T for Nature Pure Water Filter June 07, 2003, 07:11:04 pm Yahoo Message Number: 23056Sorry about that last post. Don't know what happened. Awhile back there were some posts about obtaining a plumbing T from a Web retailer called PEX Connection and seing if LD would install it in place of the one they use to facilitate later installation of a Nature Pure water filter. I ordered the T and a Nature Pure filter kit and now have both (though I don't yet have a LD to put them in). The T ordered from PEX Connection consists of two 1/2" barb fittings and one 1/2 male pipe thread fitting. The suggestion was that it would be a simple matter to get a flexible faucet connection (I did) to connect the 1/2" MPT fitting on the T to the 3/8" male compression fitting on the input side of the Nature Pure filter. I could be wrong, but unfortunately, I don't think it is that easy because Nature Pure does not appear to use standard compression fittings but rather a slightly modified version that would appear to be unique to their product. The good news, however, is that the Nature Pure filter comes with its own T that would appear to have 1/2" barb fittings identical to the T from PEX Connection and compatible with the 1/2" plumbing in the LD. So, my suggestion would be that if you're going to ask LD to use your fitting (no guarantee that they will), order your filter in advance and use the one that comes with that. It comes with a brass cap for the threaded fitting, which you normally use to disconnect the filter to isolate it from the water system when winterizing. Simply fit that to the T and if LD agrees to install it that will seal this "tap" into the plumbing system until you remove it to install your filter.Terry Palo Alto
Re: T for Nature Pure Water Filter Reply #1 – June 08, 2003, 12:05:08 am Yahoo Message Number: 23064Terry, I followed the advice on this forum and LD did install the PEX T for me. However, I have not yet purchased my Nature Pure filter. If a standard faucet/toilet connection will not work on the filter side, then I'll just get a 1/2" to 3/8" reducer and then use the hose that comes with the filter. Better yet would be to install a 1/2" to 3/8" valve on the end of the T so that flow can be shut off. Of course, none of this works if the hose supplied by Nature Pure has some type of special connection on the T-side??Is LD installing the Nature Pure T for you?thx,Mike S.
Re: T for Nature Pure Water Filter Reply #2 – June 08, 2003, 08:10:51 am Yahoo Message Number: 23068Just how difficult is it for one to install a "T" for the Nature Pure connection in the sink line by yourselves anyway? What I have read already from many posts individuals have done some remarkable repairs and improvements to their LDs. Your dealing with a very small space and plastic piping right? Any thoughts for do it yourselfers.
Re: T for Nature Pure Water Filter Reply #3 – June 08, 2003, 12:47:06 pm Yahoo Message Number: 23073Quotenone of this works if the hose supplied by Nature Pure has some type of special connection on the T-side?? Is LD installing the Nature Pure T for you? Mike, My T from PEX Connection has been here for a few weeks. Yesterday, when my Nature Pure arrived mail order from General Ecology, I took some of the applicable parts to our local, very knowledgeable, plumbing supply to get a 1/2' female pipe thread to 3/ 8" female compression faucet connector hose. This was intended to substitute for what I thought was a standard 3/8" female to 3/8" female compression faucet connector hose that came with the filter. The tech looked at the parts and pointed out that, while General Ecology uses 3/8" compression fittings, they are somewhat non- standard. (A standard 3/8" female compression fitting has a brass protrusion in the center that sticks out beyond the compression seal O-ring. On the filter, there is nowhere for the protrusion to go, so no way to get a proper seal.) I think you will find that you need to use the 3/8" hose that comes with the filter to connect the water supply to the filter at the filter end. The question will be how to connect the other end to the PEX Connection T. My guess is you will end up removing the PEX Connection T and substituting the T that comes with the filter. This might not be so bad, especially if you end up removing the faucet anyway as part of mounting the filter faucet. But I'm no plumbing genius and perhaps there is some way to adapt standard plumbing fittings to the Nature Pure fittings at either end of this connection. I just wanted to put people on notice that this PEX Connection approach might not be a simple as it sounded and to suggest just ordering the filter in advance and using the Nature Pure T if possible. Regarding having LD install the Nature Pure T, I'm going to wait until the coach is in production and then send it and ask them to do that. Hopefully the timing will be right and that will be easy for them to do. If not, I may just ask them to cancel the installation of the T and do it myself later.Nothing's ever easy.Terry
Re: T for Nature Pure Water Filter Reply #4 – June 08, 2003, 01:47:39 pm Yahoo Message Number: 23077QuoteJust how difficult is it for one to install a "T" for the Nature Pure connection in the sink line by yourselves anyway? Having examined this at the factory, it's certainly doable, but the plumbing is bundled in a very tight space under the sink. Access isn't ideal and things would definitely be simplified by having LD install the T during manufacture.
Re: T for Nature Pure Water Filter Reply #5 – June 11, 2003, 02:38:49 pm Yahoo Message Number: 23238"Just how difficult is it for one to install a "T" for the Nature Pure connection in the sink line by yourselves anyway?"It really isn't that difficult at although as you've mentioned the space you'll be working in is tight. It also depends on whether you use the barbed plastic "T" that General Ecology now supplies, a brass barbed "T" made for PEX tubing, a brass compression "T", or some other type. If you use the one General Ecology supplies you'll need to get and use either copper crimp rings for the PEX or stainless steel hose clamps to make sure it doesn't leak and a heat gun or hair dryer to soften the PEX so you can get it into the PEX tubing. The barbed brass fittings made for PEX are a little easier to install but still can be a PITA. The easiest way is to use brass compression fittings.I've done a few of these installations in various RVs including my LD. I have used the supplied plastic "T" once and it wasn't nearly as easy to do! I used brass compression fittings when I installed mine because they're much easier to work with and I was changing the faucet to a pullout type like the one in the current models. If you do use the compression type you'll need a 5/8" O.D. for the 1/2" I.D. PEX and they don't make one with a 3/8" outlet and 5/8" O.D. for the pass through sides, only 5/8" or 1/2" outlets so you'll need a reducing coupling to attach the 3/8" fitting for the filter to it.If the factory does install a "T" for you other than their standard icemaker "T" that has a very small outlet with very limited water flow you'll need to provide it and a cap or shut off valve so LD can perform the RVIA required 80psi pressurized test of the plumbing system.Mike R. 2001 Teal 26.5MB St Cloud, Fl
Re: T for Nature Pure Water Filter Reply #6 – June 11, 2003, 03:05:35 pm Yahoo Message Number: 23240"So, my suggestion would be that if you're going to ask LD to use your fitting (no guarantee that they will), order your filter in advance and use the one that comes with that. It comes with a brass cap for the threaded fitting, which you normally use to disconnect the filter to isolate it from the water system when winterizing. Simply fit that to the T and if LD agrees to install it that will seal this "tap" into the plumbing system until you remove it to install your filter."Terry, If General Ecology is now supplying a brass cap for their plastic "T" that is something new they started doing recently. They didn't supply a "T" at one time either. It was me who suggested using a standard flexible supply line to attach to the PEX Connection "T" that has a 1/2" outlet. I hadn't checked the filter housing to see if that would work but it was a solution if it did. I guess their thermo-plastic housing on the Nature Pure is too thick to allow for the brass insert in the standard supply hoses to fit into their 3/8" fitting. Sorry if I caused you any problems by suggesting that! They will work on their Seagull IV line of filters that have metal housings but that doesn't help you out. I don't know if LD will install the plastic "T" but it can't hurt to ask. There's even a chance they may not install the brass one again either but again it can't hurt to ask. If they will install the Nature Pure supplied plastic "T" that would be the way to go. If they won't install the plastic one but will install a brass one like you bought you can do as Mike S suggested and use a 1/2" to 3/8" reducer or a 1/2" to 3/8" shut off valve.I'm curious though as to why you bought the filter direct from General Ecology instead of from Camping World? The price from CW is better if you're a PC member. It's the same if your not a member.Mike R
Re: T for Nature Pure Water Filter Reply #7 – June 11, 2003, 03:11:32 pm Yahoo Message Number: 23241Quotedryer to soften the PEX so you can get it into the PEX tubing. The barbed brass fittings made for PEX are a little easier to install but still can be a PITA. The easiest way is to use brass compression fittings. Note that in many cases plumbing jobs in the LD such as this can be made a lot simpler by simply disconnecting both ends of the run you are tapping. Then you can relax in your seat at the dinette while you wrestle with stubborn fittings, easily reattaching the completed assembly as a unit.Steve
Re: T for Nature Pure Water Filter Reply #8 – June 11, 2003, 03:16:14 pm Yahoo Message Number: 23243QuoteI'm curious though as to why you bought the filter direct from General Ecology instead of from Camping World? The price from CW is better if you're a PC member. It's the same if your not a member. Mike,Camping World does not stock the Nature Pure model with the white faucet, only the chrome faucet. I called them and they said that they could special order it for me from General Ecology. With taxes (none for General Ecology) and shipping (only $1 with Camping World) taken into account, there is only about a $15 difference in price no matter where you buy it.I haven't ordered yet, and I have to figure out a solution to fit onto my PEX connection (I am still happy that I got LD to do the hard part. Hopefully I won't have to remove the PEX and replace it with the plastic T), so I'll report in the next month or two.Mike S. 2003 26.5 MB.
Re: T for Nature Pure Water Filter Reply #9 – June 13, 2003, 01:11:30 pm Yahoo Message Number: 23353"Note that in many cases plumbing jobs in the LD such as this can be made a lot simpler by simply disconnecting both ends of the run you are tapping. Then you can relax in your seat at the dinette while you wrestle with stubborn fittings, easily reattaching the completed assembly as a unit."Steve, The way I interpret your post it would require removing a crimp ring and pulling the PEX off one side of the barbed "T" it is attached to in the under the sink, normally in a corner, and then re-install it. The crimp ring required would be in a much more difficult position to work. You might even need to remove some of the tie straps LD uses to hold the tubing in place and then re-install that as well. That wouldn't be very easy or practical except the portion you could do without contorting yourself under the sink. While using this method might be easy for older LDs with flare fittings and polybutylene plumbing it would only make the job more of a problem in new LDs with PEX tubing that uses barbed fittings with crimp rings. PEX is more difficult to install barbed fittings in than PB from my experience working with both types. To remove the entire run for a water filter "T" under the sink wouldn't be any easier, in fact it could make it more difficult!The easiest method is cut the PEX where the fitting will go and remove the cold water fitting from the faucet. This will allow you to work on that side in an easier to work area as you mentioned. Remove the portion of PEX the "T" fitting will occupy and use a brass compression "T" fitting with a reducing coupler or supply valve on the outlet for the filter supply line. Put that assembly together as you mentioned and when done with that portion attach the inlet side of the "T" to the cut side of the PEX and then reattach to the faucet. If this is what where referring to in your post it's a great practical "common sense" suggestion. That's how I did mine and those I've done for friends.Using compression fittings requires no heating of the tubing to install or crimp rings to crimp. It may cost a little more but the ease of installing and time saved outweigh any minor cost differential there may be. Both the brass barbed PEX style and the plastic type General Ecology supplies with the Nature Pure require crimp rings and crimping at least one in a very tight area. The plastic type requires softening of the PEX tubing to install. With the brass type you can at times get away without heating the tubing to soften it but you still need to use crimp rings, one installed in a very tight space.Mike R.
Re: T for Nature Pure Water Filter Reply #10 – June 16, 2003, 03:32:22 pm Yahoo Message Number: 23474but you still need to use crimp rings,Quote Mike R. Mike R Your explaination makes a lot of sense until you got to the point "you still need to use crimp rings". Are the brass fitings all you need or not? At this point you lost my husband. He just does not get it!! Bobbie
Re: T for Nature Pure Water Filter Reply #11 – June 16, 2003, 04:21:50 pm Yahoo Message Number: 23476"Your explaination makes a lot of sense until you got to the point "you still need to use crimp rings". Are the brass fitings all you need or not?"Bobbie, Crimp rings or stainless steel hose clamps are required for any type of barbed fitting made for PEX regardless of whether the barbed fitting is made of brass or plastic. However, use of crimp rings is the preferred method. Without the crimp rings the fitting will leak and can be forced out by water pressure. Crimp rings ARE NOT used with compression fittings. Compression fittings use a compression ring, made of either brass or plastic, which goes around the pipe and is compressed into the fitting and onto the pipe by a compression nut. This seals the connection as it is compressed. When working with any type of plastic tubing you also need to insert a brass sleeve into the tubing before inserting it into the fitting. The sleeve prevents the crimp ring from crushing the tubing when you tighten the compression nut.When using compression fittings on PEX or other plastic tubing you slide the nut on the tube first with threads facing the cut end of the tube so it will thread onto the fitting, next slide the compression ring on the tube, then insert the sleeve into the plastic tube, then insert the tube into the fitting until it stops (it will go into the fitting about 1/4"). Finally you thread the nut onto the fitting and tighten it. After assembly is complete pressurize the system and check for leaks. I hope that clears things up for you and/or your husband. If not you may not want to undertake this project yourself and have someone else install it for your.Mike R.
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Topic: T for Nature Pure Water Filter (Read 3 times)
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