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Old 04-28-2014, 02:50 PM   #1
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Pex tubing into hot water heater leak

I have a leak from the pex elbow going into the hot water heater. I took the connector off and the gasket is well worn. I went to the small hardware store in the town I was passing through and didn't find anything close to the part I have. The connector threads onto a brass fixture on the water heater.

I don't mind replacing the whole elbow. Is there a better connector I should be using? I've read about a product called Shark Bite. Would that be better?

I won't be passing through a town big enough for a Home Depot/Lowes for another couple of weeks.

Any help would be appreciated.
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Old 04-28-2014, 03:13 PM   #2
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I believe the fittings pictured are RV specific , so I don't think Lowes etc. will stock them. I've seen them in all RV parts supplies that I've been in.
But you could check their web sites.
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Old 04-28-2014, 03:36 PM   #3
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Thanks. I'll probably have to buy it online. Still searching....
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Old 04-28-2014, 03:37 PM   #4
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Hi kjackson,
The fittings you need are industry standard. Lowe's or HD should have so many choices it will make your head spin. Take the fitting and the picture to the store. Staff will help you make the correct decision. The shark fittings just as well as other fittings. You will not need any toos to make the connections. Just make sure if the PEX needs to be cut have a cutter with a sharp blade and cut at 90 degrees. No burrs and a straight cut. Any good hardware should have a selection of fittings.
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Old 04-28-2014, 03:40 PM   #5
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Your picture " Avatar " looks like the Colorado River area in AZ. are you near there?
Spankie's RV. in Parker has the fittings , don't know if they have a web site.
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Old 04-28-2014, 03:42 PM   #6
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Always have what you need in hand when you don't know it's called. "Hi, I need this" works every time. Good luck
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Old 04-28-2014, 03:55 PM   #7
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If it's 1/2 inch od shark bite will work on it. I have found them in several smaller hardware stores they make repairs a snap just push it on until it hits bottom.
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Old 04-28-2014, 04:19 PM   #8
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We are in Hawthorne,NV now. Slowly working our way north. Heading out to the local hardware store now.
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Old 04-28-2014, 06:23 PM   #9
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Had a very similar fitting on my HW leak too. I used a Brass Elbow and a 1/2" Barb fitting in the elbow and heated the PEX to allow the barb fitting to slide into it easily, the used a hose clamp over the barb fitting. Works great w/no leak. Bought the brass elbow and barb fitting at Home Depot.
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Old 04-28-2014, 06:45 PM   #10
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Thanks for all the replies. The small town of Hawthorne,NV has 2 hardware stores and one of them had the exact part! $5.12... Now to get the pex off the one end....
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Old 04-28-2014, 07:43 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Skip426 View Post
I believe the fittings pictured are RV specific , so I don't think Lowes etc. will stock them. I've seen them in all RV parts supplies that I've been in.
But you could check their web sites.
There nothing but PEX fitting nothing about it is RV specific. Except that they used the cheapest one they could get.
Shark bit are great a bit pricy but best quality.
A good ACE or True Value hardware store should be able to fix you up.
maybe not with shark bit but something that would get you buy.
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Old 04-28-2014, 09:50 PM   #12
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Almost any RV supply should have the gasket you need for the connector to your water heater. They cost 50 cents. Have you tried tightening the fitting to see if that stops the leak? It is not unusual for the seal to compress over time and need another 1/2 turn. I use Sharkbite fittings as a temporary repair only. I have seen too many of them leak. You are depending on an O ring to provide long term no leak performance. They will eventually fail and then you will have real problems. The PEX Flair It fittings that you have are very reliable. There is a special wrench that costs 9 or 10 bucks that is designed to tighten these fittings. Get a supply of extra PEX fittings that you could use in an emergency and an extra 5 feet of PEX pipe. With my stash I've solved problems for three others in similar emergencies.
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Old 04-29-2014, 12:10 AM   #13
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If you get a faucet supply hose the size of your elbow you can remove one of the seals and install on your elbow to reseal.
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