How hard would it be to disconnect PEX from freshwater tank and reconnect

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captaindomon

captaindomon

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Sep 16, 2016
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Salt Lake City
I would like to re-route the freshwater line under my trailer from the freshwater tank, so that I can insulate it. Where it is routed now, I don?t have room to insulate it. This would require disconnecting it from the freshwater tank, and then reconnecting it, possibly with a 12 inch extension or so.

I haven?t used PEX crimpers etc. before, but I?m willing to buy one and learn how to use it. How much of a heartache am I getting myself into? Is it relatively easy to disconnect and re-connect those with a PEX crimper?
 
There are numerous incompatible brands of PEX fittings, so it depends on what is on there now.  However splicing in a replacement section may be the easiest way to go.
 
I have pex in floor heat in my house that I installed and it is quite easy to work with. You may be able to borrow a crimper from a plumber and save some money.  It's much easier than sweat fitting with copper.  I a couple of places I even used hose clamps instead of crimping.  It's held for 17 years without a link.
 
Isaac-1 said:
There are numerous incompatible brands of PEX fittings, so it depends on what is on there now.  However splicing in a replacement section may be the easiest way to go.
Click to expand...

Great idea! I didn?t think of that. Thanks!
 
kjansen said:
I have pex in floor heat in my house that I installed and it is quite easy to work with. You may be able to borrow a crimper from a plumber and save some money.  It's much easier than sweat fitting with copper.  I a couple of places I even used hose clamps instead of crimping.  It's held for 17 years without a link.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the vote of confidence! I?m pretty handy generally, so I think I can make it work.
 
I'd go with Sharkbite fittings as keymastr suggested.  Much easier to work with and no special expensive tools to remove and install.

https://www.homedepot.com/b/Plumbing-Pipes-Fittings/SharkBite/N-5yc1vZbqpfZ4n3?&cm_mmc=SEM|THD|D26P&mid=sUkJKG4TH|dc_mtid_890389n25185_pcrid_244554895662_pkw_%2Bsharkbite_pmt_b_product__slid_&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxKG3_bG22QIVkVt-Ch3a4w3wEAAYAyAAEgLDNPD_BwE

 
To make matters more complicated you may want to read this https://www.pexuniverse.com/content/types-of-pex-tubing
 
There are several brands of push-to-fit connectors other than Sharkbite, e.g. Blue Hawk, Guest, Everflow, etc., and all are easy to use with Pex. So are Flair-It connectors, a different style of "no tools" fittings. 

I would avoid trying to remove the fitting at the tank if it is a crimp type. It's a pain and not necessary unless the fitting itself is damaged.  Just splice a few inches away.
 
There is GOOD news, Good news, and bad news.
The GOOD: you may not need to disconnect. often the tank fitting is s screw in fitting and can be unscrewed, NOTE do so carefuly.

The Good news. Even if you end up breaking the ring and taking it off, SHARK BITE fittings work very well and are easy to apply. The only tool needed to attach a sharkbite is your hand.. Push it on till it stops. then "Bump" it on anther quarrter to half inch with the heal of you hand and it BITES into the pex. >Sealing is via an O-Ring inside the PEX

The bad news.. I've never used a pex crimper so can't comment on it.
 
I've used both the pex and the Sharkbite  stuff.  Both easy to use and both make for a solid/non leaking connection if done properly.  I recently added an expansion tank to the cold water line going to my home water heater.  I cut out a 1 1/2" section of 3/4" copper tubing and installed a Sharkbite "slip T" fitting on the copper lines, then ran 3/4" copper over to the expansion tank.  I used another Sharkbite there also.  Sharkbite on one end of the fitting and 3/4"  female NPT on the other end of it.  No leaky when done.
 
I agree with Gary, I would not touch the original connection if it's working well.  Make a cut and a new connections a few inches away.
 
If you decide to use Sharkbite type fittings, be sure to purchase the inexpensive "removal" tool that is available. It allows you to easily remove the fittings from the Pex if you need to. I don't know what tool is needed with the other fittings mentioned. Make sure that your cut ends of pipe are square. I carry extra pieces of red and blue Pex and an assortment of fittings and tools in our RV "just in case". Also, like was mentioned, I would leave any fittings alone unless absolutely necessary. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"
 
I've used both the Shark bite type connectors and the crimp connections. The Shark bite type are extremely easy and you don't need much room to use them. The crimp on tool requires quite a lot of room and you must get it on square to your line to crimp correctly. The crimp on is much cheaper to use. I just added on a kitchen, washroom, pantry and bathroom on my sticks and bricks and used a combination of both and the Shark bite types were so fast. On our 5th wheels I've used the Shark bites exclusively in very tight areas and they are a breeze. For ease of use and peace of mind I'd use the bites on most if not all RV connections. At the tank I would leave the existing connection alone and back out a few inches to cut the line, then reattach with a bite union.
 
I think Shark Bites are great but I was surprised at how many fittings I used in one of my jobs and how expensive it got to be.  I think you can figure about $7-14 a fitting depending on if its a valve to T or whatever and that cost adds up quickly. 

Next time if I have the space and it is more than a fitting or two I will try the crimping tool.  I don't think you can go wrong with either.

The inexpensive removal tool is nice but I found that it is not always the easiest to remove the actual fitting.  Maybe operator error but some of mine came off easily and others I simply couldn't get off.  Maybe I dinged the pex and that held them on??
 
In my experience with the Sharkbite and Sharkbite type fittings, it's imperative to make sure that you are putting constant pressure (pushing in) on the release tool until the pipe or Pex has been pulled out of the fitting, at least far enough that the teeth inside are no longer gripping it.  I know that sounds like a "Captain Obvious" statement, but it's an easy to make mistake.
 
Just a note on sharkbite fittings. Don't use them in areas without maintenance access. These fittings rely on a rubber/neoprene O-ring for sealing. Rubber is well known for degrading in the presence of chlorine in water, and will need to be replaced in 10 to 12 years. Just don't put them in a wall, cover them with drywall and expect them to last 20, 30, 50 years. In most Rvs that's not a problem, but in sticks and bricks it might become an issue.
 
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