Gray Plastic water piping
- Thread starter SIBERNUT
- Start date
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rslifkin
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- Aug 20, 2019
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- 7,611
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- Vessel Name
- Hour Glass
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- Chris Craft 381 Catalina
It's probably polybutylene tubing. My boat is plumbed with the stuff with metal flare fittings for the terminations. I think some parts are still available, but personally, I'd adapt to PEX and use that for any new stuff.
The Brockerts
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- Oct 17, 2014
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- Vessel Name
- Moonstruck
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- 1990 Californian/Carver 48 MY
It's polybutylene. Find a Lowes in your area and go by a bag full of shark bite adapters, gray on one end to fit the polybutylene and the other end connects to to pex. Buy a cutting tool also so you get clean cuts on the polybutylene. Buy some pex also. Sharkbites and the cutting tool will make this the easiest plumbing job you have ever done. I've fixed 3 leaks and re-routed plumbing for a washer/dryer, all without any leaks.
The Brockerts
The Brockerts
IMO crimp connectors are better than the plastic compression connections.
Fittings are smaller and less expensive. Crimps are 2 types ring and band. The bank crimpers can do multiple sizes where the rings are specific for each size.
Just be aware that some boats use metric and common big box stores are English so need to confirm sizes.
There are adapters , threaded & sharkbite, so conversion is doable, where req'd.
Fittings are smaller and less expensive. Crimps are 2 types ring and band. The bank crimpers can do multiple sizes where the rings are specific for each size.
Just be aware that some boats use metric and common big box stores are English so need to confirm sizes.
There are adapters , threaded & sharkbite, so conversion is doable, where req'd.
- Joined
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- 1999 Mainship 350 Trawler
I'm way late to this thread, but worth mentioning that polybutylene has been banned in construction in the US since 1995.
IMHO, if I had a boat or a house that had polybutylene pipes, I would re-pipe the entire joint.
".......the plastic [which was] used reacts to oxidants and disinfectants in public water supplies, like chlorine. The result is scaling and flaking from within that creates microfractures in the pipes that will eventually burst."
IMHO, if I had a boat or a house that had polybutylene pipes, I would re-pipe the entire joint.
".......the plastic [which was] used reacts to oxidants and disinfectants in public water supplies, like chlorine. The result is scaling and flaking from within that creates microfractures in the pipes that will eventually burst."
PhilPB
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I just replaced my entire freshwater system including piping, tanks and water heater using Pex-A. I'm very happy with the end result and Pex-A's workability
Well, thank you! I was not looking fwd to reconnecting the 100 or so joints. This boat has water connections not only for pressure, but also for engine water to hot water heater and a loop in the fresh tank for gawd knows what. Be glad to start fresh & make a diagram. TKS!
PhilPB
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My water system replacement project started when I had a mysterious engine coolant leak. Took a long time to track down but it turned out being one of the coolant lines for the heat exchanger in the hot water heater. After much thought I realized that being the entire water system was probably original, it was time to replace. I also ended up with my hot water heater being totally electric. In my case (and most on this forum), I have a generator and the time it takes to heat up water in the tank is very short. The newer water heaters heat up water pretty fast. Also for us being in south florida our water starts out at a tepid temperature.
PhilPB
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- Mainship 34
I ended up with 86 total connections. My 5 valve main manifold is 23 of the 86. It was overkill for sure but I can isolate every branch of my water system. Best part is no leaks!
Last edited:
BigTime
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- Nov 15, 2018
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- United States
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- Shady Grove
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- TMC Custom 41 Trawler & S-2 10.3 Sail
86 connections using Sharkbite fittings would cost about $1.5 million
