Replacing white plastic pipe with pex...

[johnwen]

Has anyone replaced their white plastic pipe with pex?  These washboard roads on our Alaska trip are causing the retaining clamps that go around the female connector to come loose.  The rubber/plastic clamps holding them to the pvc mounting boards are coming loose as the result of the the intense shaking....the screws are stripping out and allowing the connections to loosen.  I'm surprised they didn't loosen enough to create a leak.  I just think permanent pex connectors would be a better fix.  Any reason to not replace. with pex?  I haven't studied the layout to see where all that pipe is used...water heater, pump, etc, so I expect difficulties along the way.  Just looking for a little advice now and I won't think about starting this project until stationary for a couple of weeks this winter.  Might be a good time then to do my furnace ductwork replacement/reconfiguration project :)

Thanks for all help,

John

Edited July 12 by johnwen
spelling

[ScubaRx]

@johnwen be careful of rigid connections to things that move or vibrate like at the water pump. 

[Galileo]

I don’t think I’ve seen any white plastic (PVC) pipe - only PEX. 
 

Where is there PVC?

[Boudicca908]

18 hours ago, johnwen said:

The rubber/plastic clamps holding them to the pvc mounting boards are coming loose as the result of the the intense shaking....the screws are stripping out and allowing the connections to loosen.  I'm surprised they didn't loosen enough to create a leak.

Last year I found the same issue with the screws coming out of the pvc mounting boards. Service had no suggestions to offer except to replace the pvc mounting board. I don't think the pvc material is the right thing to use for this mounting board, but that's what they use. My brother and I discussed this issue and came up with a simple solution. On my Oliver (and others might vary) there is enough space below the pvc board to place a narrow strip of thin plywood -- just long and wide enough to use to sit below those locations and to reinstall some longer screws through those clamps.  I keep checking the existing clamps, and have tried adding some superglue in with the screws, and that has worked on two of them, for now.  I don't want to have to take everything out to fix this issue. I don't have the tools to cut this piece of wood, but that is my plan.

2 hours ago, Galileo said:

Where is there PVC?

@Galileo on an Elite II Twin Bed model, it's below the curb side bed close to the stove location, where the plumbing equipment is mounted. 

Edited July 13 by Boudicca908

[Townesw]

Look at using King StarBoard for a better waterproof mounting board. It can be cut and shaped using regular woodworking tools. I get mine from McMaster Carr but there are less expensive places to get it. A shipment from McMaster Carr usually arrives the next day depending on where you are. 
 

I think I have ordered some from TAP Plastics

 

https://www.tapplastics.com/product/plastics/cut_to_size_plastic/king_starboard/526?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21137328659&gbraid=0AAAAAD_hg_I8XrL-S3Ima0ZSWbIsffsZk&gclid=CjwKCAjwmdLSBhANEiwAkREMN3hswfK8uVUE38-cgCmjAoCwEzeXRTPZLhht1xFJJ1A8-NIIMHzIkhoC2_gQAvD_BwE

 

I don’t know why that link has to have so much gibberish in it.

 

Bill

Edited July 14 by Townesw

[Geronimo John]

7 hours ago, Boudicca908 said:

My brother and I discussed this issue and came up with a simple solution. On my Oliver (and others might vary) there is enough space below the pvc board to place a narrow strip of thin plywood -- just long and wide enough to use to sit below those locations and to reinstall some longer screws through those clamps

I suggest using Riv-Nuts and bolt them down if you are having such a problem.

GJ

[johnwen]

12 hours ago, Galileo said:

I don’t think I’ve seen any white plastic (PVC) pipe - only PEX. 
 

Where is there PVC?

It's plastic, not pvc...by water pump, accumulator and shower.  You should have it also since you have a 2022 model :)

John

 

[Galileo]

On 7/13/2026 at 10:32 PM, johnwen said:

It's plastic, not pvc...by water pump, accumulator and shower.  You should have it also since you have a 2022 model 🙂

John

 

I guess I’ll look closer next time. 
(I go in that area so seldom because it’s a PITA to wedge up the mattress topper, cushions, access cover just to reconfigure the valves to winterize/boondock/nornal.)

I wonder if the “engineers” that put valves, breakers, and fuse holders in places that require moving bedding and cushions might have come up with better ideas if they had taken a prototype out first for a few months - changing configurations and the like. 

[jd1923]

On 7/12/2026 at 5:41 PM, ScubaRx said:

@johnwen be careful of rigid connections to things that move or vibrate like at the water pump. 

Yes, soft water lines must be installed in and out of the water pump. OTT used some kind of 'white' suction line from the fresh water tank. I'm not sure of the difference between this and PEX except the tubing is translucent and you can see the water within. You can see examples of both tubing in the picture I took after installing motorized ball valves.

Edited July 17 by jd1923

[Galileo]

I forget the name/chemical shorthand - for the stuff that’s common in mobile homes. We used to have people looking for it at the hardware store I worked at. I think it’s the MH (manufactured Housing) industry little joke they play on folks. It’s -just- different enough size-wise that PEX and Shark Bite fittings don’t work on it. 

I wonder if that’s the “translucent suction like” you mention and show. 

My water pump is acting kinda lackluster at the moment - so it’s in my list of things to tear into when I’m not occupying the trailer. I’ll attend to the “plastic” piping at the same time. 

I don’t know if I’m feeling ambitious enough to do the electric valve upgrade like @jd1923 did. I guess having to tear up the king bed to change the valves at the start and end if the season has become a big enough PITA to motivate me. 

[jd1923]

18 minutes ago, Galileo said:

I don’t know if I’m feeling ambitious enough to do the electric valve upgrade like @jd1923 did. I guess having to tear up the king bed to change the valves at the start and end if the season has become a big enough PITA to motivate me. 

For us it's not a seasonal event. We use the boondocking valve configuration every week or two since we most often boondock in remote areas and pump extra fresh water from the 35-gal water tank in our truck bed. We also have 12" heavy foam mattresses and thankfully have not had to move a bed once while camping since we installed our motorized valves day-one! 😎 Got this idea from Steve @ScubaRx when I was a Forum Newbie and it has been an upgrade worth its weight for sure!

At the same time, we did not want to live with the basic OEM water pump and installed a Made-in-USA Remco variable-speed pump which does not require an accumulator. They claim it's quieter, but I'd say it has a different sound as it increases speed to provide better flow. This pump can run dry for hours to and is generally self-priming given water is nearby in the plumbing.

 

[mossemi]

On 7/12/2026 at 5:53 PM, johnwen said:

The rubber/plastic clamps holding them to the pvc mounting boards are coming loose as the result of the the intense shaking....the screws are stripping out and allowing the connections to loosen.

I have had some success with threaded insert nuts in the OTT installed PVC Foam Board.  They are very effective on the horizontally mounted foam board, such as the water pump location.

Mossey

 

[Galileo]

On 7/13/2026 at 10:32 PM, johnwen said:

It's plastic, not pvc...by water pump, accumulator and shower.  You should have it also since you have a 2022 model 🙂

I haven’t looked at or around the water pump or accumulator yet - but I did notice the white “plastic” pipe that the San-T-Flush is plumbed with has PEX style fitting and clamp rings, and is stamped “SharkBite” - which is big in PEX, so I’m guessing it’s just a white or off-white PEX. I know we had PEX in red, blue, AND white(ish) at the hardware store I worked at. 

[Hokieman]

On 7/12/2026 at 5:53 PM, johnwen said:

Has anyone replaced their white plastic pipe with pex?  These washboard roads on our Alaska trip are causing the retaining clamps that go around the female connector to come loose.  The rubber/plastic clamps holding them to the pvc mounting boards are coming loose as the result of the the intense shaking....the screws are stripping out and allowing the connections to loosen. 

@johnwen   I’m wondering if there are some misunderstandings of your original question.   I understand your issue is the connectors are shaking loose.  Yes, that’s happened to me on my 2021 model as well.    My pipes are white, Sharkbite brand PEX-b, with the same plastic connectors.   I assume yours are too.  The problem isn’t the pipe type, it’s the connectors.   I have replaced many of my plastic connectors and used PEX copper crimp rings, because I already had the tool to do home repairs.   This solves the loose connection problem, but sometimes the plastic elbows break.   I’ve only had one break while camping, and fortunately a Home Depot was within an hours drive.   .There are also other types of clamps such as stainless PEX clamps, which require a different tool.    Since my crimp ring tool is really big and  heavy,  and I cannot get it into some small spaces, I leave it at home and carry a half dozen various Sharkbite push-in quick connects and a few spare pieces of PEX-b pipe for campsite repairs.    There are threads in this forum where some owners have replaced elbows with brass, some have replaced all with Sharkbite quick connects, available in plastic or brass.    There are several ways to fix your loose connection problem, just depends on your preference, but you  should not need to replace your pipes..   All of these fittings and pipes are readily available at stores like Ace, Lowes, Home Depot, etc.    Sometimes we are camping too far from such conveniences, which is why I carry the spares.   I haven’t had any clamps pull loose yet, but that shouldn’t be difficult to repair on the road.   It’s got me thinking about better ways to do it though.  

Edited July 25 by Hokieman
Typos

[johnwen]

Hokieman, This is good news.  I didn't know about the type a pex, now I do.  I'll probably do what you did and not worry about them coming loose again.  Thanks for the help!

[OffWeGo]

On 7/16/2026 at 5:39 PM, Galileo said:

I guess I’ll look closer next time. 
(I go in that area so seldom because it’s a PITA to wedge up the mattress topper, cushions, access cover just to reconfigure the valves to winterize/boondock/nornal.)

I wonder if the “engineers” that put valves, breakers, and fuse holders in places that require moving bedding and cushions might have come up with better ideas if they had taken a prototype out first for a few months - changing configurations and the like. 

I second the PITA!  I did figure out on our recent trip I can fold the mattress from front to back (with bedding in place) and the frame on the window blinds will hold it in place while I get into the front compartment.  

[Wayfinder]

When I installed my accumulator tank in my old #110, I put a new mounting board up for it, I think it was PVC board maybe.  Anyways, my first attempt to glue it to the fiberglass hull near the water pump did not hold long.  I then tried Gorilla Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive (white).  Oh man, was I impressed with that.  That board has not moved since, and may never. I've used it now on other projects.  It seems good to me.

I'm also surprised that the remainder of the adhesive, in the opened tube, has not hardened up yet, nearly two years later.  Then again, I keep it in the air conditioned house.  

I need to add a small tube or two of this to my tool packing list for long travels.

[DanielBoondock]

On 8/23/2026 at 6:05 PM, OffWeGo said:

I second the PITA!  I did figure out on our recent trip I can fold the mattress from front to back (with bedding in place) and the frame on the window blinds will hold it in place while I get into the front compartment.  

Yeah pain to get to the valves for sure. In the ‘26 layout its well thought out at least. I think they designed it to easily switch between regular use (either city or pump) and boondocking mode (pull water from jugs into the tank). The two modes are reversals of the other, just switch all the valves to the other setting, don’t need the graphic. Winterizing/sanitizing are the oddballs but that doesn’t happen a lot

They could do a Nautilus panel but it would involve a lot of extra plumbing which is more places for problems. I think it’s a fine solution, the bed is light. 

[jd1923]

16 hours ago, DanielBoondock said:

Yeah pain to get to the valves for sure. In the ‘26 layout its well thought out at least. I think they designed it to easily switch between regular use (either city or pump) and boondocking mode (pull water from jugs into the tank).

I think it’s a fine solution, the bed is light.

"Well thought out?" Any need to move beds and bedding is not a good design. @ScubaRx was first to install motorized ball valves! I believe Steve has his switches outside somewhere. I installed them right under the bed, so Chris throws the switches after I run the hose (the third switch/valve is used to drain the fresh tank). Our 12" mattresses are quite heavy and Chris is particular about the sheets/bedding. I don't touch the beds when made, only when home for mods when the sheets are in the laundry!

Notice the underbed duct delete too and the addition of a return duct air filter! 😎

@Dennis and Melissa recently blew the fuse for their front jack. Seeing the (extra) fuse at the front jack, he didn't think about three fuses under the streetside bed. Who would? Honestly, only some book-smart engineer in China, that never in his life traveled in an RV, could find a more illogical place for these fuses!

We have yet to have to move our beds while camping. See my mod post below. It's worth the work, at least it has been for us! 😎

Some hand carry water jugs. But we always have an extra 35 gallons in the truck bed and we fill via the "boondocking" valve configuration about every other week when camping.  I thought I was the only one who added this extra FWT, but recently @FloraFauna wrote, "wish I had opted for 40 or 45 gallons." I bring 25' and 10' hoses and together 35 ft will get from the truck bed to the Oliver rear while hitched.

I could not see hand-carrying water (or moving the bed), for something we use so often when boondocking. As soon as one of us hears the water pump gurgle, start to take air, we'll pump in about 20 gallons, saving the remainder for a couple days later. Double your fresh water supply, will allow you to double your stay! 😍

 

Edited 6 hours ago by jd1923