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PEX in marine environments.

bluesbyrd

bluesbyrd

Chris Langton
I’m going To have to redo some of the fresh water plumbing on Stargazer.

I became a big fan of PEX tubing and Sharkbite fittings for plumbing work in the house I was restoring in New Mexico.

What do people on this forum know about using PEX for boat plumbing?

I’m sure the tubing itself will be fine ...

I don’t have as much confidence in the Sharkbite fittings: they are fairly complex and involve brass bodies, stainless steel “jaws,” and rubber O-rings.

Can they be trusted to last in a saltwater environment?

Or should I go with the compression-ring fittings?

Anybody have experience with using PEX on their boats?
 
I replumbed my entire boat using PEX. I did not use Sharkbite except for the galley sink faucet where I used the all plastic Sharkbite type fittings from Lowe’s. I used the compression ring fittings at all other locations.
I did this job about 4 or 5 years ago and haven’t had a single leak.
 
I found a source for the original fittings used on Eliana, probably the same as on Stargazer. Grey pipe similar to PEX. I bought a handful of fittings, compression rings and washers to fix some leaks. I also got some spare valves and fixed a leaky one under the galley sink. I plan to replace some of the plumbing and use PEX pipe with the original style fittings. The original 3/8" pipe has an OD of 1/2", and the fittings work with any pipe with 1/2" OD.

I would avoid anything with brass. I have a house in Vegas (very hard water) with PEX and the whole house needed a replumb due to dezincification.
 
I have redone the whole water system with PEX I used 3/8 with the Mobile home snap on fittings. Not one leak ! All the fittings are removable too. So if you need a shut off before a faucet or in the middle of a line you can ! Right out of every water tank a shut off fitting . Right at the manifold under the sink, Every faucet has its own run with a shut off valve. At the top i choose tank one or two and I get water. The shut offs are for in case there is a leak or i need to do a repair. I did a new hot water heater at the same time . So every place got new valves and PEX ! When i cruise i carry pex pipe and fittings just in case.
 
Last year I replumbed the whole boat. PEX and single ear crimp rings. Color code red,blue hot,cold and white for sea water. It was easy to pull them through the galley to bathroom one at a time with twine.fast easy durable
 
1lostbouy said:
Last year I replumbed the whole boat. PEX and single ear crimp rings. Color code red,blue hot,cold and white for sea water. It was easy to pull them through the galley to bathroom one at a time with twine.fast easy durable
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What size PEX did you use? 3/8” or 1/2”?
 
I used 1/2” because all the fittings were readily available. The original water lines appeared to be 3/8”. I haven’t found any place that stocks a good supply of 3/8” PEX fittings.
 
i found 3/8 at Home depot and lowes A RV center stocks such things and Mobile home suppliers and Of course Amazon. I used 3/8 ! no color code on mine just all white
I used a sharpy to label the pipes.
Amazon has tons of 3/8 fittings and valves cheep !
 
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It’s not pressure it’s volume. The 1/2” allows for lots of flow so I don’t have to open faucets as wide as I did with original piping.
 
I have a 3 gpm pump and I have great flow. I have a water saving shower head but I don’t have a reducer on the head lavatory.
 
tfrere said:
I have a 3 gpm pump and I have great flow. I have a water saving shower head but I don’t have a reducer on the head lavatory.
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Thx ...think I’ll do it that way then. Just will be good having old grey pipe replaced even though we’ve had no issues.
 
Sounds like PEX with compression rings is the way to go for freshwater systems.

The Sharkbite specs claim that the fittings are made out of “dezincification resistant” (DZR) brass.
 
bluesbyrd said:
Sounds like PEX with compression rings is the way to go for freshwater systems.

The Sharkbite specs claim that the fittings are made out of “dezincification resistant” (DZR) brass.
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There's no noise issues where it can't be fastened down? I'd think it's hard exterior would bang/knock as it moved about as the boat rolled.
 
PEX is reasonably stiff ...

I can’t imagine that it would move around more than any other tubing material once it’s laid in place and the connections are made.

C
 
I’ve never seen an indication of movement. I put some waterline insulation on it where it passed through bulkheads.
 
The pex doesn't seem to move at all if it did it wouldn't make any noise and it's very difficult for the stuff to get chafed . The only noise I get in the boat is from waves on the hull and things banging against the mast and of course snoring
 
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