Fressh water pipes

A

Arctica

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I think that I have the old polybutelyne pipes in my 1986 houseboat. They are gray in color, seem to have compression fittings, about 1/2 inch in O.D. Not causing any problems other than, I need to find fittings for them.
My questions are. How do I know for sureif they are polybutelyne?
Do I need to know?
I need to change out a shower fixture and a sink faucet. Where can I find new fittings for this pipe? How tough of a DIYer job would it to replace these lines with the red and blue that my last boat had?
I also need to replace the water heater? seems simply enough, but will need new fittings to attach to current piping.
Thanks
 
compression fittings sound like PEX not poly b. {Poly B have copper or silver rings around the pipe at fittings PEX have compression type screw collars. Google polybutalyne and you will see the fiottings als google PEX. Lowes Hardware have PEX fittings.
 
If you have to repair or replace it's easier to use, I'll call it rubber tubing but it's the clear tubing with fiber reinforcement for pressure lines, you can then use standard fittings. The tubing you have will slip into the right size clear tubing. I use GE seal and force the boats tubing into the clear tubing about 4-5 inches, and double clamp. Have several repairs on my boat that are still good after 10 years.
 
Sounds like the might be Qest pipes and fittings. BoatFix probably carries what you need, but you'll have to decide whether it's easier to just replace everything with reinforced hose. I was thinking about doing that as well, but decided for now to just get the new fittings I needed.

http://www.boatfix.com/catalog/551.pdf
 
Quest & PEX fittings can be found at most Lowes, HomeDepot & Ace hardware Stores.
 
I have the PB tubing in my 1982 Carver and had a TEE joint start leaking, went to Lowes and was about to buy a PEX fitting and a master plumber that overheard my conversation with the Lowes guy advised me not to use the PEX fitting with the PB as he said he had problems with it leaking. He suggested using 'Sharkbite' fittings sold by Ace hardware, but warned they are expensive,,,,but he said he has not had a problem with the 'Sharkbite' fittings with connecting PB and PEX tubing.
I have replaced many of the PB fittings with 'Sharkbite'.
Just my 2 cents worth.
 
Double check to see if you have STANDARD or METRIC hoses...........my 2003 Crownline had what I thought was about a 5/8" OD and after closer inspection it was metric pipes and fittings.
 
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