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04-23-2021, 10:29 AM
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#1
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 36
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Plumbing a skoolie
Ok planning my plumbing. I have a question. Has anyone ever ran one line from your cold pump to the end of the line say kitchen faucet and put T connections in for say bathroom sink and toilet before? If you did this have you had any issues? Planning to do this with hot water as well. I know the pressure maybe lower if the kitchen sick and bathroom sink are on at once but it will save running multiple lines through the bus.
Thanks in advance
Derek
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04-23-2021, 10:36 AM
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#2
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 36
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Plan to use 3/4 pex so far.
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04-23-2021, 11:01 AM
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#3
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Fraser Valley British Columbia
Posts: 1,043
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freightliner
Engine: C7 Cat
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Hello and welcome.
Sounds like you're on the right track, that's exactly how you do it. No need to run multiple line for either hot or cold. You can see many designs if you Google rv pluming images.
Good luck with your build and keep everyone posted.
Cheers
Oscar
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04-23-2021, 06:01 PM
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#4
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: NM USA KD6WJG
Posts: 1,324
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American RE 40 FEET
Engine: Cummins 8.3
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Oscar1 said it best. I did it the same. I used 1/2" pex and it is plenty.
__________________
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04-28-2021, 08:26 AM
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#5
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Illinois
Posts: 23
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freightliner FS-65
Engine: 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 77
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1/2" inch per throughout is most likely fine. Most people do not have high flow fixtures in a RV. 1/2" will get you about 7-14 gallons a minute of flow. A shower might do between 1.5 and 3. Your kitchen faucet might do 2.5 if its a standard residential. Lavatory might do about the same. So even with high flow fixtures, in what amounts to a single bathroom house 1/2" will run everything just fine.
If you want to over size it a bit, run 3/4" from your freshwater tank to your water heater cold inlet and run 1/2" everywhere else.
The picture Oscar posted is a perfect illustration on a great way to run the system. Only thing I would change is tying the water heater in as close to the pump as is practical(not that it will make a huge difference, just less 3/4 pipe and fittings needed)
Good luck with your build!
Source- am a residential plumber.
__________________
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https://www.instagram.com/justbetweenbus
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04-28-2021, 09:42 AM
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#6
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 2,831
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Built
Chassis: Minotour
Engine: Chevy Express 3500 6.6l
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As stated in another reply, 1/2” can deliver about 10 gallons per minute, if the supply is there. The bottleneck will probably be the pump which will probably be 2-3 gpm.
If you’re untethered you sure don’t want appliances that consume even 2 gpm at least not for long.
Short answer, 1/2” is plenty.
While we are on the subject, you may want to consider insulating those water lines.
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05-08-2021, 05:00 PM
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#7
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Skoolie
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Hesperia, CA
Posts: 126
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Saf-T-Liner
Chassis: HDX with lift
Engine: Mercedes MBE 920
Rated Cap: 22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by A Crafty Beaver
1/2" inch per throughout is most likely fine. Most people do not have high flow fixtures in a RV. 1/2" will get you about 7-14 gallons a minute of flow. A shower might do between 1.5 and 3. Your kitchen faucet might do 2.5 if its a standard residential. Lavatory might do about the same. So even with high flow fixtures, in what amounts to a single bathroom house 1/2" will run everything just fine.
If you want to over size it a bit, run 3/4" from your freshwater tank to your water heater cold inlet and run 1/2" everywhere else.
The picture Oscar posted is a perfect illustration on a great way to run the system. Only thing I would change is tying the water heater in as close to the pump as is practical(not that it will make a huge difference, just less 3/4 pipe and fittings needed)
Good luck with your build!
Source- am a residential plumber.
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Any particular reason to oversize the water heater inlet hose? I'm just getting ready to plumb my bus and planned 1/2 pex from start to finish. I just have a shower, toilet and sink.
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05-08-2021, 05:28 PM
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#8
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Illinois
Posts: 23
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freightliner FS-65
Engine: 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 77
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DAVEHOLMAN
Any particular reason to oversize the water heater inlet hose? I'm just getting ready to plumb my bus and planned 1/2 pex from start to finish. I just have a shower, toilet and sink.
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Honestly, mostly a carryover from plumbing houses that don't move. It lets you use the full 1/2" line for just cold instead of having a bottleneck where the water is coming from the source to both the water heater and the faucet.
There are plenty of 2 bath houses that have 1/2" lines throughout and don't have any issues. In a skoolie, you probably won't ever be using that much water unless you are at a site where you are tied into the grid. Even then, hitting the max throughput of a 1/2" pex line is not really going to happen.
It also matters how many and what kind of fittings you're installing, for instance, the expansion joint pex has significantly better flow rates because the fittings are the same size as the pipe's inside diameter. The crimp joints fitting are a bit smaller and thus reduce your flow. Putting a bunch of fittings in a run of pipe will cause turbulence and extra friction also reducing flow rate(on either joining system).
Most of this doesn't really have any impact on a skoolie since the runs are fairly short and water usage is fairly low.
Feel free to DM me if you have more questions
TLDR
Go with 1/2", you'll be fine. If you want a bit of overkill on the project, plumb the section between the water supply and the water heater cold inlet with 3/4"
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05-08-2021, 06:23 PM
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#9
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
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Use 3/4" for the main run, and T off everything with 1/2".
__________________
I Thank God That He Gifted Me with Common Sense
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05-09-2021, 01:07 PM
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#10
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New Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Roseville, CA
Posts: 3
Year: 1979
Coachwork: MCI
Chassis: MCI 5C 35'
Engine: 6V 71 Detroit Diesel
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Thats ok but if you ever have problems with any units connected you will have to shut down the whole thing, so I would at the very least put shutoffs at each unit incase something happens leaks etc. and you can't find or get it fixed right away you would still have use of the rest. Also what I did was put a 3/4" line as close to everything as I could and then that was attached and supplied water to a manifold with individual shutoffs for each unit or fixture then 1/2" off that to each fixture. Not that much more but able to isolate each.
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05-09-2021, 06:21 PM
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#11
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Grayson County, VA
Posts: 1,428
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Amtran
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 65
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DAVEHOLMAN
Any particular reason to oversize the water heater inlet hose? I'm just getting ready to plumb my bus and planned 1/2 pex from start to finish. I just have a shower, toilet and sink.
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We used 1/2" Pex throughout and never had any problems with shower and sink. The flow was more than adequate for 2 adults and full time living.
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05-09-2021, 10:01 PM
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#12
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Northern California
Posts: 44
Year: 2005
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: FC
Engine: Cat C-7
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Thats just what I did. I also just used 1/2 pex. Seems to work just fine. The smooth inner diameter of the pex allows for plenty of flow in an RV.
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05-09-2021, 11:51 PM
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#13
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Near Flagstaff AZ
Posts: 1,951
Year: 1974
Coachwork: Crown
Chassis: "Atomic"
Engine: DD 8V71
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1/2 inch PEX isn't even 1/2 inch at the fittings most people use (Apollo or the like) and that works just fine in any RV. Wirsbo fittings are generally larger in inside diameter, but more expensive and harder to use (with a special expansion tool)...and it's overkill in an RV, from a flow perspective. Just don't use Sharkbite fittings, please, as someday the o-rings will shrink and leak. It may be a long time, but it will happen...
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05-10-2021, 09:02 AM
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#14
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 260
Year: 1980
Coachwork: Crown Coach
Chassis: Supercoach
Engine: Detroit 671T
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rossvtaylor
1/2 inch PEX isn't even 1/2 inch at the fittings most people use (Apollo or the like) and that works just fine in any RV. Wirsbo fittings are generally larger in inside diameter, but more expensive and harder to use (with a special expansion tool)...and it's overkill in an RV, from a flow perspective. Just don't use Sharkbite fittings, please, as someday the o-rings will shrink and leak. It may be a long time, but it will happen...
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I agree with the sharkbite business, they are NOT to be concealed in any case and should be used for emergency repairs only.
As for the reduced inside diameter of insert style pex, while it is true, with the expected flow rates in conversions and RV's it is really a non issue. I would recommend poly (plastic, not brass) fittings and the stainless crimp rings as the best option for DIY plumbing.
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05-10-2021, 11:30 PM
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#15
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Illinois
Posts: 23
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freightliner FS-65
Engine: 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 77
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Willie_McCoy
I agree with the sharkbite business, they are NOT to be concealed in any case and should be used for emergency repairs only.
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100% this
Quote:
Originally Posted by Willie_McCoy
As for the reduced inside diameter of insert style pex, while it is true, with the expected flow rates in conversions and RV's it is really a non issue. I would recommend poly (plastic, not brass) fittings and the stainless crimp rings as the best option for DIY plumbing.
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Any reason why you're recommending staying away from the brass fittings and copper crimp rings?
I know they had some issues with the brass for the fittings a while back, but I haven't seen that in about 10 years or so...
Not trying to call you out, just curious on your reasoning
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07-12-2021, 04:04 PM
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#16
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Oakley, CA
Posts: 12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chopperpilot
Plan to use 3/4 pex so far.
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Use 1/2” as the 3/4” wont give you more pressure it’ll only give you more volume!
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07-12-2021, 07:59 PM
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#17
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Northern California (Sacramento)
Posts: 1,416
Year: 1999
Coachwork: El Dorado Fiberglass
Chassis: Ford E450
Engine: V10 Gas
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AresCha0s1
Use 1/2” as the 3/4” wont give you more pressure it’ll only give you more volume!
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The pressure drop can be material, especially over long runs, and with many elbows or fittings.
Having said that, it doesn't seem likely you need 3/4". By way of example, a 1.5 GPM Ecotemp tankless heater is rated for 37,500 BTUs input. From this chart,
https://fire-boulder.com/wp-content/...PipeSizing.pdf.
You could theoretically run almost five of those units off a single 1/2" line.
Not sure PEX is the best choice though. That's another conversation.
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07-13-2021, 03:04 PM
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#18
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Illinois
Posts: 23
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freightliner FS-65
Engine: 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 77
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rucker
Not sure PEX is the best choice though. That's another conversation.
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Genuinely curious, what is your reasoning here?
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07-13-2021, 06:42 PM
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#19
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Oakley, CA
Posts: 12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by A Crafty Beaver
Genuinely curious, what is your reasoning here?
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I too wanna know, I am a plumber and I won’t plumb with anything but PEX
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07-13-2021, 06:44 PM
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#20
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 2,831
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Built
Chassis: Minotour
Engine: Chevy Express 3500 6.6l
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rucker
Not sure PEX is the best choice though. That's another conversation.
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I was thinking exactly the same as you are, but then someone on the forum asked me ‘why not?’. So I used PEX and have to say that for the application it’s the best thing ever. I’d never put it in a house, but in an RV it makes sense.
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