Hooray for Shark Bite fittings...

[Desert_Captain]

All of the plumbing in our 24' Nexus Class C is Pex. After 9 years once of the fittings on the feed line to the toilet developed a small leak. I'm guessing that there was a little bit of water left in the line after winterizing and one of several long hard freezes last winter caused a crack. I noticed the leak shortly after refilling the water tank for our first trip this spring.

The feed line is 5/8" where in goes into the back of the toilet connecting with a 90 degree elbow {with a 5/8" hose barb} which was mated with a threaded male/female connection to the Pex. Rather than try and wrestle with the Pex as I lack the proper tools or any working experience with Pex I cut the Pex and tried to sleeve 5/8" reinforced PVC hose over it double clamping this connection. It seemed snug but the next morning it was dripping again {I left the water on overnight to test the connection}.

Another trip to Ace Hardware where one of their guys in introduced me to the "Shark Bite" brass coupler. I got one with a female threaded end and added a 5/8" brass male hose barb and spliced this onto the Pex line {they just push on and can only be removed with a special SB tool} connecting downstream with the 5/8" PVC hose leading to the toilet. A couple wraps of Teflon tape on the brass hose barb with double hose clamps for good measure and Hooray... no more leak.

I had heard of the Shark Bite connectors but never had any reason to try them but if you have Pex plumbing keeping a connector or two in your spare parts locker would seem to be a pretty good idea. They will enable you to make quick work of a leak, I was lucky that mine developed while at home and while not cheap {the connector and brass hose barb were $15} they work very well. Now that I know how well they work it's back to Ace for a couple off spares.

:C

[4x4van]

My Itasca uses Flair-it fittings on the PEX lines. They are fairly inexpensive, easy to use (no tools required), and quite effective. I carry a couple of straight couplers, a couple of elbows, a couple of T's, and a couple of end caps; although I have yet to actually need any of them. The few leaks I've had required nothing more than a hand tightening.

Dutch_12078 wrote:
My most used fitting for emergency repairs is the in-line valve. It can be used as a connector, an end cap, and of course as a valve.

Excellent point about the valve being "multi-functional"; I think I'll add a couple of Flair-It valves to my spare set.

[Dutch_12078]

I've carried the similar Watts AquaLock(was SeaTech) push-on fittings in my spares for years. My most used fitting for emergency repairs is the in-line valve. It can be used as a connector, an end cap, and of course as a valve.

[JRscooby]

For years I have carried them in the truck. Great for a quick repair on air lines until I could get home and replace the line. Most used on company trailers. Get back to shop and remove.

[spoon059]

Sharkbite (and similar style) are AWESOME. They are just expensive.

[gbopp]

I've been using SharkBite fittings on my home plumbing and heating system for years.
No leaks or failures.

[2oldman]

Sounds good! I have a couple small leaks I just put trays under because it's such a pain to not only get to them but to fix Pex. Thanks!