Plumbing fittings brand name?

[Lobstah]

I had a shower valve go bad in our Pace Arrow.
I bought a new valve, and I'm having a heck of a time finding the correct fittings to hook up to the existing water lines.

I'll give Fleetwood a buzz tomorrow, but thought I'd ask here.

Jim

[CLIFFTALL]

Can you post a photo ?

[Lobstah]

Originally Posted by Clifftall

Can you post a photo ?

Not at the rig right now...will post tomorrow if I get a chance.

I need the two 90deg elbows that connect the water lines that come up from the floor to the inputs on the shower valve. I believe they are 1/2" NPT, male to female, but the twist nut fittings on the existing lines have 4 "stars" on them to grip, and I think the seal area on the fitting is special. 1/2" NPT will thread into the fitting fine, but it doesn't seal correctly.

The originals were male to male, but the new valve needs male to female. The are about an inch on each end...maybe inch and a half.

And it's not Qest...I've used that before, and this is different.

I think it requires a flare end on the male side.

Jim

[malexander]

What you're describing, "4 stars", sounds like a normal "lava nut". It sound like the rubber cone washer in the lava nut has rotted or gone bad.
I'd just cut the pex (or poly) off a little closer to the floor, get some "shark bite" fittings and start from there with new supply lines.

[BFlinn181]

Originally Posted by malexander

What you're describing, "4 stars", sounds like a normal "lava nut". It sound like the rubber cone washer in the lava nut has rotted or gone bad.
I'd just cut the pex (or poly) off a little closer to the floor, get some "shark bite" fittings and start from there with new supply lines.

I agree! Unless you have a plumber friend or the PEX crimping tool yourself, using SharkBite fittings is the way to go. Available at Lowes, Home Depot, etc.

[malexander]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

I agree! Unless you have a plumber friend or the PEX crimping tool yourself, using SharkBite fittings is the way to go. Available at Lowes, Home Depot, etc.

We took the Southwind to Branson last week for the "spring shakedown". Good thing I took the pex crimpers & fittings with me. Had to do some minor repairs.
I'm a plumbing contractor.

[Skip426]

Originally Posted by malexander

Had to do some minor repairs.
I'm a plumbing contractor.

You don't want to advertise that , members will be after you to make , RV calls.

[malexander]

Originally Posted by Skip426

You don't want to advertise that , members will be after you to make , RV calls.

I actually did help the "neighbor" across the street in the RV park. He hadn't checked everything in his 5er out before leaving Arkansas for vacation. He hadn't drained his water heater while winterizing and it had split during the winter.

Every year at Oshkosh I get summoned to help someone in the campground. We've stayed at the same one for the past 13 years. The owners know me well. I even help them with some of their cabins during the EAA event.

[Lobstah]

Good advice...
Big issue is space. Our shower is in the back passenger's side corner. Access is VERY limited because the valve/lines are in the corner of the coach/shower stall. There is only enough room to get one hand in there by removing the soap/shelves above the valve itself.
One of those things where you scratch your head and think "What engineer thought THIS was a good idea???"

I also read that NPT threads need teflon to seal. I thought the fitting might seal due to the "flare" of the female it's mating too, but no.

Will tackle it again today.

Jim

[malexander]

Originally Posted by Lobstah

I also read that NPT threads need teflon to seal. I thought the fitting might seal due to the "flare" of the female it's mating too, but no.

Will tackle it again today.

Jim

If it's the fitting screwing on to the faucet, it should have a rubber cone washer in it. It doesn't need ANYTHING to seal it, the washer is what seals it. If it's a "plastic" fitting, make sure you get it started straight, they like to cross-thread rrrrrreeeeeeaaaallllyyyyy easy!

[Lobstah]

Originally Posted by malexander

If it's the fitting screwing on to the faucet, it should have a rubber cone washer in it. It doesn't need ANYTHING to seal it, the washer is what seals it. If it's a "plastic" fitting, make sure you get it started straight, they like to cross-thread rrrrrreeeeeeaaaallllyyyyy easy!

Yeah...noticed that

I'd do the shark bite route, but I don't have access to the line, other than what I can reach through the cut out panel...no access to the bottom of the line, and if I cut it, not easy to do, then it won't reach the shower valve as there's no slack.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr......I really hate plumbing. If GOD hates me, she'll make me come back as a plumber.

No offense to plumbers it's just me.

Jim

[malexander]

Originally Posted by Lobstah

Yeah...noticed that

I'd do the shark bite route, but I don't have access to the line, other than what I can reach through the cut out panel...no access to the bottom of the line, and if I cut it, not easy to do, then it won't reach the shower valve as there's no slack.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr......I really hate plumbing. If GOD hates me, she'll make me come back as a plumber.

No offense to plumbers it's just me.

Jim

Can you not make the access hole bigger? If you can, there's "cut-in" access panels available in various sizes.
BTW, the access cover for the shower valve in my MH was actually a mirror on the wall.

[Lobstah]

I'd love to be able to just get to the bottom of the line, but it's inside a panel above my genset, so no access at all to that T fitting. Waterline runs back along the floor under the shower, and then over to a sink over in the driver's rear corner, no access at all, which is pretty damned dumb.
I thought about making a bigger hole, but finding matching material won't be easy, and anything else is going to look very shade-tree, or "Maineish" as Momma would say.

Jim

[malexander]

I understand the momma thing. But, the ready made access frames and covers actually look pretty good. They're all white (maybe some other colors too) but really do look just fine. Besides, a useable access hole shouldn't be an eye sore, just a "hey, an access hole for the shower" type thought.