Pex In Marine Use.

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by TFrere

Has anyone used PEX for their propane lines in their boat? Is this up to code or do I need to keep the copper tubing for the propane system?

It does meet the US ABYC standards at this point.. Copper or rubber based "LPG" hose are still the preferred methods.

[SKI]

I use 3/4" PEX with sharkbite fittings as air line in my machine shop. 90 P.S.I. from the regulator out to every machine as a trunk line and it's worked perfectly for 2-1/2 years without one leak. Water is different i know but I doubt anybody has 90 P.S.I. on there boats water system.

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by motion30

I was refering to the reinforced vinyl hose, I realize the pex is

Tygon's list of tubing includes whether should be used for food and beverage apps.

http://www.piedmontplastics.com/medi...10r%208-06.pdf

[btrayfors]

I'm no pex expert, but I'll pass on two recent comments from those who are:

1. Scott...a marine engineering company head and ABYC master technician: "Pex is absolutely wonderful stuff. I've used it to plumb my 60' ketch, and we use it on customer boats all the time".

2. Steve...my son, who's in the major construction business: "We use a lot of pex in the construction business. It's great stuff. We have found that the Sharkbite fittings are much to be preferred over the compression fittings, since we have seen failures with these over time."

Bill

[Strait Shooter]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

As someone with 32+ years experience designing among things a whole lotta plumbing (one project had about 40 million dollars of plumbing in it), I can say PEX is about perfect for boats. Flexible easy to use, does not get brittle easy, High temperature and pressure ratings and relatively low cost. I consider it a step up from nylon reinforced hose, mainly due to better T & P ratings. Though nylon reinforced hose works too..

Best of all the PEX sold in the big box stores is just as good as PEX sold at marine stores...

So says the engineering chic.

Engineering chics rock!

[Ltwud]

I was a home builder for years and never had a problem with pex and am a big fan. I now have a propane business and would never consider pex for propane because of the extremely cold nature of propane. I can't imagine any plastic being able to deal with its negative 34 below temp.

[sarafina]

One draw back I see to the Pex is it is better suited when you are installing an all new system.

Trying to use it for a retrofit, not so much...

I had planned on Pex and then when I got down to getting all the bits and pieces together, there were too many steps up and down from intakes and tank fittings and pumps and heaters and faucet to make it practical to use Pex.

[DeepFrz]

Sarah, what did you decide to go with?

[sarafina]

Reinforced vinyl, 3 sizes, and an assortment of fittings, stainless and plastic to hook it all up. I have 1/2" mip, 1/2" compression, 3/4" mip, 5/8" slide on, 5/8 mip. Prolly a few others as well...

: -P

It's gonna be fine, but it took 2 solid hours sussing out all the parts.

Anyone want 20' of 3/8" and 20' of 1/2" high strength sheathed pex line encased in a vinyl coat. The stuff they use for high pressure soda dispenser set ups...?

[Bash]

Originally Posted by sarafina

Reinforced vinyl, 3 sizes, and an assortment of fittings, stainless and plastic to hook it all up. I have 1/2" mip, 1/2" compression, 3/4" mip, 5/8" slide on, 5/8 mip. Prolly a few others as well...

Nothing complicated about that.

Ahem.

[sarafina]

Originally Posted by Bash

Nothing complicated about that.

Ahem.

Wise Guy ehh?

This from the man with the shiny custom spec fresh out of the boatyard everything in applepie order and as standardized as a boat is possible ta be.

So glad ya feel my pain...

Wanna come down and help put it together Mr Smarty Pants?

[DeepFrz]

Sheesh, complicated and expensive spares. Have fun Bash...

[CC45]

Hi, i am planning to redo my wtr lines with Pex. There is no problem installing the lines. what type do u recommend for hot and cold and also for a wash down.
i see there are different brands and so on
psi min 2.3 max 4.5

[CC45]

sailorchic34,

i will b redoing my fresh water lines and looking at the Pex, there are different types and brands. my lines will be easy to lay down, so no worries there. it will start frm the eng rm, mid ships, two lines frm wtr heater to master SR head. Frm Wtr Htr to Gally then on to Fwd Head H/C sink only Form aft wtr tank to pressure water tank to pump.
What would be the better of them and size of piping. this is all new to me. my boat will be a 45 Ft Chris craft 1960 Woody

[rwidman]

My boat was built in 1999 and uses PEX tubing and Qest compression fittings. Never a problem with either. Qest compression fittings are available at Ace Hardware stores. They are a lot less expensive than Sharkbite fittings and they don't weigh as much. I would want to support Sharkbite fittings if I used the.

PEX tubing is available at ACE as well as home centers. The only fittings I've used were for modifications. I never had a failure.

Qest compression fittings are also available on amazon.com.