Pressure Water Plumbing - PEX, etc.

[GordMay]

Motion:
If you don't want to use a "plastic", you're stuck with metal - of which copper is probably best.

[bmartinsen]

I recently replaced my 20 year old Junker(bosche) hotwater heater with a new on demand Excel waterheater (LPG) and had a heck of a time with fittings. Originally built in South Africa, all hotwater side was meteric copper and cold water side was garden hose. They have both worked well but the copper is hard to match up to available parts and the hose gets an odour when unused for a day or so. I've been looking for ideas on what to replace the water lines with. I have read most of this link about PEX. Quite a few pages back a poster asked about pex with an Aluminum component. I found one that was recommended by my Waterheater vendor.
It also looks to be approved for gas and fuel.
Has anyone used this product?
flexALPEX

The fitting are about $.45ea but I think the hose is a bit rich. Any comments?

Keep in mind I live on an island that doesn't have anything like Home Depot so shipping and getting the right stuff first time is more important that getting the cheapest stuff.

Thanks
Brad

[James S]

I used it and like it a lot.

I don’t know what fittings they're talking about for $.45....mine were between $3 and $5 each...they're plated brass with "o rings" and split ferals.

I don’t remember how much the pipe was.

Cutting the pipe is best done with one of those ratcheted sort of big scissor tools...works excellent.

[bmartinsen]

Thanks James
I agree most of the fittings are expensive but I think the one I need the most of is $4.50 for box of 10. I hope this isn't a typo, it woundn't surprise me. Still looks like a better option than burning down the boat with a soldering torch and I might replace my LPG with this as well.
BTW do you remember what size you used?
Cheers
Brad

http://www.excelonlinestore.com/serv...ALE-NPT/Detail

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by bmartinsen

... I think the one I need the most of is $4.50 for box of 10. I hope this isn't a typo, it woundn't surprise me...
UNIT 1/2" FEMALE NPT fitting PEX AL PEX (box10)

That will be $4.50 EACH.
Standard packaging is 10 per box.

[bmartinsen]

Dam, thanks Gord

[James S]

It was all the same...I think it was around 1/2"...nice stuff to work with.

[Christian Van H]

Hi Guys! Here's some pics of the PEX install currently underway on our boat. The System is Wirsbo / Uponor AquaPEX from : PEX - Radiant Heat - Radiant Heating - Plumbing Supplies - PexSupply.com You can see the special expander tool, along with the plastic collar you slide over the tube before expanding. After expanding, you immediately push the tube over the fitting, and 10 seconds later you couldn't get them apart if you were Superman! You can see some of the end connections here, as well as the neat mounting clips that gang and snap together. So far, so good...

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Christian Van H

I am the PEX master!!!

Indeed!
Very nice looking installation.

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Indeed!
Very nice looking installation.

Thanks Gord! Funny thing is that it's actually fun to work with too...after you pay for the damn tool anyway... I found mine on Craig's list for $100...

[James S]

Fine looking work oh great PEX Master Chris....very neat indeed.
Could you zoom out a bit so we can see the rest of the interior guts?

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by James S

PEX Master Chris....

I think I have my new rap name...

If I zoom out any further, you'll see all the crap I have laying around!

[sv.Crake]

A probably stupid question... i'm completely new to pex.

I've got to completely re-plumb my boat and am also looking at Pex.

Whats the best way to go from a barbed fitting for a hose connection (like i have on my faucets/ tank pickup tube, foot pumps, etc, to pex.

Do i need to use a short section of hose and hose clamps then go to a barbed pex fitting? Is there a better way to make this connection? Can i just hoseclamp the pex tubing to the barbed fitting?

[Doghouse]

You are supposed to use go / no go connectors and a special clamping device. These clamps repeatedly failed on my boat. I ended up double clamping, but you have to be careful not to cut or crimp the pex.

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by sv.Crake

Do i need to use a short section of hose and hose clamps then go to a barbed pex fitting? Is there a better way to make this connection? Can i just hoseclamp the pex tubing to the barbed fitting?

This is actually a good question. Several of the connections on my boat were NPT thread, so using a Pex to NPT fitting worked great, but there a plenty of connections which only use hose. You can slide hose over your barbed Pex connection and clamp with an AWAB hose clamp, or use something like this: http://www.pexsupply.com/Wirsbo-Upon...2-PB-8736000-p . I used Wirsbo Pex for my whole boat. Not one single leak has developed so far... The expander tool is not cheap however, but I bought mine from Craig's List... Check Pexsupply.com for a lot more info on various systems.