PEX Plumbing Question Help Needed.

[70vdub]

Hey everyone...  still rolling the '87 Honey and ran into a leak this time. 
It seems the gray Polybutyle pipe fittings are getting brittle... had 2 bust on me last week.
I will be replacing it all with PEX.  

So my question is...  
current lines are 3/8" Poly.
Would moving up to 1/2" Pex throughout benefit me instead of just replacing with 3/8" PEX, or just stay with 3/8 size?

 

[djkeev]

1/2" PEX is standard size to feed showers, sinks, etc in a home.

Unless you are moving a LOT of water, 3/8" is just fine.

When I do my rig I'll use 1/2" PEX simply because I use it in my work and I've rolls of it and the fittings for it lying about, it will be free! Free! FREE! to plumb what I need to do.

Dave

 

[karl]

Another vote for 3/8"
If you are moving hot water, it will be warm at the faucet quicker than 1/2", and it will be easier to fit through existing holes, bend, etc.
That said, I used 1/2" like djkeev, 'cause I had it.

 

[caretaker]

do you think those pex fittings can take the constant movement of an RV? i know next to nothing about it.

 

[djkeev]

Like any product with long pipes, you don't let the pipes flap in the breeze to bounce and jostle with every pebble hit on the journey.

You secure the lines with clamps every few feet and also at any fittings. Have the pipes and fittings move right along with the Van's body and the appliance it is fastened to, not independent of it.

ANYTHING allow to flex constantly (except for obvious design flex things like radiator hoses, but even many of the longer ones have clips mid span to hold them in place) will fatigue qnd fail.

PEX clamps very tightly, I'd have no fears of fatigue.

PEX pipe can withstand a freeze too, but sadly the brass fittings often cannot. They now make plastic fittings but I've yet to embrace them.

Dave

 

[VanKitten]

The wirsbo system is really the only per fastening system to use.

It is the system that is used in my RV.

The system that Home Depot and Lowes (etc) have for the pet will ultimately fail. Their systems fight against the pex...the wirsbo system uses the natural feature of the pex as the clamping method.

Ok..I am biased. I have a ceterification with wirsbo. I was installing it in renovations..domestic water and radiant floor heat.

 

[djkeev]

Never heard of Wirsbo...... googled it, have yet to find anything good about it!
Leaks, hard to install, etc.

 

[karl]

Wirsbo was the first soft plumbing I used, then the brass shrink rings, prefer pex ratchet type crimp rings.

To each his preference.

 

[VanKitten]

Crimp rings will ultimately fail. They are applying force against the pex. The pex will win.

Wirsbo uses the pex itself. By expanding the pex temporarily to place the connection inside the pipe...then another pex ring on the outside of the connection. When the tool lets go of the pex..it shrinks back to it natural size...meaning the pex itself is clamping down on the connection. It will not fail

 

[70vdub]

Thanks for the input...
I had a friend that had extra1/2" white pex that he wasnt using and he gave me about 90'
So hope I can get this finished by the weekend.

 

[Weight]

But, the best part about Pex is the red for hot and blue for cold water.

 

[djkeev]

White is for floor heat, it has an oxygen barrier to keep air out of the cooling system, it's good stuff!

Dave

 

[closeanuf]

My trailer has white pex for everything except hot water.  It don't get no better than free.

 

[70vdub]

came back to update:
Ran the 1/2" Pex, tested it and no leaks now... thanks again for the input everyone!

 

[Ballenxj]

came back to update:
Ran the 1/2"  Pex,  tested it and no leaks now... 

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