Well, I didn’t actually work ON the vardo today, but I really did. I broke out the plumbing parts trying to figure a way to attach the pex connectors to the standard compression valves under every sink. I grabbed a valve and a Flair-it pex to 1/2″ FPT and headed to town. Stop for coffee at G-mud, and a look around Salvation Army, found a set of those stacking mugs you like. Next stop Restore, a couple more pex connects and some half turn buttons to hold the bench backs in place. They have a lot of new hinges, oh $#!*, just dawned on me we need some for the bench seats, well they have a lot. I headed for the salvage yard, thoughts and measurements on the water heater cover in mind. They’re out of 2×4′ stainless, 20 GA aluminum and galvanized, none of the sheet metal I wanted. 😦 I looked for 1/2″ ball valves none of them either. They did have some fine mesh SS screen, I picked up a 3″x 6″ piece, another plastic hose valve and a few magnets for my fridge freezer door (close assist). Nothing suitable for the plumbing adapter, wasted trip. On check out he said they just ordered more sheet metal.
I stopped at Friedman’s couldn’t find it. H-Depot’s got the better pex supplies, studied the shelves awhile, finally found the right part, not pex, a copper piece with 1/2″ male threads and a sleeve for a 1/2″ tube, score, 4 for $6 out the door, cheap. I headed home and dug out the scrap fittings Warren had given me, one has a good length of 1/2″ copper pipe, hacked 4 pieces at 1 1/4″, cleaned up on the lapidary and sandpaper. They’ll be perfect soldered with food grade tin or hard silver solder, then fitted to the compression valves and up to the faucets. The pex elbows will fit the 1/2″ threads, tubed to the pump and heater. The missing connection has been found, success!
I’m thinking to use short 3/4″ garden hose connections to run to the heater outside as they are not as UV sensitive and that size quick connects to the heater are cheap. Standard hose valves outside, one cold, one hot return with a red handle (we have), and the heater came with 3/4 adapters. A simple hose kit and we’re done with plumbing. Course there is always getting it installed without leaks.
8shotoflove8 