My wife and I watch our share of home improvement shows; This Old House, Holmes on Homes, etc. Recently, I see them using a new (to me) type of flexible pipe and fittings called PEX. Looking at Lowes, the pipe is cheap, about $35 for 100' of 1/2" potable water hose and so are the fittings. I'm curious if anyone has used this stuff on their boats and if any manufacturers are starting to use it. Seems like it's a fairly ideal technology for running piping through the labyrinth that is a boat. Also seems a bunch cheaper than the 1/2" PVC tubing, which is about $130 for 100'. Since the PEX has to work at city water pressure, I can't see why it wouldn't be suitable for the lower pressure duty on a sailboat.
Just thinking out loud.
Gary and Cathy Price
1997 C36 Mk II Tall Rig/Wing Keel Imagine...
Hull # 1617
Worton Creek, Md.
Northern Chesapeake Bay
I checked it out and it was looking pretty good until I got to this:
Can PEX be used for aboveground outdoor applications?
No. [B]PEX is currently designed for indoor and buried applications only and is not recommended for outdoor, aboveground use[/B]. Short exposures to sunlight during construction are permissible, but should not exceed the manufacturer’s recommendations. PEX [B]should be stored under cover, shielded from direct sunlight[/B] or in the original packaging. In the future, PEX products rated for outdoor use may be developed.
I realize that tubing buried in the bowels of the boat is not technically "outdoors", but I would be concerned if there is the chance of sunlight weakening the tubing. I like the price, though.
Mike
Deja Vu
1991 MK I # 1106
Marina del Rey, CA
Good observation. I installed PEX under my dock, well protected from sunlight. In about a year it completely fell apart, from what I assumed was sunlight reflected from the water. The pipe said "UV Resistant" on it's surface, but it obviously was not.
I also wonder how PEX would stand up to the oily environment that sometimes occurs on our boats?
Gary Teeter
1989 C36 "AnnieG"
Std Rig #966, M25xp
Everett, WA
You can get plenty of UV reflecting off the water; the sunburns I received as an ocean lifeguard in the early 70's attest to that. I always sat under a gigantic umbrella and still got burned (was before the days of sunblock).
Looking on wiki, it's used for a number of things that sort of indicate that UV is about it's only enemy.
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-linked_polyethylene[/url]
Used for insulation on hi-tension lines, natural gas, underwater lines, etc. I'm not sure it would be worth it for a small boat project by the time you buy the tools, but interesting to see if it shows up in the future.
Gary and Cathy Price
1997 C36 Mk II Tall Rig/Wing Keel Imagine...
Hull # 1617
Worton Creek, Md.
Northern Chesapeake Bay
We had PEX in a house we once owned. When the house was built the plumber installed a union right over top of the gas furnace plenum ductwork, no idea why, wanted to use up a short piece of hose I guess. It was impossible to access that hidden union without disassembling the furnace. Of all the plumbing in the house, that one union leaked. Not a fan of PEX plumbing after that though in reality it likely was more a human judgement error than a product one. Just shows ya how something installed in a place it can't be reached will for sure fail, it's some law of nature I guess!
Very true. My last house was built in the 1880s. Had an 'interesting' electrical system; knob and tube, cloth insulated, romex, main fuse box plus a couple other fuse boxes. There was one point where a single piece of old wire went into the heater return (no, not legal), and 4 wires came out the other side..!!! What..!!! The main fuses were replaced with ones too large, apparently to keep them from blowing after an electric stove was installed.
All done by the prior owner; a professional electrician...!!! We did have a fire, fortunately, in the meter box outside.
And people wonder why I do anything I can myself.!
Gary and Cathy Price
1997 C36 Mk II Tall Rig/Wing Keel Imagine...
Hull # 1617
Worton Creek, Md.
Northern Chesapeake Bay