Pex repair

[ckelly78z]

I rebuilt my downstairs bathroom at home using pex, and sharkbite slip on fittings. It was super easy, and about $8 per fitting, but removable, and re-usable....I strongly recommend them.

 

[4RunnerBlues]

I had a plumber repair my leak. I’m posting photos of the new pex and sharkbite. He used a Wirsbro tool. I asked him where’s my upper valve? Turns out that valve is empty! The photo below shows the old valve - it did exactly nothing.


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[B and C]

The upper valve works on mine. It is there to keep the antifreeze from backfeeding the tank when it is winterized and you are not wanting to pump 6 gallons of antifreeze into the tank. The tank should be emptied for winter. Don't know what happened to yours. The plumber probably didn't realize that the upper valve was for this purpose, houses don't get winterized like RV's do.

 

[4RunnerBlues]

I believe all of the tank plumbing was original to the van. There was extruded foam around the valve such that it could not have been removed at a previous time. I guess I’ll figure out how to winterize in a few months.


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[4RunnerBlues]

Maybe lack of valve caused a freeze that caused leak. The leak was in upper tee fitting between bypass valve and hot water line coming from tank.


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[66788]

I just plumbed my entire kitchen/shower in my step van in about a half an hour.
PEX is cheap and easy to use.

I'd do your repair for free if you were in Oregon.

 

[Homeless in Canada]

Pex is easy if you don't want to spend the money on a big clamp they also make a very small block compression tool for fitting in tight spaces that does the job and it's much cheaper than regular clamps and doesn't take as much space

 

[4RunnerBlues]

I just plumbed my entire kitchen/shower in my step van in about a half an hour.
PEX is cheap and easy to use.

I'd do your repair for free if you were in Oregon.

Long way from Oregon, but I do appreciate the offer! That is a neat job. Plumber used pex A and compression fittings with Wirsbro tool.


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[4RunnerBlues]

Pex is easy if you don't want to spend the money on a big clamp they also make a very small block compression tool for fitting in tight spaces that does the job and it's much cheaper than regular clamps and doesn't take as much space

Thanks. What is the name of the block compression tool, and does it take a lot of force to use. I am not strong.


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[Homeless in Canada]

Thanks. What is the name of the block compression tool, and does it take a lot of force to use. I am not strong.


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 I can't remember what they're called but it's like a regular PEX clamp except instead of long handles the two jaws are forced together with a screw that you tighten . So it's smaller and cheaper and fits in tight corners where it's hard to reach with the big clamp.

https://images.app.goo.gl/mwsbDr9dRERhEiiu7

 

[B and C]

Oh, I forgot that my upper and lower valves are actually 2 way valves. Turn both one way and water goes through the hot water tank and then turn both the other way to send the water past the tank for adding antifreeze or bypassing a leaking H/H heater.

 

[66788]

Long way from Oregon, but I do appreciate the offer! That is a neat job. Plumber used pex A and compression fittings with Wirsbro tool.


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Pex A is the best.  If it gets kinked in a tight bend, hit it with a heat gun and it is like new.   Can't do that with pex B.  Pex A also handles freezes better.   Wirsbro is a good tool, you are all set.

FYI, Sharkbite fittings will fail before the pex tubing fails.   Watch the youtube pressure tests.

 

[n0zbh]

Hi All,
I have a leak in the pex plumbing of hot water tank in my 2012 Chevy Roadtrek. Someone told me this is not a DIY job, but I don’t see why. Are special tools needed?

If you are close to a Home Depot many of them offer the tools for rental her is the tool in a kit they carry Apollo Multi Head Crimper Set.

 

[4RunnerBlues]

I just read through my thread and wanted to clarify since the repair was done.
The upper valve from the tank was not re-installed as there didn’t seem to be a need for it due to the previous valve being empty.
Now I know that it is likely needed for the winterization process? Please correct me if I am wrong. And if I do need a functioning valve, does it need to go where the previous empty one was, or can it go in the vertical pipe on the right side of the photo above taken following the repair?


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[B and C]

A valve (on and off) needs to be on both the inlet and outlet of the tank to isolate it for winterization. The middle valve allows the antifreeze to bypass the tank in your configuration. So to operate it, you would turn the middle valve to allow passage of antifreeze while the other two would be turned off allowing nothing into the tank. To use the hot water heater, the two tank valves would be opened and the middle valve closed to force the water through the heater. Am I making sense?

Mine only has two 2-way valves that switch between the tank and the bypass. Either configuration works.

 

[4RunnerBlues]

Yes, I beginning to understand. So the valve does not necessarily have to be at the tank outlet? As long as it is in the same line and in same relation to other valves. This photo has two arrows, one at original site of valve and another on the right. Is the latter site ok too?


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[B and C]

Simply, no. There is a T coming off the tank at the HOT outlet. It needs to be valved between the tank and the T. The bypass on the left will still allow antifreeze to backflow into the tank through the HOT outlet with only the right line blocked. The line on the right would not block anything in the antifreeze position except for the fixture that line feeds.

Once you explain to the plumber what the valves do (take the tank out of the hot water circuit but still allow water to circulate to the fixtures), he will know how to plumb it. By passing the hot water tank makes both the hot and cold valves at all the fixture all cold water valves. This allows the antifreeze to be pumped through both hot and cold plumbing without filling the tank with antifreeze.

When you do winterize, don't forget to drain the hot water tank when you turn the valves to winterize position or you risk the tank bursting.

 

[4RunnerBlues]

Simply, no.

Once you explain to the plumber what the valves do (take the tank out of the hot water circuit but still allow water to circulate to the

When you do winterize, don't forget to drain the hot water tank when you turn the valves to winterize position or you risk the tank bursting.

Thanks!! I spoke to plumber, and he got it quickly. He will have to find a valve to fit in this tight place. He has not seen ones as small as these.
I would be baffled without you guys!





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[4RunnerBlues]

I also got a Camco winterizing kit for him to install. Now I am pretty sure I could do that, but since I have plumber coming, let him do it.


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[B and C]

Sounds like you are well on the way to having it fixed.