Plumbing upgrades with SharkBite fittings

[Nick R.]

Hi everyone!

I wanted to share a plumbing episode that I experienced in Albuquerque, NM last year (6/2020) after getting it serviced in TN.  After two (2) days of driving, I hooked up my WPS (water/power/sewer) connections at a KOA and had a major plumbing issue, or so I thought...     

After shutting the water off and inspecting under my curbside bed, I found the culprit.  

It seems that, the offending hot water line to this tee fitting was cut about a half-inch too short when installed at the factory.  

Mind you, this happened after a few thousand miles on the road and after a few bad miles on I-40 in Oklahoma before this manifested.

After understanding just exactly why this happened, I contacted our good friends in the service department and Jason was able to offer some very helpful assistance.  

Luckily, there was a Home Depot just a few miles down the road and I was able to purchase a longer length of the same hot water line installed on the Ollie and Jason recommended the "SharkBite" brass fittings as a permanent replacement for the plastic ones installed at the factory.  

This was a quick and easy fix and I have had no problems or worries since.  

The SharkBite fittings are the best and I decided I didn't ever want an episode like this to happen again, so I later replaced every elbow and tee fitting in my Ollie with the SharkBite brass fittings.  

The Team at Oliver was great and reimbursed me for all materials for the tee that caused this problem.  I came out-of-pocket and did the rest on my own.

I highly recommend these fittings and wish they would have used these in the first place.  Below are photos of my experience...

Nicky Ray

[Jps190]

I understand why (money) plastic fittings are used but it couldn’t coast more than an extra $30 to do it correctly and use brass fittings.  At this price I would expect the best materials to be used during manufacturing.

 

John

[Nick R.]

2 hours ago, Jps190 said:

I understand why (money) plastic fittings are used but it couldn’t coast more than an extra $30 to do it correctly and use brass fittings.  At this price I would expect the best materials to be used during manufacturing.

 

John

Hi John, that was my thought when this happened.  I agree, I expected better too but it’s all good now.  

These fittings got teeth, like a shark and it won’t be happening again, that’s for sure! 👍

[ScubaRx]

We've owned two different Oliver's over the past 12 years. Collectively, we have traveled over 150K miles. I have had one fitting to break and it did cause a mess. I agree that brass fittings are better than plastic and they should be using them. I always carry several feet of tubing, a few different brass pex fittings, and the tools to replace them in case that ever happens again.

[Mike and Carol]

Glad the issue was resolved quickly.  What you’ve done looks great.  Like Steve, ours have held up well for about 60K miles but now I’m inspired to do some plumbing work!  Mike

[Nick R.]

Extra hose and fittings is a great idea and doesn’t take up much space or weight, that’s a great idea ScubaRx!

Thanks Mike and Carol! 👍

[Jim_Oker]

Thanks for the post.

After reading some threads about leaks emerging  at fittings after some travel time on some trailers, I bought some tubing and a mix of fittings and a few tools (crimper for crimp style fittings and a cutter made for cutting the  tubing) and  have that strapped and taped down under the curbside bed. It indeed takes little space and is not heavy and it was fairly inexpensive even going with decent quality tools and fittings.

[jordanv]

I just did the same! Although I miscounted 1 “L” fitting and one “T” fitting so I have 2 more to do. That being said, any of the connections that have come lose in the last year were replaced. (this has happened to us twice in less than 5K of miles on the road 😬)

For such a nice trailer at such a high price, these should definitely one standard with brass fittings. They are even easier and faster to install than the plastic alternative anyway, could save a small amount of time at the factory. 
 

 

 

[Dave and Kimberly]

I have no problems with any of the plumbing to date with my Oliver... but watching my brother do some home repair with his $400 tool got me to wondering what I would do if a fitting should happen to fail on the road.  These look like awesome fittings and I confirmed that our nearby Lowes had them (and you said Home Depot has them as well).    So what "special tools" are needed to do such repairs?

    EDIT-  Sorry... it occurred to me that I could watch a few Youtube videos rather than ask.😓

[mossemi]

2 hours ago, Dave and Kimberly said:

So what "special tools" are needed to do such repairs?

The tools needed to install SharkBite fittings and PEX pipe are a PEX pipe cutter and a SharkBite fitting.  The tools needed to remove SharkBite fittings are Disconnect Clips or Disconnect Tongs, which are SharkBite products and are pipe size dependent.  SharkBite makes 3 different types of fittings and those branded EvoPEX are not reusable.  You just cut the pipe and throw the fitting away.  SharkBite’s warranty specifically states that it applies to SharkBite pipe used with their fittings.

Mossey

[SeaDawg]

@Dave and Kimberly, my guess is your brother in law had either a $400 uponor expansion tool or a pricey hydraulic crimper. You don't need either to do simple repairs with sharkbite push to connect fittings.

We just plumbed our barn last year with sharkbite pex pipe and push to connect fittings. We looked at using crimp connectors instead, but for the few connections necessary, the higher price of push to connect fittings vs. buying a hydraulic crimper, it just didn't make sense. And, we've used sharkbite push to connect fittings for other repairs previously,  so knew they were easy to use.

We used a few Evopex connectors, but mostly the brass push connectors. The Evopex is interesting,  in that a green band shows through spacers to tell you when you've made a tight and proper connection. But, they're not, as Mossey said, removable or reusable.  (We only used two, in a location that would be difficult to repair later.)

For standard push to connect tools, I'd just add a ruler and a sharpie to the list of tools Mossey gave, but those are likely in your toolkit, anyway. You should make a mark on the cut pipe to the proper depth (15/16" or 24mm) for 1/2 inch pipe, to make sure you've made the proper connection.  That's it. 

I'd recommend getting pex a pipe vs pex b for your spare pipe lengths, as it's a bit more flexible, and more resistant to freeze damage. ( we specified upunor pex a for our new home build, some years ago, sharkbite in the barn. Our lowes and ace hardware both carry sharkbite.)

Here's a video showing how to use the sharkbite push to connect fittings. (I'll say that it may take a little more hand strength than it appears to in the video, but no big deal.)

 

[Dave and Kimberly]

Thanks for the info!   Those fittings look awesome and like some others have said... I'm almost inspired to see how many I can change :-).   (I probably won't until something fails)... but nice to know I can fix it on the road if something ever happens.

[SeaDawg]

I'd agree, we don't get caught up in replacing "everything." But, if others want to, and feel more comfortable,  I certanly won't criticize, either. Everyone has their personal comfort zone..

The brass vs plastic is a no big deal for me, either, as plastic fittings are often used in new construction.  Just not within 18" of hot water...

We've had exactly one fitting fail over 15 seasons, so I personally have no desire to invest the time and considerable money, til necessary.  We don't even carry spares, as they're readily available in pretty much every hardware store, and we already know how to use them. 

But, then, we may  apparently live on the edge.

[dewdev]

On 7/23/2021 at 6:42 PM, Defcon1 said:

Hi everyone!

I wanted to share a plumbing episode that I experienced in Albuquerque, NM last year (6/2020) after getting it serviced in TN.  After two (2) days of driving, I hooked up my WPS (water/power/sewer) connections at a KOA and had a major plumbing issue, or so I thought...     

After shutting the water off and inspecting under my curbside bed, I found the culprit.  

It seems that, the offending hot water line to this tee fitting was cut about a half-inch too short when installed at the factory.  

Mind you, this happened after a few thousand miles on the road and after a few bad miles on I-40 in Oklahoma before this manifested.

After understanding just exactly why this happened, I contacted our good friends in the service department and Jason was able to offer some very helpful assistance.  

Luckily, there was a Home Depot just a few miles down the road and I was able to purchase a longer length of the same hot water line installed on the Ollie and Jason recommended the "SharkBite" brass fittings as a permanent replacement for the plastic ones installed at the factory.  

This was a quick and easy fix and I have had no problems or worries since.  

The SharkBite fittings are the best and I decided I didn't ever want an episode like this to happen again, so I later replaced every elbow and tee fitting in my Ollie with the SharkBite brass fittings.  

The Team at Oliver was great and reimbursed me for all materials for the tee that caused this problem.  I came out-of-pocket and did the rest on my own.

I highly recommend these fittings and wish they would have used these in the first place.  Below are photos of my experience...

Nicky Ray

Nicky:

Did you reuse the valves and the PEX tubing on either side of the valves?

When you removed the PVC elbows, was the PEX tubing the correct length when installing the brass sharkbit fittings?

Edited July 11, 2022 by dewdev

[ScubaRx]

On 7/10/2022 at 4:26 PM, dewdev said:

Nicky:

Did you reuse the valves and the PEX tubing on either side of the valves?

When you removed the PVC elbows, was the PEX tubing the correct length when installing the brass sharkbit fittings?

To do it absolutely correctly, one would need to replace most of the Pex tubing, especially any that are under 2 feet long. Cutting out a fitting will subtract about 3/4 inch of pipe length with each cut. The plumbing lines installed in the new Oliver's today are cut to the exact the lengths they need to be to accomplish their job, part of which is to have no stress put on the fittings at either end by being too short. The only fitting I've ever had fail (Two different Oliver Trailers, well over 150K miles total) was one where the line was hanging free vertically (near the pump), too short, had no support at either end, and had been pieced in the middle with a straight coupler (very bad practice). Vibration from the earthquake being towed through a hurricane finally made it fail. When the pump was active it was pumping water directly into the basement.

My point is you should not have to pull two lines closer to each other (introducing stress) to merely replace a fitting that was working just fine because you perceive it as inferior. You may inadvertently introduce a problem you didn't previously have.  I do agree that if a plastic fitting does fail, replace it with a brass one.

Just as a cost comparison, at Home Depot:

A Pro pack that includes five 1/2 in. Plastic PEX-B Barb Tee fittings will cost you $1.68 for each fitting.

A 1/2 in. lead free dezincification resistant (DZR) brass Pex Tee will run you $3.65.

A Shark-bite brand 1/2 in. Push-to-Connect Brass Tee Fitting is priced at $13.27.

[rich.dev]

On 7/9/2022 at 3:14 PM, jordanv said:

Although I miscounted 1 “L” fitting and one “T” fitting so I have 2 more to do.

Hey Jordan, I know it’s been a while, but where did you miss the one 90° elbow. I only see one on the plumbing diagram?

[jordanv]

Too long ago now for me to remember lol, sorry!

[ScubaRx]

On 7/9/2022 at 2:14 PM, jordanv said:

For such a nice trailer at such a high price, these should definitely one standard with brass fittings. They are even easier and faster to install than the plastic alternative anyway, could save a small amount of time at the factory.

I agree that all pex fittings should be brass from the factory, but shark-bite fittings are 10x the cost. They don't work any better than the crimp-on's, they are just easier for the not-so-handy owners without every tool known to man and the know how to use them.

[jordanv]

I am that not so handy owner lol

[SeaDawg]

1 hour ago, jordanv said:

I am that not so handy owner lol

No shame in that. A lot of folks in your quarter.

As Steve said,,share bites are ridiculously expensive,  as well.

We replace only what has failed. And, that's not much, over 16 seasons.

 

[topgun2]

14 hours ago, SeaDawg said:

As Steve said,,share bites are ridiculously expensive,  as well.

I view Sharkbite fittings as an emergency plumbing part.

I keep a couple of 3 foot lengths of Pex and a small assortment of Sharkbite fittings in my Ollie - just in case.  In the almost 8 years on the road - thankfully - I've never had to use them.

Bill

[Rivernerd]

On 7/9/2022 at 1:14 PM, jordanv said:

For such a nice trailer at such a high price, these should definitely one standard with brass fittings. They are even easier and faster to install than the plastic alternative anyway, could save a small amount of time at the factory. 

Agreed.  But, for a travel trailer subjected to bumps on the road, the issue is not brass vs. plastic, it is the strength and durability of the pipe-to-fitting connection.  Oliver uses some brass crimp-ring style and some plastic compression-style Pex fittings.  Crimp-style fittings depend on the diligence of the person doing the crimping to ensure a secure connection when subjected to the bumps on the road.  I suspect the person doing the crimping in your Oliver let you down.

The most secure method for Pex connections, which has been on the market more for a decade, is the expansion ring type.  Instead of crimping a brass ring around the pipe, a special tool temporarily expands a plastic ring that is then quickly slipped over the pipe and fitting before it shrinks back to its original size.  Where the brass crimp ring is applying outward force, always trying to enlarge back to its pre-crimped size, the plastic expansion ring is applying inward force, trying to shrink back to its pre-expanded size.  It is this outward vs. inward force of the clamping ring  over time, and particularly when bumped around, that makes the plastic expansion ring type much stronger and more durable.

I plumbed our entire home with the expansion ring Pex-A system.  That is what I wish Oliver had used on our trailer.  It is the system that, in my judgment, Oliver would be well-advised to use going forward.  It produces plumbing joints that are even more resistant to the abuse delivered by bad roads than the much more expensive brass Sharkbite fittings.

[SeaDawg]

When we built our house,,8 years ago, I specified uponor pex and their 25 year guarantee expansion fittings. 

Normal pex a expansion fittings can have a failure near heat. 

We've used shark bites, and other push to connect, in our barn, and our house. They're easy, don't require extensive tool kit, and great for simple repairs. Expensive fittings, but way cheaper than a plumber, or rv tech

 

[Rivernerd]

2 hours ago, SeaDawg said:

When we built our house,,8 years ago, I specified uponor pex and their 25 year guarantee expansion fittings. 

Normal pex a expansion fittings can have a failure near heat. 

Uponor Pex is the same as Pex-A.

[SeaDawg]

1 hour ago, Rivernerd said:

Uponor Pex is the same as Pex-A.

Yes, it is classified as type a. Proprietary fittings and tool.

Pex plumbing is very common up north, but not so common in the south. We had to get the county to recognize newer code to use it in the fire suppression system. 

It was an interesting experience.  We wanted the continuous rums, since we planned a manifold system. Limited number of qualified plumbersxtobwork with. My husband actually designed and built the manifold. It's worked very well for us, along with our Phyn leak detection system.