Need help Identifying Plumbing Fittings: Californian Trawler, 1978

I am working on the plumbing in my 1978 Californian Trawler. I would like to add a water filter in the fresh water supply line after the pump. The attached photos show the existing fittings used on the 3/8" OD plastic tubing.

Question: Can anyone identify the manufacturer of these fittings?

Thanks for any insights you can provide. I'm also open to suggestions on others manufacturers fittings which could be used as an alternative

Mine is a 1976 model and uses the same tubing, but the female fitting is black plastic and instead of a compression fitting on the pipe, they swaged a flange on the end of the pipe tube. The male end are all copper with the corresponding flange face, like this.

You could just cut the fitting off and slip tubing over and use some hose clamps


Sent from my iPhone using Trawler Forum

I think that's "polybutylene"...it was very popular in the 80's as a DIY replacement for copper. I built a house in N.H. back then, roughed in the plumbing in about 4hrs with that stuff. All you needed was 2 sets of channel-lock pliers and a sharp knife.
It's also used in RVs (boats with wheels) so you might find a good supply at an RV shop, or Amazon.

More info here: Polybutylene Plumbing - What is Polybutylene?

One of the reasons for it's popularity, especially in RVs, is that aside from being flexible, it is relatively "freeze-proof". It will freeze, but instead of splitting, it swells, then returns to its original shape...EXCEPT for fittings and elbows, of course

I wonder if a 3/8 compression nut brass fitting will work.

They use a ferrule and nut. Your tube looks like it will seal fine in one of those, if the nut thread is the same..

Some pics of these things
https://www.google.com/search?q=3/8...TTZBn0QyjcIOg&ei=EsKpV9WnMMqte7Sym-gH#imgrc=_

The RV places around me and good plumbing houses still carry fittings for the gray tubing.

mfreeman_1998 said:

I am working on the plumbing in my 1978 Californian Trawler. I would like to add a water filter in the fresh water supply line after the pump. The attached photos show the existing fittings used on the 3/8" OD plastic tubing.

Question: Can anyone identify the manufacturer of these fittings?

Thanks for any insights you can provide. I'm also open to suggestions on others manufacturers fittings which could be used as an alternative

Click to expand...

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...d-keywords=qest+fittings&sprefix=qest,aps,192

Some Ace Hardware stores carry them as well. Take an existing fitting with you.


"Qest" is the brand name.


http://www.acehardware.com/search/i...qest&origkw=qest&f=Taxonomy/ACE/19541496&sr=1

The trade name was called "Qest". It had a bad reputation. Keep anything that's still OK but replace with PEX when you update or repair. Plenty of adapters and connectors available at the big box stores.

If you use a metal ferrule fitting make sure you use the sleeves that fit inside the plastic tubing. That will help prevent the tubing from splitting when you tighten the ferrule.

The type and size of tubing is often stamped on the tubing itself. My boat uses PEX tubing with the fittings I posted. They work fine.


I wouldn't think the brass fitting in post #5 would work but Sharkbite fittings would work. They are expensive and much heavier than the Qest fittings. They would need additional support.

Yup, those are Qest fittings. The majority of the fresh water plumbing on my boat is Qest and I have had no problems with it whatsoever. Compatible with many thread patterns including pipe and parallel threaded fittings. Available on line from Plumbing Supply.


https://www.plumbingsupply.com/polyb.html

mfreeman_1998 said:

I am working on the plumbing in my 1978 Californian Trawler. I would like to add a water filter in the fresh water supply line after the pump. The attached photos show the existing fittings used on the 3/8" OD plastic tubing.

Question: Can anyone identify the manufacturer of these fittings?

Thanks for any insights you can provide. I'm also open to suggestions on others manufacturers fittings which could be used as an alternative

Click to expand...

Had the same thing on my 1984 Egg Habor
These are no longer avaliable as far as I know, (told by plumbing shop)
Go to Lowes or Home Depot, Ace Hardware and use "Watts" fittings to replace. (These are plug and play fittings) and the female ones will accept your tubing.

Qest Compression Fittings
Can still get grey polybutylene fittings now called 'qest'.

Panacea123 said:

Had the same thing on my 1984 Egg Habor
These are no longer avaliable as far as I know, (told by plumbing shop)
...............

Click to expand...

Just because your plumbing shop doesn't sell them doesn't mean they are no longer available. I posted two sources and someone else posted another.

Seems to me it would be a whole bunch simpler to just put a faucet filter on the galley sink. You don't need filtered water to shower, wash dishes, flush the toilet, do laundry or brush your teeth...the galley is the only place where filtering water can make a difference. And you prob'ly wouldn't even need to filter it there if you recommissioned the system annually.

[FONT=&quot]Although most people think only in terms of the tank, the plumbing is actually the source of most funky water, because the molds, mildew, fungi and bacteria which cause it thrive in damp dark places. [/FONT]Filtering water immediately after the pump removes the chemicals that retard their growth...nothing totally prevents it except enough bleach in the water to make it taste and smell like a swimming pool. A filter on the galley sink--and MAYBE one in the line to the icemaker--both a lot easier to replace as needed than one in the bilge makes a lot more sense to me.

Thanks for the Information

Thanks everyone for the information. As a result of the community I now know alot more about my plumbing and where to get parts as well as other options for upgrading.

Mike

Funky water I never have since my water pipes are all copper tubing.
I suppose copper is more of a pain to work with and If I had no plumbing already, copper might be low on my list. But since I have it and it has worked well in the boat since 1970, I maintain it and do notice the water quality is very good, just like my house.

I once looked a t a brokerage boat, turned on the water and was overwhelmed by a sickening stench, the broker said that happens to all boats if you don't run the water frequently enough to flush lines, well it has never happened to my boat. And some water lines almost never get used, but when I do use them the water is so nice and clean.

I dont know if I would attribute the lack of stench to copper. Mine were copper and stunk to high heavens.

For a cruising boat copper is world wide .

Todays plastic stuff ,,no time or skills to install ,may be replaced with the next cheapest plastic.

Probably not a copper tubing problem.