I want to work on my water system. I would like to make a water manifold out of copper. Does anyone know a source for copper or brass valves for the manifold?
HI;
Try Home depot & Lows for starts.
Merle.
I would suggest online searches. There is a wide variety to choose from. Have a look in the McMasterCarr catalog for ideas.
Jim
Use 1/2" brass ball valves at HD. I had the manifold made by a plumbing company. After 25 years, the ball valves still work. Good Luck, TomC
If you are using PEX just buy their manifolds made of copper with brass valves $200.00 for plug and play
What Cliff said. Buy one already made if you can. And there isn't anything wrong with non copper ones either btw. First bus conversion I made my own. Second conversion I got wise and bought one. Never looked back.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Apollo-1-2-in-Brass-Ball-Valves-with-12-Port-PEX-Manifold-6907912CP/202709898
https://www.amazon.com/slp/copper-manifold/np87wx542z5o98t
I used the Brass ball valves from HD, Plastic Tees, Pex pipe and Cinch rings to create my own manifolds.
The main feed is ¾ inch and the output to each fixture is ½ inch.
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.peterbylt.com%2FMCI96A3%2Fmanifold.jpg&hash=f3a443067e1be212f48fcd1863e4a947cd29d014)
Peter
If you used brass ball valves how come you used plastic tee's?
Quote from: Dave5Cs on December 05, 2019, 10:35:16 AM
If you used brass ball valves how come you used plastic tee's?
That is what they had in stock at HD ;D
Peter
Quote from: peterbylt on December 05, 2019, 09:59:43 AM
I used the Brass ball valves from HD, Plastic Tees, Pex pipe and Cinch rings to create my own manifolds.
The main feed is ¾ inch and the output to each fixture is ½ inch.
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.peterbylt.com%2FMCI96A3%2Fmanifold.jpg&hash=f3a443067e1be212f48fcd1863e4a947cd29d014)
Peter
That's what I am planning to with my DIY hydronics system, that way if I want to add another zone down the road I just tack it at the end.
There are brass tees for Pex. Better than plastic tees.
JC
From my experiences in life, I would also recommend changing to metal.Some plastics have a tendency to crack and fail with age, vibration, hot/ cold cycles, etc.not something you need to chance with your system. It is going to be far easier to correct now instead of after conversion is done.
From my experiences in life, I would also recommend changing to metal.Some plastics have a tendency to crack and fail with age, vibration, hot/ cold cycles, etc.not something you need to chance with your system. It is going to be far easier to correct now instead of after conversion is done.
some times plastic works better . I had a pex brass coupler that disintegrated after only 7 years that was installed to lengthen the drain on a condensate line from a boiler and changed it over to the plastic pex
but most times I use the brass pex stuff
dave
Yes, if you run caustic liquid through it, non metal would be the choice.
The thin copper Pex tees do not take but very little corrosion to break,plastic is better in a RV with the water sources you fill from in different areas I have had to replace copper fitting on PEX before too
Forget copper too.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pex+tee+brass&hvadid=78134099031549&hvbmt=be&hvdev=t&hvqmt=e&tag=mh0b-20&ref=pd_sl_52032x35jz_e
Quote from: chessie4905 on December 06, 2019, 04:53:42 PM
Forget copper too.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pex+tee+brass&hvadid=78134099031549&hvbmt=be&hvdev=t&hvqmt=e&tag=mh0b-20&ref=pd_sl_52032x35jz_e
PEX has a 50 million class action suit now against them for their brass fitting containing zink and a high failure rate it is on the internet some place for sure
Use sharkbite tees.
Course, now there potential law suits for the fittings and plastic pipe. I guess whatever you use, youre screwed.
https://www.classaction.org/zurn-pex-plumbing-lawsuits
Anything wrong with just using plain old 1/2" copper? There's a fluxless brazing rod that makes pretty foolproof joints with no lead and you can use either sweated ball valves or NPT. I did up my shop air lines that way 20 years ago and have never had a leak with it. Pretty cheap and easy to work with. T's and short stubs make up a custom manifold exactly like you want and do it easily.
Jim
No plastic in our bus - all copper + brass.
Dan And no copper in our bus. Just pec because it gets cold here in the mountains and I do not winterize HUGGY.
She needs to be ready to go at a moments notice.
Just keep a few 100 watt light bulbs burning.
Had copper in my first camper and ended up with more rubber hose repair than copper because of freezing repairs.
If pec freezes just warm it up and it is okay.
If you hear a loud noise coming down the road it might be HUGGY because the cold is already getting to old bones.
uncle ned
What about the tees? Are they of same material? You do drain system?
One thing about building your own system, you should be able to design and lay it out so that the entire thing drains out by opening just a few petcocks. Ideally all hot water lines would gravity drain back to the water heater and all cold water lines would drain back to the pump. Drain the tanks, remove the pump, open the valve on the water heater, then go up and open all the faucets and such. Pour a little antifreeze in the drain traps and done. True, you have to avoid horizontal lines but that is mostly possible. If not, well you do have a handy supply of compressed air nearby right?
Of course if you want to endure winter weather in it and you can't insure it will always be heated that does complicate things. In a case like that I'm reminded of the old pump handle on the water well. What isn't used drains back down below the frost line. Maybe it'd be possible to rig up a system which works that way, if you could figure out how to guarantee the water heater was full before the burner could kick on.
Jim
Law suit is about fittings made from 1996 to 2010...
The Zurn Pex plumbing settlement will resolve a class action lawsuit known as In re: Zurn Pex Plumbing Products Liability Litigation that alleges Zurn sold defective F1807 Pipe Fittings between 1996 and 2010 that prematurely degrade, leak and cause damage as a result of corrosion. The class action lawsuit also claims that the warranty Zurn provided with these F1807 Fittings should pay for repairs related to their alleged failures. It is seeking money damages for current and former owners of structures containing the defective Zurn pipe fittings and a court order requiring Zurn to honor future warranty claims for damage resulting from the F1807 Fittings.
Zurn denies any wrongdoing but has agreed to a $20 million class action lawsuit settlement to avoid ongoing litigation.
Nibco settled for 43.5 million in Oct of 2018 for pipe,fitting and the clamps
Then, everything's good now. The fittings are just more expensive , safe and non toxic. A win win.🙄