Blown galley sink hose

[SVMorningStar]

While out sailing this weekend, I had the fitting on a pressurized hose running to my galley sink blow. It happened to me once before on a different hose but I cannot for the life of me remember where I got the parts to fix it. It has a 1/2" diameter and the letters 2P running along a fair length of it along with some other lettering that I can't quite make out. Does this type of hose look familiar to anyone? Any ideas on where to get a new fitting/hose? Thanks.

[JPA Cate]

SVMorningStar:

Take it with you to a hardware store plumbing section, and see if you can match it. If no luck, then look in the West Marine and Defender Catalogs..... Or, if you're lucky, somebody else on CF who is near you will have a better suggestion.

Good luck with it.

Ann

[mholubec]

It's called polybutylene
Most lowes and Home Depots or Mobil home supply will have tubing on rolls splices and end connections
A lot of time they have a crimped band you should be able to locate screw together or " reusable type " fitting at the HD or lowes

Good luck
Fair winds

[Stu Jackson]

Once you find out what it is, you might want to check your other fittings, and perhaps buy a few spares, too, while you're at it. This is one reason why simple barbs and hose clamps make a lot of sense on boats.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Once you find out what it is, you might want to check your other fittings, and perhaps buy a few spares, too, while you're at it. This is one reason why simple barbs and hose clamps make a lot of sense on boats.

Amen! Thank you Stu Jackson.

Ann

[HopCar]

That looks like a Quest nut that failed. You should be able to find a replacement in your local hardware store. No need to replace the whole tube, just get a new nut and sleeve.

You can also get push on fittings like this'
SeaTech Female Swivel Connectors 2410-1008

Connects 1/2" tubing to 1/2" Male Pipe Thread

I suspect that yours was over tightened to make it fail like that.

[FSMike]

This is also one reason why you shouldn't have pressure water on cruising boats. Although even I make an exception for showers, which are switched off after use.

[HopCar]

I spelled it wrong. It's a Qest fitting that broke.

Zurn-Qest Flare Nut
Part No. 50-4538

1/2"ID

[denverd0n]

Good answers as to how to fix it. Now why did it "blow"?

Properly installed, a fitting like that should not blow unless your system is WAY over pressurized. So either you've got too much pressure, or your fittings are not installed properly. Which ever it is, you need to give the whole system a good once over.

And, along with Ann, I will also add my "ditto" to Stu's comment.

[SVMorningStar]

That Quest fitting looks exactly like what I have. Thanks. Now I have a name for it. I'll be heading out to see about a replacement today. Thanks.

As to the "why", I'm sure those hoses are probably original to the boat, which means they're approaching 30 years of life. I just had replaced the water pump that runs to and it may have been bent around/flexed a bit too much in putting it all back together. The other time that I had this happen, I had just replaced the transmission. The hot water heater with that fitting is right behind the engine and I suspect that it may have taken a bit of a beating in the removal of the tranny. Either way, once I find a fitting for it, I plan on picking up spares. Thanks for all of the help!

[a64pilot]

I believe Qest fittings and line were used many years ago on mobile homes and had a very high failure rate resulting in lawsuits etc. I'm on my phone but a Google check should verify that or find out if age is showing up in my remembering.

Either way I'd look into a plumbing system called Pex. I've had very good results from it in housing plumbing and think it would be very good for boats too. Just Pex will not last if exposed to UV is it's weak link

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I believe Qest fittings and line were used many years ago on mobile homes and had a very high failure rate resulting in lawsuits etc. I'm on my phone but a Google check should verify that or find out if age is showing up in my remembering.

Either way I'd look into a plumbing system called Pex. I've had very good results from it in housing plumbing and think it would be very good for boats too. Just Pex will not last if exposed to UV is it's weak link

I've used both of these and Pex requires an expensive crimper as I recall, while the Qest fittings are easy to modify. Spares are also cheap.

[a64pilot]

I'm at my desk now, read the attachment if interested
Polybutylene Class Action Lawsuits | Financial Losses, Property Damage | High Failure Rate, Pipe Failure

You do have to buy the crimper for Pex, I think I paid maybe $30 at Lowe's?

[colemj]

Qest did have some quality issues many years ago, but they are fine now. Most of the issues was with their grey hose and not the fittings. I can't tell if your hose is Qest - the fitting definitely is. Just replace that section with PEX hose and Qest fittings - you can get a 100' roll of it for cheap at any hardware store. There is no way you will developed enough pressure with a waterpump to burst PEX. The Qest fittings have a ferrule that can get deformed if it is taken off and removed frequently (or over-tightened). Then the fitting leaks, but you can just put on a new ferrule - they cost about 5 cents.

We have had boats plumbed with hose barbs and vinyl hose, as well as PEX and Qest fittings. Our current boat has some of both, although the majority is PEX. By far, the most difficulties have been with the hose clamps and vinyl hose. The PEX and fittings have been pretty much ignored for 15yrs now without issue.

Mark

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I'm at my desk now, read the attachment if interested
Polybutylene Class Action Lawsuits | Financial Losses, Property Damage | High Failure Rate, Pipe Failure

You do have to buy the crimper for Pex, I think I paid maybe $30 at Lowe's?

Pex is good stuff, no question.