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perryg114 · 04-13-2012, 09:46 AM

I know most of you folks are PEX fans but I am beggining to think plain old CPVC is going to be ALOT easier to deal with and make repairs to. Also you don't have to deal with all the special fittings and tools and not being able to get in tight spaces. I know a lot of you guys like shark bite fittings but they are NOT PERMANANT like you think they are. Anything with an O-ring seal will fail eventually when the rubber takes a permanant set and gets hard. I expect this would take about 20yrs which in the building industry is considered a lifetime. Also CPVC is going to be a lot cheaper.

Copper use to be good but now the alloys being used are crappy and the wall thickness is so thin that you are lucky to get 20yrs out of copper. Weight and cost issues throw out copper as well as freezing hazards.

So let the flames begin.

Perry

eubank · 04-13-2012, 09:52 AM

In 20 years, I'll be dead or close to it, likely not RVing in any event. So I see no problem with a 20-year life expectancy of PEX.

Lynn

**azflycaster** · 04-13-2012, 10:11 AM

CPVC is installed in my house and works well with no issues.
PEX is installed in my trailer and works well with no issues.

I think that PEX is a better fit for the trailer for a few reasons. It is much more flexible allowing it to be curved more that CPVC can. This makes it easier to work on IMO. Another issue is the freeze factor. PEX will expand while CPVC will crack and split.

There are other options besides shark fittings. Many use the ring system that has no O Rings. My installation uses Flair-It fillings which are very easy to work with and have no O Rings.

RickDavis · 04-13-2012, 10:28 AM

My 61 was redone with CPVC before I bought it. I was skeptical but it has worked fine in the 9 years I have had it. It looks like it was heated slightly with small bend put in to handle curves.

That being said, If I were doing one today I would buy the crimping tools and use pex. I think it would be simpler and easier once the tool investment was made.

Lothlorian · 04-13-2012, 11:04 AM

Both are great and easy to work with. My airstream has easy access to all valves and fittings. Not worried about having to make repairs.

Brian

Minno · 04-13-2012, 11:08 AM

We chose pex primarily for it's flexibility. Being able to bend it around the rear curve of the airstream means fewer hidden connections to potentially leak down the road. It is easy to work with, and I had to buy a crimping tool for a project in the house anyway. I've worked with copper, PVC, ABS, and CPVC, and all work equally well in the various projects I've done. I do not trust the push-on type connectors any longer, after having one leak in the house after a year. While not a big consideration, I do like the blue and red colors of pex.

Chris

Sodbust · 04-13-2012, 11:41 AM

Just a heads up for PEX users..

Our trailer the PO replace all the frozen copper with PEX.. Problem is he used 3/4" and not 1/2" or better yet 3/8"... It takes forever to get hot water to the kitchen,, and 2+ gallons of antifreeze to winterize..

With a flowjet pump we are not looking at 29 gal per minute anyway,, so my advice is keep the plumbing scaled back for the reasons stated above,.

Sodbust

Jammer · 04-13-2012, 12:20 PM

Perry

Use what works for you. ::shrug::

In stick houses the fact that PEX comes in long coils and is flexible helps keep installation costs and fitting count down. With crimp rings or expansion fittings the incidence of leaks is lower than CPVC, and there is no need to wait for the cement to dry before applying full pressure. The solvent used in CPVC cement is toxic.

I've seen CPVC that's been frozen while full of water and there is nothing left but a row of little pieces of plastic on the floor below where the pipe was. Repairing PEX after freezing is no picnic but at least there is some resistance to damage.

worldinchaos · 04-13-2012, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jammer

Perry

Use what works for you. ::shrug::

In stick houses the fact that PEX comes in long coils and is flexible helps keep installation costs and fitting count down. With crimp rings or expansion fittings the incidence of leaks is lower than CPVC, and there is no need to wait for the cement to dry before applying full pressure. The solvent used in CPVC cement is toxic.

I've seen CPVC that's been frozen while full of water and there is nothing left but a row of little pieces of plastic on the floor below where the pipe was. Repairing PEX after freezing is no picnic but at least there is some resistance to damage.

I hadn't even considered using CPVC for the trailer until this thread, the advantages of flexibility seemed to fully justify PEX. However, with my scope reduced to just a water tank, water pump, hot water heater, and sink faucet, I can actually pull off a straight pipe installation if needed. The time to dry thing doesn't matter for my purposes, and the advantages of easy construction of CPVC are pretty high.

However, the biggest argument against it is still the toxicity of CPVC cement. I'm not putting that nasty glue anywhere near my drinking water.

Plus I already bought the crimp tool...

Edit: forgot to mention I live in warmer climates, and never see below freezing, thus the lower importance to me of avoiding freezing pipes.

silverbacksurfer · 04-13-2012, 03:02 PM

Last summer I installed a outdoor shower, used pex for the first time it is so easy . Ive done a lot of cu pipe work ,this is way easer than that. Ive heard they use Pex in homes now . As for the tools you just need cutter & crimper they have all the tools in kit @ home depot & Lowe's. check out photo installed shower in rear curbside compartment taped in to supply line @ water heater when you push in hose it goes in to whole foods canvas bag.

Cracker · 04-13-2012, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minno

We chose pex primarily for it's flexibility. Being able to bend it around the rear curve of the airstream means fewer hidden connections to potentially leak down the road. It is easy to work with, and I had to buy a crimping tool for a project in the house anyway. I've worked with copper, PVC, ABS, and CPVC, and all work equally well in the various projects I've done. I do not trust the push-on type connectors any longer, after having one leak in the house after a year. While not a big consideration, I do like the blue and red colors of pex.

Chris

I just had my camp re-done with pex and because the lines are exposed on the interior of the baseboard I really didn't want the red and blue. My plumber was able to find pex in plain white.

cjohnson · 04-13-2012, 03:43 PM

I think pex is better i have installed it into my parents house and a few others you can go from one point to the other and not have any joints anywhere you dont want less leaks and it takes less time to install it cause you dont have to measure, cut and glue everything together. I know thats what im going to put in my camper less headeachs.

Minno · 04-13-2012, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cracker

I just had my camp re-done with pex and because the lines are exposed on the interior of the baseboard I really didn't want the red and blue. My plumber was able to find pex in plain white.

Yah - I can find white too, but that is so boring...

I've looked at Menards, Home Depot, and Lowes, and all three around me carry white, blue, and red pex. Different shades of the blue and red depending on which store you shop at. Plus, the oxygen barrier pex intended for hot water heat is another color yet.

AirHeadsRus · 04-13-2012, 04:14 PM

I really like pex and use it where ever I can. I bought a crimper the first time I replaced a line on the Airstream. Everything I have done lately has been crimped.

bryanl · 04-13-2012, 04:46 PM

What with the belief that O rings go hard after 20 years and all copper tubing is crappy thin wall stuff and such things, I don't think your problem is with the pipe material ...

The bit about special tools is also in this line as you can do PEX with nothing more than a knife and a good grip.

There are more options for PEX fittings than there are for just about any other pipe but that is probably a problem, too, because it means making a decision. I'm currently favoring Flair-IT types but a neighbour is having some problems that appear to be due to poor install technique so I'm re-examining that one. The fittings I've used for the last 10 years or more seem OK, though.

Quote:

Use what works for you. ::shrug::

This is probably the best advice, I think. I'm still using polybutyl with Quest fittings from when I redid the plumbing 20 years ago. PEX is the modern equivalent. I've also used CPVC, copper, and iron depending upon circumstances. Isn't it nice to have so many options?

Mikethefixit · 04-13-2012, 05:32 PM

I have to go with "what works best for you". I used PEX and Sharkbite fittings.I bought mine in 10 foot sticks at Lowes. I replumbed all the rear bath area and hot water from back to front. I went in well.When I fired up the system I only had one leak because of installer error. I was an easy fix when ya get the PEX plugged into the sharkbite fittings correctly. YUP I make mistakes too.

worldinchaos · 04-13-2012, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minno

Yah - I can find white too, but that is so boring...

I've looked at Menards, Home Depot, and Lowes, and all three around me carry white, blue, and red pex. Different shades of the blue and red depending on which store you shop at. Plus, the oxygen barrier pex intended for hot water heat is another color yet.

I wish I lived near you. They only sell the blue and red at HD and Lowe's near me in some stores, and then it's only in 50' rolls. I need only ~15 feet of blue and 4 feet of red. Ah well, guess I can't be picky about everything. White it is.

Splitrock · 04-13-2012, 08:44 PM

I used pex from the OEM inlet and regulator to the crossover, then I used the crossover copper and then back to pex. I made all connections with flexible braided stainless steel. If I had it to do over, I'd do it exactly the same.

perryg114 · 04-14-2012, 05:26 AM

I know for a fact the O-rings don't last forever because I have replaced a lot of them. I also know that the copper pipe in my house is less than 20yrs old and has pin holes in it from corrosion. I also know my folks have a house that has copper pipe that was made in 1946 and they have never had corrosion related leaks. I have never had a leak from PVC or CPVC pipe joints. If they don't leak when you turn the water on you are usually good. My trialer has PB tubing in it now. There are lots of jury rigged connections that are leak prone in it now. I have never had enough guts to hook it to city water. I am working on external leaks at the moment and then I will turn towards the potential internal ones.

Perry

[QUOTE=bryanl;1133426]What with the belief that O rings go hard after 20 years and all copper tubing is crappy thin wall stuff and such things, I don't think your problem is with the pipe material ...

jdalrymple · 04-14-2012, 06:47 AM

Perry, sounds as though your choice is made?

My home was built in the mid 80s, and plumbed in the polybutylene that was prone to failure. In fact we qualified for some of the class action money. I found that info out while searching the web to find out how sorry a product the polybute was.

We replumbed with pex, mostly because of the ease of use. The house is on a slab, so the plumbing had to go in the walls similar to wiring. Ten years in and no problems. We did use the brass fittings and crimp rings. We got around the tight location problems by pre- assembling what we could in the open and keeping the crimps required the the tight spots to a minimum.

Regards,

JD