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Plumbing tubing

Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2018 7:35 pm
by Expatriate
I was sure I would find something about this in the forum, but did not. My 2005 M/V 068 has what appears to be some kind of PE tubing throughout for the fresh water system. I have had no problems with it at all. However, does anyone know the brand? Is it generic? Also, what brand are the fittings? I would like to have some spares and know what to buy if there is an issue.

Re: Plumbing tubing

Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2018 9:37 pm
by James Power
The plastic plumbing used on the 34's is 15 mm Whale tubing. Not to be confused with the 1/2" and 5/8" stuff sold at hardware stores. Tube is red for hot, blue for cold, and green for supply. Fittings are either white and also from Whale, or black from SeaTeck and both are interchaingable.

Hope this helps.

James

Re: Plumbing tubing

Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2018 6:18 am
by duetto
defender stocks the tubing and most fittings.

Re: Plumbing tubing

Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2018 8:14 am
by Expatriate
Thanks guys. I honestly would have confused it with the Home Depot stuff.

Re: Plumbing tubing

Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 9:54 am
by Expatriate
I had a small amount of water collecting under the starboard side of the U-shaped settee at the aft end. I looked and looked under there and then removed the medicine cabinet in the head and looked some more. I thought it odd that, in the pressure side of the fresh water system, going to the head, there was a strainer. I felt around, and everything seemed dry. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the drip. It fell from the strainer, without touching anything else, down to a spot where it would drain into the locker. After about a week I would have about a cup of water in there. This made the whole locker very humid.

Why would we need to have a strainer in the fresh water system going to the head? Unless there is a compelling reason for this strainer, I am removing it.

Thanks everyone.

Tim

Re: Plumbing tubing

Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 10:13 am
by deising
I have never had to look at the plumbing back there, but keep in mind that our boats are usually set up for flushing the toilet with fresh water (there is a raw water option/seacock on ours, as well). It might be that they wanted to ensure that no particulate could foul up the solenoid valve that lets fresh water in to flush.

Re: Plumbing tubing

Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2018 3:53 pm
by Expatriate
Actually, I think it was downstream of the solenoid valve. Not sure, I will go back and look. I took it apart, and it was as clean as new. I put it back together nice and tight and it did not leak.

I converted my toilet to sea water for the Bahamas. I had to add a pump for sea water, about 3 gallons/minute. It has a nice strainer between it and the thru-hull, and works quite well. I just wired it to the toilet switch. Still, with sea water, a kind of scale will form so I pour in some muriatic acid once in a while. I let it sit for a bit and then flush with fresh water from the shower head.

Saves on fresh water. So far so good.

Tim

Re: Plumbing tubing

Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 7:39 am
by duetto
vinegar works just as well to remove the scale buildup from salt water and it's easier to work with.

Re: Plumbing tubing

Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2018 7:31 am
by Expatriate
I went back to have a look and refresh my memory. The strainer is upstream of the solenoid valve. So it protects the valve from any debris in the freshwater system. Usually there is not much, but sometimes a little scale and calcium builds up.