What Kind of Plumbing Pipes Are These?

[jinx]

These are underneath my kitchen sink and I have not seen them before. I have a 2006 Karsten DW.

[JD]

Hi jinx,

You have PEx plumbing. Looks neat as can be. I like the shut off valve to the dishwasher. Very thorough.

JD

PEx = crosslinked (x), PolyEthylene

[jinx]

Hi JD. Thank you for your timely reply. We are trying to install a Reverse Osmosis and the directions do not cover this type of plumbing. We have no idea what to do. I hope that we can get some help here.

[Harry]

Hi

The red is your hot water. I like Pex.

We have an RO unit under the sink and yes they are not all that easy to install.

Some fittings came with our unit. The necessary brass and PEX fittings I got from Lowes.

Here's a link to general installation instructions. It gives you an idea what's involved.

http://www.thstore.com/demo/ThstoreROInstallation.htm

Hope this helps.

Harry

[Greg]

PEX is avalable at Lowes and many hardware stores. Genuine PEX fittings require a crimper to crimp the lock ring, but the shark fittings are a push lock type. I personally have not used the shark fittings, but others here have used them with no problems.
Mark has the pex tools avalable in the parts section of this site. I have the pocket crimper that works well for a homeowner. Greg

[jinx]

Harry, we have installed an RO before, but have never seen these Pex lines before. Our previous home had regular pipes and fittings. It sounds like it might be better to get a plumber to install this as we do not have the crimping tool.

[Brenda (OH)]

Hey Jinx,

this might be the ideal project to learn to work with your pex plumbing on... not an emergency! lol

if you do hire a plumber, you may want to schedule it so you can see him do crimps, and see how easy it is. then you can better decide if you want to take on any of your own repairs in the future.

i have never done copper plumbing repairs, but I am doing about 90% of my own plumbing repairs right now on three mobile homes I have bought for rehab. I did not do the supply line, or the water heater install.

I have done 4 sinks, and one shower repair. after only 2 lessons from another rehabber. Just to show you can start with simply stuff.... especially on a newer mobile home that is going to have standard pex materials in it.

Brenda (OH)

[Guest]

Hi, I got PEX lines I just bypass them using regular copper fittings.
Here's my Merlin system. I found the coupling connector (Pex to copper fitting) at Lowes.