Freshwater Pipe Fitting

[kairo352]

Members:

I'm searching for this freshwater pipe fitting. Anyone help?

Ronald

[sailorchic34]

Any hardware store that sells Plumbing would have them. In US, Sharkbite fittings in brass are everywhere, lowes, homedepot, ace, etc. The plastic fittings are harder to find. Defender use to sell them, but don't any more. I've used both plastic and sharkbite on the boat and both do well

[ranger58sb]

The pic is reminiscent of plastic Flair-It fittings, inexpensive and often available at RV shops.

If the tubing is PEX, you can use whatever brand of fitting you like or can find (Sharkbite, Flair-It, etc.).

-Chris

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Ronald.

[kairo352]

Indeed, SharkBite supplies the fitting, now my fitting is 15.5mm. Metric. But who knows if it is "truly" metric. Going to the plumbing store now.

Thanks.

Ronald

[sailorchic34]

Oddly 15.5mm is .610" just about the same as 1/2" copper tube OD size at .625", only 15 thousands different. It should work with either as it's really an O-ring internal to each fitting that seals the pex and makes a leak free unit..

[kairo352]

Correct. However, my concern is the male threads on fitting thread into an elbow.

[thinwater]

Also try Whale. It looks more like that then shakbite. Whale fittings do less damage to the tube when removed.

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by kairo352

Correct. However, my concern is the male threads on fitting thread into an elbow.

Not a problem. the US NPT (national pipe taper) thread is compatable with EU BSP (british standard pipe thread) The thread pitch is off just a bit, but with tapered threads, it's not a problem and will seal water tight.

[botanybay]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Not a problem. the US NPT (national pipe taper) thread is compatable with EU BSP (british standard pipe thread) The thread pitch is off just a bit, but with tapered threads, it's not a problem and will seal water tight.

I would not recommend mixing npt and bsp threads.

While some of the sizes have the same pitch the angle of the thread shape is different. Often the threads only engage a couple of turns, do not engage sufficiently to hold pressure well without lots of pipe thread tape, and tend to gall badly.

I found bsp to npt thread connections in repairs performed somewhere in the life of the boat. These were on the saltwater manifold.

After much work I was able to clean up the threads and install correct parts but in this case the bsp was straight thread internal and stainless working against npt taper nipple so the nipple distorted mostly.

Turns out bsp parallel internal threads are often mated to bsp taper external threads. This works due to the thread form. Using npt taper male into bsp parallel female is especially bad.

David

[Greenhand]

For NST, I ended up going with SeaTech. They carry most, but not all, of their products at west marine. I ordered online, but I have forgotten the company name.

I sat in the store and tried screwing together NST and BSP, hoping to use Whale, but I was not at all happy with those results.


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[botanybay]

Originally Posted by Greenhand

For NST, I ended up going with SeaTech. They carry most, but not all, of their products at west marine. I ordered online, but I have forgotten the company name.

I sat in the store and tried screwing together NST and BSP, hoping to use Whale, but I was not at all happy with those results.

Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Both Grainger and mcmasted-carr had a good selection of adapters in stainless and brass. For fresh water either would be good. I have not found adapters in bronze.

David

[HopCar]

I'm late coming to this thread but the male thread in the picture doesn't look tapered to me. It looks straight with an o-ring seal.
Sea Tech Quick Connect Fittings

[Greenhand]

I went to Grainger - they didn't have that or anything else I was looking for that day in stock

The Sea tech are mostly plastic fittings, saving a bit on weight. They were also the only supplier I found for 3/8" threaded to 15mm conversion, saving me two additional adapters.


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[botanybay]

Originally Posted by Greenhand

I went to Grainger - they didn't have that or anything else I was looking for that day in stock

The Sea tech are mostly plastic fittings, saving a bit on weight. They were also the only supplier I found for 3/8" threaded to 15mm conversion, saving me two additional adapters.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Good to know the sea tech fittings are available! I will remember that!