Chartercats Fresh Water System: Plumbing Materials

[foxfire]

I have a 2005 Chartercats SA Jaguar 36 and want to do some plumbing mods. The original water system materials appear to be a type of semi rigid partly translucent poly tubing with glued fitting which insert into the tubing and have a blue or red band (for cold or hot system) glued over the outside of the tubing at the fitting end.

Does anyone know what this material is and where to order fittings and glue?

Eric

[Lancerbye]

Welcome aboard. Are the bands glued or swaged. Could be Pex

[foxfire]

Thanks for the reply, the bands are glued and coloured plastic. I've never heard of Pex, what is it? Eric

[Sand crab]

PEX is polyethelene pipe. It is the standard in residential construction and all the building centers and hardware stores stock this. Normally it is connected with internal brass fittings and then clamped with a brass band around the outside. Wirsbo brand has a system that uses a plastic band and a special very expensive tool. It sounds like you might have this. The systems are compatible even though they tell you they are not. You will still need to rent the brass band compression tool for about $25 per day or buy one for about $125 new. Make sure you get the different clampers for each size of pipe or the clamper which has adapters for the sizes of pipe. There are companies which make a no-clamp fitting. Sharktooth is one. Upside is no clamping wrench, downside is these are very expensive. Just push the pipes together in the fitting and you are done. Do you actually see glue on the joints? Usually the pipes have a running ID continuasly printed the entire length. If you have a non-PEX system you can get adapters to convert to PEX. This is the way to go. The fittings are cheap and clamping the 15 cent band takes about 10 seconds. BOB

[Lancerbye]

Thanks Sand crab for the info on Wirsbo. I have never seen that system. Maybe not available up here. I have used Pex and it is great. I have seen some clamping wrenches that were made out of modified Vise-Grip pliers. About $30. They did the job.

[Sand crab]

The clamping tool is called a crimper, the bands are called crimp rings. Wirsbo will only sell to licensed plumbers at least here in the states. BOB

[Sand crab]

Wirsbo is now called Uponor. This is a link to a video showing the installation. The expansion tool is very expensive and hard to get. Note that they are not glued. YouTube - How to make a wirsbo pex fitting BOB

[foxfire]

Thanks for all the info, these originals are definitely glued, here's a photo from a similar Chartercats boat for sale on the web. I think PEX fittings as you described may work but unfortunately the boat is in Guatemala and I need to prepare a solution up North here to take down with me. Does anyone recongnize the pipe and joints in the photo? these terminations are to convert to threads for the valves as shown, but they have TEE's which are inserted and glued the same way. Eric

[Sand crab]

Looks like pex to me. I still think it's Wirsbo but that is irrelevant. All the pexes are interchangeble. If you know the tubing size (I think it's 1/2") then just take down a small coil of tubing of generic pex and some of the quick connects. You can connect to the old stuff, mix old with new, connect pex to copper or galvanized pipe, and connect whatever threaded coupling you need to these. They make tees valves and everything else to do whatever you need to do. Go to your hardware store and you will see quite a selection. Show that picture to the hardware guy and you'll be on your way. The quick connects like Sharkstooth are expensive but you don't need any fancy tools. I've done this and it works and it's easy. I'm a contractor so I've seen this and done this hundreds of times. Trust me. BOB

[foxfire]

That's good news, I'll hit the hardware stores and see what I can find. I believe it's nominal 1/2", with 5/8" O.D. Thanks for your help. Eric