x pex fittings. I know they come in a straight fitting. elbows might be harder to find, but I would think that they'd exist.
for the shower pipe, you might want to go 1/2" x ...whatever you're using for a riser. might be another 1/2" threaded line, like those stainless flex lines. Those come in lots of different lengths and thread size/types. like "compression" threads, which are different from standard pipe thread.
And that'll depend on just how you're gonna tap of the main supply line. some kind of "tee"...but will it be 1/2 x 1/2 x....??

I had to replace my toilet supply line a while back, and it was a flare connection on the toilet side. I cut the supply pipe out completely, and replaced it with one of those stainless flex lines that was 1/2 on one end (fit the toilet ball valve). To connect back to the cut supply line, I used a compression coupling. connected one side to the copper pipe, then on the other, I just discarded the nut, and connected the s.s. flex line to the threads. (because that line was made to connect to compression threads).
clear as mud?

[ALANSD]

YUP . completely LOL.
Guess I will try to eliminate the flair fitting, seems I have almost everything else I need except that one.

[ALANSD]

Found at Lowe's. The elbow though has threads all the way up to the end, while I needed one with the little bullet looking end. I found one in my supplies that will work. Tested the toilet, it works fine. It has 3 line which aI couldn't understand, but if you loop the plastic lines together and hook the input to the brass connector it all works. Almost have this job done....thankfully it has been as everyone here said,the hardest part was removing the old copper.

[AL’ UM- MONEY]

Alan, It's good news that you have had good weather to work on your project and able to get the toilet working for Springsteam. There are enough folks coming to Hawassee to keep you from going hungry. Priorities first.

[ALANSD]

YEA! I am s glad to finally get the plumbing almost completed. It took me awhile to sort thru all the weird different connectors I had no clue about. I know a whole lot more now.
Still gotta do the outside clean up, but that will start later. Also have to figure out what I am doing for a/c.

[mikeandnora]

A couple questions as my polypropylene has sprung one leak and will now be replaced.

29 foot 89 excella.

1. Where it enters fresh water tank, does this just pull out?
2. In middle ( between kitchen and closet) they run underneath to the bathroom on the other side. Is it necessary to access this from below or just feed it through from the top by connecting each to the old and pulling it through?

[walstibsf]

Has anyone tried using just hose clamps to secure the PEX pipe on barbed fittings instead of the crimp rings?

Personally, I can't see the crimp hose clamps providing much more force and the hose clamp would be removeable.

Thanks....

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by walstibsf

Has anyone tried using just hose clamps to secure the PEX pipe on barbed fittings instead of the crimp rings?

Personally, I can't see the crimp hose clamps providing much more force and the hose clamp would be removeable.

Thanks....

I have used hose clamps on pex pipe with barbed fittings in temporary situations. It did not leak.
However, I think this would void the manufacturers warranty on the pipe. I would not use a hose clamp and cover it up in a wall. Anyway, the crimp fittings are cheaper and faster once you have the tools.

[bryanl]

Pex is usually a bit stiff for hose clamps to be effective.

Crimp is OK for manufacturing where you can set up a jig and the capital cost of the tools is minimal compared to the other costs in the run.

For repairs and in-site replacement where just a few joints are involved (such as re-plumbing a trailer, fittings such as the Flair-It found at most corner hardware stores or iplumb.tv work well. The *byte are also OK but they tend to be more costly, more bulky, and don't have a definitive grab.

The Flair-it fittings have a barb on the inside of the pipe and a nut used to crimp the pipe down on that barb. They are easy to use and can easily be tightened or removed and re-used.

[mikeandnora]

Does anyone know if I was doing something wrong? I used the $30 clamp from home depot that has multiple sizes and when clamping down the brass ring on 1/2 inch is was ridiculous. I'm pretty strong and using a 10 inch channel lock did not tighten it up enough. I literally had to put pipes on the end of the handles to get about 20 inches of leverage to get them to "go".

Mike

[Mike Eagle]

fishandfly - Try using vice grips next time - much easier.