Identifying plumbing parts

[Gilhooley]

My first post here.. seems like an incredible resource/community.

So I have a leak in one of my heads I need to address (bit of a challenge given some back issues so I'm arming up with knowledge before diving in). The plumbing materials are foreign to me and I got 3 different answers at Large Marine when I took these photos in. Can anyone simply answer these two questions.. who makes them/what system is this, and do these parts interoperate with parts from other manufacturers?

Thank you!

 

[dhmeissner]

Welcome aboard!

I am not sure, but since you are in Greenland those fittings could have come from an EU supplier. John Guest - The World Leader in Push-fit Fittings, Pipe and Plastic Plumbing Systems - literature downloads

 

[Gilhooley]

Dave... Thank you... I'm guessing my Nordic Tug was built in/around Washington and uses whatever standard fitments they use for all there? Maybe there are regional differences built in to make sourcing easier.

As to my home base... I might not take that Greenland part to the bank.. I am probably closer to you than you think

 

[ranger58sb]

Looks like PEX hose, and Flair-It fittings. Big box home improvement stores around here often stock PEX and fittings for PEX, and our local RV dealer stocks Flair-It fittings.

Shark Bite is another brand of fittings (metal, instead of plastic) that works with PEX tubing.

Mix and match is pretty much OK.

Some PEX tubing is opaque and color coded blue for cold, red for hot... but ours looks like yours (clear), and the color coding is built into the labeling on the tubes (also blue for cold, red for hot).

-Chris

 

[caltexflanc]

If they are OEM, then Nordic Tug would have the answer for you. Have you tried calling or e-mailing them?

 

[bligh]

The tubing is 1/2" ID Wirsbo Pex. It should be readily available at any supplly house.
I would eliminate as much of those cheesy white fittings as possible and replace them with proper pex fittings if possible. If you dont have access to a Wirsbo tool to connect the pex fittings , dont worry, just use the Sharkbite brand fittings that are more expensive but very reliable. An advantage of the Sharkbite fittings is that they will come apart if you need to disassemble them at a future date AND you can mix and match different types of pex tubing (ie you can go to home depot and buy whatever brand of pex they have there and connect them together with the sharkbite fittings).

http://www.supplyhouse.com/SharkBite-Fittings-595000

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Welcome aboard.

 

[Gilhooley]

Sincerest thanks to all... precisely what I need. Thanks for going the extra mile on swapping out the existing junk Scott.

George.. I put two questions into NT while I was buying the boat... no replies. I suppose that set my expectations a bit low.

 

[psneeld]

Here's my supply for pex...

Reasonable prices, good customer service, prompt...and may ship to Greenland

 

[rwidman]

I think it would be a waste of time and money to replace all the fittings unless you actually have trouble with them. While sharkbite brand fittings work well, they are heavy and expensive. Fine for your home at 90 PSI, overkill for a smaller boat.

These:

Amazon.com: qest fittings

are what came on my boat and I was able to get additional ones at the local True Value hardware store. Or, use the link above. They too are reusable and require nothing more than pliers or an adjustable wrench to install or take apart.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Now that that is all sorted out, where's the leak?

You may just have to tighten a fitting or two to stop it.

 

[HopCar]

As has been said, don't bother to look for the same brand. Any of the PEX fittings on the market will work.

My favorites are the Sea Tech fittings. You just push the tube in and you're done. You can also release them and reuse the fitting.

 

[ulysses]

I agree with most of the above as to PEX, and sharkbite fittings but the main question would be Capt. Bill 11's "where is the leak". Both your hot and cold water lines end up going into standard stainless steel flex service tube with what looks like a 1/2" male iron pipe (MIP) end. I would assume those are then attached to the fixture with a standard compression fitting. Things just might need to be tightened up somewhat. Second, it is hard to tell on the photo, but if you do replace some of the fittings insure that the two ball valves will operate independently they look somewhat close, like you might not be able to close one without closing the other first.

 

[caltexflanc]

As has been said, don't bother to look for the same brand. Any of the PEX fittings on the market will work.

My favorites are the Sea Tech fittings. You just push the tube in and you're done. You can also release them and reuse the fitting.

X2 on the Seatechs. Made working with my somewhat complex FW system so much easier. Good customer service too.

One thing you have to be careful of is that the tubing end is cut nice and flat and perpendicular, and that the tubing itself is quite smooth where it goes into the fitting. If there is a leak at one of the pictured fittings, I would look for this issue, as well as it is not uncommon for some one not to have inserted the tube in all the way and snugged the fitting correctly.