Vinyl Tubing for RV Plumbing | PEX Plumbing Connectors with Flexible PVC Tubing
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- Опубликовано: 30 сен 2024
- I think I found RV plumbing supplies that you can pick up at your local Home Depot or Lowe's so I can fix my RV plumbing issues where the PEX tubing transitions to Reinforced PVC Vinyl Tubing.
I have a Rockwood Geo Pro travel trailer. My RV uses PEX plumbing. It also has Reinforced PVC Vinyl Tubing. Which plumbing fittings do you use when connecting 1/2-inch PEX to 1/2-inch Reinforced Flexible PVC pipe? Whether you have a Rockwood, like me, or you have a Flagstaff E-Pro, or maybe you have a fifth wheel or motorhome made by Forest River, Winnebago, Tiffen or any other brand, chances are you need replacement fittings for you PEX plumbing that adapt to flexible vinyl tubing for your RV's drinking water.
Pex clamps are not supposed to be used on flex tubing…..that’s part of the problem……
Depends on the PEX clamps, pinch type will work just fine, PEX crimp rings no.
It seems as if most RV’s are using the flexible hoses with Pex fittings, even though they shouldn’t.
Those pex clamps don't hold in my experience so far. I replaced with worm gear hose clamps tightened with a rachet and socket. Not a screwdriver.
yep exactly what we did last weekend coming from kitchen sink
I did that too. RV manufacturers don't make life easy for the home repair guy, do they?
Ditto. No leaks since I replaced with old school hose clamps.
I can't for the life of me figure out why anyone would want to convert to a type of pipe that has such a high failure rate. Don't do what this guy is doing.
This is the opposite if what your supposed to do. Do not repair this way.
The barb design for PEX and PVC are totally different and this is where many of the issues occur. The two different types of tubing require different types of fittings AND clamps. The RV manufacturers skimp out to save every penny possible. These types of mixed connections are not allowed for use in homes and would be a code violation (for good reason). The only decent way to fix this in a RV (without completely re-plumbing the rig) would be to use adaptor fittings designed for the two types of tubing. For instance, PEX barbed to NPT on the PEX side and PVC barbed to NPT (opposite gender) on the PVC side. Not a cheap fix but a much better way to deal with it in the long run. Unfortunately, leaks due to improper fittings don't usually show up right away and often times, not until after the warranty period.
We had a slow leak on the input to our water pump. Winnebago had used the flex PVC with a barbed fitting that I think was for PEX on the water pump end, and they used a PEX clamp over the PVC tubing. It started oozing under the clamp and around the end of the PVC tubing. This was after maybe 3 or 4 years from the build date. I got a new proper PVC barbed fitting when we were at LaxyDays in Tampa (they just gave it to me for free, so really nice of them). I used 2 screw type clamps over the PVC and this proper fitting for the pump end. No more leaks, and I check it every trip. So you really should make sure to use the proper fittings and not follow what the manufacturers typically do..
PVC braided lines need to have the factory compression fittings with brass seats. Just look underneath your bathroom faucet or toilet in your home. If you are going to replace the PVC with PEX and you need to make a sweeping arc, I just heat the PEX with a propane torch or heat gun. It will mold to easily up to 90 degrees. Heat and bend. Mixing the 2 different pipes on a single connection with PEX clamps is not code for home use or RV standard. But it’s cheap and fast to install. I wouldn’t pressurize the system past 30 psi, but sooner or later it is going to leak when the PVC expands.
Hi Mario. I love your video but wanted to mention a couple things I've learned. The proper, and necessary, fittings for pex and for flexible vinyl hose are different and not interchangeable...that's why you don't ever see that in your home plumbing. That's not to code anywhere because it leaks. Unfortunately, many rv manufacturers do this...like my 2022 Grand Design Imagine trailer. Anyway, the vinyl hose requires the 'shark tooth/Christmas tree ' style fittings whereas the pex requires the smooth style fittings. Also, the crimp rings are never applied flush to the hose. They're meant to be installed 1/8" - 1/4" back from the end...depending on the fitting used.
The problem is not the flexible tubing or the pex. Either one works when you use the correct fitting for them. The flexible tubing and the pex use different fittings. You can replace the cheap plastic fittings with brass or stainless, but make sure you use pex fittings on pex tubing and the correct fittings if using the flex tubing. The inside diameter is different…..
the issue is there are no fittings to make that transition.
You build your own fittings. Look up the video, “How to Fix RV Water Leaks” by Just Plain Common Sense. It’s 8:35 long and demonstrates how to make the connections.
Sorry to say but none of that is up to code. Just like most RV plumbing is not as well.
I have a Rockwood Mini Lite which also has a lot of these mixed vinyl tube/PEX connections with a fair amount of leaking if the connections are disturbed due to pump change, etc. I ended up just adding two zip ties on either side of every PEX clamp that was leaking for an emergency repair during a camping trip. This is holding up well for the camping season as I wait for cooler fall weather before attempt a more permanent fix. The lesson is to keep small zip ties in the trailer if you have these types of connections.
Hey there, Chris. Thanks for taking the time to comment and offer a pro tip! I hear you about trying to get projects done in hot weather. Absolutely not fun.
My Good Man, I came across you're video and after watching your plumbing Issue, I am in the same issue myself. My Plumbing installation is a 5Min Job, and I don't understand all this fitting and connection type that works with the appropriate PVC or Plex attachment to do the job. This is so frustrating to me. Haha...I think that after doing the entire Van Built my self, it will be posted soon, this simple plumbing job have been the worse of my experience. Thank you for this video that is rated at A++ :-)
Hey there, Jose. RV plumbing can be a pain in the rear. I know I have had my share of frustrations!
The “trick” is use the proper size clamp and the proper size barb fitting for whatever size tubing you are using.
My flex pvc lines are leaking with the PEX crimp bands. I have been replacing with good worm gear clamps. Anything better?
That’s what I intend to do too. Worm gear hose clamps. Also replace plastic valves with brass.
no you did right thing we had same issue leaking from flex tubes used 1/2" worm gear clamp ( radiator clamp type ) problem solved double check you have water pressure under 50psi at all times pex tubing was fine live in wisconsin may be winter issue as well who knows only been blowing lines out no pink stuff in lines last few years
I have the same issue with my travel trailer. I had one tee leak in a super hard to reach place. I managed to get to it and found a pex fitting on vinyl tubing. After checking I see that all the fittings are for pex even though almost all the tubing is vinyl. I did some online price comparison and it looks like pex fittings are cheaper than barbed fittings. I'm replacing problem fittings with brass barbed fittings as I go. Of course some places would require a tear down of the bathroom so I'm just keeping my fingers crossed. I also bought some of next size up crimp clamps online, Lowes and Home Depot don't carry them. Thanks a lot for posting this, it was very helpful.
Hey there, George. Thanks for taking the time to comment! I hear you regarding the fittings that are not accessible. A prayer sems to be the only answer for these. I have heard about using larger clamps, but have not tried them. I am curious if that is an alternative.
@@MarioWorkedOnIt I’ll let you know once I try it.
What's wrong with a hose clamp?
Hello, Bill. The typical hose clamp uses the worm screw and does not evenly compress the hose around the circumference of the fitting. Also, hose clamps are not as permanent and may require maintenance or retightening. Believe me. I have considered hose clamps, but desired something that I do not have to worry about.
@@MarioWorkedOnIt . could we use auto spring type hose clamps?
@@MarioWorkedOnIt used worm gear on our rv a few weeks ago on the non pex tube from the water pump (slow drip) and faster drip hot water hose non pex from kitchen sink stopped both drips just fine is covered by enclosed underbelly and heated dont anticipate a problem all the pex fittings were fine
I have Rockwood signature 5th wheel has the same set up
The difference is you have inner diameter and outer diameter of the pipe size or tube size
Pex fittings never belong on flexible tubing. You should buy specific correct flexible tube fittings. That setup will eventually cause the tube to expand and cause a leak.
You are exactly correct.
Thanks. I had a small leak near the water filter housing on my Geopro. I used a hose clamp, it stoped the leak Will need to perform a more permanent fix . Thanks for the information. Love your videos, take care.
Helo, David. I have also had leaks near the filter and the pump. It seems I fix one and another appears. There are so many fittings in that little area and they seem to shake while traveling down the road. Just thought I would give a heads up that you might find yourself chasing leaks if you dig in there. Take care and safe travels!
Which is more résistant to bursting if it freezes?
that's so true ! thank you so much I had the same issue nice trailer but stupid decisions . combining 3/8 into a 1/2line , its no wonder i had leaks . five "Ts" on each city line and return line as well . nice thank you !!
Hey there, Daniel. It does not seem too difficult to improve upon the original plumbing in most circumstances. thanks for taking the time to post!
Tried your trick and worked great.
Hey there, Eric. Great to hear! Success is a good thing.
Very informative, thank you! Have any of your connections leaked of the ones you made?
Hello, Free Gee. None of the products in this video have failed me yet. Knock on wood. It might be too early to make a judgement. I feel there is more abuse in store for the plumbing and I am still curious how it will perform. I will say this about the vinyl tubing. It was a struggle to work with in tight places. Also, it seemed the tolerances for the I.D. and O.D. were not perfect over the entire length of the piping. At this point, I am glad I incorporated it into my water filter project I recently installed.
I've noticed plastic fitting are cheeper nowadays so I'm using brass
Hi, Gary. Yeah, I'm sure certain brands are better than others, but it is so hard to know what you are actually getting.
I don't like how the brass pex fittings are so loose even inside the original flex tubing thats in my 2018 rig, and I find leaks at these fittings often. I'm going to try using 5/8" pex clamps, and I'm also going to use a pice of shrink tubing (for elextcial wire generally) over the pex fitting where the clamp will go so that it adds a bit to the thickness as well as some grip and seal to it. I have no idea if heat shrink is considered 'drinking water safe' or not, and personally don't care because I never drink water from my system anyway, unless it's run through an RO system... it's such a small amount that I don't feel like it could make any real difference. I need to replace my whole nautilus system so I'm about to be doing a whole lot of this because my Jayco has ALL KINDS of mixing on vinyl and pex and it drives me insane. My previos 'fix' was to use old style hose clamps but those have their own issues and don't hold up either...
I'm experiencing this problem right now..flex tubing leak at rv water pump..limited access Thanks for the video
Hello, Mark. You are welcome and I hope you find a resolution.
use worm gear clamp aok after that
I've had a couple of leaks now with the Vinyl tubing. In talking with a few RV techs, it seems they're notorious for leaks. They suggest replacing with Pex tubing and fittings. Have you thought about that? I think I'm gonna go that route.
Anyone else done the same? I'd like to hear about any horror stories.
Hey there, Berry. I have had several plumbing leaks with my new Geo Pro. All of them were related to fittings. I am also curious about any issues with vinyl tubing. So far so good for me, knock on wood.
@@MarioWorkedOnIt Hi - I have a new Riverside Retro 20' bunkhouse travel trailer. Got it a few months back. After the third trip noticed it leaking water slowly from one of these vinyl tubes by the water pump. Although under warranty I didn't want to drive an hour to the dealer and wait for a week or two for repairs, so called a plumber who fixed a leak in my old travel trailer last year. Well... he was quite surprised that the vinyl hoses were used throughout with Pex fittings. He said these should not be used on vinyl hose, and that vinyl hose should only be connected with barb fittings, not pex fittings. He fixed it using some sort of plastic ring clamp and it hasn't leaked again so far. But I was quite concerned that the manufacturer would do this so thank you Mario for mentioning that at the start of your video about them using Pex clamps interchangeably: How did they justify doing that when it's not a best practice? The plumber said don't worry too much about more leaks but clearly others like Barry have them so I have this feeling I haven't seen the last of them.
Hey there, Nige Chubb. Congrats on the new trailer! I think you just summed up my feelings towards RV plumbing, lol. Glad you were able to get someone there to lend a hand.
Thanks very much for the video Mario. I'm a pro RV tech with my own mobile repair business of over 20 years. I am seeing more and more of the reinforced hoses and pinch clamps. I don't like them , and think it will probably be phased out due to early failure...but that's just a guess. With videos such as yours, I may try this on some jobs repairing rigs with some reinforced hose. First I'll do a test like yours using hot water and 90 PSI, since that realistically can occur when hooking up at an RV park and forgetting to install a pressure regulator. I'd hate to have a customer's coach flooded due to testing something new (to me) on an actual job. I have 3 rigs myself, and don't have enough confidence in this stuff to use in even one of them...yet. Rob
Hey there, Robnord1. I do not know how well this particular hose will perform. They are not all made the same. This particular hose had very good pressure and heat ratings. I currently have some of it installed in the RVs cavity where the refrigerator is. I suspect this area is likely to see freeze/thaw cycles. It is the one area I am most concerned about. It has been over a year with the camco brand OEM vinyl tubing and I have not had any issues with that hose, yet. I have replaced some sections that were very stiff and not pliable. But other camco vinyl tubing has been connected to my holding tanks in freezing conditions and still seems to be performing. The only issues I have had are with the fittings. The camco plastic fittings the RV manufacture used don't seem to be made with high tolerances and don't seem compatible with the vinyl tubing. Fingers crossed that the pinch clamps I used on the vinyl tubing are not too small and fatigue the vinyl tubing.
Just had to do this today and came here looking for an easier way... seems we both had the same idea. Putting the clamp rings on even with heat expansion its not easy. Not sure how these manufacturers are getting them on like they are haha. Something tells me it should probably be illegal for them to do this, it probably would be if it were residential piping...
Your video popped up because I was searching for ways to stay away from this exact senerio, known to be the source of many RV leaks.
Like @jondrew7473 said, You need the 5/8" crimp clamps for the vinyl braided tubing.....and use the 1/2 " crimp clamps for the regular blue / red pex line. The vinyl braided line "walls" are thicker than the pex line walls ...that's why the 1/2" crimp clamps are tough to use, and if you force it....they crush the hose.
So 1/2" crimp clamps for the blue and red pex lines and 5/8" crimp clamps for the braided vinyl clear line.
I have a rockwood mini lite with the same kinds of lines.
Thanks, this is exactly what I just ordered hoping that the 5/8" ones will work. good to hear that they worked for you.
Mario, nice video. What type of crimp do you use for the vinyl tube? My 1/2 inch crimps will not fit. What about a 5/8in crimp?
Easy, measure the OD of the tubing and order the proper clamp. Same for the barb fittings order for the ID of the tubing.
Have tried cutting a regular camco water hose ? Just remove a end and you have a hose
Hey there Gary. I actually have done this. But I only have so much hose available that came with the trailer.
What is the best way to cut it? Will regular pex cutter work?
My PEX cutter worked well when I did it today
Reinforced vinyl tubing should never be used on the pressure side of a water system. Ok on the inlet side only. PVC is too soft to use that type of fitting or clamp. Over time the connection will loosen up and leak.
Hi @Oldtech51 could you expand on this, please? I need more background knowledge to gain understanding of this topic. Is the "inlet" side the city water inlet? Or, do you mean the fresh tank fill only? I think you mean that the whole system needs to be switched to PEX, except for the fresh water tank inlet. Am I mistaken?
Why? With the proper fittings and clamps it works just fine up to the pressure rating of the tubing, it’s used in the pressure side of beverage dispensers all the time.
Forest River is marrying pex fittings to vinyl tubing. Maybe you could make a video about how we all can refit out campers to the proper fittings and what we can use and where to source the materials. Thanks.
@@barrythirtle4296
EDIT: I have been working with the vinyl tubing and it is very difficult to work with in tight, difficult to access areas.
Here are links to where I bought the vinyl tubing and the diverter valve.
HYDROMAXX Braided Clear Non Toxic PVC Vinyl Tubing
www.homedepot.com/p/HYDROMAXX-1-2-in-I-D-x-5-8-in-O-D-x-50-ft-Braided-Clear-Non-Toxic-High-Pressure-Reinforced-PVC-Vinyl-Tubing-1531012050/311926001
Elkhart 28910 3-Way by-Pass Crimp Valve
www.amazon.com/dp/B00R9GC6PA