IMG_20210904_152100849.jpg;old water heater in place|||IMG_20210904_152106845_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210904_152545845_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210904_152640695_HDR.jpg;pb hot water line, I don't think its every been off|||IMG_20210904_152732415_HDR.jpg;cold water inlinet has PB check valve|||IMG_20210904_152832383.jpg;white check valve still seems to work though I won't be reusing|||IMG_20210904_152835419_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210904_154115879.jpg;most stuff disconnected|||IMG_20210904_154118069.jpg;|||IMG_20210904_154233075_HDR.jpg;finally I can see the thermostat|||IMG_20210904_154254557.jpg;|||IMG_20210904_154814468_HDR.jpg;4 bolts hold tank support in place, just removed 2 on the left side|||IMG_20210904_160603966.jpg;the clamp thingies that hold the pipe to the supports were very annoying to dislodge|||IMG_20210904_161236608.jpg;|||IMG_20210904_161249459_HDR.jpg;tank still supported by the blue metal support on the back|||IMG_20210904_161637653.jpg;gross, and you won't believe the gunk that came out when I rinsed the tank out|||IMG_20210904_161639820_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210904_161651628_HDR.jpg;original robert shaw thermostat|||IMG_20210904_163940587.jpg;cut a hole at the X to access the bolt on the bank of the water heater tank|||IMG_20210904_164211780.jpg;|||IMG_20210904_164353791.jpg;|||IMG_20210904_164407323.jpg;thank god that worked, what a huge time saver|||IMG_20210904_164940346.jpg;|||IMG_20210904_165330276.jpg;|||IMG_20210904_165811078.jpg;|||IMG_20210904_165826575_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210904_165911910.jpg;|||IMG_20210904_165935569.jpg;|||IMG_20210904_165945886.jpg;I can't believe the drain allowed any water to flow out at all|||IMG_20210904_170202259_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210904_170327287_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210904_170333073_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210904_170822281.jpg;now I have plenty of space for replacing plumbing lines|||IMG_20210904_170857189.jpg;|||IMG_20210904_170903541.jpg;|||IMG_20210906_102722150.jpg;I needed to go on a camping trip before I finished replacing the tank|||IMG_20210906_104202693.jpg;so I temporarily bypassed the water heater so at least I had cold water for my trip|||IMG_20210906_111258253.jpg;of course my toilet valve sprang a huge leak|||IMG_20210906_111306766.jpg;|||IMG_20210906_111322153.jpg;|||IMG_20210906_111907733.jpg;pulled off the valve|||IMG_20210906_111915092.jpg;|||IMG_20210906_115124436.jpg;|||IMG_20210906_115854787.jpg;Did you know that I love quarter turn valves? You do now|||IMG_20210906_115859942.jpg;I eventually came back and replaced that gray pb line too|||IMG_20210906_115937133.jpg;|||IMG_20210917_165044718.jpg;removed the plaid cover for the water tank|||IMG_20210917_165048086.jpg;|||IMG_20210917_165058730_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210917_165106721_HDR.jpg;I hate this heater tube. It's supposed to heat the bathroom but it fails. And its in the way|||IMG_20210917_165204563.jpg;cut the heater tube|||IMG_20210917_165518935.jpg;and removed it from under the water tank. So much space for activities!|||IMG_20210917_165535534_HDR.jpg;Removed the heater tube from back here too|||IMG_20210919_105509415.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_105520324.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_105530215.jpg;this stainless steel check valve got put on the water heater cold water inlet|||IMG_20210919_105532238.jpg;turns out this thing is extremely noisy. I endedup removing it entirely|||IMG_20210919_105537819.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_105713186.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_105954861.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_110105818.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_111250637.jpg;This was only a fraction of what I needed to complete the job|||IMG_20210919_111256062.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_111300529.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_111304630.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_111311264.jpg;What a cool pex adapter, 1/2" FPT with integrated quarter turn valve|||IMG_20210919_111320168.jpg;Picked up some bogie greasers at the same time I got the water heater. Will install them later|||IMG_20210919_111322399.jpg;Also finally got a jack adapter|||IMG_20210919_111351155_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_111407916_HDR.jpg;ended up using 1/2" pex everywhere. 3/8" not commonly available and 1/4" too small|||IMG_20210919_111411585_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_111424977_HDR.jpg;the new stainless steel water heater is a work of art|||IMG_20210919_111439558_HDR.jpg;heat exchanger is completely isolated (2 times over) from the water in the tank|||IMG_20210919_111445243.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_111456252_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_111528517_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_111556260_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_111635292.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_111645554.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_112755324.jpg;My first connection. By the end of the day I was a pro|||IMG_20210919_112758863.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_133151743.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_133154883.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_133209894.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_133420285.jpg;had to remove medicine cabinet in order to hold plubming in back to remove shower head|||IMG_20210919_133428237.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_133450857.jpg;gray pb line visible, goes from sink to shower head|||IMG_20210919_133519573_HDR.jpg;picture taken towards fridge and front of RV|||IMG_20210919_133707821.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_153120621.jpg;now more directly tied into the drain|||IMG_20210919_153948518.jpg;I needed about 3 feet to connect to toilet, what a pain|||IMG_20210919_153955594.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_154311592.jpg;Another awesome pex connector, 1/2 T with 3/8" compression fitting for toilet, awesom|||IMG_20210919_154445308.jpg;finally removing PB lines|||IMG_20210919_154448445.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_154622808.jpg;yeah, this will work. Just need to route line behind toilet|||IMG_20210919_155323755.jpg;looking good|||IMG_20210919_160539993_HDR.jpg;out the back wall of the bathroom and tied into pex line|||IMG_20210919_160603183_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_161945941.jpg;needed a way to hold pipe securely so I could attach outdoor shower head|||IMG_20210919_162056828.jpg;drilled hole too small, pressed in pipe. |||IMG_20210919_162058798.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_162206616_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_162216884.jpg;Later I replaced the shorter pipe with a longer one to give me more space|||IMG_20210919_162218768.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_162453306.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_162539411.jpg;water line for outdoor shower head will be hard to get to once water heater installed|||IMG_20210919_163002314.jpg;longer pipe installed|||IMG_20210919_170348623.jpg;looking good|||IMG_20210919_170351958_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_170442846_HDR.jpg;yay, now I have an outdoor shower head. Quarter turn valve will get installed inside by water heater|||IMG_20210919_185241905.jpg;goes from sink to shower head|||IMG_20210919_185300578_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_185328219.jpg;gray pb already coupled to pex (both 3/8"). Now temporary shark bite goes from 3/8" pex to 1/2" pex|||IMG_20210919_190037379.jpg;this let me avoid replacing water lines to kitchet at this time|||IMG_20210919_190841771.jpg;checking fitment|||IMG_20210919_190846924.jpg;blue pex with 2 90's goes to outdoor shower head|||IMG_20210919_190856425.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_191126375.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_191202193.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_192048179.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_201810579.jpg;test fit|||IMG_20210919_201816531_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_203446644.jpg;the cold water inlet (bottom) has ss check valve installed. Ultimately it was too loud so I removed |||IMG_20210919_203456760.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_203500211.jpg;|||IMG_20210919_203550872_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210921_171141568.jpg;Brain fart, accidentally installed hot line to cold faucet and vice versa|||IMG_20210921_171203842.jpg;yeah, hot going to wrong side|||IMG_20210921_173626466.jpg;this turd was way too loud. replaced with straight pipe|||IMG_20210921_175854706_HDR.jpg;getting there|||IMG_20210921_175859470_HDR.jpg;rerouted lines so bathroom sink has hot and cold on correct side|||IMG_20210921_175906844.jpg;white handled quarter turn valve shuts off water to outside shower, good for winter|||IMG_20210921_183916944.jpg;|||IMG_20210921_183927615.jpg;outside shower also has button right on it for local control|||IMG_20210921_192656333.jpg;all the old pb lines I removed|||IMG_20210921_193856185.jpg;|||IMG_20210921_193903751.jpg;|||IMG_20210921_193911066_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210921_193917723_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210921_193927069.jpg;|||IMG_20210921_193932379.jpg;|||IMG_20210921_193936465_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210921_195540707_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210921_195544969_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210921_195601470_HDR.jpg;|||IMG_20210921_195607104_HDR.jpg;|||AlbumDescription;<p>During our last RV outing the hot water heater sprung a leak. I am sure the tank and all the plumbing were original. In fact, the RV has polybutylene (hence forth called pb) water lines. This was just the excuse I needed to get in there are make some serious upgrades.</p>
<ol>
<li>The old water heater came out and a beautiful stainless steel tank went in, complete with a new 120 VAC heating element and thermostate. The new tank retained the engine coolant heat exchanger. </li>
<li>I replaced all the PB water lines with pex. This covers the fresh water tank, toilet, bathroom sink and shower. I did not do the lines going over the ceiling to the kitchen sink / city water connection. I will get to those later</li>
<li>I installed a shower head on the outside of the RV to make it easier to clean the kids off before they track dirt in the RV.</li>
</ol>
<div>This job took a long time. Besides the normal lead time sourcing parts, I also had never done pex work before. It was easy, easier than copper, and slightly easier than CPVC since the pipe can bend. I can't bend too much though so you still have lots of joints in the confined space of the RV.</div>
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<div>I ordered PEX to PB adapters and I am very happy I did. That allowed me to leave the PB going over the ceiling to the kitchen. Some day I will finish replacing those PB lines but trying to do all of that in one shot would have made for a VERY LONG project.</div>
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