Leaking Water Connections

I see - thanks. A PEX or PEX like 15mm tube and the Seatech QD fittings would not work for me without an excessive amount of rework; It does not have the bend radius the Uniflex does and would not fit to the manifolds and around all of the corners in the 52. I suppose one could put a bunch of elbows on the tube but wow....
I really need to make the existing hose assemblies with the crimped fittings and cone seals work as they are.

I am going to see if the Sea Tech fittings will fit the Uniflex pipe. I have been unable to find it anywhere.

Bennett
 
Ends up the leaks are not from the cone seals but the crimped assembly. Here is the fix.
The plastic fittings are PEX 1/2" X 1/2" FNPT swivel adapters. Lowes has the Sharkbite brand in bags of 5 for around $10. The big problem is the Uniflex hose ID is larger than the OD of the PEX Adapter fittings that SeaTech used in the original crimped assembly. The material used to crimp it all together is brass and very soft. Over time the crimp relaxes and the hose internal lining hardens and the leaks occurs between the hose and the plastic barbed end. See the attached picture of one I took apart. The issue is, unless the valve manifold is to be changed the PEX adapters need to be used but the hose does not fit. So, cut the old PEX fitting off, heat up the end of the hose until soft with a heat gun, slide on a heavy duty worm drive clamp, insert a new PEX adapter and clamp the warmed hose down on the fitting. I used a ratchet to be able to really drive the clamp down and seat the hose on the barbs. Simple fix and works like a charm.
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I was just about to take one apart as you did today. I still am just to check one thing-will the Sea Tech “push on” fittings work therefore needing no clamp.

One question...what size worm clamp did you buy?

Many thanks,
Bennett
 
I was just about to take one apart as you did today. I still am just to check one thing-will the Sea Tech “push on” fittings work therefore needing no clamp.

One question...what size worm clamp did you buy?

Many thanks,
Bennett
Size 06 with 1/2" band. Ideal P/N 6706-6
 
The OD of the OEM hose is too large to fit into the “push to lock” Sea Tech fittings.

The new female connectors and clamps it is!

Bennett
 
Over the weekend I addressed my leaks. I didn't mess with the crimped portions at all. The replacement ferrule worked like a charm. I really had to work at it in order to dig it out. By looking at the inside of the female fitting, I would have never realized there was a ferrule inside.
 
A company called "Brewmagic" makes a stainless swivel connector 1/2" Barb X 1/2" FIP that works PERFECT for repairing this problem ($9.00 ea.) Comes with an o-ring though, so you need the correct cone washer, Order from Fresh Water systems (SeaTech cone seal 1/2 NPS), ($.58 ea) I've changed out maybe a dozen of these on my '05 420 and they are EASY to change and work GREAT... And the swivel will never be a problem In the future if there is a leak, a fix is just a cone washer away..
 
I got everything together and got started this past weekend. I ordered the SS pinch clamps form McMaster-Carr for about $0.50 each and picked up the PEX female connectors with the 1/2" barb from HD for about $1 each. I have more to do, but installed 4 of the connectors and stopped 75% of my drips. One thing for sure...there is very little extra hose!

Bennett
Leak Fix.jpg
 
I tried the plastic PEX swivels with PEX clamps and they were too loose in the hose. And if I could get them tight enough, I figured they would just eventually leak again, like the original plastic swivels... So I spent some $$ for metal ones... Anyway, we'll see what happens down the road... I did replace one stretch of hose with pex pipe, elbow and swivels... That stuff is really easy to work with... I would use it everywhere if it wasn't so hard to to push it through all that sealant goop SeaRay uses in the bulkheads... Anyway, good luck!!
 
I got everything together and got started this past weekend. I ordered the SS pinch clamps form McMaster-Carr for about $0.50 each and picked up the PEX female connectors with the 1/2" barb from HD for about $1 each. I have more to do, but installed 4 of the connectors and stopped 75% of my drips. One thing for sure...there is very little extra hose!

BennettView attachment 53108

Great job Bennet! Any reason you went with the crimp fitting vs SS worm style hose clamps?
 
I tried the plastic PEX swivels with PEX clamps and they were too loose in the hose. And if I could get them tight enough, I figured they would just eventually leak again, like the original plastic swivels... So I spent some $$ for metal ones... Anyway, we'll see what happens down the road... I did replace one stretch of hose with pex pipe, elbow and swivels... That stuff is really easy to work with... I would use it everywhere if it wasn't so hard to to push it through all that sealant goop SeaRay uses in the bulkheads... Anyway, good luck!!

The 1/2” Pex clamps are too small and the 3/4” are too big. That is why I ordered from McMaster-Carr. I also have some Pex fittings that the barbed potion is brass.

Bennett
 
Replaced all but one female connector and clamp on my fresh water manifold. The cold water for the washing machine is not needed now anyway. Also replaced the outfeed side of my onboard pump. Did the HWH last weekend. After 24 hours, “0” leaks on my manifold or pump.

However, the pump continues to cycle for 1/2 second every hour or so. Finally found it. Either the hot or cold to the Master Shower. It appears the medicine cabinet will somehow have to come out to gain enough access.

Thanks to TTMott for post. I was on the same track, but he proved it out before me.
3E4D2389-01E2-49BF-9A29-82137528A350.jpeg
 
I contacted SeaTech and bought the newer manifold ($380), cut back the existing hoses, and clamped them to PEX Pipe which simply pushes into the shark bite fitting. The manifold was expensive, but it’s bone dry now. I’m away from the boat and because the manifold is under the galley hatch I needed the ‘no drip’ peace of mind.
 
dusting off this thread. developed a leak at the water heater where the cold supply line comes in. my lines on the 44DA look to be pex and not the hose seen earlier in this thread. see picture below (and don't mind the leak tape, it was a bandaide to get me through some other projects first).

can anyone verify the size of the red and blue lines? my plan is to cut them back, put on new fittings and reconnect (with a water heater bypass). wish i would have though to drain everything and bring the fittings home so i could shop this week, but too many other things got in the way.

Thanks!

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might have answered my own question. looks like all my lines are 1/2" Zurn PEX?
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should be able to get some PEX fittings to rebuild, correct?
 
Yes, 1/2" pex. Think about getting some extra pieces and build yourself a bypass to make winterization as easy as turning three handles. I have a thread somewhere that shows the pieces you'll need.
 

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Thanks guys!

I was at HD and picked up a pinch clamp tool, pinch clamps, fittings and adapters to make a bypass kit. Was going to do sharkbite, but they are so damn heavy and I didn't want that strain on all the fittings.

I'll have to find that bypass thread - I got three valves (in cold shutoff, hot out cutoff, cold to hot bypass on/off) but feel like I should only need two, but didn't know how to keep the cold mixing to the hot or the flow backfeeding into the hot of the heater.
 

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