Pex problem
I'm doing a kitchen remodel and am having a problem with PEX. What my RV has is "Tuffpex". It's 1/2". I bought a 1/2 pex valve at home depot and I was going to crimp it on the Tuffpex (with the solid ...
Forum Discussion
I wondered about this the first time I did some mods to PEX piping in our 1st TT.
The red/blue PEX that is common in RVs does have a slightly different diameter. I see this stuff in Lowes and HD all the time now so must get used in homes & RVs using standard crimp rings. The "regular" PEX that has a white exterior and the red/blue type still both have the required min. pressure ratings.
I've done tons of crimps with the copper PEX crimp rings in several TTs now using a PEX crimper like in the photos below for example which is an electric solenoid valve I installed. Never a single leak. PEX crimps are extremely reliable. A properly adjusted crimper applies the required force on both types of PEX to correctly seal it against a fitting. If you want do a demo to see how tight a crimp connection is, do a crimp on both types of PEX and see how hard it is to rotate the fitting. Both should be able to be rotated using moderate force. If it seems too loose, you might want to check the crimper using a go/no-go gauge. I always use brass PEX fittings although there should be nothing wrong with the plastic ones used in RVs.
No need to use Sharkbite type fittings on RV PEX and it can get very expensive if many connections to do. The only time you may need one is in a cramped location where you can't get the crimper to reach. They do make a "pocket" crimper that will work in those situations. You can also use cinch clamps like the factories us as seen in the 2nd photo below and the tool is available at retail stores.
The red/blue PEX that is common in RVs does have a slightly different diameter. I see this stuff in Lowes and HD all the time now so must get used in homes & RVs using standard crimp rings. The "regular" PEX that has a white exterior and the red/blue type still both have the required min. pressure ratings.
I've done tons of crimps with the copper PEX crimp rings in several TTs now using a PEX crimper like in the photos below for example which is an electric solenoid valve I installed. Never a single leak. PEX crimps are extremely reliable. A properly adjusted crimper applies the required force on both types of PEX to correctly seal it against a fitting. If you want do a demo to see how tight a crimp connection is, do a crimp on both types of PEX and see how hard it is to rotate the fitting. Both should be able to be rotated using moderate force. If it seems too loose, you might want to check the crimper using a go/no-go gauge. I always use brass PEX fittings although there should be nothing wrong with the plastic ones used in RVs.
No need to use Sharkbite type fittings on RV PEX and it can get very expensive if many connections to do. The only time you may need one is in a cramped location where you can't get the crimper to reach. They do make a "pocket" crimper that will work in those situations. You can also use cinch clamps like the factories us as seen in the 2nd photo below and the tool is available at retail stores.
