Ok to mix pex in here?

[jeepinaldo]

Am I ok to insert and connect up a piece of pex into these lines? I need to extend them but I have never seen these grey lines before.

Any thoughts?

Edit. Sorry. Pic is upside down

[Bubba L]

The gray is PB (polybutylene) pipe. It was discontinued in the mid 90s. Seemed chlorine in the water eroded the interior of the piping. You can purchase PEX to PB fittings. Good luck

[Glenritas]

Those grey lines are the first generation of “plastic “ plumbing . They are prone to rupturing and should be replaced completely with pex . So even messing with them could leave you with a complete replacement project .

Their o.d. Is different then pex and finding a fitting to join them would be highly unlikely .

Be sure to use a regulator on the inlet line from the campground and to turn of the supply when leaving the trailer unattended . Nothing is more fun then coming back to your trailer with water running out of it .

[Bill M.]

I have done the PEX to the grey stuff with good success. I did not know there were special fittings for that. I use the stainless clamp rings and metal fittings. And yes, just messing with the lines can snap one of the gray fittings. But replacing all the plumbing in a trailer is a big job. So I replace as much as I can get to each time I have a problem and I carry all the PEX stuff with me in the trailer. It would be nice to take the time to completely replumb the trailers but it is probably not going to happen.

[John Ware]

You can get pex to pb fittings at a mobil home supply store or sharkbite fittings at Home Depot.

[jeepinaldo]

Thanks for the advice everyone, very much appreciated.

I think I'll replace what's accessible while I'm doing this project, and come back to the other parts when I have more time. I was able to pick up these nice bayonet crimp connectors so at least the connections will be solid.

[John Ware]

Originally Posted by jeepinaldo

Thanks for the advice everyone, very much appreciated.

I think I'll replace what's accessible while I'm doing this project, and come back to the other parts when I have more time. I was able to pick up these nice bayonet crimp connectors so at least the connections will be solid.

You'll have to get a special tool to crimp the rings.

[John & Roberta]

Seems as good a place as any to introduce my problem—
Hoping Rivet Master Glenritas (or Bubba L or Bill M or any other of you experienced dudes) has some advice—

During a recent trip to Oregon we developed a fresh water leak in our 2018 Flying Cloud 30RB. A little trouble shooting determined the drip-drip-dripping only occurred when the fresh water system was under pressure, i.e. when shore water was hooked up and on or when shore water was turned off and DC pump was activated to build/hold pressure.

The leak manifests itself along the bottom edge of the trailer on the hook-up side, in spots from above the sewer outflow tube to aft near the rear bumper.
There is no evidence of leaking near the fresh water inlet, under the bathroom sink, or in-and-around the hot water heater (or under kitchen sink other side of trailer). There is no evidence of leaking in the vicinity of the fresh water tank or around the DC water pump itself, both on curbside of trailer. Trailer floor remains dry as seen from inside.

With no pressure on fresh water system—when sink valves have been opened to relieve pressure—the dripping peters out and stops after about fifteen minutes.
If it isn’t one thing, it’s another. Look-see access will be the first of my challenges . . .

(We live close to Vinnie’s Airstream Repair out in California, but the ever-popular Vinnie is not taking new customers.)

[John Ware]

I'm not a rivet master but I had a leak similar to yours. I searched all over for it inside and out when I finally noticed a very fine line of water coming from under the fresh water tank fill door and down to the bottom chrome strip and flowing on top of it towards the rear. The ck valve between the pump and the fresh water tank was leaking back into the tank.

[jeepinaldo]

I got these fancy pex to pb connectors which look perfect for the sections I want to replace.

Anyone know if I can use the same crimping tool that I use on the pex collars? In theory they should be the same size, right?

[John Ware]

Yes the tool will work. The outside diameter of both pex and pb are the same. The inside is different in that the pb is thinner than the pex.

[lemley]

On mine the polybutylene (PB) was 3/8. At the time there was a 3/8” PB to 1/2 PEX available at Lowes. That’s the picture below. Last night I went looking for it to help a friend with his SOB. Lowes is out of stock with no replenish in sight.

I could find 3/8 PB to 3/8 PEX, but that involves two adapters. Because we can’t wait on Amazon and there are no 3/8 PEX to PB locally, I’m going to try a barb connection on the PB. It may work with a little heat.

[civeng99]

Don’t see why that wouldn’t work. Worst case is it leaks. No biggie.

[lemley]

Following up on my earlier post on using a barb connection…. It works.

It took a couple of tries as the last inch of the poly has to be at just the right temperature to allow it to expand without collapsing. But that project is successfully completed.